Bangladesh’s mounting economic struggles Bangladesh’s economic difficulties, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have reached a critical point. The pandemic’s disruption to global supply chains hit …
Investment
Middle East growth spurs new opportunities for Asean collaboration: Standard Chartered
The UAE and Singapore are vital gateways for business between the two regions, says the bank’s Singapore CEO Patrick Lee Standard Chartered’s Singapore and Asean chief executive officer Patrick Lee sa…
Malaysian banking sector can drive Asean financial integration: ABM executive director
The domestic banking sector is uniquely positioned to drive deeper cross-border financial integration across the region when Malaysia assumes the Asean chairmanship next year. The Association of Banks…
What is behind Vietnam’s economic success story?
The World Bank has forecast that Vietnam will show the strongest growth of the emerging economies in Southeast Asia. According to a new forecast from the World Bank, economic growth in Vietnam is expe…
China+1 isn’t coming to India. Let’s go India+2
In a study done by Nomura Capital three years ago, at the height of the US-China relationship meltdown, 56 US companies relocated their manufacturing base from China to Vietnam. Surprisingly, only thr…
World Bank looks to fresh beginning in Sri Lanka
The World Bank last week confirmed that there is no new financial support pending for Sri Lanka, but discussions with the new Government have commenced to outline future plans for collaboration. World…
The 2024 US Presidential Election: Impact on Southeast Asia Markets
As the US enters the last campaign weeks of the 2024 presidential election, scheduled for November 5, global markets are closely monitoring the potential shifts in policies that may impact trade, inve…
India Emerges as ASEAN’s Hedging Bet Against China at Laos Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Laos last week for the 21st India-ASEAN Summit marked a milestone as it came a decade since India reworked its “Look East” policy to the current “Act East” one.…
New World Bank Group Partnership Framework for Cambodia Focuses on Human Capital, Competitiveness, and Resilience
The new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Cambodia for 2025–2029 seeks to address three interlinked goals: improving health and basic education, enhancing competitiveness, and strengthening the …
China’s Strategic Dilemma in Bangladesh: Navigating Uncertainty Amid Political Turmoil
China’s growing influence in South Asia has been one of the most notable shifts in regional geopolitics over the past decade. Through a mix of ambitious infrastructure projects, strategic alliances, a…