Japan logged in September its largest current account surplus in 18 months as the trade balance swung into the black, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on Thursday, with hefty gains from overseas investments boosting the balance of payments.

Almost half of Japanese companies see the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas potentially hitting their earnings, citing concerns about a further rise in oil and commodity prices, the latest Reuters corporate survey showed.

China is expected to hit its annual gross domestic product growth target this year, and the country must transform its growth model to pursue high-quality and sustainable expansion, the country's central bank governor said on Wednesday.

China's car sales are expected to jump by more than 20% in November, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said on Wednesday, citing increased confidence among carmakers striving to deliver annual sales goals in the world's top auto market.

China re-entered disinflationary territory in October, data showed on Thursday, as both consumer and producer inflation contracted amid weak retail spending and a worsening slump in the manufacturing sector. 

China's consumer prices swung back into contraction and factory-gate deflation persisted in October as domestic demand struggled, weighing on the outlook for any broader-based recovery in the world's second-largest economy.