Japan's GDP Miss, BlueScope Steel Earnings

The Daybreak Asia podcast delivers insights on market-moving events in the Asia-Pacific region. It highlights the Lunar New Year holiday's impact on regional markets, noting closures in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore. Bloomberg MarketsLive strategist Mark Cranfield analyzes Japan's lower-than-expected economic growth, attributing it to factors offset by expectations of continued wage hikes and the Bank of Japan's move towards neutral rates. He also addresses the surge in DRAM chip costs and its effect on companies like Taiwan Semiconductor and Samsung Electronics. CEO Tania Archibald discusses BlueScope Steel's increased shareholder payouts, rejection of takeover offers, and strategies for growth in the U.S. market, including expansions and green technology investments.