China's exports unexpectedly rose in December, while a slump in imports moderated, suggesting a weakening currency may be starting to boost competitiveness in the world's biggest trading nation.
China's efforts to restore calm to its turbulent markets showed early signs of success as the yuan stabilized and regional equities rallied for the first time in five days. US treasuries and the yen fell as demand for havens eased.
Chinese regulators leapt to support stock markets on Tuesday (Jan 5), the day after a major crash, with the central bank pouring cash into the money market system and the securities regulator suggesting it might restrict share sales by major shareholders.
Asian stock markets jumped on Thursday as investors chose to take an historic hike in US interest rates as a mark of confidence in the world's largest economy, though the good cheer did not extend to oil where oversupply again pressured prices.
Queues are forming at fainting couches, and nostrils are flaring with unconstrained indignation at Donald Trump's daily outrages - and there's no denying the man is a loathsome cretin. But when it comes to extrapolating this self-evident insight into into a broader critique of the alleged cravenness of the American political mind, I offer a word or two of caution.
The very foundations of the caliphate appear to be crumbling. Territories once enjoyed by the "Islamic State", and brutally enforced public support are, perhaps for the first time, under serious threat.
Hong Kong has emerged the top offender in a new international study that found unhealthy foods are the most promoted products in online supermarket circulars around the world.
Mainland Chinese markets closed at a three-week high on Thursday as both traders and volatility returned from a week-long holiday to play catch up with recent global rallies.
Chinese tourists are likely to have spent at record levels over the country's week-long National Day holiday, shrugging off the darkening outlook over its economy and the impact of a punishing stock market rout earlier in the year.
The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday that it predicts unemployment in Algeria to to hit 10.8 percent in 2014, compared to 9.8 percent in 2013.
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