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Alibaba shares soar on reports of potential Xi meeting with Jack Ma
Alibaba shares soar on reports of potential Xi meeting with Jack Ma
by  AFP

Alibaba shares soared by more than six percent on Friday following reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping was poised to meet with the tech juggernaut's co-founder Jack Ma. Alibaba, which has already surged more than 40 percent in 2025, piled on 6.3 percent after also being given an extra leg-up Thursday when its chairman said it would supply AI technology to power Apple's iPhones in China.

Japan to release emergency rice reserves to fight runaway inflation
Japan to release emergency rice reserves to fight runaway inflation
by  AFP

The Japanese government said Friday it will release a fifth of its emergency rice stockpile after hot weather, poor harvests and panic buying over a "megaquake" warning nearly doubled prices over a year. To prevent the distorting effect, the government is required to buy back the same amount of rice it released within a year.

Most Asian stocks rise as US tariffs give breathing space
Most Asian stocks rise as US tariffs give breathing space
by  AFP

Asian markets mostly rose Friday in line with a rally on Wall Street as traders were buoyed by news that Donald Trump's latest, sweeping reciprocal tariffs would not likely be implemented until April, giving time for negotiations.

Argentina records lowest monthly inflation in 4.5 years
Argentina records lowest monthly inflation in 4.5 years
by  AFP

Argentina recorded a monthly inflation rate of 2.2 percent in January, the lowest in 4.5 years, the INDEC national statistics agency said Thursday, in a boost for budget-slashing President Javier Milei. Last year, Argentina recorded its first budget surplus in a decade.