Economy and commerce
Economic policy and administration
SE Asia stocks: most markets set for losses in 2015, Vietnam outperforms
Southeast Asian stock markets ended down in thin trade on 31 December as investors stayed away ahead of holidays, with all markets posting losses in 2015 except for Vietnam. Singapore’s key Straits Times Index dipped 0.1 percent in mixed trade, with losses in most big caps offsetting gains in several blue ...
Vietnam, partners look to sign Pacific-rim trade pact in February
The Vietnamese government expects to sign an agreement with 11 other nations in early February to finalize their negotiated terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, taking another step to turn one of the most ambitious trade pacts into reality. According to local media, Minister of Industry and Trade ...
Vietnam adds flesh to regulatory bones to court more investment
Vietnam has issued detailed regulations for foreign investors in 17 business sectors in a drive to improve the investment climate of a fast-growing country blighted by bureaucracy, but now seeing record inflows of foreign capital. The new list of sectors specifies foreign investment ratios, the scope ...
ASEAN bloc readies for integration
Significant changes are not expected with the formal launch of the ASEAN Community on 31 December as 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations still need more time to work out and adjust key issues for integration under the community’s three pillars: the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ...
Budget discussion cancelled as inflation concerns grow
Individual ministries will not be called to parliament to explain their budget requests for 2016-17 until debate begins in January in an effort to speed up the approval process, Myanmar MPs were told on 23 December. Parliamentarians arrived yesterday expecting to hear representatives from the ministries ...
Vietnam's credit growth quickens to 18 pct in 2015: central bank
Vietnam’s annual credit growth this year is expected to quicken to 18 percent, beating a previous government target of 17 percent, the State Bank of Vietnam said on 24 December. Keep reading ...
Starbucks opens doors in airport
The long-awaited Starbucks coffee chain opened its doors to passengers on 22 December in the Phnom Penh International Airport’s new terminal. Keep reading ...
Laos issues first US$ notes in Thailand
Laos’ Finance Ministry has issued its first US dollar-denominated floating-rate notes in Thailand, worth $182 million (about Bt6.5 billion).The dual-tranche issuance was rated “BBB+” by Tris Rating on December 9. The maturities are 10 and 12 years and the coupons are six-month Libor (London Interbank ...
Devaluation risk rises in Vietnam
Vietnam’s dong fell toward the brink of its permitted trading range as a ban on interest payments on US dollar deposits held onshore failed to cool speculation the currency is poised for its fourth devaluation in a year. The State Bank of Vietnam cut the dollar ...
Vietnam looking at $4 billion trade deficit in 2015
Vietnam could run up a US$4 billion trade deficit for the whole year after three consecutive years of a trade surplus, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) said. The trade deficit would account for 2.4 per cent of total exports, much lower than the set ...
