Showing 1 - 6 of 6
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.
Down the rabbit hole
Oped, Postbag, Published on 03/02/2018
» Help me, somebody, I think I must have fallen down a rabbit hole and found myself in a world as crazy as Alice did. In this strange, topsy-turvy world the people who ousted an elected government, an action usually considered more serious than sedition is now arresting protesters and dissidents for actions and speech inciting people to rebel against their government.
Oil rout drags down shares ahead of fed talks
Business, Published on 19/09/2016
» Recap: Global stock markets plunged last week as investors cashed out ahead of this week's much-awaited US Federal Reserve meeting. Worries over the oil glut also triggered selling of energy stocks, but the Thai market picked up following a recent steep fall.
Set edges up despite Asian dip on China worries
Business, Published on 25/05/2015
» Recap: US and European stocks marched up last week with the Dow Jones and S&P hitting records as weak housing sales and manufacturing data suggested a delay in a Federal Reserve interest-rate increase. Most Asian markets retreated, especially in China, on worries over economic health of the world's second largest economy.
China rate cut spurs stocks but set struggles
Business, Nuntawun Polkuamdee, Published on 18/05/2015
» Recap: China's interest-rate cut by 25 basis points, the third in six months, propelled Asian stock markets early last week. However, sentiment turned sour amid renewed worries over the world's second largest economy following weak economic data, and Greece's precarious finances.