Bangkok / DPA Thailand’s exports in February swung back to positive territory for the first time in 14 months, with a value of US$18.99 billion (670.37 billion baht) — 10.27 per cent higher than in the same period last year — the Commerce Ministry said. However, the increase was irregularly large due to significant exports of gold and military-drill equipment, …

Beijing / Bloomberg China’s coal use is forecast to fall a third year as industrial output slows, adding force to President Xi Jinping’s drive to cut overcapacity and dimming the hopes of global miners for an uptick in demand by the world’s biggest consumer. Demand will slide 2 percent this year and prices will remain at a low level, according …

HONG KONG / AP For decades, Hong Kong thrived as an Asian business hub thanks to its killer combination of Western freedoms, independent courts and closeness to mainland China’s booming market. Now political and economic ills from the mainland are eroding that edge. Swedish-Chinese author Gui Minhai was counting on Hong Kong’s freedoms when he chose the city as the …