Asia

Projections on GDP growth has been raised from 6.5% to 6.9%.

Food prices have dipped.

They are noted for their improved quality of life, innovation, and sustainability.

The big three are aggressively monetising data services.

The online economies of Indonesia and Vietnam grew 40% and led the growth in the region.

The government pushes to ban ICE motorcycles by 2023.

Issuances in RE and LNG infrastructure are expected to increase.

The companies’ strong revenue will stand as buffers to renminbi depreciation.

More deals in July and improved offshore financing indicates more outbound activity for the period. Chinese companies may pursue more overseas acquisitions in the H2 amidst a slowing local economy and increasingly low return of assets in China, according to a research by Natixis. Newly announced acquisitions in July indicates that the number of M&A deals by Chinese companies may rise in the second half of the year, in contrast to the trend of decreasing transactions recorded in Q2 and H1, Natixis noted. For example, the automobile company BAIC has just acquired a 5% stake in Daimler, a German automotive corporation. Another reason for the foresight in outbound M&A is the improvement of offshore financing by a dovish FED. Although trade tensions have increased restrictions, dealings with EU stands to have more leeway. EU-27 is still the main target acquisition by China, followed by countries in Asia Pacific and the US. Before Russia topped the value deals of China, EU-27 accounted for about one-third of China’s value deals in cross-border acquisitions in H1, and which largely came from the completed stake purchase in Finland’s Amer Sports. The EU remains to be the most important target of China’s investments in the industrial sector and is also starting to attract Chinese corporates’ attention in the consumer sector. Looking forward, Chinese companies would reportedly prefer to invest in the information and communications technology, as well as the industrial and consumer sectors as these are aligned with the government’s strategic objectives.

Despite scoring $6.1b in funding for its AI startups, Chinese companies may find it hard to capture the Western market. Although investments into China's AI startups dwarf the rest of the world - almost 70% higher than those in the US - a report from LUX research suggests that China has yet to fully cement its status as a global AI leader.

A draft PPP law is expected to reinforce the inflow of private capital.

Steep land acquisition costs are partially to blame.

This overconfidence might leave them stagnant unlike companies who grew during the last recession.

Regional GDP growth already cooled to 4% in the first half of the year.

Urban redevelopment projects will drive growth amidst shrinking housing demand.

Export growth is expected to drop 1.2% this year.