The Bank of Japan has ended its negative interest rate policy, increasing the benchmark rate to 0.1%. This move marks a significant shift after 17 years of ultra-loose monetary policy, driven by persistent inflation exceeding the 2% target.
Chinese consumer brands, including bubble tea chains and sportswear companies, are expanding rapidly into global markets, moving beyond a historical association with low-cost manufacturing. This outward push, driven by intense domestic competition and a desire for international scale, sees companies like Anta, Miniso, and BYD challenging established Western firms in diverse sectors.
Meta, parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has informed employees that their keystrokes and mouse clicks will be monitored and logged to train the firm's artificial intelligence models. This development coincides with deep job losses expected across the company, prompting concerns among staff regarding surveillance and job security.
