Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday followed Wall Street’s mostly positive performance ahead of key U.S. inflation data that could influence the pace of market-boosting rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. U.S. futures and oil prices were little changed. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index edged 0.1% higher to 38,505.54. The Kospi rose 0.2% to 2,502.94 after South Korean law enforcement officials detained impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday in connection with his failed declaration of martial law last month. South Korea's unemployment rate reached 3.7% in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, the highest since June 2021, amid political uncertainty, the government reported. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.2% to 19,264.46 after media reported that President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming economic team is discussing gradually ramping up tariffs in different phases. The Shanghai Composite shed 0.3% to 3,232.98. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was flat at 8,233.10. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 5,842.91 as three out of every four stocks in the index climbed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.5% to 42,518.28, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% to 19,044.39. Stocks got a boost from a report showing inflation at the U.S. wholesale level wasn’t as high last month as economists expected. It’s an encouraging signal ahead of a report coming later in the day, which will show how much inflation U.S. consumers faced at gasoline pumps, grocery registers and auto lots in December. Read: Asian shares mixed as Big Tech drops affect Wall Street Stubbornly high readings on inflation and a run of better-than-expected updates on the U.S. economy have sent Wall Street into a weekslong rut, pulling it further from the dozens of all-time highs set last year. The fear is that all the strong data will convince the Federal Reserve to deliver less relief this year through lower interest rates. The Fed has already hinted it’s likely to cut rates just two times in 2025, down from an earlier projection of four. Speculation is growing about whether the Fed may cut rates zero times this year. Such questions have sent Treasury yields sharply higher in the bond market, which cranks up the pressure on the stock market. Yields slowed their ascent following the update on wholesale inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury held at 4.78%, where it was late Monday. It was below 3.65% in September. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, eased to 4.36% from 4.39%. Indexes drifted between gains and losses through the day in large part due to drops for several Big Tech stocks. Nvidia fell 1.1% and was the second-heaviest weight on the S&P 500. The only stock to drag more on the market was Eli Lilly, which fell 6.6% after saying it expects to report weaker revenue for the last three months of 2024 than previously forecast. CEO David Ricks said last quarter’s 45% growth in Lilly’s revenue for its Mounjaro diabetes treatment, Zepbound obesity injections and other products in the incretin market wasn’t as big as expected. Several of the nation’s biggest financial companies will report their latest results on Wednesday, including JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, as earnings reporting season gears up. Such reports are always under the spotlight, but companies may be under more pressure to impress this time around. If Treasury yields continue to rise, either stock prices need to fall or companies need to produce bigger profit growth to make up for it. Read more: FICCI voices concerns over lack of stakeholder consultation prior to VAT policy revisions In other dealings early Wednesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 6 cents to $76.43 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 1 cent to $79.91 per barrel. The U.S. dollar fell to 157.91 Japanese yen from 158.00 yen. The euro slipped to $1.0299 from $1.0309.

A consignment of 2,450 metric tonnes of rice imported from India has arrived in the country via Chuadanga's Darshana Land Port. The rice, transported by rail, arrived at the Darshana port yard around 9 pm on Tuesday in 42 wagons from India’s Gede Port, authorities said. Atiar Rahman Habu, General Secretary of the C&F Agents Association at Darshana Port said the rice has been imported by M/S Majumdar Agrotech International Limited of Dhaka's Purana Paltan. The invoice price for each tonne of rice is $490 dollars. The rice was exported by Saubhik Export Limited, located in Kolkata. Read more: Import of Indian goods resumes through Akhaura land port Mirza Kamrul Haque, Manager of the Darshana International Railway Station, informed that after customs inspection and clearance, the rice will be booked for delivery to Ishwardi and Sirajganj. From there, it will be transported by truck to the importer. Bangladesh will import a total of 1 lakh 59 thousands metric tonnes of rice from India, and this has been the first shipment arriving through Darshana Port.

Asian markets showed mixed performance on Tuesday, reflecting Wall Street's uneven results, where gains in oil-and-gas producers balanced declines in Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks, reports AP. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.8% to 38,469.58 after reopening following a Monday holiday. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.4% to 8,220.50, South Korea’s Kospi edged down 0.1% to 2,489.33, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.5% to 19,163.92, and China’s Shanghai Composite jumped 2.2% to 3,229.99. Asian shares decline amid concerns over rate cuts and tariffs “Japan’s markets are catching up after last week’s sell-off,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG. Japan’s Finance Ministry reported a 54.5% year-on-year increase in the country’s current account for November, reaching 3.4 trillion yen ($21 billion). On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.2% after recovering from an earlier 0.9% drop. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.9%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 0.4%, weighed down by Big Tech. Recent pressure on stocks stems from concerns about the Federal Reserve’s potential rate cuts this year. While lower rates would boost the economy, inflation above the Fed’s 2% target and signs of a resilient U.S. economy have cast doubt on whether any rate cuts will occur in 2025. High rates have been pushing down prices of investments, especially those deemed overvalued. Nvidia, which had nearly quintupled in value over three years due to AI enthusiasm, fell 2%, the biggest drag on the S&P 500. Apple slipped 1%, and Meta Platforms lost 1.2%, further weighing on the index. Moderna plunged 16.8% after forecasting lower-than-expected 2025 revenue and accelerating cost-cutting efforts. Macy’s dropped 8.1% on weaker-than-expected revenue projections, and Edison International lost 11.9% amid ongoing Southern California wildfires. Fire officials are investigating whether the utility’s equipment caused the Hurst fire. Oil-and-gas companies rose as crude prices climbed. Benchmark U.S. crude gained 2.9% to $78.82 per barrel on Monday, while Brent crude rose 1.6% to $81.01. Exxon Mobil increased 2.6%, and Valero Energy surged 4.9%. Early Tuesday, U.S. crude fell 37 cents to $78.45 per barrel, and Brent crude dropped 43 cents to $80.58. Stock market today: Asian shares advance though China economic data weaker than expected U.S. Steel rose 6.1% after the Biden administration extended the deadline for its acquisition by Japan’s Nippon Steel to June. Intra-Cellular Therapies soared 34.1% after Johnson & Johnson announced plans to acquire it for $132 per share. Johnson & Johnson rose 1.7%. The S&P 500 closed at 5,836.22, up 9.18 points. The Dow added 358.67 points to 42,297.12, while the Nasdaq fell 73.53 points to 19,088.10. Treasury yields continued their upward trend, with the 10-year yield rising to 4.78% from 4.76% on Friday, after being below 3.65% in September. Rising yields could pressure stock prices unless companies deliver higher profit growth. In currency markets, the U.S. dollar strengthened to 157.70 Japanese yen from 157.26 yen, while the euro declined to $1.0255 from $1.0274.

China’s exports in December grew at a faster pace than expected, as factories rushed to fill orders to beat higher tariffs that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose once he takes office. Exports rose 10.7% from a year earlier. Economists had forecast they would grow about 7%. Imports rose 1% year-on-year. Analysts had expected imports to shrink about 1.5%. Trump has pledged to raise tariffs on Chinese goods and close some loopholes that exporters now use to sell their products more cheaply in the U.S. If enacted, his plans would likely raise prices in America and squeeze sales and profit margins for Chinese exporters. With exports outpacing imports, China's trade surplus grew to $104.84 billion. China's exports are likely to remain strong in the near-term, said Zichun Huang of Capital Economics, as businesses try to “front-run” potentially higher tariffs. Read: Asian shares decline amid concerns over rate cuts and tariffs “Outbound shipments are likely to stay resilient in the near-term, supported by further gains in global market share thanks to a weak real effective exchange rate," she wrote in a note. But exports will likely weaken later in the year if Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs, Huang said.

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin has said that more dialogue between Bangladeshi and Pakistani businessmen would ensure the relationship, newly prioritised following the August 5 Uprising, by Dhaka. "Exploring potential cooperation between the two countries could bring mutual benefits," he said during a meeting with a delegation led by Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Atif Ikram Sheikh at the Secretariat on Sunday. During the meeting, key issues regarding bilateral trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh were discussed, including visa facilitation, direct flight operations, and future investment opportunities. The adviser said that initiatives have been put in place to make trade relations between the two nations more sustainable. Commerce Adviser seeks investment from Bangladeshi entrepreneurs in UK “Despite the large populations of both countries, their trade volume remains quite low and there is significant potential for growth,” he added. The FPCCI president expressed a desire to boost trade with Bangladesh. He pointed out that visa issues and the lack of direct flight services have hindered efforts to expand trade. He called for steps to address these challenges. The Pakistani delegation also showed interest in investing in Bangladesh’s agricultural, educational, tourism, and ceramic sectors. In addition, they discussed Pakistan’s new export facilitation scheme and invited Bangladeshi businessmen to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan. The delegation also proposed organising a trade expo in Bangladesh to further strengthen business ties. Bangladesh seeks roadmap from Malaysia for stranded workers Pakistan's High Commissioner to Dhaka, Syed Ahmed Maruf, attended the meeting. The Pakistani business delegation is in Dhaka at the invitation of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

Asian stocks fell on Friday, following a U.S. market closure for the National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. U.S. futures were down, and oil prices saw an increase, reports AP. Regional markets broadly declined, with analysts attributing the drop to growing concerns over the Federal Reserve's ability to cut interest rates further, given recent data indicating unexpected strength in the U.S. economy. Stock market today: Asian shares advance though China economic data weaker than expected Minutes from the Fed's December meeting revealed that officials expected to slow down the pace of rate cuts this year due to persistent inflation and potential tariff hikes under President-elect Donald Trump, alongside other anticipated policy changes. The Fed's economists noted that the U.S. economy's future was uncertain, partly due to potential changes in trade, immigration, fiscal, and regulatory policies under the incoming Trump administration. Investors were also awaiting a U.S. non-farm jobs report later in the day. Markets seemed worried about the risk that the Fed may adopt a more restrictive policy that could hinder the "risk-on" market sentiment, according to Tan Jing Yi of Mizuho Bank. DSEX gains 9.42 points; 400 companies participate in trading Investors also remained cautious ahead of Trump's inauguration, particularly regarding the possibility of higher tariffs against China and other nations. Although increased tariffs on Chinese goods were expected, it remained unclear which other economies would be targeted or whether universal tariffs would be imposed, according to ANZ Research. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 dropped 0.9% to 39,236.86, while South Korea's Kospi was unchanged at 2,521.96. Chinese markets saw further losses, with the Hang Seng down 0.5% to 19,142.98 and the Shanghai Composite down 0.5% to 3,196.01. The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia fell 0.5% to 8,292.10. The SET in Bangkok remained nearly flat, and the Sensex in India fell by 0.4%. Taiwan's Taiex saw a slight gain, increasing by 0.2%. Bangladeshi expats set new remittance record: $2.64 billion in December 2024 In the U.S., the bond market was open until 2 p.m. Eastern time Thursday. Yields remained relatively steady after a strong recent rise that had unsettled the stock market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was 4.69%, after briefly surpassing 4.70%, its highest since April. Higher yields can negatively impact stocks by making borrowing more expensive and attracting investors away from stocks towards bonds. The rise in yields has been driven by better-than-expected U.S. economic reports and concerns about inflationary pressures from potential policy changes under Trump. In European trading on Thursday, London's FTSE 100 rose by 0.8% to 8,319.69, aided by a weaker British pound, which boosted U.K. exporters' profits. Germany's DAX lost 0.1% to 20,317.10, while France's CAC 40 gained 0.5% to 7,490.28. In early Friday trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil increased by 38 cents to $74.29 per barrel, and Brent crude rose by 39 cents to $77.31 per barrel. The U.S. dollar strengthened to 158.40 yen from 158.14 yen, while the euro slipped to $1.0298 from $1.0301.

The Brazil-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BBCCI) will host the inaugural 'Made in Bangladesh Exhibition-2025' from June 15 to 18 in Brazil's São Paulo. The exhibition aims to promote exportable products, diversify markets, strengthen bilateral trade, and foster networking in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, BBCCI said in a press conference on Wednesday. BBCCI Vice President Md Saiful Alam delivered the welcome speech at the press conference, and Secretary General Md Joynal Abdin presented the keynote speech. Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Paulo Fernando Dias Feres, highlighted the enormous potential for deepening trade relations between Brazil and Bangladesh. He said that the ‘Made in Bangladesh Exhibition-2025’ is a significant step to strengthen ties between the two countries, serving as an important platform for businesses to showcase their capabilities and build valuable partnerships. He expressed confidence that this event would improve mutual understanding and pave the way for greater economic cooperation in the future. The Ambassador also mentioned that Brazil is the world's largest producer of beef and poultry, with many Muslim-majority countries importing Brazilian beef. However, Bangladesh does not yet have permission to import beef from Brazil, and the Brazilian government is working on securing this permission. Md Saiful Alam said that the expo aligns with BBCCI's vision of increasing economic cooperation and opening new doors for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs. He described it as a golden opportunity for exporters to tap into new markets and promote their businesses globally. He encouraged participants from various industries—whether in garments, jute, or pharmaceuticals—to seize this opportunity for international growth. He added that the expo is an excellent chance for Bangladeshi importers to establish connections with Brazilian businesses and explore high-quality products such as soybeans, sugar, and industrial machinery. He expressed hope that 100 to 150 Bangladeshi traders would participate in the event and mentioned that advance registration with attractive discounts would be available until January 31. He described the expo as a bridge between culture and trade. He said that bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Brazil in 2022 was valued at $2.53 billion, indicating substantial potential for growth. He further explained that the goals of the exhibition are to diversify markets for Bangladeshi exporters, increase trade volume, foster investment partnerships, and promote innovation and collaboration across industries. The expo will include targeted business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking, policy discussions, and cultural exhibitions, all aimed at strengthening partnerships and mutual understanding. Haji Haris Bin Haji Othman, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Bangladesh, former President of the British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Md Bashir Ahmed, Deputy Head of Mission of the Brazilian Embassy in Dhaka Leonardo de Oliveira Jannuzzi, Silvio Luiz Rodrigues Testaseca, and other prominent business leaders, were present.

A promotional video for a rebrand of British luxury car brand Jaguar is being criticized online for showing models in brightly colored outfits — and no car. The rebrand, which includes a new logo, is slated to launch Dec. 2 during the Miami Art Week, when the company will unveil a new electric GT model. But Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of India’s Tata Motors Ltd., has been promoting it online. The Jaguar brand is in the middle of a transition to going all-electric. “Copy Nothing,” marketing materials read. “We're here to delete the ordinary. To go bold. To copy nothing.” The promotional video, posted on X and Instagram, shows models dressed in futuristic brightly colored outfits walking in an alien-like landscape. “Break Moulds,” copy reads. It drew ire online, with people complaining about the lack of a car and the confusing message. X owner Elon Musk wrote on X, “Do you sell cars?” People also complained about the new, stylized, logo. The “leaper” jaguar image has also been reimagined. Charles Taylor, marketing professor at the Villanova School of Business in Villanova, Pennsylvania, said the promotional video strikes the wrong tone for potential buyers, and said the company is making a mistake by not using the brand's heritage as an elegant British high-performance sports car in its marketing. “If they came back with a really good electric vehicle, they could build on their prior image as opposed to really throwing out the heritage of the brand and going in this kind of direction,” he said. “It’s hard to see how the market of people that would like that approach is large enough for them to thrive.” Rebranding is a common tactic for companies seeking to spark sales. Campbell Soup Co. on Wednesday officially changed its name to Campbell's Co., and companies like Airbnb and Instagram update their logos from time to time. But if they strike a wrong chord, the result can be disastrous. Past rebranding failures include Tropicana changing its logo in 2009 to omit its trademark orange — it soon changed it back. And Radio Shack rebranded to “The Shack” in 2008, alienating its core shoppers, before eventually filing for bankruptcy protection in 2015. Jaguar Land Rover, based in Whitney, Coventry, in the U.K., did not return a request for comment.

Forty years after its founding, Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo has more than 2,500 stores worldwide. Sales at its parent company, Fast Retailing Co., recently topped 3 trillion yen ($20 billion) annually for the first time. The name Uniqlo comes from joining the words for “unique” and “clothing.” The chain’s basic concept is “LifeWear,” or everyday clothing. Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co. Chief Executive Tadashi Yanai, ranked by Forbes as Japan’s richest man and estimated to be worth $48 billion, spoke recently to The Associated Press at the company’s Tokyo headquarters. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: What were the biggest challenges over the past 40 years? A: Actually 40 years, upon reflection, went by so fast they feel more like three years. You know what they say in Japan: Time flies like an arrow. I started a regional business, then expanded nationwide. When we became No. 2 or No. 3 in Japan’s casual wear, and being No. 1 was right within reach, we became a listed company in 1994. That was followed by our fleece boom, which doubled our revenue in one year to 400 billion yen ($2.6 billion). I’d been thinking about going global when our revenue reached 300 billion yen ($2 billion) so we opened 50 stores in Great Britain, hoping to be a winner there just like we had conquered Japan. Instead, we got totally knocked out. We opened 21 outlets in a year and a half, but had to close 16 of them, leaving just five. We didn’t succeed as we had hoped. This is not an easy job. It’s very tough. But these days, our sales are strongest in London, and also Paris. We made progress gradually. Q: What are some of the sustainability and other key issues you have faced over the years? A: We make clothes that last a long time. Not just clothes that last for one season. The cashmere sweater I’m wearing today is $99. But please don’t say “cheap.” Please call it “reasonable.” We sell quality products at reasonable prices. We’ve done various sustainability efforts, and we talk only about what we have really achieved. Sustainability is crucial to our operations. And we’ve done just about everything — recycling, employing the disabled, support for refugees. The prices may be cheaper at Wal-Mart, but our products offer real quality for the price. We take the greatest care and time, and involve a lot of people. Our rivals are more careless. Q: What is behind Uniqlo’s success and what resonated with global buyers? A: When we say Uniqlo is “made for all,” one might imagine products for the masses, like what’s at a Wal-Mart or a Target. But what we mean is a high-quality product that appeals to all people, including the extremely rich, not only those with sophisticated taste and intelligence, but also people who don’t know that much about clothes, and the design is fine-tuned, the material fine quality, and sustainability concerns have been addressed. We were first a retailer, then a manufacturer-cum-retailer. Now we are a digital consumer retailer. That is why we are successful. If we had stayed the same, then we can’t hope to succeed. Being a digital consumer retail company means we utilize information at a high level to shape the way we do our work. We gain information about our customers, the workers at the store, the market, all that information. Changing daily is the only way we can hope for stable growth. The world is changing every day. Q: Are you confident you can keep it up another 40 years? A: Of course. We’ve been preparing to reach 3 trillion yen ($20 billion) revenue all these years. And we are finally starting to be known. But we still have a long way to go. We are just getting started, and we are going to keep growing. There is more potential for growth in Europe and the U.S., as well as China and India, given the 1.4 billion population in each country. Clothing is a necessity, so population size is key.

Shares of Tesla soared Wednesday following an election that will send Donald Trump back to the White House, an outcome that had been strongly backed by CEO Elon Musk in the closing months of the race. Tesla stands to make significant gains under a Trump administration with the threat of diminished subsidies for alternative energy and electric vehicles doing the most harm to smaller competitors. Tesla dominates sales of electric vehicles in the U.S, with 48.9% in market share through the middle of 2024, according to the Energy Information Administration. Tesla shares jumped 13% Wednesday while shares of rival electric vehicle makers tumbled. Trump has proposed tariffs of 10% to 20% on foreign goods that would also impact electric vehicle maker's outside the U.S., especially in China, and shares of EV makers there slid as well in U.S. markets. “Tesla has the scale and scope that is unmatched," said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, in a note to investors. “This dynamic could give Musk and Tesla a clear competitive advantage in a non-EV subsidy environment, coupled by likely higher China tariffs that would continue to push away cheaper Chinese EV players.” Subsidies for clean energy are part of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. It included tax credits for manufacturing, along with tax credits for consumers of electric vehicles. Shares of rival EV maker Rivian plunged 9% and Lucid Group fell 3.1%. NIO, a Chinese EV maker, slid 6%. Musk was one of Trump's biggest donors, putting more than $70 million of his own money into the presidential run and other GOP causes. He also pledged to give away $1 million a day to voters signing a petition for his political action committee. Yet it has been a rocky year for Tesla, with sales and profit declining through the first half of the year. Profit did rise 17.3% in the third quarter. The U.S. opened an investigation into the company's “Full Self-Driving” system after reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian. The investigation covers roughly 2.4 million Teslas from the 2016 through 2024 model years. And investors sent company shares tumbling last month after Tesla unveiled its long-awaited robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night, seeing not much progress at Tesla on autonomous vehicles while other companies have been making notable progress. Tesla began selling the software, which is called “Full Self-Driving,” nine years ago. But there are doubts about its reliability.