CNBC Asia-Pacific Highlights

Let's hear it for the boys. China's fashion-forward men are snapping up Gucci and Burberry bags, driving a rebound in the luxury market months after a slow down in spending by the world's biggest luxury goods buyers spooked global investors.

As Beijing eases control over its currency and opens up its financial markets to foreign investors, the yuan is gaining ground as a global currency and is headed for further gains.

China's growth is expected to have re-accelerated to near 8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, but there are some troubling inconsistencies in the economy, according to the China Beige Book released on Wednesday.

A Chinese government crackdown on lavish spending by officials has pushed expensive liquor and high-end watches out of favor in the luxury gift-giving market, a survey from the Hurun Report, known for its annual China Rich List, showed on Tuesday.

Often called the "lucky country" because of its rich natural resources, Australia's growth has long been funded by the commodities boom but now, economists say, there are a few other bright spots that could pick up where mining left off.

Forget a weakening economy and the prospect of further monetary easing. Here's what will keep the Aussie dollar robust in the months ahead - a rebound in commodity prices and even lower interest rates among the world's big economies.

Toyota has dethroned General Motors as the world's top-selling automaker. The Japanese company sold 9.7 million cars and trucks worldwide in 2012, although it's still counting. GM sold 9.29 million. Both companies saw higher sales.

Third time lucky for some, could it be a case of seventh time lucky for Singapore,which has just unveiled its latest and most stringent measures to cool a sizzling property market, which has so far defied a slew of steps unveiled since 2009.

South Korea's plan to stimulate its weak economy via government spending and policy measures depends on how China's economy performs this year, the finance minister of Asia's fourth largest economy said.

China's one-child policy has produced less trusting, less trustworthy and less competitive children compared to the generation born before the policy was introduced, a study has found.

The Asia-Pacific region is home to the world's freest economies, according to an index published on Thursday as Western economies grapple with too much government involvement.