Economics

Economics • STORY OF THE DAY • 2 days ago • 9 min read

Gender in Singapore Breaking up the boys’ club

By Amanda Oon • 2 days ago
Finance has long been a boys' club, with Singapore no different. Today, FinTech offers more women a way in, but there remains a lack of diversity at its highest levels. Here, two of Singapore's most successful female financial figures offer their reflections on the sector

Economics • STORY OF THE DAY • Nov 19, 2019 • 7 min read

China's economy Slowing down

By Kevin Livingston • Nov 19, 2019
Having benefitted from decades of breakneck growth in China, trade- and investment-dependent ASEAN is vulnerable to fluctuations in the world’s second-biggest economy

Economics • Oct 23, 2019 • 10 min read
Timor-Leste

Betting on black

Timor-Leste is racing against the clock to develop newly unlocked Timor Sea wealth before its coffers empty. We look at the different roads that could lead the country to prosperity
By Sophie Raynor

Economics • Sep 11, 2019 • 14 min read
Australia and ASEAN

Drawing a line

Australia’s attempts to move closer to Southeast Asia have met with limited success so far, but are likely to become more urgent as the China-US rivalry intensifies
By Simon Roughneen

Economics • Aug 27, 2019 • 11 min read
Vietnam economy

Winning the battle, losing the war?

Trade-oriented Vietnam has benefitted from the US-China stand-off, pulling in more investment. But growing exports are dominated by a few big foreign players, leaving Vietnam vulnerable to global market swings
By Simon Roughneen

Economics • Aug 19, 2019 • 11 min read
North Korea

A great con?

US President Donald Trump believes North Korea’s beaches would make for great condos and real estate. But with missiles being tested and sanctions in place, will Southeast Asian investors take the plunge?
By Robin Spiess, additional reporting by Veng Sonita

Economics • Aug 07, 2019 • 14 min read
Microfinance institutions

Left with nothing

With the backing of the world’s development agencies, Cambodia’s microfinance institutions stand accused of driving the nation’s most vulnerable ever deeper into debt – forcing them to sell off their land when the time comes to collect
By Paul Millar and Veng Sonita

Economics • Aug 05, 2019 • 11 min read
Regional development

Free from darkness

Last year, the fishing village of Kwangko in Indonesia’s remote east was finally connected to the national electricity supply. But to close the gap between east and west, the nation’s infrastructure has miles to go
By Simon Roughneen

Economics • Aug 01, 2019 • 6 min read
Analysis

Tired of winning

Vietnam has emerged as a key winner of Trump's trade war. But a wrong move could see the nation earning nothing but enemies in its triumph
By Nguyen Khac Giang

Economics • Jul 25, 2019 • 10 min read
Infrastructure funding

No tax, no spend

Southeast Asia’s governments have some of the world’s smallest tax takes, leaving the region struggling to pay for infrastructure and budget for health and education
By Simon Roughneen