Bloomberg Japan’s economy is set to contract in the current quarter following growth that was better than first estimated in the first three months of the year, according to one of the country’s top economic forecasters. Gross domestic product is likely to shrink by 0.5 percent in the second quarter, Yoshiki Shinke, chief economist at Dai-Ichi Life Research, said in ...

Bloomberg The decades-old alliance of Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co descended into open enmity as the two sides sparred over governance changes at the Japanese automaker, an apparent tit-for-tat following Nissan’s refusal to endorse a deal with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. Nissan Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa said it was “most regrettable” that Renault planned to stymie board reforms, ...

Bloomberg Kazakhs elected former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev’s favoured successor as president, signalling political continuity in central Asia’s biggest energy producer even as street protests flared and international observers attacked the conduct of the vote. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev won the ballot with 71 percent, defeating six other candidates, according to a central election commission statement broadcast by state TV, which put turnout ...