https://www.scmp.com/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 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For millions of Indians, buying a cup of chai or groceries from roadside vendors has come to mean reaching for their phones rather than wallets – a habit made possible by a system that has so far charged consumers nothing for such everyday transactions. Now, a decade after the government launched the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India is asking some merchants to pay for the hugely popular system – raising questions over whether it can preserve the low-cost model that drove its mass adoption... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368661/what-can-asia-global-south-learn-indias-new-digital-payment-fee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368661/what-can-asia-global-south-learn-indias-new-digital-payment-fee?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:02:05 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Toey Wattana Mongkhonnam began thinking about outfitting his family home in Thailand’s northeastern province of Yasothon with solar panels during the Covid-19 pandemic. In his household of five, electricity use rises with the day’s heat, and the monthly bill could range from 1,000 baht to 1,500 baht (US$30 to US$45). “Back then, I checked prices and a rooftop panel system that could put out enough power to run my household’s appliances could cost 100,000 baht to 200,000 baht,” said Toey, a Muay... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368533/thailands-solar-scheme-faces-hurdles-low-power-users-turned-high-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368533/thailands-solar-scheme-faces-hurdles-low-power-users-turned-high-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau While starting salaries for fresh graduates and entry-level workers in Singapore continue to creep upwards, the number of people in entry-level roles is shrinking, according to new data, indicating an increasingly tough job market for those at the start of their careers. Data published last month by global professional services firm Aon showed a 2.5 per cent year-on-year salary increase for entry-level employees, alongside a 3.2 per cent drop in entry-level headcount. The findings come as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368539/singapores-entry-level-job-market-shrinks-despite-salary-growth-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368539/singapores-entry-level-job-market-shrinks-despite-salary-growth-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:58:02 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Paul Bratby had already drawn up plans for expanding to Hong Kong when war broke out in the Middle East earlier this year. But the founder of xBratAI, a Dubai-based AI-powered trading signals platform, soon brought that timeline forward as the Iran conflict dragged on and widened in scope. “Our Hong Kong entity had been scheduled for a few years later, but we established it in early 2026,” he said. Bratby is not alone in looking east. As missiles continue to target Gulf capitals and shipping... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368387/gulf-tech-firms-turn-hong-kong-and-singapore-iran-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368387/gulf-tech-firms-turn-hong-kong-and-singapore-iran-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has less than two years to turn its ambitious Pax Silica project from a US-backed plan into a functioning industrial hub before a change of government in Manila – and potentially Washington – puts its future to the test. Pax Silica is an initiative by US President Donald Trump’s administration to diversify US supplies of critical minerals and semiconductors. The Philippines is seeking to position itself as a manufacturing base for companies looking to reduce their dependence on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368411/philippines-races-turn-pax-silica-reality-political-changes-derail-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368411/philippines-races-turn-pax-silica-reality-political-changes-derail-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia plans to press ahead with discounted Russian crude oil imports to secure domestic energy supplies and manage fiscal pressures, despite the risk of higher US tariffs as Washington moves to tighten economic pressure on Moscow. On Friday, US President Donald Trump signed into law an act that would give him authority to impose sanctions on Russia and slap tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five buyers of Russian crude oil, gas and military equipment, or countries that help Moscow... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368389/indonesia-presses-ahead-russian-oil-imports-despite-real-risk-us-penalties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368389/indonesia-presses-ahead-russian-oil-imports-despite-real-risk-us-penalties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines’ rise to upper-middle-income status was supposed to mark a new phase for one of Southeast Asia’s most closely watched emerging economies. Instead, analysts say the milestone has done little to shield the country from short-term pressures weighing on growth: sluggish public spending, delayed infrastructure, high living costs and the fallout from investigations into alleged irregularities in flood control projects. Those strains have left the Philippines looking like a regional... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368024/upgraded-underperforming-philippines-growth-lags-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368024/upgraded-underperforming-philippines-growth-lags-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau When Jordan Seow joined OpenAI in June 2025, he became the company’s first locally hired forward-deployed engineer in Asia-Pacific, joining a Singapore office that then had fewer than 20 employees. The 29-year-old is now part of a fast-growing workforce built in Singapore by the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies. Experts say the city state is emerging as a regional hub – not for training the latest AI models, but for the increasingly crucial task of deploying and adapting them... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368089/why-ai-giants-are-choosing-singapore-turn-models-real-world-tools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368089/why-ai-giants-are-choosing-singapore-turn-models-real-world-tools?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 01:00:09 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee In Silicon Valley and beyond, the architects of artificial intelligence are increasingly warning about the risks it poses to humanity. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wants the industry to slow down. A former engineer at his company, who also worked at its rival OpenAI, told reporters after quitting earlier this month that he was “genuinely frightened” unchecked AI development might mean “we could all die in the immediate future”. Even Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning computer scientist known... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368031/south-korea-wants-free-ai-all-society-ready-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368031/south-korea-wants-free-ai-all-society-ready-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asian economies heavily dependent on imported energy are facing an even sharper squeeze after the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline removed a key escape route from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening an energy shock that has already pushed crude oil above US$100 a barrel. Analysts said the loss of that bypass would hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368062/saudi-oil-pipeline-closure-puts-asias-economic-resilience-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368062/saudi-oil-pipeline-closure-puts-asias-economic-resilience-test?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:50:50 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Property agent Raymond Heng had suspected True Fitness was struggling, but he did not expect the gym he had visited for more than a decade to disappear overnight. The closure was not entirely surprising given the region’s fiercely competitive fitness industry, but its abruptness left Heng, 47, in disbelief after paying S$8,800 (US$6,900) for a lifetime membership in 2013. “I guessed that they might not have been doing that well since branches have been closing over the years, but I did not... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368021/why-singapores-big-box-gyms-are-losing-niche-fitness-studios?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3368021/why-singapores-big-box-gyms-are-losing-niche-fitness-studios?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 10:05:48 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Malaysia could struggle to preserve some domestic air links if low-cost carrier AirAsia is forced to scale back operations, analysts have warned, as rival airlines would have little commercial incentive to take over unprofitable routes. That reality could leave the government facing a stark choice: allow domestic flight services to shrink or step in with subsidies for essential routes, rather than assuming competitors will automatically fill any void left by the country’s largest budget... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367917/bail-out-or-downsize-malaysias-stark-choice-airasia-losses-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367917/bail-out-or-downsize-malaysias-stark-choice-airasia-losses-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:00:06 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Waymo plans to launch its robotaxi service in Singapore in 2028, giving the US company its first foothold in Southeast Asia. Fully electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles were due to arrive in the city state in the coming months, ahead of preparations for a commercial launch, the company said on Friday. From 2027, trained autonomous specialists will manually drive the vehicles to help Waymo adapt its technology to Singapore’s road layouts, monsoon conditions and other local features. The service is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367897/us-firm-waymo-launch-robotaxi-service-singapore-2028?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367897/us-firm-waymo-launch-robotaxi-service-singapore-2028?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 02:01:04 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India and Vietnam could turn their competition for “China plus one” investments into a complementary partnership, analysts say, combining New Delhi’s scale and technology capabilities with Hanoi’s manufacturing agility and links to East Asian supply chains. Such a shift could deepen both nations’ roles in global production networks across high-value industries – from electronics and pharmaceuticals to renewable energy – while giving companies reliable alternatives as they diversify supply chains... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367879/india-and-vietnam-aim-turn-china-plus-one-rivalry-trade-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367879/india-and-vietnam-aim-turn-china-plus-one-rivalry-trade-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:30:06 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Forest and peatland fires raging across Indonesia are threatening to become more than an environmental emergency, with analysts warning that the thickening haze could weigh on economic activity, strain public health and test confidence in the nation’s fledgling carbon market. Indonesia is no stranger to forest and peat fires, but this year’s super El Nino has helped make it the country’s most intense wildfire season in 11 years. Toxic haze and smoke have also drifted to neighbouring countries... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367729/how-wildfires-are-threatening-indonesias-economy-and-carbon-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367729/how-wildfires-are-threatening-indonesias-economy-and-carbon-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:37:00 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s finance ministry is preparing to absorb debt payments for Whoosh, the China-funded high-speed railway connecting Jakarta and Bandung, in a move officials say will ease financial pressure on the state-owned enterprises that built and operate the line. The government has argued that the burden is manageable after the debt was restructured over 80 years, requiring annual instalments of about 1 trillion rupiah (US$56.5 million). But the plan has also raised concerns that taxpayers are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367600/who-will-shoulder-debts-behind-indonesias-china-backed-whoosh-railway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367600/who-will-shoulder-debts-behind-indonesias-china-backed-whoosh-railway?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Energy ministers and executives met in Bangkok on Monday to discuss the prolonged price increase for liquefied natural gas (LNG) triggered by the Iran war, with Southeast Asia’s growth ambitions and climate goals on the line as the cost of powering economies shifting to artificial intelligence soars. On the first day of Gastech 2026, one of the world’s largest energy conferences, policymakers implored pragmatism over net-zero targets and closer cooperation to ensure affordable LNG supplies,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367492/southeast-asia-weighs-energy-transition-amid-lng-supply-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367492/southeast-asia-weighs-energy-transition-amid-lng-supply-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:35:41 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto abruptly removed Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa on Monday after just over a year in the job, turning to veteran ministry technocrat Suahasil Nazara as his government grapples with mounting fiscal pressure and questions over economic policy coordination. Suahasil, who had served as deputy finance minister since 2019, becomes Prabowo’s third finance minister in less than two years, following Purbaya and his internationally respected predecessor Sri... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367445/indonesias-prabowo-replaces-finance-minister-deputy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367445/indonesias-prabowo-replaces-finance-minister-deputy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:00:28 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran While Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was pitching the Luzon Economic Corridor to a 600-strong delegation of foreign investors and officials last week, protesters outside were clashing with police, accusing the US-backed initiative of exploiting the country’s resources. The backlash mirrored opposition against the Pax Silica AI supply chain drive – a separate proposal but again, American-led. It underscored mounting tension over the ambitious corridor, since expanded from a transport... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367385/us-led-luzon-corridor-philippines-faces-growing-scrutiny-over-real-local-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367385/us-led-luzon-corridor-philippines-faces-growing-scrutiny-over-real-local-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Bessie* left the Philippines for Malaysia more than a decade ago to care for other people’s children. She stayed to look after their parents instead. Certified as a carer, she now freelances around Kuala Lumpur’s Klang Valley, earning up to 25 ringgit (US$6) an hour for round-the-clock shifts, with clients providing her meals, transport and housing. “My former employer was very understanding and offered to release me earlier so I could earn a higher salary as a caregiver,” the 50-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367222/asia-rapidly-ages-who-cares-carers-when-they-grow-old?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367222/asia-rapidly-ages-who-cares-carers-when-they-grow-old?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A two-hour commute for a 14km (8.7-mile) journey. For Julius Dalay and millions of other Filipinos, this is just how public transport works in Manila: a mishmash of jeepneys, trains and buses that commuters are left to figure out for themselves. Dalay, an environmental planner, is resigned to the chaos. Reaching his destination usually involves hailing a jeepney, then cramming into a packed train and enduring a slow bus crawl along the capital’s main thoroughfares. “You either wait the jeepney... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367264/philippines-bets-big-rail-can-it-fix-broken-transport-network?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367264/philippines-bets-big-rail-can-it-fix-broken-transport-network?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is set to be the first Philippine leader to join the Brics Summit in New Delhi this weekend – presenting him with the perfect “low-risk opportunity” to engage the grouping as Manila continues to diversify its ties, analysts say. “The president seeks to ensure that our modern partnerships remain open, resilient and capable of delivering prosperity to our people,” Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Analyn Ratonel said in a press briefing on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3367226/why-marcos-brics-trip-low-risk-opportunity-philippines-make-new-friends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3367226/why-marcos-brics-trip-low-risk-opportunity-philippines-make-new-friends?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:30:06 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones At a market in Bangkok, stallholders say they had no idea initially about a boxy structure covered in gunmetal grey panels that was quickly built and installed opposite their stalls. According to them, nauseating oil began to waft through the area, where a hospital is also located, several months ago along Rama XI, an arterial road in the heart of the Thai capital, prompting complaints that led to the revelation that a new data centre might have been set up. More worryingly for the stallholders,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3367117/data-centres-sprouting-thailand-fuel-fears-public-health-impact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3367117/data-centres-sprouting-thailand-fuel-fears-public-health-impact?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A fraying global economic order could push South Korea and Japan towards deeper trade integration, with business leaders and analysts saying the two neighbours stand to benefit from such a partnership despite lingering historical wounds. The two countries could draw closer as the era of relatively open global trade gives way to tit-for-tat tariffs and supply-chain disruptions due to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. SK Group chairman and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367097/can-us6-trillion-south-korea-japan-economic-bloc-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3367097/can-us6-trillion-south-korea-japan-economic-bloc-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Dissent voiced in an ongoing inquiry into Australia’s most ambitious nuclear submarine pact has laid bare growing uncertainty over US commitment, amid questions about the clarity of Canberra’s explanation of the Aukus deal to citizens. Under the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, Canberra will get eight nuclear-powered submarines at an estimated cost of up to A$368 billion (US$266 billion). Three used Virginia-class nuclear submarines will... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366900/australians-question-us-commitment-aukus-submarine-deal-crowdfunded-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366900/australians-question-us-commitment-aukus-submarine-deal-crowdfunded-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:07:37 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk US President Donald Trump has condemned Australia’s recent moves to clamp down on social media – predominantly run by American tech companies – as “a form of extortion”, hinting at more threats to come. “President Trump has unequivocally warned trading partners against imposing digital services taxes, fines, and other forms of extortion on America’s leading technology sector,” White House economics spokesman Kush Desai said on Tuesday night, as reported by news.com.au. “The administration... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366867/trump-slams-australias-social-media-crackdown-extortion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366867/trump-slams-australias-social-media-crackdown-extortion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:16:42 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has launched a five-year road map to expand its share of the global semiconductor and electronics sector, but capacity challenges and political stability are potential stumbling blocks, analysts say. The Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry road map, launched by the Philippines’ Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council (SEIAC) on September 2, aims to grow annual exports of chips and electronics to US$110 billion by 2030, and move beyond manufacturing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366779/philippines-wants-be-global-semiconductor-giant-2030-can-it-get-there?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366779/philippines-wants-be-global-semiconductor-giant-2030-can-it-get-there?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:18:12 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho The rapport between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, was evident when the two met during the 11th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok last week. “My profound apologies for missing this important event due to urgent matters I needed to attend to back home but I’m now here to repay my debt,” Prabowo told Putin on Wednesday, referring to a missed invitation earlier to be the guest of honour at Russia’s National Day celebration on June... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366585/prabowo-putin-payoff-can-bond-between-indonesian-russian-leaders-translate-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366585/prabowo-putin-payoff-can-bond-between-indonesian-russian-leaders-translate-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:06:12 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India is betting big on domestic manufacturing of semiconductors – the microscopic brains that power everything electronic from cars to AI processing – in an ambitious bid to slash imports and boost its local industry. But observers say the country should set its sights even higher upstream on the value chain by mobilising its “secret weapon” – a talent pool that could realise its dream to turn “Make in India” into “Engineer in India”. New Delhi earlier this week launched the second phase of its... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366395/indias-push-secure-place-global-chip-supply-has-secret-weapon-its-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366395/indias-push-secure-place-global-chip-supply-has-secret-weapon-its-people?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:09:57 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Mogami-class warship is turning out to be a hot item among global navies. Australia is buying 11, New Zealand is considering putting in an order – and now, even the United States is showing interest. According to a US Naval Institute report published on Tuesday, government and naval planners are looking at three possibilities: Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, South Korea’s Chungnam guided-missile frigate and Turkey’s Istanbul-class warship. This is the first time since World War II that a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366257/us-wants-foreign-warships-its-navy-japan-hoping-be-picked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366257/us-wants-foreign-warships-its-navy-japan-hoping-be-picked?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 02:30:05 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India is touting its locally manufactured AK-203 Sher assault rifle – an advanced version of Russia’s powerful Kalashnikov – as an important milestone for the “Make in India” initiative to reduce reliance on foreign-made weapon systems. The Sher, or Tiger, will replace the older, heavily criticised Indian National Small Arms System (INSAS) service rifles used by the Indian Army. Complaints about the INSAS emerged just a year after it was adopted by the army. Indian soldiers fighting the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366228/india-targets-weapons-self-reliance-fully-local-assault-rifle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366228/india-targets-weapons-self-reliance-fully-local-assault-rifle?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore is positioning itself as a bridge between Central Asia and Asean, as both regions increasingly look to each other amid growing disruption to global trade and intensifying superpower rivalry. The political appetite exists, but analysts say trade benefits will still hinge on overcoming obstacles such as geography and a lack of connectivity. Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong pitched the city state to Central Asian businesses during his visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366145/can-singapore-be-natural-choice-bridge-asean-and-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366145/can-singapore-be-natural-choice-bridge-asean-and-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:06:32 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s stronger-than-expected first quarter growth has bolstered analysts’ confidence that it can sustain its momentum through the rest of the financial year and remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy – even as it remains exposed to high oil prices caused by the US-Iran war. The Indian economy grew 7.8 per cent in the April-June quarter, comfortably beating the Reserve Bank of India’s forecast of 7 per cent growth, despite the disruption that the Middle East conflict has caused to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366115/india-defies-iran-war-oil-shock-keep-8-growth-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366115/india-defies-iran-war-oil-shock-keep-8-growth-track?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:34:27 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele A former Malaysian minister has been remanded for five days as part of an anti-corruption inquiry into the management of the country’s state haj fund. The suspect, who is in his sixties, was detained at about 4.30pm on Tuesday after he went to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya to have his statement recorded. MACC confirmed the arrest in a statement on social media but did not release the former minister’s identity. “The arrest was made around 4.30pm and it... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3366086/former-malaysian-minister-arrested-state-haj-fund-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3366086/former-malaysian-minister-arrested-state-haj-fund-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:37:05 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Cambodia says it has flushed out a scam industry estimated to have stolen tens of billions of US dollars last year alone, but a string of arrests in recent days suggests the gangs behind it may have simply changed address. Scam centres proliferated across Cambodia during the pandemic, when hundreds of thousands of jobless young people were pulled into defunct casino complexes to target victims worldwide with bogus romance, cryptocurrency and investment frauds. Chinese criminal networks found an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366072/southeast-asias-scam-gangs-regroup-after-cambodias-purge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366072/southeast-asias-scam-gangs-regroup-after-cambodias-purge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:19:05 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia is looking to China’s rice-prawn farms as a model to extract more from its shrinking paddy land as a slide in rice self-sufficiency has left it increasingly reliant on imports from its Southeast Asian neighbours. The experiment is also part of an attempt to confront other issues such as ageing farmers and more erratic weather, which have dented Malaysia’s rice output. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said on Monday that Malaysia needed to raise its rice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366005/rice-output-falls-malaysia-looks-chinas-2-yields-1-land-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3366005/rice-output-falls-malaysia-looks-chinas-2-yields-1-land-model?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:08:29 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter A tree in Hanoi has become a symbol of how Vietnam’s Gen Z views its country – but it is not the enviable growth story sold by the government. Tree 55 on Nguyen Huy Tu Street – now dubbed the “Justice Tree” – was buried under bouquets earlier this month. It was an act of digital-age defiance over the death of a teenager in a road traffic accident in the area that went unpunished. Response to the accident, which triggered a belated explanation from the state, reveals unease with a system many... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365832/how-tree-hanoi-points-flowering-dissent-among-vietnams-gen-z?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365832/how-tree-hanoi-points-flowering-dissent-among-vietnams-gen-z?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore will commit S$220 million (US$173 million) over three years to boost its fintech sector, including co-funding at least 1,000 internships in a strong push to build talent for AI and other emerging technologies. The funds come under the latest iteration of the Financial Sector Technology and Innovation Scheme (FSTI), which aims to strengthen the country’s fintech space and accelerate innovation and technology adoption in the financial sector. The industry currently has more than 1,800... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365855/singapore-invest-us173m-over-3-years-boost-fintech-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365855/singapore-invest-us173m-over-3-years-boost-fintech-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:03:46 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines spent years dismantling Chinese-linked gambling compounds in dramatic, headline-grabbing raids. But all the while, and with far less scrutiny, South Korean syndicates were building a parallel industry worth billions of US dollars – one that a spate of recent arrests suggests is still very much intact. The most recent involved a 29-year-old Korean woman named Kim Young-sun, who authorities allege ran a network of 23 illegal online betting websites out of offices in Pasay and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3365619/how-philippines-missed-korean-gambling-racket-worth-us38-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3365619/how-philippines-missed-korean-gambling-racket-worth-us38-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 02:30:12 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones In the rush to build an AI future, semiconductors are the silicon rock stars that soak up all the applause. Yet behind the curtain, an unglamorous stagehand is doing much of the heavy lifting. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the copper-laced panels inside every mobile phone, car key fob, digital camera and data-centre server rack on Earth. Without them, even the most advanced AI chip would be useless, unable to process even a single line of code. This year alone, more than 1 million square... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365614/inside-thailands-bid-wire-worlds-ai-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365614/inside-thailands-bid-wire-worlds-ai-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim For more than a month, Aaron* thought he and his wife were learning how to trade stocks. Only later would they realise the lessons were part of the trap. The Singaporean business owner had found a group of self-styled investment experts on Facebook, claiming to offer foolproof tips and guaranteed returns. Soon, he and his wife, who were dabbling in stocks for the first time, were spending about two hours every other day in a WhatsApp group chat with dozens of other participants, taking lessons... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365604/how-singapore-investors-are-lured-foreign-stock-scams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365604/how-singapore-investors-are-lured-foreign-stock-scams?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:41:52 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s central bank has raised interest rates for a second straight month, with analysts saying its semiconductor boom has given policymakers room to confront inflation, a weak won and rising home prices, but at the cost of a deeper squeeze on indebted households and small businesses. The Bank of Korea (BOK) lifted its benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage point to 3.0 per cent on Thursday, a month after an identical increase took it to 2.75 per cent in July. The latest move brought the rate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365480/strong-signal-south-korea-raises-rates-again-fight-inflation-rising-home-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365480/strong-signal-south-korea-raises-rates-again-fight-inflation-rising-home-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Aug 2026 11:35:53 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is positioning itself as Latin America’s bridge to Southeast Asia, testing whether shared history and culture can translate into hard trade figures as Asean and the Mercosur bloc look beyond their traditional partners. Manila’s Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro made the pitch during visits to Brazil and Chile from August 10 to 13. “Upon this human foundation, commercial bridges thrive: the Philippines stands as the premier strategic gateway for Latin American firms expanding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365014/philippines-stakes-claim-latin-americas-asean-gateway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3365014/philippines-stakes-claim-latin-americas-asean-gateway?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Indonesia produces and exports more palm oil than any other country, but when it comes to setting the price, it still plays second fiddle to Malaysia. President Prabowo Subianto wants to change that. On August 14, he announced a new exchange for commodities including palm oil, nickel and coal, targeted to begin operations on January 1. But analysts say dominance in physical supply does not automatically translate into pricing power. Jakarta’s move to set new benchmarks may not be enough to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364890/indonesia-takes-malaysia-battle-over-palm-oil-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364890/indonesia-takes-malaysia-battle-over-palm-oil-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore will increase its spending on pro-family measures focusing on easing childcare costs, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calling them “one of the best investments” on Sunday, as the city state aims to reverse its declining fertility rate. The policy shifts announced by Wong at the annual National Day Rally, Singapore’s biggest political speech of the year, are some of the most significant in years, revolving around boosting support for families to have children. He also spoke about... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364983/singapores-lawrence-wong-unveils-major-pro-family-measures-amid-record-low-fertility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364983/singapores-lawrence-wong-unveils-major-pro-family-measures-amid-record-low-fertility?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 13:16:48 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Climate change and conflict are conspiring to open up the Arctic to Asian commercial shipping, with China, South Korea and India all eyeing the icy short cut to Europe. Last Saturday, Chinese shipping company Sea Legend launched the first scheduled weekly container service across the top of the world, marking the realisation of Beijing’s long-held ambition to build a “Polar Silk Road”. It will not sail alone for long, however. This Sunday, South Korea’s PanStar Group plans to send its own pilot... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364859/india-joins-china-and-south-korea-push-arctic-shipping-routes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364859/india-joins-china-and-south-korea-push-arctic-shipping-routes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Aug 2026 06:00:33 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s latest package of tax breaks and visa incentives for fund managers could enhance its appeal as a leading asset management hub, as competition with Hong Kong intensifies for global capital and high-value financial talent, analysts have said. While the measures would help maintain Singapore’s competitiveness, they are unlikely to create a significant or lasting advantage over Hong Kong, according to Ramkishen Rajan, an economist and Yong Pung How Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364867/singapores-carrots-fund-managers-set-sharpen-competition-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364867/singapores-carrots-fund-managers-set-sharpen-competition-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:08:50 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones The decision by Japanese retailer Aeon to sell its MaxValu minimart chain in Thailand is the latest example of the tight grip domestic conglomerates hold over Thai consumers, retail experts say. Yet the move also hints at the shifting economic fortunes of neighbouring Vietnam, where major Asian retailers including Aeon are competing aggressively for market share among a rapidly expanding middle class. On September 30, MaxValu, a store beloved by many Thais for its affordability and varied fresh... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364797/japans-aeon-exits-thai-retail-chase-vietnams-booming-middle-class?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364797/japans-aeon-exits-thai-retail-chase-vietnams-booming-middle-class?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:05:09 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Online scam syndicates that rely on trafficked workers, guarded compounds and vast call-centre-style operations could soon become more threatening by exploiting agentic AI to run some fraud operations autonomously, a cybercrime expert has warned. Unlike earlier uses of artificial intelligence to write scripts, translate messages or produce deepfakes, agentic AI systems can carry out multi-step tasks with limited human prompting, raising the prospect of scams that are faster, cheaper, more... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364789/asia-faces-scam-epidemic-threat-gangs-exploit-agentic-ai-cybercrime-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364789/asia-faces-scam-epidemic-threat-gangs-exploit-agentic-ai-cybercrime-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2026 06:29:20 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim After years of concern over students using artificial intelligence to cut corners, Singapore’s universities are embracing the technology, driven not just by changes in the classroom but by pressure to prepare graduates for an economy that increasingly prizes AI literacy. But analysts say educators still face the challenge of ensuring students use AI to sharpen their critical thinking rather than relying on it for quick answers and guidance. On August 11, the National University of Singapore... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364419/singapores-universities-race-embrace-ai-job-demands-transform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3364419/singapores-universities-race-embrace-ai-job-demands-transform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:00:08 +0000