Former Indonesian President Joko Widodo ended his term by holding office at the new capital city of Nusantara beginning 29 July 2024. The USD 32-billion project was set for completion before he stepped down in October. Widodo is optimistic that this megaproject will lift Indonesia's status as a developed country by 2045, with an expected GDP value of USD 180...

The Philippine economy has long relied on the bustling business process outsourcing (BPO) sector as a major source of dollar revenues, providing jobs with competitive salaries to millions of Filipinos without the need to work abroad for better pay.  Outsourcing services have become a significant lifeblood for the Philippine economy since 2010. To put in perspective, the sector generated USD...

The GDP growth of Thailand quickened from 1.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 to 3 per cent in the third quarter. Specifically, the property sector grew by 0.7 per cent in the second quarter, easing from the previous quarter’s 1.1 per cent expansion. The construction sector grew by 15.5 per cent, reversing the previous quarter’s 5.5 per...

Technology startups in China have shown their might over the past decade with rapid-fire growth in terms of scale and market value. Chinese firms have been leading the charge in the e-commerce space globally, with companies like Alibaba and Tencent emerging as industry behemoths that were worthy challengers to American giant Amazon.  For one, Alibaba shares at the New York...

China is looking to boost public coffers at a time of pale domestic demand and a prevailing property sector slump by dipping into the treasure trove of the wealthiest. The government has instructed affluent residents to review their tax payments and is said to begin imposing a 20 per cent tax on investment gains generated abroad, both in an attempt...

The raft of announcements that came out of China in late 2024 sound seemingly ambitious, leading to volatile swings as markets reacted aggressively. Are these stimulus packages genuine or simply lip service? One only needs to look at the recent past for answers. After hitting a high in early 2021, Chinese equities have been on a gradual decline with no...

The emerging markets in Southeast Asia are steaming ahead with very good economic growth rates. I don’t think it’s a surprise with the ongoing vibrant growth environment, though it stands out more when the mature economies are sliding deeper and deeper into a very low growth reality. The ASEAN countries alone are not yet an economic superpower, but Asia is...

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said the Chinese economy remains on course towards “modernization” as it pledged to further open up to global markets while pursuing domestic policy reforms to sustain growth. The CPC held in July its third plenary session to chart economic strategies in the next five years, which revolved around the theme...

The Chinese economy is struggling to get its growth back to its pre-pandemic average of above 6 per cent despite piling government and consumer debt weighing down economic activity. China’s real property sector remains in crisis mode as several big players have turned insolvent over the past year, unable to pay maturing debts after the central government tightened the rules...

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has extended a helping hand to listed companies seeking to protect stock valuations and shareholder rights in the face of rocky appetite towards the Chinese economy. The regulator revised its rules on share repurchase deals for listed firms in December 2023 to give them greater leeway in cutting losses and protecting share values amid...