Bloomberg South Korea’s virus-hit economy suffered the worst contraction since the global financial crisis in the first quarter, with a darkening outlook for global trade suggesting the country may fail to grow this year. Gross domestic product shrank 1.4% in the three months through March from the prior quarter, slightly above economists’ forecast of a 1.5% contraction, according to the ...

Bloomberg Thailand’s cherished Buddhist tradition of giving alms to monks is becoming yet another casualty of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving many of them without enough food. Traditionally, Thais bring food to monks in exchange for blessings when the orange-robed clergy undertake early-morning rounds, but there are far fewer people on the streets because of a partial national lockdown. The nation’s ...

Bloomberg Indonesia’s ride-hailing and food-delivery giant Gojek has acquired a mobile point-of-sale startup called Moka for about $130 million, according to people familiar with the deal. The transaction, which has been under negotiations since last year, was completed about a month ago, said the people, who asked not to be named because the information is private. It hasn’t been announced ...