Stock futures are higher as investors await the key inflation report: the live announcements

China’s inflation for April is expected to ease further to 0.3%, according to a Reuters poll of 37 economists. The country releases its consumer price index on Thursday.

If the forecast is accurate, it would mark the third straight decline in the inflation rate and the lowest level since February 2021, when inflation was -0.2%.

China’s inflation eased to 0.7% in March from a peak of 2.1% in January.

– Lim Hui Jee

According to Australian Trade and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar, the Australian government should not rest on its laurels and work to improve the structural position of the budget over the medium term.

“If you look at what’s projected right now: Within two years, we’re expected to be back to a $35 billion deficit a year, so that needs to be addressed further,” ACCI Chief Executive McKellar said in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday.

Late on Tuesday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced billions in cost-of-living relief aimed at reducing energy bills and consumer prices, along with defense and ties with neighboring Pacific nations, as Australia looks to counter China’s growing strategic influence in the region, Reuters reported.

In various interviews with Australian media on Wednesday morning, Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed concerns that the budget would worsen inflation.

Chalmers expects domestic growth to slow to just 1.25% in 2023/24 from 3.25% this fiscal year, largely due to a 375-basis-point rate hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia.

“Our assessment is that it is time to pause,” ACCI chief executive McKellar said. “The real test of the Budget’s success: Will the RBI look at the risk of inflation. If we see more interest rate hikes in the coming months, we could see monetary and fiscal policy pushing against each other. A scenario we want to avoid.”

— Clement Don

Korean Air CEO Walter Cho expects a full recovery in the third quarter. He told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” that the airline doubled its operating profit compared to 2019.

Passenger demand is “very strong now” and the airline has reached about 90% capacity in passenger traffic, Cho added.

Cho said Korean Air is seeing “very strong” demand from China, but it is currently only at 30% capacity. Cho said the airline expects to fully reopen in the second half of the third quarter.

Japan has shown strong traffic from the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year, which the airline expects to continue “throughout this year,” Cho said.

– Audrey Vaughan

Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Corp It posted a record net profit 1.18 trillion yen ($8.72 billion) in the fiscal year ended March. First time net profit Crossed 1 trillion.

The 1.18 trillion yen figure was a 25.94% increase compared to fiscal 2021, when it posted a net profit of 937.5 billion yen. Natural gas, industrial products and real estate sectors posted gains.

However, the company said net income for the current fiscal year will come in at less than ¥920 billion due to high market prices for resources.

Mitsubishi announced that it will buy back 200 billion yen of additional shares in its 2022 fiscal year, bringing its total buyback amount to 370 billion yen. The company estimates it will buy back 100 billion yen in shares in its current fiscal year.

Shares of Mitsubishi rose 4.04% on Wednesday and were the top gainers on the index points basis.

President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed after a high-stakes meeting at the White House that the U.S. would not default on its debt.

“I made it clear during the meeting that default is not an option,” Biden told a hastily called press conference.

“America has never paid back its debt and it never will,” McConnell said, flanked by GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, of Calif., Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York. .

McCarthy was the only person present at the meeting, and Schumer said he did not pay back the loan. “We openly asked Speaker McCarthy if he would take default off the table. He refused,” Schumer said.

For his part, McCarthy told reporters he did not see “any new movement” in the negotiating positions. “Everybody in this meeting reiterated their positions,” he said.

Despite little progress, leaders will meet again on Friday. In the interim, Biden said his aides will meet every day.

– Christina Vicky

Airbnb shares lost 11% in extended trading after sharing softer guidance for the current quarter.

Despite the hourly losses, Airbnb reported a strong first quarter revenue It beat analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines.

Looking ahead, the company warned of tougher comparables in the second quarter. Last year, following the Omicron surge, the company benefited from a lackluster position for travel.

For the current period, Airbnb said it expects growth in bookings and a decline in average daily rates from a year ago.

– Samantha Subin, Ashley Cabot

Here are some of the names making the biggest moves after the hour:

Twilio – Shares of Twilio fell nearly 14% after delivering a weaker-than-expected forecast for the current quarter. The company took a slight hit on earnings.

Rivian – Electric vehicle shares gained more than 5% in extended trade. Rivian reported a smaller-than-expected loss and revenue beat Wall Street’s expectations. The company also reaffirmed its EV production target.

Confirm — Shares of the buy-now payment company fell more than 9% despite better-than-expected earnings. Losses for the quarter tripled from last year, but were lower than expected.

– Samantha Subin