Reuters

By Casey Hall

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Quarterly earnings reports from Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba and JD.com this week will be closely watched as barometers for the mood of consumers in the world's second-largest economy.

Both firms, which combined account for about 69% of China's e-commerce market revenue, according to DBS estimates, have faced increasing competition in recent years from low-cost platforms, such as PDD Holding's... (continue reading...)

By Rishika Sadam

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - Popular Indian spice brand MDH, under scrutiny for alleged contamination in some products, has since 2021 seen an average 14.5% of its U.S. shipments rejected due to the presence of bacteria, a Reuters analysis of U.S. regulatory data found.

Hong Kong suspended sales last month of three spice blends made by MDH and one by another Indian company, Everest, for apparently containing high levels... (continue reading...)

By Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira

FATIMA, Portugal (Reuters) - As wars rage in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere, tens of thousands of faithful prayed for peace on Sunday at Portugal's Fatima shrine, one of Catholicism's most famous sanctuaries.

The annual event, which brings together pilgrims from countries such as India, Canada, Brazil and Ivory Coast, marks the first of three reported visions of the Virgin Mary, also known as Our Lady,... (continue reading...)

By Jamie McGeever

(Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets.

Inflation data from the world's three largest economies - China, the United States and euro zone - sets the tone for world markets this week, and Asia gets the ball rolling on Monday following the April figures out of Beijing at the weekend.

The general market backdrop on Monday should be positive with a U.S. interest rate cut in September back on the... (continue reading...)

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a surprise new defence minister, nominating civilian Andrei Belousov, a former deputy prime minister who specialises in economics, for the job more than two years into the Ukraine war, the Kremlin said.

Below are some facts about Andrei Removich Belousov:

* Belousov, 65, graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Moscow State University in 1981 with distinction. He... (continue reading...)