Turkish inflation keeps rising, adding burden to ordinary Turks

STORY: Turkish inflation keeps rising, adding burden to ordinary Turks DATELINE: Oct. 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:12 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people on the streets 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): HASAN DENIZ ARPACI, Unemployed mechanical engineer 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): OZAN SENOL, Student STORYLINE: According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, Türkiye's annual inflation rate rose to 61.53 percent in Sept., climbing for a third straight month since it started to slide from Oct. last year. Due to runaway inflation, Turks are often on a bargain hunt for deals. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): HASAN DENIZ ARPACI, Unemployed mechanical engineer "We have to juggle between several stores to find cheaper goods but then risk spending more transport fares. I don't see a bright future ahead of us. This high inflation will create high unemployment, impact further the economy in a negative way, and create social problems. Inflation has impacted everyone." SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): OZAN SENOL, Student

Australia's interest rate unchanged at 4.1 pct for 3rd month

STORY: Australia's interest rate unchanged at 4.1 pct for 3rd month DATELINE: Sept. 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:59 LOCATION: SYDNEY, Australia CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) 2. various of estate industry of Australia STORYLINE: The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decided on Tuesday to leave the cash rate target unchanged at 4.1 percent, with the interest rate paid on Exchange Settlement balances staying at 4.00 percent. This marked the third straight month that RBA put the interest rate on hold from July. Wrapping up a monetary policy meeting, RBA Governor Philip Lowe noted in a statement that interest rates have been increased by 4 percentage points since May last year. "The higher interest rates are working to establish a more sustainable balance between supply and demand in the economy and will continue to do so. In light of this and the uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook, the Board again decided to hold interest rates steady this month," said Lowe. The

Japan's real wages drop for 12th straight month in March

STORY: Japan's real wages drop for 12th straight month in March DATELINE: May 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:51 LOCATION: Tokyo CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street views of Tokyo STORYLINE: Real wages in Japan declined for a 12th straight month in March from a year earlier, leading to households spending less as a result of rising inflation, the government said in a report on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, nominal wages including base and overtime pay rose 0.8 percent to an average of 291,081 yen (2,100 U.S. dollars). The 0.8 percent increase in yen terms marks the 15th consecutive month of increase, although the monthly rise has remained below the 1 percent threshold for a third straight month, the data showed. The government said in a separate report Tuesday that household spending decreased in March from a year earlier. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said household spending in the reporting period fell 1.9 percent from a year ear

Gov't holds upbeat economic assessment in May report

Gov't holds upbeat economic assessment in May report

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (2nd from R) presides over a meeting of his economic ministers at his official residence on May 16. The government said in a monthly report adopted at the meeting that Japan's economy ''is recovering'' on solid private demand and rising exports, maintaining its upbeat assessment of the world's second largest economy for the third straight month.

Tokyo stocks rise for 3rd day, Nikkei briefly above 11,000

Tokyo stocks rise for 3rd day, Nikkei briefly above 11,000

TOKYO, Japan - A pedestrian walks by the price board at a brokerage house in Tokyo's Yurakucho district on Sept. 17. Tokyo stocks ended higher for the third straight session, with the key Nikkei index ending at a 15-month high after briefly topping 11,000 on buying prompted by gains in U.S. shares overnight.

EPA leaves economic assessment intact for 3rd month

EPA leaves economic assessment intact for 3rd month

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori looks sanguine as he presides over a meeting of his economic ministers Sept. 14 to assess the state of the nation's economy. The Economic Planning Agency (EPA) left intact for the third straight month its view that the economy is gradually moving toward a self-sustaining recovery in its September report. (2nd from left to right) Construction Minister Chikage Ogi, Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, Mori, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hidenao Nakagawa and EPA Director General Taiichi Sakaiya.

Hingis shows off juggling skills with tennis balls

Hingis shows off juggling skills with tennis balls

Second-seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland, fresh off her third straight Australian Open victory last month, shows off her juggling skills while Germany's Steffi Graf takes a time-out during their quarterfinal match Feb. 5. Hingis beat Graf 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

New Zealand housing supply skyrockets by 76 pct in 12 months

STORY: New Zealand housing supply skyrockets by 76 pct in 12 months DATELINE: Sept. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:01 LOCATION: Wellington CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of houses in New Zealand STORYLINE: The number of properties for sale across New Zealand continued to soar last month, jumping a record 76 percent when compared with August last year, according to the latest Trade Me Property Price Index released on Thursday. Trade Me Property Sales Director Gavin Lloyd said nationwide property supply had now seen a year-on-year jump for nine months straight. "While last month's spike is partly due to the nationwide lockdown in August 2021, these increases have been on an upward trajectory all year and currently supply is well above pre-pandemic levels." "Last month marked the third month in a row where we saw listing numbers spike by more than 50 percent year-on-year," he said. While every region saw supply up by at least a third in August when compared with the same month last year, Lloyd

Gov't holds upbeat economic assessment in May report

Gov't holds upbeat economic assessment in May report

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (2nd from R) presides over a meeting of his economic ministers at his official residence on May 16. The government said in a monthly report adopted at the meeting that Japan's economy ''is recovering'' on solid private demand and rising exports, maintaining its upbeat assessment of the world's second largest economy for the third straight month. (Kyodo)

EPA economic assessment unchanged in January

EPA economic assessment unchanged in January

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi (2nd from L) and his cabinet members meet Jan. 21 to adopt a monthly report for January of the Economic Planning Agency (EPA). The report said the Japanese economy ''continues to improve moderately,'' a description that has been kept unchanged for the third straight month. (From L to R) Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, Obuchi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki and EPA chief Taichi Sakaiya.

Freighter at Qingdao port in China

Freighter at Qingdao port in China

BEIJING, China - A freighter is berthed at the port of Qingdao in China's eastern province of Shandong on July 8, 2014. China's exports in June rose 7.2% from a year before, marking the third straight month of gain. (Kyodo)

Tokyo stocks rise for 3rd day, Nikkei briefly above 11,000

Tokyo stocks rise for 3rd day, Nikkei briefly above 11,000

TOKYO, Japan - A pedestrian walks by the price board at a brokerage house in Tokyo's Yurakucho district on Sept. 17. Tokyo stocks ended higher for the third straight session, with the key Nikkei index ending at a 15-month high after briefly topping 11,000 on buying prompted by gains in U.S. shares overnight. (Kyodo)

EPA leaves economic assessment intact for 3rd month

EPA leaves economic assessment intact for 3rd month

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori looks sanguine as he presides over a meeting of his economic ministers Sept. 14 to assess the state of the nation's economy. The Economic Planning Agency (EPA) left intact for the third straight month its view that the economy is gradually moving toward a self-sustaining recovery in its September report. (2nd from left to right) Construction Minister Chikage Ogi, Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, Mori, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hidenao Nakagawa and EPA Director General Taiichi Sakaiya.

Hingis shows off juggling skills with tennis balls

Hingis shows off juggling skills with tennis balls

Second-seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland, fresh off her third straight Australian Open victory last month, shows off her juggling skills while Germany's Steffi Graf takes a time-out during their quarterfinal match Feb. 5. Hingis beat Graf 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. ==Kyodo