The U.S. dollar rose against the Taiwan dollar Thursday, gaining NT$0.065 to close at NT$30.025 as foreign institutional investors shifted to the sell side of the local market, which lifted demand for the greenback, dealers said.

Singapore's trade-sensitive economy slowed in the first quarter on sluggish demand for its exports, the government said Thursday, warning that risks remained despite improved global conditions.

Banks in Singapore are urgently scrutinizing their account holders as an imminent deadline on stricter tax evasion measures forces them to decide whether to send some of their wealthiest clients packing.

Singapore's trade-driven economy shrank in the first quarter as demand for exports remained weak, but a robust construction sector cushioned the decline, preliminary government estimates showed Friday.

Sales of digital cameras that enable users to immediately post pictures on the Web have risen sharply in Asia despite stiff competition from smartphones, an industry survey showed Thursday.

Inflation in Singapore jumped to an eight-month high last month, caused mainly by a spike in certificate of entitlement (COE) prices.

A real estate investment and asset management firm based in Singapore is setting up shop in the Philippines to pursue investment opportunities in the local real estate sector.

As the United States and Europe fret over their huge government debts, a different kind of debt worry is surfacing in Asia. Analysts are flagging the rise of lending levels in the region, such as bank loans and corporate bonds, as a growing concern.

The most widespread margin squeeze in at least a decade is pushing some Singapore companies out of the city-state as rising costs and slow growth sap profitability.

Growth in Singapore's trade-reliant economy slowed down sharply last year, expanding 1.3 percent as exports tumbled due to a global economic slump, official data showed Friday.