Oil prices rose slightly in early Asian trade on Monday as focus turned to economic readings from the world’s largest oil importer due this week, with U.S. oil futures within sight of the key $80 a barrel level.
The dollar eased from a 12-week peak on Monday as traders weighed the U.S. monetary path after the Fed Chair Jerome Powell left open the possibility of further interest rate increases, while the yen hovered close to its lowest in over nine months.
Malaysia’s largest asset manager, Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), is considering merging Sime Darby Motors and Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua (Perodua) to create a local automotive giant worth over RM10 billion (US$2.15 billion), two sources said.
British retail sales fell in August at the fastest rate since March 2021 and most stores are expecting another tough month ahead, an industry survey showed.
British consumers' mood perked up this month as lower inflation made individuals less downbeat about the outlook for their personal finances, although sentiment remained poor overall due to concern about the wider economy, a survey showed on Friday.
Consumer inflation in Japan’s capital grew at a slower-than-expected pace in August, data showed on Friday, although the reading still remained well above the Bank of Japan’s target range.