STANDARD Chartered reported an underlying pretax profit of $994 million in the six months to end-June, as cost-cutting, steady income and fewer bad loans helped the bank return to the black after a billion dollar loss in the second half of 2015.

HSBC announced a $2.5 billion share buy-back and pared ambitions to grow dividend payouts and returns as it took pragmatic steps to soothe investors amid slowing growth in its home markets of Britain and Hong Kong.

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that the top priority for his reshuffled cabinet was the economy and that he would do his utmost to lift the country out of deflation.

US consumer spending rose more than expected in June as households bought a range of goods and services, suggesting consumption will likely remain strong after surging in the second quarter.

Indian manufacturers of finished steel goods are urging New Delhi to end tariffs on cheap imports of the alloy from China, Japan and South Korea, worried the protectionist measures may cost them billions in lost overseas sales.

Japanese police arrested four people Wednesday in connection with a multi-million dollar bank heist, including a member of a group affiliated with the country's biggest organised crime syndicate.

Oil edged higher to $42 a barrel on Wednesday after hitting its lowest since April the previous day, supported by an industry report showing a fall in U.S. inventories and a weaker dollar.

Australia's central bank dropped interest rates to a new record low Tuesday after a recent run of soft inflation readings, with some economists forecasting further cuts ahead.

Euro zone business activity expanded a touch faster than expected last month as the region appeared, so far, to have largely shrugged off Britain's vote to leave the European Union, a survey found.

Diamond Cement Ltd yesterday launched the company's new brand: Diamond Coastal+.

It was only when Aye Aye Nge's pharmacy burned down for the second time that she thought about taking out insurance, a novelty in impoverished Myanmar where most people either can't afford to buy premiums or don't trust those selling them.

Ride-hailing service Uber could be banned in Taiwan after authorities accused it of operating illegally, with officials saying Wednesday a

Nearly 120,000 units of digital currency bitcoin worth about $72 million was stolen from the exchange platform Bitfinex in Hong Kong, rattling the global bitcoin community in the second-biggest security breach ever of such an exchange.

Egypt has asked the International Monetary Fund for financial support as it struggles to strengthen its economy, the IMF said Tuesday.

Britain will enter EU exit talks in a strong position, finance minister Philip Hammond declared Wednesday, after data revealed economic growth unexpectedly accelerated in the run-up to the Brexit referendum.

The sluggish global economy, more and healthier competition, and currency market turbulence again dragged on Coca-Cola Co.'s earnings in the second quarter, the company said Wednesday.

With iPhone sales and profits sliding, Apple on Tuesday sought to highlight its growth in services as it seeks to reduce dependence on its main cash driver.

The British government hailed a £344 million (410 million euro, $450 million) investment to expand London City Airport on Wednesday as evidence Britain was "open for business" despite its Brexit vote.

Oil prices slipped to fresh three-month lows Wednesday as worries about a global oversupply resurface ahead of the release of US stockpiles data later in the day.

Britain's economic growth unexpectedly accelerated in the second quarter in the run-up to the nation's shock EU exit referendum, official data showed Wednesday.