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APAC Edition
15th December 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

JD.com invests in housing for couriers

Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com has pledged 22bn yuan ($3.12bn) in housing support for its delivery riders. JD.com said it has already provided 28,000 units of housing for front-line employees and will provide 150,000 units over the next five years. Food delivery firm Meituan last month made a similar promise, and said it would invest 10bn yuan over the next five years to build a more comprehensive welfare system for its couriers. The firm has a subsidised "Rider Apartments" scheme in cities including Beijing, Shenzhen and Chongqing which offers affordable, secure and subsidised housing. Rents in some areas of Beijing are offered at around 50% of market rates.
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WORKFORCE

VW offers early exits to India plant workers amid restructuring

Volkswagen is offering early retirement to all of its 2,300 workers at its two factories in India's western Maharashtra state, as the automaker launches a restructuring effort in a bid to to overcome obstacles to local growth. After more more than two decades of operations, Volkswagen still has only 2% market share in India. The early retirement scheme for blue-collar workers is designed to "rationalise the manpower and align it with current needs." Volkswagen wants to ensure it can continue to pay competitive wages and that the plants would continue to operate, a source said.

Youth employment in Korea declines for nineteenth month

Korea's youth employment fell for the nineteenth consecutive month in November, alongside a notable rise in unemployment among those in their 30s. The employment rate reached 63.4%, the highest for November since records began, driven mainly by older workers. Youth employment dropped by 177,000, with the rate declining to 44.3%. Gong Mi-sook, head of the social statistics bureau, observed: "The number of unemployed people in their 30s increased significantly, but both the employment rate and the labour-force participation rate also went up." The government said it plans to analyse trends and provide tailored support for job seekers.

Australia's unemployment rate remains steady

Australia's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3% in November, according to the Bureau of Statistics. However, the underemployment rate increased from 5.7% to 6.2%. The number of employed individuals fell by 21,300, while the officially unemployed decreased by 2,100. This led to a reduction in the labour force by 23,400, with the participation rate dropping to 66.7%. Full-time employment decreased by 57,000, but part-time employment rose by 35,000. The Reserve Bank noted: "Labour market conditions still appear a little tight but further modest easing is expected."
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TECHNOLOGY

PwC AI chief: Fast adopters see triple the revenue per employee

Joe Atkinson, PwC's global head of artificial intelligence, says AI is transforming business so rapidly it's overwhelming organisations, but companies that scale quickly are seeing up to three times more revenue per employee. Speaking on CNBC, Mr. Atkinson noted the experimentation phase is over, and firms must now embed AI broadly. While adoption is straining traditional change management, PwC believes AI-driven growth will ultimately benefit both businesses and workers who embrace the tools.
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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

HSBC axes 160-year-old management scheme in bid to cut costs

HSBC's “International Manager” programme, a legacy scheme set up to develop the next generation of the bank's executives, had been closed to new recruits in a cost-cutting effort.
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STRATEGY

Xceedance expands with new Manila hub

Global insurtech company Xceedance has launched a new talent hub in Manila, Philippines, to enhance its support for over 350 clients globally. The hub aims to improve coordination with existing centres in India, Poland, and the United States. Subramanian Sankaran, President and Global Chief Operating Officer, said: “The addition of Manila to our global delivery network is a strategic step forward in our rightshoring journey.” Amit Tiwari, President – EMEA & APAC, noted the Philippines' potential as a vibrant hub for insurance operations, emphasising the company's commitment to providing scalable solutions.
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ECONOMY

Japan retail rice prices hit record high

Average retail rice prices in Japan have climbed to a new high of ¥4,335 ($27) per 5kg at around 1,000 supermarkets, marking the highest level since the government began tracking prices in March 2022, according to agriculture ministry data. The price of blended rice rose sharply by ¥92 to ¥3,870 as retailers began incorporating 2025 harvest rice, while brand rice, which includes newly harvested premium varieties, rose ¥5 to ¥4,551 and accounted for 68% of sales. Broader surveys covering 1,200 to 6,000 stores also showed significant price increases, reflecting rising costs across various retail channels.
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INTERNATIONAL

General strike against Portugal's plan to overhaul labour laws

Portugal experienced its first general strike in over a decade on Thursday, led by the CGTP and UGT unions. The strike led to the halting of train services, the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and the closure of schools in protest against proposed labour reforms. The minority government aims to amend over 100 articles of the labour code to enhance productivity, but unions argue the proposed amendments undermines workers' rights. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said: "The government respects the right to strike . . . but it will not give up on being reformist."

Top 10% earn more than the remaining 90%

The World Inequality Report 2026 reveals alarming wealth concentration, with fewer than 60,000 individuals - 0.001% of the world's population - controlling three times the wealth of the bottom half of the global population. The analysis highlights that the top 10% earn more than the remaining 90%, while the poorest half claim less than 10% of global earnings. The report stresses the need for urgent action, observing: "Reducing inequality is essential for the resilience of economies." The report also notes that a 3% global tax on the wealthiest could generate $750bn per year.

UK employers less likely to disclose salary amid softer hiring market

UK employers have become less likely to advertise salaries or offer non-pay benefits as a slump in hiring persists, according to data published by the jobs site Indeed. The share of postings mentioning at least one benefit dropped 2.1 percentage points to 64.6%, while salary transparency had fallen to its lowest levels since 2021. Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said employers had adapted to the subdued hiring market “by trimming benefits and becoming more selective about when and how they advertised pay.”

Denmark to hire health staff from Philippines

Denmark has established a recruitment agreement with the Philippines, allowing for the hiring of up to 100 health sector staff annually, starting in 2027. The agreement reflects a growing trend of international collaboration in the health sector.
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OTHER

Australian beekeepers challenge imported honey purity

Australian beekeepers are investigating the authenticity of imported honey, fearing that some products may not be pure. Jon Lockwood, chair of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, said that current testing protocols by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) are outdated. He noted: "We found a few honeys that had been pre-packed before they were imported into Australia that showed that they were adulterated". The industry aims to modernise testing standards to ensure consumer confidence and support local beekeepers. Australia imported 9m kg of honey in 2024.
 
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