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Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, spanning from the eastern Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean and from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean. The continent comprises 48 countries and is home to more than 4.7-billion people, representing about 60% of the global population. Asia's economy is characterised by extraordinary diversity, ranging from highly developed industrial nations such as Japan and South Korea to rapidly growing emerging markets including China and India, as well as developing economies across South-East Asia and Central Asia. Key economic sectors include manufacturing, electronics, automotive production, textiles, agriculture, technology and financial services. The continent is the world's largest producer and exporter of manufactured goods, with China serving as the global manufacturing hub and countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and India playing significant roles in automotive, electronics and technology production. Asia is rich in natural resources, including oil and gas in the Middle East and Central Asia, rare earths and minerals across various regions, and extensive agricultural output from rice paddies to palm oil plantations. Major regional economic blocs and institutions include the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum and the Asian Development Bank. Prevailing development themes include rapid urbanisation, infrastructure expansion, the rise of the middle class, digital transformation and the transition towards cleaner energy, alongside challenges such as income inequality and environmental pressures. Asia's economic growth has been a defining feature of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, with the continent increasingly driving global trade, investment and innovation.

Asia Updates


Avo farm
Agriculture sector achieves record quarterly trade surplus of $1.5bn
9th June 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

South Africa's agriculture sector recorded a trade surplus of $1.55-billion in the first quarter of this year, marking the highest first-quarter surplus in South Africa's agriculture trade history... 


IATA director-general Willie Walsh
Middle East crisis to hit airlines hard this year, but Africa will see the strongest demand growth
8th June 2026 By: Rebecca Campbell

Conflict in the Middle East was having a substantial effect on the airline industry, worldwide, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported, in its latest financial outlook... 


BMW rolls out pilot studies on humanoid robot use in US, German plants; no deployment planned for SA
BMW rolls out pilot studies on humanoid robot use in US, German plants; no deployment planned for SA
8th June 2026 By: Irma Venter

BMW is rolling out a pilot project to deploy humanoid robots at its Leipzig plant, in Germany. This follows the completion of the first pilot deployment of humanoid robots at the BMW Spartanburg... 


Coal in rail wagons
United States' $800m coal support raises pollution concern
5th June 2026 By: Reuters

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he is directing hundreds of millions of dollars to support US coal power plants and to ship the carbon-intensive fuel to Asia, with most of the funding... 


LNG tanker
LNG prices could go higher in significant volatility, Uniper executive says
4th June 2026 By: Reuters

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices could rise further in significant volatility than experienced so far during the Iran war if supply disruptions coalesce with hot weather in Asia and European... 


IEA executive director Fatih Birol
Countries prioritising domestic energy options amid ‘largest-ever energy security crisis’
28th May 2026 By: Terence Creamer

Countries are increasingly prioritising domestic energy resources as they seek to reduce their reliance on imported fuels in response to what the International Energy Agency (IEA)  is describing as... 


How a digital foundation can overcome the LNG trilemma
How a digital foundation can overcome the LNG trilemma
28th May 2026

By: Christophe Begat - Vice President for, Industry and Segment for Sub-Saharan Africa at Schneider Electric The global LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) sector is entering an historic chapter with... 


LNG vessel at sea
Canada inks first LNG supply agreement with Germany's SEFE for British Columbia project
28th May 2026 By: Reuters

Canada and Germany’s State-owned energy firm SEFE said on Wednesday they had reached what Canada described as its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply deal with a European buyer, underscoring... 


Inflation impact likely in emerging markets owing to US-Iran war – BMI
26th May 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Financial market research company BMI expects oil prices to average $90/bbl this year, and to remain higher for longer, which will, in turn, feed into rising inflation. This will lead to pressure... 


Norman Lamprecht
Record vehicle exports in 2025, but component exports continue to decline as EV sales grow
18th May 2026 By: Irma Venter

Despite multiple global and local headwinds, new-vehicle exports from South Africa reached a new record last year. Component exports, however, yet again failed to show growth in 2025. Speaking at... 


Dominic Goncalves
Opinion: Will the Hormuz crisis further delay South Africa’s gas-to-power plans?
8th May 2026

In this article, Naviara Energy founder and director and Cresco Project Finance energy strategy advisory partner Dominic Goncalves writes that South Africa's planned gas-to-power are unlikely to be... 


New FLUXNET Shuttle Gives Access to an Unprecedented Collection of Ecosystem Flux Data
6th May 2026

The South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON) contributed to the preparation and integration of South African flux data into the FLUXNET Shuttle, a powerful tool that gathers flux... 


Mining M&A volumes, value start the year off strong – White & Case
Mining M&A volumes, value start the year off strong – White & Case
30th April 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Analysis from global law firm White & Case shows that mining merger and acquisition (M&A) transaction activity recorded its fastest start to a year since 2023 in terms of both transaction volumes... 


Total Graphite announces proof of concept for trading business
29th April 2026 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

London-listed Total Graphite has announced the successful proof of concept and ongoing development of its newly launched business trading in high-value, downstream processed graphite materials.... 


The wing of an aeroplane, with a runway in the background
Ghana seeks majority private investor for new national carrier
29th April 2026 By: Reuters

Ghana said late Tuesday it was working to identify an investor for a new national airline, inviting "potential strategic partners" to engage with the West African country, which has not had a... 


Gold bars
Bar and coin demand drove global gold demand to a record in the first quarter
29th April 2026 By: Lumkile Nkomfe

Gold demand, including over-the-counter (OTC) demand, increased by 2% year-on-year to 1 231 t for the quarter ended March 31, mainly as a result of higher bar and coin demand, the World Gold... 


Iron-ore being loaded onto ships at Saldanha Bay
Kumba says export sales to Asia, Europe unaffected by Middle East conflict
28th April 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

South African iron-ore miner Kumba Iron Ore's export sales routes to its markets in Asia and Europe remain open and have not been impacted by shipping disruptions caused by the conflict in the... 


An image of a steel structure in construction
Challenges erode industry sustainability
24th April 2026 By: Nadine Ramdass

While South Africa’s metal fabrication and metalworking sector is diverse, resilient and robust, it faces significant constraints, compounded by competition from Asian markets, which threaten the... 


The 2026 outlook for uranium mining developments in Namibia
The 2026 outlook for uranium mining developments in Namibia
24th April 2026

The global uranium market is expected to maintain its upward trajectory in 2026, fuelled by the worldwide transition to nuclear energy, as nations seek reliable, low-carbon power sources, notes law... 


The Kamoa-Kakula smelter
Global refined copper market to swing to surplus in 2026, group says
23rd April 2026 By: Reuters

The global refined copper market is expected to shift to a surplus of 96 000 metric tons in 2026, reversing a previously forecast deficit of 150 000 tons, due to slower demand growth and increased... 


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