Sydney / AFP Australia’s conservative government is pledging to drive economic and jobs growth when it hands down its budget on Tuesday, with an eye firmly on upcoming national elections that are shaping up to be a tight race. The budget is seen as a key test for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a former investment banker who ousted his ...

  Beijing / AFP China’s economic recovery stabilised in April, an official factory activity gauge showed on Sunday, as the property market recovered and credit grew. The Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI), tracking activity in factories and workshops, rose for the second successive month, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The figure was 50.1 compared to 50.2 in March. But any ...

  TOKYO / AFP Japan’s finance minister said the recent sharp rise in the yen is “extremely worrying”, adding Tokyo will take action when necessary. The remarks, which suggest Tokyo’s possible market intervention, came after the Japanese unit surged to an 18-month high against the dollar in New York Friday. It extended the previous day’s rally, which was boosted by ...