Economy and commerce
Thai Government to woo Western investors
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s UN trip has eased international concerns over the military coup, paving the way for other cabinet ministers to make overseas visits to boost foreign investor confidence in Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said on 7 October. Keep reading ...
Cooperative Bank first to sign for ADB trade finance
Cooperative Bank has become the first local lender to sign with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its Trade Finance Program, introduced to Myanmar last month. The program will help increase Myanmar’s international trade – the ADB will provide up to US$12 million per year to ...
TPP offers Vietnam opportunities
Trade ministers from the 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries reached final consensus on the world’s largest free trade agreement at Atlanta, the US, on 5 October. After ending negotiations on the TPP deal, all TPP countries will review legal procedures to prepare for the official ...
12 Pacific nations agree to historic TPP trade accord
Twelve Pacific rim countries sealed the deal late 5 October (Thailand time) to create the world’s largest free trade area, with implications for Thailand and for world trade in the 21st century. Working around the clock for days past their deadline, haggard trade ministers announced they reached ...
World Bank slashes Myanmar growth forecast
Just four months ago the World Bank predicted in its Global Economic Prospects report that Myanmar would grow at 8.2pc this year and 8.0pc in fiscal 2017, to become the world’s fourth-fastest-growing economy. However, this outlook took a hit as floods swept the country in July ...
Vietnam steel association wants fewer plants as supply surplus hurts industry
The Vietnam Steel Association has urged authorities not to go ahead with 27 planned steel plants since local output is already more than twice the demand. Some of the planned plants have not been started while others have proved impractical or are using outdated technology. Keep reading ...
Thailand 'the laggard in ASEAN GDP growth'
Thailand will trail all ASEAN countries in growth because its open economy and export dependence leave it directly exposed to the global and Chinese slowdowns, according to the World Bank. Thai gross domestic product this year is expected to grow by 2.5 per cent, while the East Asia-Pacific ...
World Bank cuts Thailand growth to 2.5%
The World Bank has slashed Thailand’s economic growth this year to 2.5% from 3.5%, the lowest in the East Asia and Pacific region, in its latest regional report released on 5 October. Thailand’s growth next year was also cut to 2% from 4% in the previous forecast ...
Floods dampen Myanmar's growth: WB
Myanmar’s economy will expand at only 6.5 per cent in the 2015-16 fiscal year due to floods and slowing investments, according to a World Bank report. Keep reading ...
World Bank trims Asia forecast but says no China hard landing
The World Bank on 5 October cut its growth forecasts for developing economies in East Asia and the Pacific but allayed fears of a hard landing for China’s slowing economy. The bank also said it expects any increase in US interest rates to have an orderly impact ...
