Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors cut China output amid diplomatic tensions:

 South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motors Corp have slashed vehicle production in China, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, amid diplomatic tensions and competition from local brands. South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motors Corp have slashed vehicle production in China, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, amid diplomatic tensions and competition from local brands. China, the world's biggest auto market, accounted for over a quarter of the pair's 2016 overseas sales but their March sales there were hit by anti-Korean sentiment and competition from local automakers like Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. Kia Motors has cut production shifts at its China factories, two of the sources said. One of them said Hyundai also had eliminated a second shift from its three factories in Beijing starting mid-March.

North Korea fires missile into Sea of Japan South Korea's

  Defence ministry said the missile had flown some 60 kilometres (about 40 miles). Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, South Korea and the US military said, days after Pyongyang warned of retaliation if the global community ramps up sanctions. South Korea's defence ministry said the missile had flown some 60 kilometres (about 40 miles). "The military is keeping a close watch over North Korea's provocative moves and maintaining a high defence posture", it said. The US military said it was a KN-15 medium-range ballistic missile which they had determined posed no threat to America. "US Pacific Command is fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security," the military command in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region said. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed Pyongyang had launched "yet another" intermediate range ballistic missile.

India factory activity at five-month high in March on strong demand: 

PMI The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by IHS Markit, rose to 52.5 in March, from 50.7 in February, the third month in a row that is has been above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction. Activity in India's manufacturing sector expanded at the fastest pace in five months in March as output and new orders accelerated, according to a private survey that also showed price pressures eased. The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by IHS Markit, rose to 52.5 in March, from 50.7 in February, the third month in a row that is has been above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction. Output and new orders sub-indexes rose to their highest since October 2016, suggesting the world's fastest growing major economy has largely recovered from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's shock decision in November to ban high-value currency notes.

RBI to keep rates unchanged, next move likely a cut: 

Poll In February, India's central bank was expected to cut rates but surprised markets by leaving them on hold and changed its stance to neutral from accommodative, ending its longest easing cycle since the global financial crisis. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will keep interest rates unchanged at its meeting on Thursday and as inflation is below target while borrowing costs are more likely to fall than rise, a Reuters poll found. In February, India's central bank was expected to cut rates but surprised markets by leaving them on hold and changed its stance to neutral from accommodative, ending its longest easing cycle since the global financial crisis. The RBI will keep the repo rate at 6.25 percent on April 6, according to all 60 economists polled, which would mean the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has not changed rates at three straight meetings. 

How states are trying to steer clear of the highway liquor ban 

With the Supreme Court ban on liquor sales within 500 metres of national and state highways coming into force from April 1, several states are staring at a huge revenue loss and are looking at ways to minimise the impact on revenue. With the Supreme Court's ban on liquor sales within 500 metres of national and state highways coming into force from April 1, several states are staring at a huge revenue loss and are looking at ways to minimise the impact on revenu Many states are considering denotifying state highways within cities and towns and turning them into urban roads. States have also approached the Centre to find out if it can convert national highways into city roads to steer clear the Supreme Court order to shut down liquor vends and bars along highways. According to officials, a state can denotify the state highways within cities and towns in the state. For national highways, states need to approach the Centre. To counter the ban, the state administrations of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh have reportedly begun denotifying state highways to circumvent the ruling, an excise official

Canada wants to keep free trade with US:

PM Trudeau US President Donald Trump is threatening to target countries, including Canada, that contribute to America's substantial trade deficit, a move being taken as a protectionist warning shot. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to explain to the Trump administration the importance of free trade between Canada and the United States, particularly for jobs. US President Donald Trump is threatening to target countries, including Canada, that contribute to America's substantial trade deficit, a move being taken as a protectionist warning shot. The United States is Canada's biggest trading partner, with a trade surplus on merchandise alone last year of 32.5 billion Canadian dollars (USD 24.4 billion). Trudeau said it was "extremely important" to work with the Trump administration on the issue, without dramatising the US decision to target Canada along with more than a dozen other countries. "The United States regularly assess their trade partners, there is nothing particularly new about this," Trudeau told a press conference. "We know the conversations we will be having on how we can improve trade, freedom to send goods of services people across the border. It's good for both of our countries," 

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) today said signed an

 Agreement with the MMRDA to provide 144,795 million yen, or around Rs 8,600 crore, official development assistance (ODA) loan for the ambitious trans-harbour link project in the city (MTHL). "The financial assistance would be utilised to develop an expressway link comprising a dual three-lane main- carriageway bridge connecting Sewri on the northeastern periphery of Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai," Jica said in a statement. The loan is offered at concessional rate of yen-London inter-bank offered rate plus 0.1 per cent for the project activities and 0.01 per cent for consulting services with a 30-year repayment period, including 10 years of grace period.