China pledges to boost consumption, tech self-reliance

Senior Chinese officials speak at a press conference of the Central Committee of the Chinese People’s Congress after the Chinese Communist Party concluded its Fourth Plenum. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s top leaders on Thursday pledged to boost domestic consumption over the next five years, alongside widely expected plans…

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Applied Materials lays off 4% of workforce

Signage outside Applied Materials headquarters in Santa Clara, California, U.S., on Thursday, May 13, 2021. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Chip equipment manufacturer Applied Materials is laying off 4% of its workforce. The company on Thursday began notifying impacted employees around the world “across all levels and groups,” it said in a…

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Nikkei 225, CSI 300, Hang Seng Index

A HDR evening shot taken at sunset of the Tokyo skyline. Fgm | E+ | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets rose Friday, after the White House said that U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping were set to hold talks next week. U.S. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will leave for Malaysia late…

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