Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Transforming the face of Chinese tech
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 26/04/2021
» China's technology industry is at a crossroads. In the middle of the Covid crisis last year, Chinese tech companies were booming as people embraced online services, entertainment and shopping. This led to a sharp rise in profits for the parent companies and soaring share prices.
China's economic recovery
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 12/10/2020
» China's economic recovery continues to accelerate, with retail sales growing in August for the first time this year. Investment and property activity also gathered speed and there was a sharp spike in manufacturing production with the steepest rate of growth in new orders since the start of 2011. The Purchasing Managers Index, which includes services, also rose, while unemployment in urban areas dropped, with the 5.6% jobless rate the lowest since January.
High office vacancy rates trouble China
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 17/08/2020
» China's economy has rebounded since the coronavirus outbreak eased, but office vacancies in major cities are at their highest since the global financial crisis in 2008, reaching an average of 15% in the first quarter of this year.
China's electric vehicle showdown
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 27/07/2020
» Nissan recently unveiled the Ariya, a new all-electric sport utility vehicle (SUV), the first of a new generation of electric vehicles intended to improve the performance of the struggling Japanese carmaker.
Singapore's '4G' balancing act
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 20/07/2020
» As expected, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won the Singapore general election, which was held on July 10 amid Covid-19 restrictions and the worst economic crisis in decades. Singapore's GDP plunged by 42.1% in the three months to the end of June, the biggest quarterly drop on record.
China confronts its economic challenges
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 08/06/2020
» In an unprecedented move, China has decided not to set an economic growth target for this year. The economy contracted by 6.8% in the first quarter and, if growth in the second quarter is also negative, the country will officially be in recession for the first time in more than four decades.
Fighting Covid-19 together
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 06/04/2020
» Economic forecasts for this year were gloomy enough before Covid-19 started to spread around the world. The outbreak has only increased global turbulence as countries impose lockdowns in an attempt to combat the spread of the disease.
What's next for climate change?
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 30/03/2020
» Relentless efforts to combat Covid-19 have shifted the world's focus away from other hot-button issues that had been gaining momentum, such as climate change.
Supply chains need anti-virus strategy
Asia focus, Suwatchai Songwanich, Published on 24/02/2020
» In a time of global economic headwinds, the spread of Covid-19 is further exacerbating business conditions through labour shortages and logistical bottlenecks.