Photo credit: AP Economy, Investment and Trade Singapore, Guangdong to tie up on high tech, smart cities (24 August 2018) Fourteen Singapore companies signed agreements to partner with Chinese companies from the South
HIGHLIGHTS July 2018 industrial production The industrial production index (IPI) came in ahead of our forecast at 6.0% yoy in July due to resilient pharmaceutical and chemicals output growth. However the prognosis for the
HIGHLIGHTS 2Q18 GDP Thailand’s economy expanded by 4.6% yoy in 2Q18 after an upwardly-revised GDP growth reading of 4.9% yoy in 1Q18. Domestic demand rebounded strongly, led by private consumption and investments. Subdued inflation,
HIGHLIGHTS 2Q18 GDP and current account Malaysia’s economy expanded by 4.5% yoy in 2Q18, the weakest since 4Q16, partly due to supply shocks in agriculture (palm oil and rubber) and mining (natural gas). We
Photo Credit: Myanmar Times TRADE, ECONOMY, AND INVESTMENT CAMBODIA Cambodia becomes the largest importer of Vietnam’s steel thanks to booming construction sector (23 August 2018) A boom in the construction sector has
Photo credit: Vietnamnet Economy, Investment and Trade Vietnam’s Investment Ministry expresses wariness over China’s ODA loans (19 August 2018) Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has expressed concerns over Official Development Assistance
HIGHLIGHTS 2Q18 direct investments Direct investments (DI) grew 0.6% yoy to US$12.9bn in 2Q18 as gains in DDI (+25.9% yoy to US$5.8bn) offset the decline in FDI (-13.5% yoy to US$7.1bn). The key growth
HIGHLIGHTS 2Q18 balance of payments The 2Q18 current account deficit (CAD) hit a four-year high of -US$8.0bn or -3.0% of GDP, led by the trade account slipping into deficit and higher dividend repatriations. The
Photo Credit: Myanmar Times TRADE, ECONOMY, AND INVESTMENT MYANMAR Myanmar to liberalise its gold market after five decades (15 August 2018) Myanmar’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) aims to remove gold from its
HIGHLIGHTS 2Q18 GDP (revised) The revised 2Q18 GDP data was marginally higher at 3.9% yoy on improved growth in the export-oriented manufacturing sector. Domestic demand strengthened on account of higher capex in transport equipment