WBG - Growth in developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) is expected to remain strong and reach 6.3 percent in 2018, according to the latest World Bank economic report on the region. Prospects for a continued broad-based global recovery and robust domestic demand underpin this positive outlook. Still, emerging risks to stability and sustained growth require close attention.

WBG - South Asia has regained its lead as the fastest growing region in the world, supported by recovery in India. With the right mix of policies and reforms, growth is expected to accelerate to 6.9 percent in 2018 and 7.1 percent next year.

WBG - Investments in infrastructure and education, skills, and health, are not only key to sustaining high growth but will also ensure that poor and vulnerable families have access to better job opportunities. Delivering inclusive economic growth through good jobs remains the country’s most pressing challenge, according to the World Bank.

REUTERS - South Korea’s March crude oil imports from Iran dropped 39.3 percent from a year earlier on slowing demand for Iranian oil, the country’s customs data showed on Sunday.

REUTERS - GAIL renegotiated the terms of a long-term 2.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchase deal with Russia’s Gazprom in January.

BLOOMBERG - “We are a very price-sensitive consumer,’’ Pradhan said on Tuesday. “From Indian consumers’ point of view, I will be more than happy if the price is around $50 a barrel.’’

PLATTS - India's state-run refiners and Saudi Aramco signed an agreement Wednesday to jointly build an integrated refinery and petrochemical complex on India's west coast at a cost of $44 billion, Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said.

REUTERS - On Tuesday, Washington unveiled some $50 billion worth of proposed tariffs on Chinese imports and on Thursday Trump upped the ante, directing U.S. trade officials to identify tariffs on another $100 billion of Chinese imports. He said this was “in light of China’s unfair retaliation” against the earlier U.S. trade action. China responded by saying it was fully prepared to respond with a “fierce counter strike” if the United States followed through on the new threat.

WNN - The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) and its joint venture subsidiaries, Nawah Energy Company (Nawah) and Barakah One Company (BOC), have signed three agreements with Korean companies. Enec and Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) in October 2016 signed a joint venture agreement that made Kepco a minority shareholder in Nawah and BOC.

WNN - Japan's Toshiba announced today that it has completed the sale to Brookfield of its shareholding in Toshiba Nuclear Energy Holdings (US) Inc - the indirect holding company of Westinghouse Electric Company. The sale is independent of Brookfield's acquisition of Westinghouse and some of its affiliates.

BLOOMBERG - Vietnam’s state-owned oil company said South China Sea tensions will hurt oil and gas exploration and efforts to attract foreign investment to offshore fields.

REUTERS - Japan’s crude oil imports last month fell 15.4 percent from a year earlier to 2.99 million barrels per day (13.33 million kilolitres), the lowest for the month of February since 1969

REUTERS - Indian Oil Corp plans to invest 1.43 trillion rupees ($22 billion) in next five years as the country’s top refiner seeks to raise its annual capacity to about 3.2 million barrels per day by 2030,

SAUDI ARAMCO - Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), the national oil company of Malaysia, and Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, are pleased to announce the formation of two joint ventures for the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project.

PLATTS - China's crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia in February rose 19.5% month on month to 1.21 million b/d, or 4.64 million mt, making it the second-largest supplier, data released by the General Administration of Customs on Tuesday showed.