TOKYO -- The Japanese yen slid against the dollar to its weakest level since mid-January on Thursday, as investors worry higher oil prices will lead to bigger trade deficits for Japan.

BRUSSELS -- The European Commission unveiled plans last week for boosting manufacturing to counter what it perceives as unfair competition from China, but Japanese carmakers such as Toyota Motor and Honda Motor are unnerved by ambiguity in the legal framework.

KUALA LUMPUR -- Shazwan Ahmad, a bank executive in his 30s, is a regular visitor to Ramadan bazaars in the Malaysian state of Selangor, where he lives. These markets are open only during the Islamic fasting month and mainly sell food and drinks to Muslims breaking their fast.

HAMBURG, Germany/HONG KONG -- The chaos unleashed by the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran is making Asian investors rethink their holdings in the Middle East, even if the regional conflict ends, analysts said.

HONG KONG -- Chinese securities broker Guotai Junan said on Thursday that Hong Kong anti-corruption authorities searched its office in the city this week and detained an employee.

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's second-largest contract chipmaker, United Microelectronics Corp., has forged a manufacturing partnership to accelerate mass production of a new type of optical material and chips aimed at boosting transmission speeds inside AI computing clusters and data centers, a senior company executive told Nikkei Asia.

HONG KONG -- The government of Hong Kong will create its first economic blueprint for the next five years in line with China's 15th Five-Year Plan, hoping to maintain the city's position as an international finance hub.

TOKYO -- As nuclear power makes a comeback amid growing demand for clean energy,  Japan Steel Works is drawing the spotlight as a leading supplier of reactor components, with its stock price roughly quadrupling since the end of 2023.

TOKYO -- Japan's Nomura Asset Management is moving administrative work involving investment trusts and other investments to India, looking to accommodate the next-day settlement cycle that is becoming a global norm.

JAKARTA -- Indonesian ride-hailing and food delivery provider GoTo Group's new CEO expressed concern Wednesday that prolonged high crude oil prices stemming from the Middle East conflict will have "an adverse impact" on its business, even while looking forward to growth in profitability after a money-losing year.