Reuters

By Manoj Kumar and Aftab Ahmed

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace of 7.8% year-on-year in the January-March quarter, helped by strong growth in the manufacturing sector, and economists expect the momentum to remain strong this year.

The gross domestic product growth in the first three months of 2024, the fourth quarter of 2023/24 fiscal year, was lower than a revised 8.6% expansion in the previous... (continue reading...)

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian economy expanded at an annualized rate of 1.7% in the first quarter, missing forecasts, and real gross domestic product likely rose 0.3% on a monthly basis in April, data showed on Friday.

The quarterly growth rate was slower than the 2.2% pace forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll, as well as the Bank of Canada's (BoC's) 2.8% forecast. Fourth-quarter GDP growth was revised to an annualized rate of 0.1% from 1.0%... (continue reading...)

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Philippines' President on Friday denounced illegal, coercive and aggressive actions being taken in the South China Sea, a disputed ocean territory that China has been flooding with coastguard ships in recent months.

Speaking at the opening of the Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit in Singapore, Marcos said that the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries had a vision for "peace, stability, and prosperity" in the South... (continue reading...)

CATANIA, Italy (Reuters) - European Union antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager expects further approvals for state funding projects under the European Chips Act, she said after the bloc's approval on Friday of state aid for an STMicroelectronics plant in Italy.

"I'm absolutely sure that there will be more investments in other states and I think they will come relatively soon, but I cannot tell you exactly when," she told a press conference.

By Nellie Peyton and Thando Hlophe

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The biggest winner in South Africa's election this week may be former President Jacob Zuma, whose newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has exceeded expectations and emerged as a major factor in the African National Congress' sharp drop in support.

MK is not going to win the election and is unlikely to be a coalition partner, analysts say, while Zuma is barred from standing... (continue reading...)