SEOUL -- South Korea's export logged a double-digit increase in the first 10 days of this month, indicating a continued recovery in global demand, customs office data showed Monday.

Export, which takes up about half of the export-driven economy, came to 15.04 billion U.S. dollars in the April 1-10 period, up 24.8 percent from the same period of last year, according to the Korea Customs Service. (South Korea-Export-April)

- - - -

TOKYO -- The number of Japan's eateries that went bankrupt in fiscal 2020 stood at 715, the third largest in two decades, local media reported Sunday.

The bankruptcies took place largely due to the government's requests for shorter opening hours to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to a survey on firms that went bankrupt with debts of 10 million yen (about 91,000 U.S. dollars) or more. (Japan-Eatery Bankruptcies)

- - - -

TASHKENT -- Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have launched the construction of an international center for trade and economic cooperation named "Central Asia" on the border of the two countries, the Uzbek government said Monday.

Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and his Kazakh counterpart, Askar Mamin, laid a capsule at the construction site of the logistics center, which is located in the vicinity of the border checkpoint Gisht Kuprik (called Zhibek Zholy in Kazakhstan), said the Uzbek government's press service. (Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-Trade Center)

- - - -

SYDNEY -- The Australian share market finished slightly lower on Monday, with materials and real estate remained under pressure.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was down 21.20 points or 0.30 percent at 6,974.00, while the broader All Ordinaries index was down 27.10 points or 0.37 percent at 7,225.20. (Australia-Stock Market News)