Economy

Container vessels are seen docked at the Pasir Panjang terminal port in Singapore on January 17. Singapore is one of several Asian countries that has seen a fall in exports to Russia. (Source photos by Reuters and AFP/Jiji)
Ukraine war

Asia's exports to Russia plunge amid Ukraine war

But some countries see rise in imports from Russia on higher energy prices

20 April 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appears at Wellington International Airport on April 13, after the country's borders reopened to Australian tourists at 11:59 pm on April 12. 
International relations

New Zealand PM eyes economy reboot with Japan, Singapore visits

As approval ratings dip, Ardern seeks political boost with tourism, trade

18 April 2022
A market in Singapore. The price of food and energy has been rising in the Asia-Pacific.
Economy

Asia-Pacific central banks bite the bullet on rate hikes

From Seoul to Singapore, policymakers under pressure to keep up with inflation, Fed

15 April 2022
Singapore's economy is recovering from the pandemic, but inflation has now become a concern.
Economy

Singapore tightens monetary policy as Ukraine war fuels inflation

GDP growth slows to 3.4% in Q1, central bank warns of headwinds

14 April 2022
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is pitching a new Indo-Pacific economic framework that includes labor and environmental protections.
Trade

Singapore welcomes U.S. 'high-ambition' trade engagement in Asia

But USTR Katherine Tai says framework needs to 'defend' American interests

5 April 2022
A supermarket in Singapore. Rising food and energy prices are expected to weigh heavily on Southeast Asian households.
Economy

Faster Southeast Asian inflation puts rate hike outlook in focus

Central banks feel pressure to contain surging prices

30 March 2022
A containership off Singapore: Europe accounts for 9% of ASEAN exports, according to Maybank.
Ukraine war

ASEAN faces 'collateral damage' from Ukraine war's Europe impact

From Singapore to Thailand, spillover threatens COVID-hit economies anew

27 March 2022
Singapore Airlines planes at Changi Airport: The government's move to ease border restrictions promises to boost the aviation industry.
Coronavirus

Singapore to allow quarantine-free entry from all countries in April

PM Lee announces 'drastic streamlining' of border rules as omicron wanes

24 March 2022
A construction site for a high-speed railway in Indonesia: Infrastructure spending is one factor seen driving growth in emerging Asia this year.
Ukraine war

Emerging Asia to grow 5.8% in 2022 but Ukraine deepens risks: OECD

China, India and ASEAN face inflation, supply disruptions, weaker confidence

22 March 2022
Commuters in Mumbai: India is likely to see pay increases average 9.2% this year, according to one survey.
Economy

From India to Indonesia, wages to rise faster alongside inflation

Studies find Asian employers ready to pay more after COVID pain

13 March 2022
A Singapore Airlines plane at the Singapore Airshow in February: The city-state this week announced a package worth 500 million Singapore dollars to support its aviation sector.
Coronavirus

Singapore weighs air hub reopening as Malaysia charges ahead

City-state plows millions into restoring aviation but remains cautious about border

11 March 2022
ASEAN is caught between Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Opinions within the block vary, but the conflict's effects will be felt by all. (Source photos by AP)
Ukraine war

ASEAN faces fallout from Russian invasion of Ukraine

Conflict to increase food prices, experts warn; responses from bloc members vary

25 February 2022
Singaporeans will have to pay more when they shop, with the GST set to rise to 8% next year and 9% in 2024.
Economy

Singapore commits to raising GST in 2023 amid inflation

Income tax also headed higher as aging population, COVID hit public finances

18 February 2022
Tourists in the early days of the pandemic: The government plans to soon increase its quota for vaccinated travelers, and eventually open up to all countries.
Economy

Singapore gears up for wider reopening despite record COVID cases

City-state keeps 3-5% GDP target as boosters cover 64%, most infections mild

17 February 2022
Hong Kong's travel restrictions are among the strictest in the world.
Business trends

Hong Kong financial talent flees to Singapore under 'zero COVID' policy

Strict travel restrictions prompt exodus of personnel and business

1 February 2022
A worker checks a wafer chip at a plant in Singapore. The head of the city-state's investment board expressed optimism for the local industry's prospects on Jan. 26.
Semiconductors

Singapore investment inflows show U.S. chip hunger amid overall dip

America's portion grows as China's shrinks; annual total falls to SG$11.8bn

26 January 2022
A container ship sails through New York Harbor. 
Climate Change

Decarbonizing shipping will cost '$1.5tn over 20-30 years'

'We need sustainable profitability,' Ocean Network Express chief says

20 January 2022
Regulators across jurisdictions are moving to tighten scrutiny of the emerging crypto sector, which is known for operating across borders and away from regulatory oversight (Source photo by Getty Images and Reuters).
Cryptocurrencies

Singapore clamps down on ads for 'highly risky' crypto trading

Move signals further caution despite platforms' eagerness to tap financial hub

17 January 2022
Nurses in Singapore prepare a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The city-state will require boosters to maintain "fully vaccinated" status.
COVID vaccines

Singapore COVID booster coverage nears 50% as Asian gap widens

Japan looks to improve on slow start while omicron gains momentum in region

13 January 2022
Singapore's Orchard Road shopping district: The government is looking to raise the 7% goods and services tax.
Economy

Singapore eyes tax hike as nations aim to refill COVID-hit coffers

Expert says 2022 is 'last window' for government to raise GST before elections

11 January 2022
A port terminal in Singapore. The city-state's exports jumped 24% on the year in November, the fastest rise in a decade.
Economy

Southeast Asia's soaring exports fuel hopes of recovery in 2022

Central banks seen shifting to rate hikes to protect home currencies

4 January 2022
Singapore's skyline: The city-state hopes to continue its economic recovery in 2022 but omicron poses a threat.
Economy

Singapore GDP rebounds 7.2% in 2021 as omicron looms

New COVID variant clouds outlook, with Q4 growth slowing to 5.9%

3 January 2022
Xi Jinping on screen at the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, pictured on Nov. 12: the future price China's 1.4 billion people will pay for Xi's myth-building campaign rose exponentially in 2021.
Opinion

Asia's 2021 bull market in emperor-has-no-clothes moments

Xi Jinping happier than most to see this year stagger to a close

22 December 2021
Cryptocurrency companies are keen to break into the Singapore market, but local regulators are taking a cautious approach to giving their approval. (Source photo by AP)
Market Spotlight

Crypto entrepreneurs find Singapore is not so hospitable after all

Scores of businesses fail to win licenses from city-state's financial regulator

20 December 2021
Southeast Asian central banks are forecasting subdued inflation. (Source photos by AP and Akira Kodaka)
Economy

Subdued inflation in ASEAN countries augurs central bank inaction

Indonesia and Thailand experience weak price rises amid slow recovery from COVID

9 December 2021