Showing 1 - 10 of 20
Advancing cautiously
Asia focus, Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata, Published on 27/06/2022
» Asian economies are bouncing back amid the so-called Great Reset triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. But a cautious mood prevails given the possible short-term risks of new waves of the virus, rising inflation and political instability.
Year of Turbulence
Asia focus, Asia Focus Team, 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.
Journeys of discovery
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 16/08/2021
» Sipping green tea after having a Thai lunch at his house, Farid Bidgoli looks relaxed yet energetic, and ready for an interview. From his appearance and accent, the 42-year-old executive looks exactly like someone from the UK where he was born, though he is half Iranian with a spirit inherited from his father.
Has Asia lost its way?
Asia focus, W Audi Pattarapatumthong, Published on 26/07/2021
» For over seven decades, Asian countries have steered their way through all kinds of difficulties and managed to emerge stronger. Remarkably high rates of economic growth, strong trade and investment and sound development policies have all contributed to a marked improvement in the quality of life of their citizens.
Sex and the Chinese economy
Asia focus, Shang-Jin Wei, Published on 31/05/2021
» China's recently released population census confirms the persistence of the country's alarming excess of males relative to the global norm. This numerical imbalance has several significant economic implications -- and not only for China.
Humour and a helping hand
Asia focus, Published on 03/05/2021
» Atsushi Taketani knows exactly how to make himself stand out in public in a way that also helps promote his home country.
Closing the gap
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 12/04/2021
» Events of the past 12 months have permanently changed both the nature of the workplace and women's opportunities within it. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to more flexible working practices, new leadership traits are coming to the fore, and the need for a diverse workforce and inclusive culture has never been more apparent.
Recovery strategy
Asia focus, Published on 05/10/2020
» Governments in developing East Asia and the Pacific need to invest more in testing and tracing capacity, while expanding social protection to cover the poor and the informal sector, to cope with the "triple shocks" from the Covid-19 pandemic, says the World Bank.
What families can teach wealth managers
Asia focus, Viola Steinhoff Werner and Edwin Tan, Published on 28/09/2020
» The recent, and in some countries, still ongoing lockdowns triggered by the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak have seen families thrown together in a way many have never been before, both globally and in Thailand.
Clearing the air
Asia focus, Pattama Kuentak, Published on 03/08/2020
» The months-long Covid-19 pandemic has taken a terrible toll on economies and the wellbeing of people worldwide, but it's certainly not the only threat humanity faces.