Fitch Ratings on Monday revised its 2019 growth forecast for Malaysia to 4.6%, from 4.2%, after the country reported stronger-than-expected growth in the first half. Malaysia’s central bank repo…
Economy
Vietnam and Indonesia stand out as Belt and Road bets, reports show
Southeast Asia is becoming ever more of a hotbed for investment related to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, two separate reports issued this month show. Chinese investment and construction cont…
$5-trillion question: Can Modi hit his economic target?
One hundred trillion rupees (US$1.4 trillion) for highways, railways, airports, waterways, crop storage and digital infrastructure; 20 million new houses; 125,000 kilometres of roads; a reduction in f…
EDB strengthens links with Asean businesses to prop region’s growth
By 2050, Asean may easily be the fourth-largest economy in the world with trade that is projected to reach US$10 trillion. This is welcome news to the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). For y…
The currency manipulation game
The trade war between the United States (US) and China is heating up again, with US President Donald Trump abruptly announcing plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on the US$300 billion worth of import…
Why ASEAN’s Indo-Pacific outlook matters
The idea of the Indo-Pacific as a regional concept is not new and has been widely discussed in the policy community as a way to link the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and give greater recognition to the …
Malaysia launches new car project to jumpstart high-tech growth
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia launched a new mass market car project on Friday, as it looks to boost development and adoption of high technology in a renewed industrial push by Prime Ministe…
How South Asia can continue as world’s fastest growing subregion
Since 2014, South Asia has been the fastest growing subregion in the world, with its eight economies collectively boasting average annual growth of 7.0%. This is higher even than East Asia (6.2%), whi…
Growing Myanmar’s gig economy
Across Asia, contract and freelance positions in firms from start-ups to large conglomerates are becoming more commonplace. While still novel in Myanmar, the so-called “gig” economy is expanding as co…