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A labourer works at a construction site in Hanoi in April. Vietnam’s President To Lam has set an annual growth target of 10 per cent until 2030. Photo: EPA
Vietnam

Vietnam burns red tape but growth may be harder to rekindle

Vietnam’s drive to energise its economy may take time to materialise in the face of rising fuel costs and trade barriers, analysts say.

India

India’s military turns to green energy options as Iran war prompts new strategy

Indonesia

Indonesia posts fastest first-quarter growth in 3 years, but headwinds loom

Malaysia

Well-oiled diplomacy: Malaysian king visits Moscow as Anwar eyes Russian energy

Though Sultan Ibrahim’s visit is officially ceremonial, its timing coincides with the energy squeeze plaguing Malaysia and much of Asia.

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Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim meets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on August 6, 2025. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim meets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on August 6, 2025. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysia seeks to charge 2 over US$278 million Arm semiconductor deal

Ex-economy minister Rafizi Ramli, who is questioned by the MACC, previously pitched the deal as key to the Malaysian chip sector’s future.

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Indonesia

Can Indonesia turn holiday island Bali into a global financial hub?

Having a financial centre on the island will help boost national economic competitiveness, officials say.

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Singapore

Lawrence Wong warned of ‘storm clouds’ for Singapore. Was it an understatement?

Wong and his team have to prove they are ‘more than equal’ to the task of helping Singapore navigate coming headwinds, analysts say.

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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the general election in May last year. Photo: Reuters
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the general election in May last year. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Course correction: Indonesia reshapes ride-hailing sector with state power

The new commission scheme shows the state’s support for ride-hailing drivers, but may not necessarily boost their incomes, observers say.

Singapore

‘No longer nice-to-have’: AI skills boost Singapore software engineer pay by 25%

Companies are increasingly prioritising engineers who can work effectively with AI tools, especially in senior roles.

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Middle East

‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on April 17. Photo: EPA/The UAE Presidential Court
Asean

Why Singapore, Thailand are among the world’s ‘happiest’ economies

Southeast Asian countries outdid larger economies in the 178-nation Hanke’s Annual Misery Index for 2025.

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People walk on the boardwalk in front of Singapore’s financial centre. Photo: AFP
People walk on the boardwalk in front of Singapore’s financial centre. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Deadly train crash in Indonesia exposes severe safety gaps, dangerous crossings

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto pledges to spend US$230 million to upgrade level crossings after the accident that killed 16 passengers.

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Central banks

Gold loses its shimmer in Asia over rising oil prices, hawkish Fed stance

Demand for the metal is likely to remain weak, with central banks not expected to cut interest rates for some time due to high energy prices.

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Singapore

Singapore PM reassures workers over AI fears, vows job opportunities

The city state cannot promise there will be no disruption from the new technology but it will protect every worker, the prime minister says.

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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong speaks about the impact of AI on the economy in his May Day rally speech in the city state on Friday. Photo: YouTube
Pakistan

Pakistan’s IMF-backed recovery under pressure as Iran-US mediation stalls

While Islamabad continues to push for peace, the war threatens to erode its foreign exchange reserves and make financing harder to secure.

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A trader monitors share prices at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi, Pakistan, on Monday. Photo: EPA
A trader monitors share prices at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi, Pakistan, on Monday. Photo: EPA
Sri Lanka

Elephant in room: can Sri Lanka’s ‘world’s emptiest airport’ attract investors?

Since opening in 2013, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport has failed to generate enough revenue to cover even its electricity bills.

Japan

What’s behind Japan’s novel move to share Mogami warship design with India?

Tokyo has offered to give Delhi the plans to its US$500-million Mogami-class ship so that it can be built in India using Japanese materials.

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Brics

Brics to push for intra-currency payments as ‘immunity’ against Western clout

New Delhi has to be wary of any move to challenge the US dollar as it seeks to sign an interim trade deal with Washington, analysts say.

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Leaders from Brics member and partner countries gather in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
Leaders from Brics member and partner countries gather in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
Thailand

Bridge too far? Hormuz crisis revives Thailand’s controversial plan

While the plan to bypass the Malacca Strait is popular with Anutin’s government, economists and environmentalists say it is not realistic.

US, Israel war on Iran

Why UAE’s exit from Opec is good news for oil-thirsty Asia

Once free of Opec’s production caps, the world’s sixth-largest oil producer plans to flood the market with 5 million barrels a day.

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Indonesia

Rock and hard place: why Indonesia is ignoring EU ban to secure Russian oil

Indonesia’s Karimun is the first non-Russian oil terminal to be sanctioned by Brussels since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022.

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A worker refuels a motorbike at a petrol station in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on April 20. Photo: EPA
India

India, New Zealand boost trade diversification with ‘forward-looking’ pact

The deal, part of a move to reduce reliance on major powers, will also strengthen India’s hand in trade negotiations with the US, analysts say.

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal presents a silver cow and calf statue to New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay after they signed a free-trade agreement in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: AP
Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal presents a silver cow and calf statue to New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay after they signed a free-trade agreement in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: AP
Asean

Why Malacca Strait tolls are unlikely despite Indonesia’s maritime push

Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are united in upholding the principle of free passage but this must be ‘actively maintained’, analysts say.

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Asean

Will Asean’s oil scramble mean Russia builds lasting stronghold in region?

Southeast Asia’s pivot may be for economic reasons, but some analysts warn Moscow could seek to build lasting influence in the region.

Japan

Japan aims to build world’s largest wind farm. Can it power on by 2035?

The plan calls for wind turbines to supply power to the Izu Islands and Tokyo, with an eventual capacity of 1 gigawatt.

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A wind turbine electric generator for renewable energy in Sakata town, Japan. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto
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