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South Korea, Japan vow ‘appropriate action’ on weak won and yen

South Korea, Japan vow ‘appropriate action’ on weak won and yen

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South Korea, Japan vow 'appropriate action' on weak won and yen

South Korea and Japan shared “serious concerns” on the recent weakness of their currencies against the dollar and agreed to take “appropriate actions” to counter extreme volatility, the finance ministry in Seoul said Wednesday.

The foreign exchange market has witnessed a surge in volatility following Iran’s weekend drone and missile assault on Israel, in retaliation for what Tehran said was an Israeli strike on its embassy in Syria.

Seoul issued a rare warning on Tuesday, saying authorities were carefully monitoring currency movements as the won briefly touched a critical level of 1,400 per dollar for the first time in 17 months.

The yen has fallen to a 34-year low against the dollar as a string of above-forecast US inflation and jobs data sees investors re-evaluate their outlook for when the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates, while the Bank of Japan keeps monetary policy loose.

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Read more: Dollar rally supercharged by US rate outlook, could complicate inflation fight for other economies

South Korean Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and his Japanese counterpart Shunichi Suzuki discussed the matter in Washington this week on the sidelines of a G20 meeting, according to the finance ministry.

The two “shared serious concerns about the recent significant depreciation of the Japanese yen and the Korean won”, it said in a statement.

They also “expressed their intention to take appropriate actions against excessive movements”, it added.

Speculation was swirling that the dollar will strengthen further after Fed boss Jerome Powell suggested US interest rates could be held at two-decade highs for longer than expected as the bank struggles to get inflation down to its 2 per cent target.

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The greenback has also risen against a range of other currencies this year, including the Indian rupee, Australian dollar and Thai baht.

The Japanese finance ministry’s top currency diplomat recently hinted that intervention in markets to support the yen could be an option.

Tokyo last intervened in forex markets in October 2022, when it spent 6.3 trillion yen ($40 billion today) to support its currency.

A weaker currency is often regarded as beneficial for a country’s export competitiveness and enhancing exporter profits. But a swift decline in value triggers worries over capital outflows and instability in financial markets.

The won has weakened more than 7 per cent against the dollar this year and the yen nearly 9 per cent, according to Bloomberg News.

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“Foreign exchange authorities are closely watching exchange rate movements, foreign exchange supply and demand with special vigilance,” officials from the finance ministry and the Bank of Korea, said in a statement Tuesday.

“Excessive herd behaviour is not desirable for our economy.” 

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Star Entertainment says Hard Rock-led group weighs bid, shares surge

Star Entertainment says Hard Rock-led group weighs bid, shares surge

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Star Entertainment says Hard Rock-led group weighs bid, shares surge

Star Entertainment (SGR.AX), opens new tab said on Monday a consortium led by Florida-based Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos is considering a bid for the cash-strapped Australian firm, sending its shares 20% higher.

A potential takeover by entertainment giant Hard Rock would provide a much-needed financial lifeline to Star, which has been plagued by a regulatory inquiry into its flagship Sydney casino operation and an executive exodus.

Star, which had a market value of A$1.29 billion ($863.66 million) as of Monday’s close, said it has been approached by a consortium of investors which includes Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts (Pacific).

The company said it understands Hard Rock Hotels is a local partner of Hard Rock.

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Earlier in the day, Star said it had received “inbound interest from a number of external parties” but flagged none of them had yet resulted in “substantive discussions”.

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Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with $100 mln in financing commitments

Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with $100 mln in financing commitments

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Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with $100 mln in financing commitments

U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.

The company listed its assets and liabilities to be between $1 billion and $10 billion, according to a court filing.

Red Lobster said its restaurants will be open and operate as usual during the bankruptcy proceedings, and plans to reduce its locations as well as pursue a sale of substantially all its assets.

The restaurant chain also said it has entered into a “stalking horse” purchase agreement to sell its business to an entity formed and controlled by its existing term lenders.

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“This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster. It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth,” said Jonathan Tibus, CEO of Red Lobster.

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BMW imported 8,000 vehicles into US with parts from banned Chinese supplier, Senate report says

BMW imported 8,000 vehicles into US with parts from banned Chinese supplier, Senate report says

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BMW imported 8,000 vehicles into US with parts from banned Chinese supplier, Senate report says

German automaker BMW (BMWG.DE), opens new tab imported at least 8,000 Mini Cooper vehicles into the United States with electronic components from a banned Chinese supplier, a U.S. Senate report released on Monday said.

A report by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s staff said BMW imported 8,000 Mini Coopers with parts from a Chinese supplier banned under a 2021 law and that BMW continued to import products with the banned parts until at least April.

BMW Group said in an email it had “taken steps to halt the importation of affected products.”

The company will be conducting a service action to replace the specific parts, adding it “has strict standards and policies regarding employment practices, human rights, and working conditions, which all our direct suppliers must follow.”

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Congress in 2021 passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) law to strengthen enforcement of laws to prevent the import of goods from China’s Xinjiang region believed to have been produced with forced labor by members of the country’s Uyghur minority group. China denies the allegations.

“Automakers’ self-policing is clearly not doing the job,” Wyden said, urging the Customs and Border Protection agency to “take a number of specific steps to supercharge enforcement and crack down on companies that fuel the shameful use of forced labor in China.” Customs and Border Protection did not immediately comment.

The report found that Bourns Inc, a California-based auto supplier, had sourced components from Sichuan Jingweida Technology Group (JWD). That Chinese company was added to the UFLPA Entity List in December, which means its products are presumed to be made with forced labor. 

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