https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/323048/feed The events affecting bottom lines in Asia’s business environment ­– analysed and explained en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof More than one in 10 Malaysian men have borrowed money to pay for dates, while nearly six in 10 usually pick up the entire bill, a survey has found. The findings come as rising living costs place a financial strain on romance in Malaysia, where money worries are increasingly complicating plans for marriage and starting a family. According to the Dating Expenditure Survey in Malaysia, released on Tuesday by independent policy research firm LEGASI Research, 13.2 per cent of male respondents... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372261/price-romance-young-malaysian-men-borrow-fund-dates-study-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372261/price-romance-young-malaysian-men-borrow-fund-dates-study-finds Tue, 27 Oct 2026 06:08:46 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Filipinos split on Marcos’ sea handling amid row over Chinese envoy’s remarks Filipinos are almost evenly divided over the Marcos administration’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, even as nearly three in four favour diplomacy over confrontation, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3372227/why-paper-straws-are-worse-plastic-japans-silver-divorce-rise-7-asia-highlights Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan In parts of Southeast Asia, unsold homes are piling up as developers struggle to clear housing stock – yet young buyers hoping to land their first property still cannot find an affordable home. The paradox reflects a growing mismatch between the homes being built and what aspiring buyers can afford, according to analysts, who point to speculative investment, financing hurdles and poor locations as factors leaving properties empty even amid demand for affordable housing. In Vietnam, the problem... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372208/southeast-asias-housing-paradox-too-many-homes-too-few-buyers Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines faces the highest climate-driven port damage costs in Southeast Asia, with annual losses projected to hit US$70.2 billion by 2100, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned. Analysts say the damage could cripple supply chains, drive up food prices and threaten livelihoods, urging Manila to adopt a more coordinated approach to flood protection rather than simply strengthening port infrastructure. In its latest report titled “Asia-Pacific Climate Report 2026: Coastal Risks on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372185/climate-damage-philippine-ports-could-cost-us70b-year-2100 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372185/climate-damage-philippine-ports-could-cost-us70b-year-2100 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:46:33 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea earned US$116.63 billion more from the world than it spent in the second quarter of this year – exceeding the combined current account surpluses of Germany and Japan for the first time on record. The current account measures a country’s trade and income with the world. It counts goods and services sold abroad, money earned on overseas investments and payments flowing the other way. A surplus means more foreign currency is coming in than going out. Surging demand for semiconductors... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372150/ai-chip-surge-lifts-south-korea-record-surplus-behind-only-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3372150/ai-chip-surge-lifts-south-korea-record-surplus-behind-only-china Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:39:38 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Before the outbreak of the war triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, the Gulf monarchies were living the prosperity dream that was the envy of the world. Their hydrocarbon-fuelled economies were glitzy oases of growth, inoculated from the conflict in Gaza that had rocked other parts of the Middle East for several years. Underpinned by decades-old US security guarantees and conflict mediation by billionaire sheikhs, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar cultivated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371922/gulf-economies-accelerate-diversification-recession-looms-over-iran-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371922/gulf-economies-accelerate-diversification-recession-looms-over-iran-war Sun, 25 Oct 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Fatimah Zainal had already paid for her flights and accommodation when videos of the unrest in France made her jittery about the Paris leg of her European holiday. “The videos definitely made me panic,” said Fatimah, who plans to visit the French capital solo from October 31 to November 3 after travelling through Belgium. The press officer for an international organisation said the Malaysian government’s travel advisory gave her second thoughts, and changing her flight would cost up to an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371964/france-unrest-sparks-travel-jitters-southeast-asian-tourists https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371964/france-unrest-sparks-travel-jitters-southeast-asian-tourists Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:00:20 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Indonesia’s warnings of curbing energy exports to countries it deems disrespectful amid regional tensions have put Singapore and other Southeast Asian buyers on notice, exposing the risks of relying on a neighbour increasingly protective of its resources. On Thursday, Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia said he would not hesitate to consider halting exports to countries that did not respect Indonesia. “Don’t come asking for help only when you’re in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371967/what-indonesias-warnings-energy-cuts-mean-asean https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371967/what-indonesias-warnings-energy-cuts-mean-asean Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:22:20 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A wind energy partnership between Vietnam and Denmark has fuelled expectations of the Southeast Asian country boosting its competitiveness in renewable electricity to serve overseas and domestic markets. Vietnam is well placed to grow its renewable electricity sector by tapping its large pool of engineering talent and abundant wind resources with help from Denmark, a global leader in wind energy, according to analysts. On Tuesday, the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371827/vietnam-partners-denmark-propel-its-wind-energy-ambition https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371827/vietnam-partners-denmark-propel-its-wind-energy-ambition Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho In the wake of Indonesia’s worst stock-market rout since the 1998 Asian financial crisis, President Prabowo Subianto’s administration has turned to appeals to economic nationalism to shore up confidence, urging citizens to rally behind the country’s battered stock market. The government has promised reforms in response to warnings from global index provider MSCI that Indonesia could be downgraded from emerging-market to stand-alone-market status. But analysts say its patriotic appeals will do... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371767/can-prabowos-economic-nationalism-save-indonesia-potential-msci-downgrade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371767/can-prabowos-economic-nationalism-save-indonesia-potential-msci-downgrade Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Southeast Asian nations are seeking to make it easier for businesses and consumers to operate across borders in the digital economy, but achieving the goal will depend on whether governments can align their domestic laws under a proposed pact, according to analysts. Targeted to be signed during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Manila in November, the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) is aimed at improving compatibility between rules and systems governing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371685/asean-wants-single-digital-economy-will-different-state-laws-hobble-its-goal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371685/asean-wants-single-digital-economy-will-different-state-laws-hobble-its-goal Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:30:19 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran When Mark Ifurung left his 18-year career as an IT professional in May, he was happy to ditch his two-hour commutes from his home in Cavite province south of Manila to his office in Makati City. So for his fresh start, the 40-year-old father of four wanted something that would allow him to work from home. “After being unemployed for five months, I decided to explore freelancing,” he said. “With my background in IT operations and application support, I realised I already have transferable skills... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371614/filipinos-virtual-assistant-trumps-doctor-dream-job-whats-reality https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371614/filipinos-virtual-assistant-trumps-doctor-dream-job-whats-reality Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The coming launch of India’s largest-ever initial public offering (IPO) will test investor confidence in the country’s leading telecoms operator, Jio Platforms, the digital arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries. Jio’s public share offer on Wednesday comes close on the heels of an escalating row between Ambani and Elon Musk. The SpaceX founder has accused the Indian industrialist of using monopolistic influence to block Starlink’s entry into India – a charge Reliance has denied,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371536/indias-record-us108b-jio-ipo-tests-market-faith-musk-rivalry-heats https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371536/indias-record-us108b-jio-ipo-tests-market-faith-musk-rivalry-heats Tue, 20 Oct 2026 11:43:36 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar As the threat of a reclassification by MSCI that could relegate Indonesia to an investment hinterland looms, the country’s financial regulators and stock exchange officials have vowed to address systemic concerns, including removing stocks with concentrated ownership. The global index provider announced on Friday it was launching a formal consultation to decide whether to downgrade Southeast Asia’s largest economy from “emerging market” to “stand-alone” status, similar to countries such as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371515/indonesia-faces-msci-downgrade-threat-officials-vow-reforms-ease-fears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371515/indonesia-faces-msci-downgrade-threat-officials-vow-reforms-ease-fears Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:02:45 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s government will publicly release the findings of a special task force on corporate malfeasance in three months, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday, as his administration seeks to appease public anger over its perceived failure to clamp down on corruption. Anwar is facing a reckoning in the final stretch of his term after his ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition was handed bruising defeats in three state elections over the past year. Former supporters have accused the coalition... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371468/malaysias-anwar-promises-full-disclosure-corporate-mafia-scandal-grows https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371468/malaysias-anwar-promises-full-disclosure-corporate-mafia-scandal-grows Tue, 20 Oct 2026 06:31:50 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Filipino seafarer Jay was on lookout duty aboard a vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz one evening in August when drones swarmed overhead, darting past his ship and two others it was following. Within seconds, an explosion rang out from a tanker ahead. “That was traumatic for me when I saw that the tanker ahead of our vessel had been hit,” said Jay, whose real name has been withheld to protect him from possible employer retribution. The 29-year-old and his fellow crew members made it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371457/dire-straits-why-filipino-sailors-continue-brave-troubled-middle-east-waters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371457/dire-straits-why-filipino-sailors-continue-brave-troubled-middle-east-waters Tue, 20 Oct 2026 05:00:05 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim While Hong Kong is betting on its established banking network to bring stablecoins into mainstream finance, Singapore is seeking to make regulated digital currencies easier to use. Both approaches reflect different priorities in the race to build global cryptocurrency centres: Hong Kong is linking stablecoins to its existing financial system, while Singapore is looking to strengthen the infrastructure for circulating and settling tokenised assets. Analysts said the ultimate test would be whether... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371445/singapore-hong-kong-take-different-paths-race-stablecoin-dominance-who-will-win https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371445/singapore-hong-kong-take-different-paths-race-stablecoin-dominance-who-will-win Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji After completing a master’s degree in data science at Pace University in New York in May last year, Tarun returned to India in October, saying frequent changes in US visa rules and employer sponsorship requirements had made it difficult for him to find a job in the world’s largest economy. Tarun, who is from the southern Indian city of Tirupati, felt returning home was a more prudent move than pursuing a job in the US indefinitely. “I got a job within one month here [Bengaluru] with an American... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371404/calls-grow-india-lure-tech-talent-home-us-tightens-job-curbs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371404/calls-grow-india-lure-tech-talent-home-us-tightens-job-curbs Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:57:16 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines’ telco industry wants the country to become a regional digital hub anchored by stable underwater cables, but a leading executive and analysts warn that slow approvals for repairs, limited monitoring and fragmented official oversight could undermine the ambition. At a forum on archipelagic governance for subsea cables, PLDT, the Philippines’ largest telecommunications company, called for greater cooperation among government agencies and further reforms to expand the vital digital... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371383/philippines-laws-underwater-cables-lagging-behind-its-digital-hub-goal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371383/philippines-laws-underwater-cables-lagging-behind-its-digital-hub-goal Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:36:22 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Almost every year, Kevin Stewart flies to China to find stock for his Indonesian businesses. But increasingly, the factories he visits are selling to his customers too, sometimes for less than they charge him. A data science manager in the tech sector by day, the Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneur also helps run home-living and pet-supply companies that sell to other businesses and direct to consumers, including through e-commerce platforms. Yet Chinese companies listing directly on Indonesian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371179/southeast-asias-ethnic-chinese-traders-feel-china-squeeze https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371179/southeast-asias-ethnic-chinese-traders-feel-china-squeeze Sun, 18 Oct 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran US President Donald Trump is expected to drive hard bargains on tariffs and critical minerals in his return to the Asean summit in Manila next month, with Washington seeking greater economic and strategic concessions while remaining hawkish on China. The Philippines confirmed on Wednesday that Trump would fly in for the summit from November 16 to 18, before attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen that same week. Trump’s second consecutive appearance at the forum... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371132/trumps-second-asean-summit-presence-comes-price-region https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371132/trumps-second-asean-summit-presence-comes-price-region Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before Esha Yusof joined the growing ranks of Malaysian shoppers being drawn to Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo. Esha is a relative newcomer. She signed up in July, more than half a year after the platform launched in Malaysia – and has been smitten with it ever since. Rock-bottom prices, a vast range of products and seamless payments through a popular local e-wallet make it easy for the 32-year-old to spend an average of 500 ringgit (US$122) a month... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371173/malaysias-shoppers-love-chinese-e-commerce-its-factories-pay-price https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371173/malaysias-shoppers-love-chinese-e-commerce-its-factories-pay-price Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has spent months trying to persuade investors that its economy is on the right course. A weakening rupiah, mounting budgetary pressures and a series of contentious policy decisions have made that task harder. Doubts about the management of Southeast Asia’s largest economy have now coalesced around its central bank, whose independence has come under intense scrutiny recently as President Prabowo Subianto seeks to steer economic policy. The appointment of Destry Damayanti – initially as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371114/indonesias-central-bank-insists-it-independent-investors-want-proof https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371114/indonesias-central-bank-insists-it-independent-investors-want-proof Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele A private jet hired from Malaysia – seemingly destined for the Philippines – but stopped on the tarmac by Laos’ drug police who found suitcases stuffed with 512kg of crystal methamphetamine, has returned the spotlight to the unrelenting flow of narcotics from the Mekong’s drug laboratories. Cyberscams have dominated headlines and authorities’ attention across Southeast Asia for over a year as the leading criminal enterprise worth tens of billions of dollars annually. But methamphetamine – in its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371043/laos-private-jet-bust-reveals-how-mekong-meth-slips-past-borders https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371043/laos-private-jet-bust-reveals-how-mekong-meth-slips-past-borders Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:17:17 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Faced with a fuel crisis beyond its control, Bangladesh’s government is spending the equivalent of hundreds of millions of US dollars each month to insulate its people from surging prices. But as growth slows and inflation rises, the new government’s reform plans are being tested before it has had much time to clean up the country’s troubled financial institutions or retool its young, abundant – but underemployed – workforce for the AI era. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office on February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370930/how-fuel-crisis-threatening-bangladeshs-reform-goals-it-hit-our-citizens-hard https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370930/how-fuel-crisis-threatening-bangladeshs-reform-goals-it-hit-our-citizens-hard Thu, 15 Oct 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japanese companies have faced a growing wave of cyberattacks in recent weeks, exposing millions of customers’ records as analysts warn that artificial intelligence is helping hackers exploit long-standing security weaknesses and overcome language barriers that once offered some protection. More than 500 breaches of corporate systems were reported in the year to this month, surpassing the total for all of 2025, the Yomiuri newspaper reported last week. On October 7, a ransomware attack on IDC... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370875/ai-armed-hackers-tear-through-corporate-japans-neglected-defences https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370875/ai-armed-hackers-tear-through-corporate-japans-neglected-defences Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:13 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Motorists have been left queuing for hours at petrol stations across Indonesia’s resort island of Bali in recent days amid reports of a crippling fuel shortage. Long queues have been spotted all around the island, including in the capital Denpasar, Badung and Tabana, according to the Bali Post. On Tuesday, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster stressed that there was enough fuel to go around, suggesting that panic buying might have caused the shortages at the pumps. “People need to be patient because the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370802/indonesias-bali-hit-fuel-crisis-huge-queues-form-petrol-stations https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370802/indonesias-bali-hit-fuel-crisis-huge-queues-form-petrol-stations Wed, 14 Oct 2026 03:10:15 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji US President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports and allow fresh supplies to reach global markets could give India greater leverage in its own dispute with Washington over discounted crude purchases, analysts said. Beyond the energy dispute, they said the move could also open up diplomatic opportunities for New Delhi, from pressing for more consistent treatment by Washington to building on its efforts to help negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Under the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370749/india-gain-trumps-russian-diesel-deal-offers-delhi-leverage https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370749/india-gain-trumps-russian-diesel-deal-offers-delhi-leverage Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Investor Ben Lindsay relocated from Sydney to Singapore in March, with wife and dog in tow – his sights set on growing venture capital firm Investible from an Australian outfit into an Asia-Pacific one. Lindsay is among a growing number of investors, businessmen and tech founders from down under who are setting up bases and relocating to Singapore, Dubai and San Francisco to expand their company’s reach. For example, Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli, founder of savings and rewards platform... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370642/not-just-about-tax-why-australias-tech-entrepreneurs-are-moving-singapore https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370642/not-just-about-tax-why-australias-tech-entrepreneurs-are-moving-singapore Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:22 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones An investment surge into artificial intelligence may be helping prop up a global economy battered by energy supply shocks, but the technology’s potential to cull jobs requires swift mitigation if Asia’s youth are to secure a place in the future workforce, delegates were warned at the IMF–World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok on Monday. Soaring energy prices, persistent inflation and mounting debt framed the opening of the week-long summit, which was last hosted in the Thai capital in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370618/ai-fuelling-growth-while-putting-asias-young-workers-risk-imf-meeting-hears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370618/ai-fuelling-growth-while-putting-asias-young-workers-risk-imf-meeting-hears Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:04:14 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia plans to spend 460 billion ringgit (US$112.6 billion) under its 2027 budget, expanding welfare assistance and tax relief while retaining fuel subsidies as households contend with higher living costs. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also finance minister, presented the spending plan in parliament on Friday as his government faces pressure for an early election following a series of state poll defeats. Anwar said the budget should be judged on “whether more people can live with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370384/17-key-takeaways-malaysias-2027-budget-live-dignity https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370384/17-key-takeaways-malaysias-2027-budget-live-dignity Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:58:04 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s government will boost spending on social welfare while maintaining subsidies to rein in the cost of living under its 2027 Budget unveiled on Friday, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim seeks to shore up public support while under pressure to call for an early general election. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) has suffered bruising defeats in a series of state elections since December, as voters expressed disapproval of his administration’s failure to deliver on promises of reforms, which had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370316/malaysia-budget-anwar-boost-welfare-keep-subsidies-amid-inflation-worries https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370316/malaysia-budget-anwar-boost-welfare-keep-subsidies-amid-inflation-worries Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:31:43 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Australia may have vast tracts of land and political will to support the growth of the artificial intelligence industry, but the development of data centres to power the technology is proving more challenging. Last month, property developer Goodman Group withdrew its application for a 90-megawatt data centre in Lane Cove, on Sydney’s lower north shore, after months of opposition from residents about the potential impact on their electricity and water supplies, noise pollution and other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370115/data-centre-opposition-growing-australia-there-middle-ground https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370115/data-centre-opposition-growing-australia-there-middle-ground Thu, 08 Oct 2026 03:00:18 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As households across Southeast Asia face rising prices, higher borrowing costs and insecure jobs, analysts say governments should do more to protect a middle class that drives consumer spending but can fall between the cracks of social protection systems designed primarily for poorer households. The issue has come into sharper focus in the Philippines, where the Asian Development Bank Institute urged the government in September to provide targeted support for the middle class to protect its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370111/protect-middle-why-southeast-asia-should-care-about-vulnerable-class https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370111/protect-middle-why-southeast-asia-should-care-about-vulnerable-class Thu, 08 Oct 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Despite Malaysia’s insistence that its long-standing non-alignment policy extends to cyberspace, analysts say the country’s reliance on American and Chinese technology could make such a stance difficult to sustain amid the rivalry between the two superpowers. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said on Monday that Malaysia would “always remain neutral” in cyberspace, arguing that cyber threats could come from non-state actors and should not be viewed solely through the lens of geopolitical... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370087/can-neutral-malaysia-stay-above-fray-us-china-tech-rivalry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370087/can-neutral-malaysia-stay-above-fray-us-china-tech-rivalry Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:25:59 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau When Chinese coffee giant Luckin Coffee moved into the unit next to his neighbourhood cafe in Singapore, Folk Yard owner Chew Yit Shan grew nervous. Luckin launched with an aggressive promotional deal of S$1 (78 US cents) per cup, served in just two minutes. In the first few months following its arrival, Chew saw sales at his independent cafe drop by 15 per cent. But once the initial hype had died down and the promotions ended, Chew said regular patrons returned and coffee sales bounced... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369889/how-singapores-local-cafes-compete-chinese-coffee-giant-luckin https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369889/how-singapores-local-cafes-compete-chinese-coffee-giant-luckin Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Governments and financial institutions in Southeast Asia urgently need to find a way to safely and quickly share data if they hope to contain a surge in scams, cybersecurity experts warn, as artificial intelligence enables criminal operations in the region to expand their reach rapidly. Criminal enterprises stole as much as US$114 billion from victims across the Asia-Pacific in 2025, according to a United Nations report released in July, more than triple the amount from two years earlier, aided... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369903/southeast-asia-urged-step-war-against-ai-powered-scams-through-data-sharing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369903/southeast-asia-urged-step-war-against-ai-powered-scams-through-data-sharing Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:50:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Southeast Asian governments are learning some hard truths about the data centre boom they spent years working to attract, analysts say – it promises jobs, digital infrastructure and a foothold in the AI economy, but the rapid buildout is also straining power grids, land and regulatory systems. “There is this enthusiasm to attract investments, but now it raises the question: at what cost and at what speed?” said policy researcher Mark Manantan, a research fellow for the Centre for Global Security... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369788/southeast-asia-starts-rethink-its-ai-data-centre-boom-what-cost https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369788/southeast-asia-starts-rethink-its-ai-data-centre-boom-what-cost Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:11:25 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is expected to roll out a populist budget on Friday aimed at placating voter concerns over the cost of living and access to essential services, experts say, as the prime minister seeks to shore up support ahead of a general election that could be called as soon as next year. Anwar’s coalition government is under mounting pressure amid a deepening feud with Umno. The Malay nationalist party, a key partner in Anwar’s administration, has demanded a snap poll after defeating... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369573/malaysias-anwar-set-unveil-crowd-pleasing-budget-political-pressure-rises https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369573/malaysias-anwar-set-unveil-crowd-pleasing-budget-political-pressure-rises Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Five years ago, Sarah and her husband were optimistic about Japan’s economic future and were expanding their small businesses across several sectors. Today, that optimism has been replaced by concern over a sense of hostility towards two hard-working foreigners who feel they have contributed to the society that they have worked hard to fit into. New regulations that took effect on Thursday mean the two Britons, who have been in Japan for more than 10 years, now face significantly higher costs... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369608/no-more-welcome-mat-japans-tough-visa-rules-spur-foreign-businesses-look-elsewhere https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369608/no-more-welcome-mat-japans-tough-visa-rules-spur-foreign-businesses-look-elsewhere Sat, 03 Oct 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau When the time came to renew his certificate of entitlement (COE), Andrew Tan hit the brakes on coughing up an eye-watering S$112,000 (US$87,400) to keep his car on Singapore’s roads for another 10 years. Instead, the 49-year-old business consultant decided in May to go without a car for the first time in two decades. High COE prices, rising running costs and the hassle of parking and congestion are prompting more Singaporeans to reconsider car ownership, as the land-scarce city state expands... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369591/going-car-lite-why-more-singaporeans-are-quitting-driving https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369591/going-car-lite-why-more-singaporeans-are-quitting-driving Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Reggie Manlapig, 46, has been driving jeepneys for nearly 25 years and has weathered rising fuel prices – but with costs spiking amid the global energy crunch, he is now wrestling bigger demons. “The impact has been huge. Before, in a 16-hour shift of driving, I could take home 400 to 500 pesos [US$6.30 to US$8] – now there’s a big cut to that income,” said Manlapig, who plies a two-hour daily round route from Malolos in Bulacan, north of Manila, to San Fernando, Pampanga. “Doing the full route... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369479/philippines-jeepney-drivers-stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place-despite-fare-increase https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369479/philippines-jeepney-drivers-stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place-despite-fare-increase Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:28 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong US President Donald Trump’s unilateral announcement of a “colossal” South Korean investment package has prompted Seoul to clarify that the deal is far from finalised, laying bare stark differences between the allies over the terms of their trade agreement, observers have said. On Wednesday, Trump announced that South Korea would invest in the construction of a natural gas-fired power plant in Texas, eight large-scale nuclear power plants across the United States and a liquefied natural gas (LNG)... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369463/south-korea-hits-back-trumps-investment-claims-tit-tat-move https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369463/south-korea-hits-back-trumps-investment-claims-tit-tat-move Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:36:58 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau A hunger crisis could creep up on Southeast Asia if the region does not guard against export restrictions amid a fertiliser shortfall, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Denton has warned. On the sidelines of the Future of Trade Forum in Singapore on Wednesday, Denton urged the city state, as the next Asean chair, to prioritise the “sleeper issue” for the region. He argued that the real story centred on food, despite the Strait of Hormuz gridlock being widely seen as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369338/southeast-asia-faces-sleeper-food-crisis-hormuz-fertiliser-bottleneck https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369338/southeast-asia-faces-sleeper-food-crisis-hormuz-fertiliser-bottleneck Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:17:16 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Travel companies in southern Japan are pinning their hopes on a business revival following a planned visit by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to the areas hardest hit by a major earthquake this summer. The imperial couple, who were scheduled to meet communities in Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, postponed the trip due to poor weather. On Wednesday, they will speak with families currently living in temporary accommodation after losing their homes and businesses. The prefecture was at the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369071/japan-enlists-royal-visit-subsidies-revive-tourism-quake-hit-kyushu https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369071/japan-enlists-royal-visit-subsidies-revive-tourism-quake-hit-kyushu Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is considering lifting a statutory cap on government spending that has been in place for more than two decades, as President Prabowo Subianto pushes for faster economic growth. Supporters argue that greater room to borrow and spend would let Southeast Asia’s largest economy invest its way towards Prabowo’s target of 8 per cent annual growth by 2029. Economists counter that weakening the rule could push up borrowing costs and dent investor confidence. At issue is the mandatory ceiling... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3368827/indonesias-3-deficit-cap-guardrail-or-growth-barrier https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3368827/indonesias-3-deficit-cap-guardrail-or-growth-barrier Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran After a decade of start-stop negotiations, the European Union and the Philippines have found their way to a “substantial agreement” on free trade – one that analysts say could pave the way for Brussels to lock in an Asean-wide pact. The breakthrough, announced on Tuesday, capped talks that began in 2016 and stalled a year later, only to resume again in 2024. “I am proud to say we have delivered a substantial agreement that reflects the ambition both sides brought to the table,” EU trade chief... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368826/after-eu-philippines-trade-breakthrough-asean-wide-deal-next https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368826/after-eu-philippines-trade-breakthrough-asean-wide-deal-next Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones At a zoo a short drive south of Bangkok, Charoon Youngprapakorn has spent a lifetime taking the pulse of Thailand’s tourism industry from an unlikely vantage point: the open jaws of crocodiles. Handlers at his Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm & Zoo have long thrilled onlookers by coaxing tips from the audience and carefully placing the money into the mouths of animals capable of taking off an entire hand. The crocodiles at this open-air, fan-cooled throwback to 1980s showmanship still take their tips... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368828/thailand-has-had-enough-foreign-tourists-behaving-badly https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368828/thailand-has-had-enough-foreign-tourists-behaving-badly Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho A major coal deal in Indonesia is set to secure a powerful new partner for one of the country’s biggest miners, even as the industry worries a delay in the government’s approval of production quotas could have a severe impact on the business outlook. Low Tuck Kwong and his daughter Elaine Low, the biggest shareholders of Bayan Resources, agreed on September 16 to sell a 30 per cent stake in Indonesia’s third-largest coal producer to fellow tycoon Andi Syamsuddin Arsyad, better known as Haji... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368765/indonesian-coal-deal-fuels-doubts-over-production-quota-approvals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368765/indonesian-coal-deal-fuels-doubts-over-production-quota-approvals Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:00:21 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore and China should look to the next phase of cooperation through potential projects in artificial intelligence and the green economy, after decades of economic ties anchored by industrial parks, eco-cities and transport corridors. Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Friday that the relationship had “never been static”, arguing that the economic challenges of each era shaped the flagship developments of that time. At the FutureChina Global Forum held in the city state,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368773/suzhou-ai-singapore-china-eye-new-playbook-economic-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368773/suzhou-ai-singapore-china-eye-new-playbook-economic-ties Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:15:55 +0000