Showing 1 - 5 of 5
Year of Turbulence
Asia focus, Published on 27/12/2021
» Pandemic drags on recovery: In the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many Asian countries had enviable success, avoiding large-scale outbreaks and mass deaths. But the arrival of the more transmissible Delta variant this year and sluggish vaccine rollouts compounded by low availability sent cases surging. Combined with poor monitoring and easy movement among countries, often unofficially, Southeast Asia became a virus hotspot. The ballooning health crisis collided with churning political discontent in the case of Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. Economically, the new wave of infections, and attendant restrictions imposed to curb the spread, stalled recoveries. After nearly two years of strict border controls, many countries started to loosen up and live with Covid. But the rise of the Omicron variant now threatens to scuttle those tentative reopening plans and usher in a third year of economic anxiety.
Stuck in neutral
Asia focus, Published on 27/01/2020
» Amid ongoing uncertainties including trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions, global economic growth prospects look dim for 2020, partly due to a disappointing performance in major Asian economies.
Asean should embrace the fourth industrial revolution
Asia focus, Published on 13/11/2017
» When the leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) gather for their 31st summit in the Philippines today, they will also be celebrating "Asean@50" -- testimony to Asean's endurance and durability over five decades, as the longest-running regional grouping of developing countries in the world.
Hawkish fed tone rattles asia, But only briefly
Business, Published on 19/12/2016
» Recap: Hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve of a faster pace of policy tightening next year weighed on Asian stock markets last week. Most recovered late in the week after investors concluded the reaction had been overdone. Anticipation of a year-end spending spree by consumers lured by tax breaks kept the Thai bourse steady.
Woman on a mission
Asia focus, Published on 09/03/2015
» As the number one destination for US investment in Asia and its fourth-largest export market worldwide, Asean has clear economic as well as strategic importance for Washington. The relationship moved to a new level in 2010 when the United States established a permanent mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta — separate from the US embassy to Indonesia.