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Bloomberg Manufacturing managers in Southeast Asia saw a slump in activity as the region grapples with one of the world’s worst Covid-19 outbreaks, while North Asia continued to see a pick up as the global economy recovers. In Southeast Asia, which has emerged as one of the world’s worst-hit pandemic areas in recent weeks, Indonesia’s IHS Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers ...

Bloomberg India’s plan to sell two state-controlled lenders may get deferred to next financial year as the government is yet to seek parliament’s nod for changes in laws required to start the transaction, according to people familiar with the matter. The Finance Ministry hasn’t finalised modalities to seek approval from lawmakers for the sale, which leaves little time for the ...

Bloomberg India’s jobless rate fell to the lowest level in four months in July, adding to signs of a nascent recovery in the economy where sales tax collections and demand for some commodities have signaled a rebound. The unemployment rate dropped to 6.95% last month from 9.17% the previous month, according to latest data from private research firm Centre for ...

Bloomberg A massive methane plume detected last month over Kazakhstan occurred near a major pipeline that supplies natural gas to China. The cloud was observed roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the largest Kazakh city of Almaty on July 24, and had an emissions rate of more than 200 tons of methane an hour, according to an estimate from ...

Bloomberg Indonesia will exempt yachts and cruise ships used for tourism from a 75% luxury tax as the world’s biggest archipelago looks into ways to revive its vacation industry amid the pandemic. Similar sailing vessels built for public transport are also exempted, while those imported for other uses are still subject to the levy, the tax office said in a ...

Bloomberg Thailand is set to expand its quasi-lockdown measures to its regions that are hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic and home to about 40% of the population. The most stringent restrictions in 13 provinces, including the capital Bangkok and its surrounding regions, will be extended to August 31, and those curbs will be expanded to 16 additional provinces from Tuesday, ...

Bloomberg Nonfungible tokens have shot to popularity in the past year. Shopify Inc’s move to facilitate sales might bring them even further into the mainstream. NFTs have become popular in industries from sports memorabilia to fashion and art, where their ability to provide authentication and uniqueness is prized. Last week, Shopify started allowing merchants on its platform to sell NFTs ...

Bloomberg Gold is primed to surge to fresh highs as the risks around central banks unwinding massive stimulus are under-appreciated by investors, said a fund manager who forecast the metal’s ascent to a record last year. Diego Parrilla, who manages the $250 million Quadriga Igneo fund, said there isn’t widespread awareness of the long-term damage that’s been caused by ultra-loose ...

Bloomberg Germany is poised to widen Covid-19 vaccinations to include all 12-17 year-olds, stepping up efforts to spur its flagging inoculation drive. The move was set to be agreed on Monday goes beyond advice published by the government’s independent vaccine commission. The authority, known as STIKO, recommends inoculating those in that age group who have pre-existing conditions that put them ...

Bloomberg Bolt Technology OU, which competes with Uber Technologies Inc in Europe and Africa, doubled its valuation to $4.8 billion after raising money to finance a grocery-delivery service. The Estonia-based company raised 600 million euros from investors including Sequoia Capital and Tekne Capital Management to finance a 15-minute grocery delivery service called Bolt Market in 10 European countries over the ...