Economy

Why Indonesia's inflation easing streak may end

Inflation will spike up again when government imposes higher electricity tarrifs and tweaks fuel subsidies. Read ››

Are convenient tax policies driving Singapore competitiveness?

A resounding yes as less tax processing requirements helped push the nation to the top of a World Bank competitiveness ranking. Read ››

Will Singapore’s worrying inflation remain high in 2012?

UBS gives us a breath of relief as it thinks inflation is likely to fall sharply in 2012 - but on what grounds? Read ››

35% of firms foresees business conditions to deteriorate

Survey shows only 10% of firms expects business to improve in the first half of 2012. Read ››

Has Taiwan’s economy slipped into a technical recession?

It seems likely as QoQ GDP growth may have remained marginally negative for the second consecutive quarter, says DBS. Read ››

Philippine GDP growth to reach 4.2% in 2012

But this is only if the global external demand will start to stabilize by mid-2012. Read ››

Cutting costs in a downturn. Where to trim?

There is no doubt Singapore business professionals will be tightening their belts in 2012 as the global debt crisis worsens. Read ››

Korea growth not all cheery: RBS

Its economy expanded 0.4% qoq in Q411 but exports are at their weakest in years. Read ››

Government officers interdicted amidst misconduct probe

Their duties have been covered by their respective deputies, as the Ministry of Home Affairs says it views allegations of misconduct seriously. Read ››

Rethinking Singapore’s social compact

Sharpening Singapore's double-edged competitive edge At the heart of Singapore ’s economic success is its social compact. Read ››

How to make your company inflation-safe to secure margins

News about Singapore’s inflation, prices and cost increases make the headlines almost every day. Read ››

Start of a Singapore rebound or a false alarm?

A so-called marginal macro momentum is sweeping across Singapore and four other countries, says RBS. Read ››

What drove up CPI inflation in 2H11?

You're right if you guessed higher costs in everything -- from rents to vehicles to food. Read ››

Inflation seen to ease in 2012

Singapore government pegs CPI inflation at a subdued 2.5-3.5% range or roughly half that of 2011. Read ››

Don’t be fooled by strong pharmaceutical export sales: DBS

It may have increased 38.6%, but DBS says this is purely numerical as the rest of the manufacturing sector is still in a slump. Read ››

Painful inflation to remain high at 5.6%

Blame it on the housing and transport cost components which spark the rising inflation. Read ››

More policy easing expected in China

Economist says ongoing slowdown of investment and exports implies more headwinds to growth. Read ››

How to keep China and India chugging along

Consumption and investment will reignite the cooling economies, respectively. China has so far overloaded on investment support when what it needs now is to foster consumption growth, says Morgan Stanley in its latest Asia Pacific Economics research. Read ››

Inflation shows signs of easing in Malaysia

Rate cuts are likely as early as in the first half of the year, says an economist. Read ››

Extended dry spell for Chinese grocery retailers

Another quarter of weak sales foreseen after six months of hardship with recovery likely to start only by 2Q12. Read ››

Would lower pay still equate to good ministers?

The Prime Minister doesn’t think so, and he isn’t shy to say it. Read ››

NODX surge may fizzle fast: HSBC

Non-oil domestic exports grew 9.0% yoy in December but a sustained performance is doubtful. Read ››

What you need to know about political salaries in Singapore

DPM Teo Chee Hean said the proposed framework strikes a balance between the ethos of public service with an appropriate salary. Read ››

Total trade up 5.9% in December

Guess which products didn’t do so well. International Enterprise Singapore reported (all on a year-on-year basis): Total trade rose by 5.9 per cent in December 2011, following the 12 per cent increase in the previous month. Read ››

What are policy makers to do amidst continued decline in FX reserves?

Trailing inflation risks, according to Morgan Stanley, are constraining the willingness of policy makers to act in a pre-emptive fashion. Read ››

How can Singapore make the most of its expanding service sector?

As economies develop they generate proportionally more jobs in services than in manufacturing. Read ››

Hong Kong beats Singapore as freest economy

Ten economic freedom factors were assessed, and Hong Kong bested others in terms of financial and trade freedom. Read ››

Inflation pressures loom as Bank Indonesia keeps policy rates on hold

BI is expected to lower rates further, but an economist believes this will eventually necessitate a policy reversal. Read ››

Was Taiwan's economic opening to China a mistake?

Expected rise in trade and investment have not yet materialized, says DBS. Read ››

Are New Year celebrations clouding China data?

The burgeoning scale of festivities may have caused seasonal distortions. Read ››

MasterCard and Singapore Management University launch Singapore Inflation Index

The new Index will be highlighting the spectrum of factors that impact inflation expectations. Read ››

World economy will grow a paltry 2.7% in 2012

Onslaught of corporate insolvencies also predicted by Euler Hermes. The credit insurer said the struggling Euro zone will lead the global decline with shockwarve effects reverberating across the Asia Pacific region. Read ››

No more double-digit growth for China exports

HSBC sees a prolonged drag as external demand continues its precipitous slide. Read ››

Taiwan technical recession looms with latest exports tumble

December exports expanded only 0.6% yoy from an already slow 1.3 growth in November. Read ››

Gloomy outlook for Chinese exports

As the country’s export growth is expected to plummet to 10% in 2012, a mere half of its growth in 2011. Read ››

Indonesia and Thailand to lead growth in Southeast Asia: HSBC

This as one of the two countries bounces back from a natural disaster. Read ››

Taiwan’s inflation surges to 2% in December

The country’s inflation surprised on the downside as food prices spiked 5%. Read ››

Economic collapse in 2012? Not just yet

What's preventing a total economic meltdown last seen in 2008? Read ››

Singapore economy expected to be weak: OCBC

Manufacturing holds the key, and it is looking shaky. OCBC said: The December PMI data probably implies some stabilization rather than an outright recovery in the manufacturing and electronics industries in Singapore in the near-term, albeit there have been more encouraging economic data recently elsewhere such as the US and China. Read ››

December PMI rebound not enough to kickstart recovery

Purchasing managers index rallied in Asia but it needs a sustaining catalyst, says HSBC. Read ››