Trump Has the Power, China Debt Fears, U.S.-Japan Deal: Eco Day

(Bloomberg) -- Welcome to Monday, Asia. Here’s the latest news and analysis from Bloomberg Economics to help get your day started:

• Two top White House officials said President Donald Trump has the authority to force American companies to leave China -- as he claims, and which trade experts question -- yet whether he invokes those powers is another question
• Trump acknowledged having second thoughts on escalating the trade war with China -- only for his top spokeswoman to later say he meant he regretted not raising tariffs even more
• Meantime, the foreign debt built up by Chinese companies is about a third bigger than official data show, adding to the pressure on the country’s currency reserves as a wave of repayment obligations approaches in 2020
• Central bankers have limited ability to cushion the global economy from the headwinds of mounting political uncertainty, RBA Governor Philip Lowe said at Jackson Hole over the weekend
• The U.S. and Japan agreed in principle on a trade deal under which Japan will slash tariffs on U.S. beef, pork and other agricultural products, while continuing to face levies on its own auto exports
• Israel’s economic transformation has turned it into an “emerging markets safe haven” that continued to absorb money from abroad despite maintaining near-zero interest rates, says central bank Governor Amir Yaron
• The escalating trade war means investors won’t have long to chew over the outcome of weekend meetings of central bankers in Wyoming and world leaders in France. Here’s our guide to the world economy’s week ahead

To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Bourke in Sydney at cbourke4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nasreen Seria at nseria@bloomberg.net, Michael Heath

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