Activity in South Korea’s factories expanded at the fastest pace in three months in December but the economy struggled to gather momentum as rising global coronavirus cases and continued supply constraint weighed on production and overseas demand.

The price of bitcoin hit record highs in 2021 thanks to support from traditional finance, but cryptocurrency specialists are struggling to predict next year’s outcome for the volatile sector.

Germany on Sunday welcomed a plan by the European Union to label some natural gas energy projects as “green” investments, but stressed its opposition to a proposal to do the same for nuclear power projects.

Indonesian coal miners are seeking a quick resolution to a government coal export ban that is already causing fuel prices to rise and could disrupt the energy needs of some of the world’s biggest economies.

Singapore's economy expanded at its fastest annual pace in over a decade in 2021 as the country emerged from its worst recession on record, caused by the deep hit to activity from the coronavirus pandemic.

The British government has asked public sector managers to test their contingency plans against a worst-case scenario of 25 per cent staff absence as part of efforts to minimise disruption from the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

The Philippines will impose tighter curbs in the capital region for the next two weeks, the acting presidential spokesperson said recently, to try to limit infections by the Omicron coronavirus variant that is spreading globally.

Russia’s annual oil production rose by more than 2 per cent last year thanks to the easing of output cuts by the OPEC+ group of leading oil producers after a pandemic-induced decline in 2020, data showed on Sunday.

China’s December new home prices declined at a slower pace compared with a month earlier, a private-sector survey showed on Saturday, offering a tentative sign of stabilising demand after authorities took steps to avert a hard landing for the market.

Imports and exports between China and the other 14 members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership totaled 10.96 trillion yuan (about $1.72 trillion) in the first 11 months of this year, according to Chinese customs data.

India’s Reliance Industries Ltd said it plans to raise up to $5 billion in dollar-denominated debt and use proceeds primarily to refinance its existing borrowings.

Inflation soared by the most in at least a decade in Turkey’s biggest city Istanbul last month, according to data on Saturday, and President Tayyip Erdogan’s government sharply raised nationwide electricity and natural gas prices for the new year.

Profit growth for US corporations is expected to slow next year after a gangbuster 2021, with rising inflation and a rapidly spreading Covid-19 variant adding to uncertainty as investors try to justify stock prices trading near record highs.

Holiday events have been scrapped in droves, thousands of flights canceled, cruises are now off limits: the Omicron variant has wreaked havoc in the United States, and the new year could see more issues exacerbating the worker shortage and price increases.

Tesla has recalled 675,000 cars in the United States and China over issues with the trunk and front hood of two models, raising new questions about the safety of the popular electric vehicle.

Global stock markets closed lower Friday, the final trading session of 2021 -- a year of strong gains overall as economies recovered despite ongoing restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The European Union has drawn up plans to label some natural gas and nuclear energy projects as “green” investments after a year-long battle between governments over which investments are truly climate friendly.

Germany has pulled the plug on three of its last six nuclear power stations as it moves towards completing its withdrawal from nuclear power as it turns its focus to renewables.

China will end subsidies for electric and hybrid cars at the end of the year, authorities have announced, saying the strength of sales in the sector meant state support was no longer needed.

The euro on Saturday marked 20 years since people began to use the single European currency, overcoming initial doubts, price concerns and a debt crisis to spread across the region.