Americans filed the fewest new jobless claims in a month last week, and while the number of unemployed workers collecting relief payments has eased from recent highs, there is little indication of a break from the weak hiring environment that settled in over the course of President Donald Trump's first year back at the White House.
Oil prices steadied on Friday, the first trading day of 2026, after recording their biggest annual decline since 2020, as investors weighed fresh geopolitical risks against expectations that OPEC+ will maintain its current supply policy at a meeting later this week.
Malaysia’s gross loan growth eased in November as growth in business loans and corporate bonds moderated slightly, according to data released by the central bank on Wednesday.
Chinese automakers are set to become the world's largest sellers of new vehicles in 2025, overtaking Japanese manufacturers for the first time, Xinhua reported, citing the Nikkei.
Asian stocks drifted on the last trading day of a year that has seen investors brush off much of the tariff-related uncertainty and embrace artificial intelligence (AI) chip stocks, while the dollar's dismal year has left the euro and sterling standing tall.
China announced initial public spending plans worth a total of US$51 billion (RM206.91 billion) to boost consumption and investment next year, moving early to shore up demand and cushion the economy against rising external headwinds.