Economy

The debate assume significance as they have come just before India's seven-phase general elections from Apr. 11 to May 19.
India elections

Indian debate intensifies over government stats before elections

Economists question credibility, chartered accountants rebut 'baseless' concerns

22 March 2019
A bus passenger tries out a virtual reality device to watch movies via a 5G network in China. The country has outspent the U.S. by approximately $24 billion in wireless infrastructure since 2015, according to a Deloitte report.
Economy

Asia leads global patent applications, with Huawei top

China closes in on US, while India and South Korea also boost filings

19 March 2019
Commercial real estate in Asia's third-largest economy is benefitting from the surge in demand for office spaces as companies seek to tap into the country's large talent pool and cost advantages. 
Markets

Blackstone-backed India real estate trust kicks off IPO

Embassy Office Parks listing would be first of its kind in south Asian nation

18 March 2019
China is left with just one real ally -- Pakistan. 
Opinion

Pakistan, China and terrorism

Beijing's support protects Islamabad from global pressure to suppress militants

18 March 2019
An attendant fills a vehicle with gas in the Philippines. Lower crude-oil prices has softened inflation across developing Asia.
Economy

Emerging Asia's inflation softens as oil and currencies steady

Upward pressure eases in Philippines while prices fall in Malaysia

16 March 2019
China is making clear that it values its strategic partnership with Pakistan for the sake of its own regional interests.
Belt and Road

China defends Pakistan by vetoing Kashmir bombing resolution

India fails to brand Masood Azhar a terrorist as Beijing prioritizes Belt and Road

15 March 2019
Japan has made encouraging progress on urban environmental sustainability, which can be applied to the polluted cities of China and India.
Opinion

Japan -- the sun can also rise

An aging nation will still have a bright future if it boosts productivity with tech

15 March 2019
MUFG organized syndicated loans totaling roughly $200 billion as a lead under writer, up roughly 30% from a year earlier.
Economy

Asia M&A drives 9% growth in global syndicated loans

Japan's MUFG, Mizuho and SMFG climbed underwriter ranking in 2018

13 March 2019
One example of China's Belt and Road Initiative is this cargo train operating on a line in Kenya, which was constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation and financed by the Chinese government.
Belt and Road

Belt and Road is 'game changer' but not risk-free, expert says

Chinese money 'can be useful' to alleviate lack of funding if assessed carefully

12 March 2019
Tech companies, such as Google and Facebook, have come under fire for their seemingly indiscriminate personal data collection practices. 
Opinion

Handling Big Tech in ASEAN

Cooperate in crafting and enforcing privacy and competition rules in digital markets

12 March 2019
© Illustration by Eric Chow
Asia Insight

Southeast Asian sugar taxes: Bitter pills for better health

Campaigns to avoid runaway medical costs create side effects for companies and farms

12 March 2019
The Lion Air Flight 610 tragedy has rightly focused attention on doing more to ensure flight safety in Asia.
Opinion

Safety first in Asia's busy skies

Big data and cross-border cooperation will help

11 March 2019
Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra in February sold 52,915 cars in the domestic market, up 9% from a year ago.
Nikkei PMI

India defies Asia slump as manufacturing hits 14-month high

New orders propel surge while Japan, South Korea and Taiwan feel China chill

11 March 2019
A car wiring assembly line on the outskirts of New Delhi: Some analysts think FDI growth could pick up again.
Economy

Foreign investors shun India amid Trump, Brexit and elections

Failure to relax land and labor rules also stymies foreign direct investment

9 March 2019
Sales of passenger cars fell 4.3% to 171,372 units, the data showed. SUVs recorded a 3.7% increase to 83,245 units last month.
8 March 2019
The new program is expected to electrify half a million three-wheelers.
Economy

India signs 11-fold subsidy expansion to electrify public transit

Government readies $1.4bn for buses, taxis, auto rickshaws and motorcycles

8 March 2019
Stream article image
5 March 2019
Singapore is lobbying for greater international oversight on the use of emerging technologies such as AI.
Economy

India science guru touts AI tech as a force for good

Mashelkar says 'inclusive innovation' can boost education and opportunities

3 March 2019
Workers pack pineapples in China's Hainan Province. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership covers 16 countries, including Asia's three largest economies.
Economy

New push for Asia-Pacific megadeal as trade war eases

Ministers reaffirm RCEP goal in Cambodia, but busy election year ahead

3 March 2019
China will have 173 million residents aged 65 years or more by 2020 .
Opinion

Aging Asia needs new care models

​​​​​​​Supplement traditional family-based support with more public and private services

1 March 2019
The slowdown in India's economic growth is blamed on weaker consumption and liquidity constraints.
Economy

India's GDP growth slips to 6.6% ahead of general elections

Economy lost momentum in Oct-Dec quarter, leaving concern for Modi government

28 February 2019
Shaktikanta Das, after less than two months as RBI governor, switched on the rupee printing press anew.
Opinion

Asian central banks risk overfilling punchbowl

Slowing growth calls for monetary easing, but electoral pressures may push states too far

28 February 2019
Punjab National Bank is alleged to have been defrauded of 130 billion rupees ($2 billion), mainly by companies associated with celebrity jeweler Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi.
Opinion

Indian banks -- reform not rescue

Government must switch from refinancing state-owned banks to better regulation and privatization

27 February 2019
Ant Financial, which operates the Chinese mobile payment platform Alipay, raised $14 billion from investors last year.
Business trends

Asia fintech leads global funding as Alibaba and Baidu wallets thrive

Sector raised $30bn last year, nearly double North America tally

27 February 2019
Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said India's demand for crude oil is rising at a pace that will outstrip China's volume of growth and put the country right behind the U.S. in this measure in 2019.
23 February 2019