Economy

People attend an exhibition displaying destroyed Russian military vehicles in central Kyiv.
22 August 2022
Some commodity prices have returned to their prewar levels, partly thanks to an agreement allowing grain carriers to leave Ukrainian ports, but Asian consumers are not benefiting. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Market Spotlight

Six months since Russia attacked Ukraine: Will grain prices drop?

Expert warns of possible 'second wave' as fertilizer costs remain a problem

22 August 2022
A logo of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is seen at their headquarters in Manila. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

Philippine central bank raises key rate by 50 basis points

Latest increase comes as inflation soars, threatening growth

18 August 2022
Producing the highly sophisticated Apple Watch would be a win for Vietnam as it attempts to further upgrade its tech manufacturing sector. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Technology

Vietnam to make Apple Watch and MacBook for first time ever

Country benefits as tech giant looks to build more products outside of China

17 August 2022
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, dressed in traditional attire from the Bangka Belitung Islands, gestures as he delivers his state of the nation address on Aug. 16.
Economy

Indonesia eyes 5.3% growth, cuts to fiscal deficit in 2023

Elections, capital move are priorities in next year's budget plans

16 August 2022
Tourists and local people play with water during the Songkran holiday in April. Tourism is showing signs of recovery after Thailand lifted COVID-restriction measures, pushing up the country's economy.
Economy

Thailand's GDP grew 2.5% in Q2, with economy on recovery path

Exports, tourism power growth despite headwinds of inflation, geopolitical tensions

15 August 2022
Growing interest in investing among Indonesians has made them more vulnerable to online scams, experts say. (Source photos by Reuters and Takaki Kashiwabara)
Market Spotlight

Indonesia's rising appetite for online investment attracts scams

Growing middle class in ASEAN's biggest economy seen prone to being cheated

15 August 2022
According to Malaysia's central bank, the economy expanded by as much as 16.5% in June.
Economy

Malaysia's economy expanded 8.9% in Q2 as global demand recovers

GDP bounces back after easing of COVID-related restrictions in April

12 August 2022
Workers install solar panels at the Gujarat Solar Park in Patan, India. Renewables will create jobs across the value chain.
Opinion

Asian nations should work together to accelerate decarbonization

Effective climate action would boost region's economies and create jobs

12 August 2022
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Quezon City on Aug. 8: His popularity and political capital can be leveraged.
Opinion

Marcos should revive Chinese-backed rail projects on new terms

New Philippine administration can create better system to develop infrastructure

11 August 2022
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has warned of "profound implications" from the Ukraine war for Asia and the city-state, economically and in terms of security.
Economy

Singapore cuts Q2 GDP growth to 4.4%, downgrades range for 2022

Full-year forecast trimmed to 3-4% amid Ukraine disruptions, Taiwan tensions

11 August 2022
In the first six months of 2022, Thai exports rose 12.7% year on year, pushing up the country's growth.
Economy

Thailand raises key rate to 0.75% in 1st hike for nearly 4 years

Central bank weighs growth, risk of inflation in shift to tighter monetary policy

10 August 2022
Rights groups define some torture tools, such as shock devices and spiked batons, as "inherently abusive." (Photo of electric shock batons supplied by the Omega Research Foundation)
International relations

World trade in torture tools flourishes under lack of scrutiny

U.N. weighs first global-level controls, but China and other nations contest remit

10 August 2022
While travel demand has been slower to recover in Asia than elsewhere, Thailand's reopening is helping, Booking CEO Glenn Fogel said.
Travel & Leisure

Post-COVID tourism boom undiminished by inflation: Booking CEO

Asia remains outlier as travel restrictions hamstring recovery

10 August 2022
Pakistani and Chinese flags fly above a construction site in Gwadar, Pakistan. Much of the construction associated with the Belt and Road Initiative in the town remains unfinished. 
The Big Story

Road to nowhere: China's Belt and Road Initiative at tipping point

Pakistan, Sri Lanka debt crises threaten Beijing's regional influence

10 August 2022
Komodo dragons, the world's largest lizards, are now classified as an endangered species.
Travel & Leisure

Indonesia postpones Komodo dragon park's $250 fee until 2023

Foreign visitors faced 25-fold admission hike, sparking tourism industry pushback

10 August 2022
People at a sidewalk vendor in Manila on Aug. 5.
Economy

Philippines girds for bigger inflation hit as economy slows in Q2

Expansion eased to 7.4% as higher prices squeezed consumption

9 August 2022
Bananas are displayed at a shop in Halle, Belgium. Eaten across the world, the fruit is grown in the tropics, from Southeast Asia to Latin America.
Agriculture

Banana growers fight renewed extinction risk as lethal fungus spreads

Resurgence of Panama disease threatens one of world's most valuable crops

8 August 2022
An Indonesian youth browses his Facebook page in Jakarta: Anti-fake news measures have emboldened Southeast Asian governments to bend implementation to their will.
Opinion

Internet blocks won't solve Southeast Asia's fake-news problem

Region's governments should support media literacy and fact-checking groups

7 August 2022
Tan Son Nhat Airport, near Ho Chi Minh City, has faced a severe taxi shortage. (Photo by Tomoya Onishi)
Transportation

Vietnam taxi shortage exasperates travelers and expats

Fistfights and 1-hour waits at airport as riders scrum over cabs

6 August 2022
Fitch Ratings said in a report last month that Singapore banks are poised to benefit from the rise in global interest rates as economic recovery continues across the lenders' key markets.
Finance

DBS, other ASEAN banks ride U.S. rate hikes to stronger earnings

Southeast Asia's largest banks expect higher returns from lending

5 August 2022
Higher commodity prices helped Indonesia's economy to expand in the quarter from April to June.
Economy

Indonesia's economy expands as exports, consumption spur growth

Southeast Asian country's GDP rose 5.44% in 2nd quarter, accelerating from 1st

5 August 2022
Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes signs shirts for fans at a preseason match in Bangkok. Replica shirts are big business for the world's most famous soccer clubs.
Sports

Soccer shirts in short supply as deliveries from Asia delayed

Fans left frustrated as Premier League season kicks off

4 August 2022
Thailand hopes to bolster competitiveness by introducing a long-term visa for skilled foreign workers and investors.
Economy

Thailand to introduce 10-year visa for skilled workers, investors

Country looks to attract 1 million people from advanced economies

4 August 2022
Workers install solar panels at a construction site in Zhangye, China: The clean energy revolution is not going to be as simple as just installing more panels.
Opinion

Regional cooperation needed for Asia's clean energy transition

Joint efforts can ease the path for painful reforms

4 August 2022