South Korea’s consumer prices rose 3.1% in August from a year earlier, official data showed. The increase accelerated from 2.8% in July and returned headline inflation above 3%. Fuel costs remained a major source of price pressure during the month, with petroleum product prices climbing 14.2% from a year earlier. Mobile phone service charges also recorded a sharp annual increase of 26.7%, reflecting an unusually low comparison base from the previous year. Underlying inflation also strengthened in August, with core consumer prices, excluding food and energy, rising 3.4% from a year earlier.

Semiconductor exports, the primary driver of national trade performance, soared 209% year-on-year to an all-time high of $46.65 billion. Growth in chip shipments was fueled by sustained capital expenditure programs among major global technology operators expanding data center networks and enterprise AI hardware deployments. The performance marks the third consecutive month in which semiconductor export volumes exceeded the $40 billion threshold.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation put real gross domestic product at ₹81.36 lakh crore for the quarter. That compared with ₹75.46 lakh crore in the same period a year earlier. Nominal GDP reached ₹88.27 lakh crore, up 10.3% from ₹80 lakh crore. Real gross value added, another measure of economic activity, increased 8.2% to ₹73.82 lakh crore. Nominal GVA rose 11.5% to ₹80.53 lakh crore.
Manufacturing grew 9.2% during the quarter, while financial, real estate and professional services expanded 12.1%. Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing grew 3.6%. Household consumption increased 7.1%, maintaining its role as a major component of domestic demand. Investment also strengthened, with gross fixed capital formation rising close to 12% from a year earlier. Its share of nominal GDP reached 34.3%, compared with 31.4% in the corresponding quarter last year.

Japanese stocks came under sharp pressure Monday as the Nikkei 225 dropped nearly 2% in early trading. The benchmark fell 1.97% to 65,096.63 and later touched an intraday low of 64,832.10. Technology shares led much of the decline as investors reacted to higher bond yields and tighter interest rate expectations. The broader Topix also weakened early, falling 0.84% to 4,111.71. Japanese government bond yields rose at the same time, adding pressure to rate sensitive parts of the equity market.

The agreement brings the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming together with the Ministry of Youth and Sports on business licensing. It also covers investment promotion and services for companies operating in sports-related fields. The ministries will coordinate through Indonesia’s Online Single Submission system, known as OSS. Their cooperation also includes compliance monitoring, regulatory coordination and data sharing. The framework applies to investment development across Indonesia’s sports sector rather than establishing a US$521 billion domestic industry target.

Oil prices recovered modestly on Tuesday after Brent crude and WTI fell more than 2% in the previous session. Brent futures rose 27 cents, or 0.3%, to $92.44 a barrel by 0330 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 37 cents, or 0.4%, to $85.38. The rebound followed Monday’s sharp pullback, which ended six consecutive sessions of gains across the two benchmark crude contracts.