Asia's manufacturers stepped up the pace in March to fill an influx of new orders as Europe's debt crisis subsided and U.S. growth picked up, dispelling some of the gloom that had shrouded the global economy. While still far from robust, factory activity strengthened in China, South Korea and Taiwan, three of the region's leading

Asian shares kicked of the second quarter with modest gains on Monday, as surprisingly firm China manufacturing data dispelled fears of a hard landing in the world's second biggest economy, but caution capped prices before U.S. and European factory data. European equity markets were also seen gaining, with financial spreadbetters predicting major European markets to

China, the world's second-biggest importer, will cut import duties on some energy and raw materials products as well as consumer goods, to boost purchases, the Chinese cabinet said in a statement on Friday. The decision underlines Beijing's intent to buy more from its trade partners to boost domestic consumption and comes after China posted its

World stock markets rose on Friday as they set the seal on a strong first quarter, with European shares extending early gains after euro zone ministers agreed to beef up the region's crisis-fighting funds. But the backdrop was clouded across all asset classes by growth concerns centred on China, uncertainty about the strength of the

Turkey will reduce the amount of oil it buys from Iran by around 10%, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Friday, a week after Washington warned Iran's customers they could be subject to U.S. sanctions unless they significantly cut purchases. Turkey will partly replace the oil with 1 million tonnes it expects to buy from