Economy and commerce
Trade
Shanghai shares plunge another 5%
Shanghai shares fell more than 5% on 19 August, extending their largest daily fall in more than three weeks on concerns of waning government support. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 5.04%, or 188.74 points, to 3,559.42 during the morning session. Keep reading ...
Vietnam devalues dong by 1%
Vietnam on 18 August devalued its currency by 1% following the devaluation of the Chinese yuan and a possible US interest rate increase. Keep reading ...
ASEAN's real GDP grows 4.6pc in 2014
ASEAN’s real Gross Domestic Product grew 4.6 per cent to reach US$2.57 trillion in 2014. The sustained growth in GDP led to an increase in the GDP per capita from US$3,908 in 2013 to US$4,130 in 2014, ASEAN Secretariat said in a statement. Keep reading ...
ASEAN puts last touches to economic community
With most of the high-priority measures in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint already adopted, policymakers and businesses need to work closely on the remaining challenges to achieve benefits of full economic integration beyond 2015, a new report recommends. The report from Ernst & Young, titled ...
Cambodia's garment exports up 9% in first half of 2015
The garment industry, Cambodia’s largest foreign currency earner, has seen a 9% rise in exports in the first six months of 2015, according to the Chinese State’s News Agency-Xinhua. Keep reading ...
Bank of Thailand: Slower growth a regional ill
The Bank of Thailand insists that despite shocks and changes experienced in the macroeconomic environment, the country’s fundamentals remain strong, as reflected in the country’s current account surplus, stable foreign exchange rate and low unemployment. Central bank governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul on 17 August said speeding up infrastructure investment ...
Importers hedging against baht slump
Local small and medium-sized importers are in a rush to hedge their currency exposure to protect against the rapid weakening of the baht, says TMB Bank. The number of SME customers hedging against foreign exchange risk has increased by 20-30% since the baht began depreciating after ...
Thai entrepreneurs urged to move fast in Myanmar
Thai entrepreneurs should tap Myanmar’s high growth potential, say business leaders. However, competition has grown intense as Myanmar welcomes other foreign investors, forcing some Thai businesses to seek local partners in order to make it easier to do business there. Keep reading ...
Chicken war with U.S. shows free trade threat to Vietnam farmers
Hanoi chicken farmer Nguyen Huu Tuyen blames inexpensive poultry imported from the U.S. for the loss of almost $14,000 this year. Farmers such as Tuyen say the only way American companies can undercut Vietnamese poultry prices is if they export chicken at artificially low prices or ...
Vietnam, EU prepare for free trade launch
Vietnam and the EU have reached a framework agreement on the creation of a free trade zone under which almost all customs barriers between the partners will be eliminated. The deal, which follows two and one-half years of talks, will once fully implemented remove nearly all ...
