More Filters
There were 1074 results found for:

All Regions and All Sectors

Analysis

Wealthier consumers and international forays bode well for the market
OBG
plus

As the country emerges from a protracted period of isolation from the global economic mainstream and with its economy experiencing strong growth, Myanmar’s retail sector looks set for major expansion in the years ahead. The arrival of modern retail formats and outlets, along with the shifting consumption patterns of a youthful and increasingly internationally oriented population, are poised to transform…

Analysis

The government is focusing on strengthening the pharmaceuticals industry to meet local demand
OBG
plus

Valued at $480m in 2013 by the Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar’s pharmaceuticals industry offers drug makers a new opportunity, particularly over-the-counter manufacturers who stand to benefit from the country’s reopening. A dramatic increase in health expenditure coupled with rising per capita income is set to see the value of the industry grow to $945m in 2015, a nearly 97% rise in two years. The…

Analysis

Japanese investment is flowing into a range of sectors
OBG
plus

As Myanmar has changed course since 2010 and pursued political and economic reforms, Japan is the country that has responded most enthusiastically, both to offer assistance and to take advantage of emerging investment opportunities. Although Japan is not seeking to be the monolithic major partner that China was to Myanmar while it was under international sanctions, the level of Japanese involvement…

Analysis

Fiscal policy changes include increasing public spending and boosting tax collection
OBG
plus

Myanmar is in the midst of a historic transformation of both its public sector and fiscal policy towards international norms. The country traditionally had a very small civilian government and many large state enterprises, all overseen by a politically and commercially powerful military. State enterprises have traditionally accounted for most public revenues, while central bank printing of…

Analysis

Taking steps towards greater regional integration and trade
OBG
plus

Myanmar and nine other South-east Asian countries are preparing to ring in the formal birth of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on December 31, 2015, but they are not preparing to celebrate. Instead, they are engaging in a collective soul-searching exercise. At the November 2014 ASEAN summit in Naypyidaw, the crowning event of Myanmar’s chairmanship of the bloc in 2014, ASEAN leaders admitted…

Overview

The Last Frontier opens up to investors
OBG
plus

Over the past few years Myanmar has experienced a number of dramatic transitions that have restructured its economy, rapidly changing its unique landscape and gradually enriching the social welfare of its people. These changes, which were accelerated by the dissolution of the military junta, have placed modern-day Myanmar back on the international investment radar, and has seen the nation coin the…

Overview

Election year 2015 will set the pace for further reform measures
OBG
plus

With late 2015 seeing direct elections scheduled for parliament and indirect balloting for president, Myanmar is currently passing through a crucial period of political debate, against the background of an era that was marked by rapid economic growth and international openness. These events come just over a decade since the government began moving on its “Roadmap to Democracy”, and three years…

Overview

Though many restrictions remain, gradual liberalisation continues apace
OBG
plus

As it emerges from a half-century of economic isolation, Myanmar is undergoing an extraordinary surge of foreign investment and international trade. Of all foreign direct investment (FDI) accumulated in the country as of the end of 2013, half had entered in the previous three years, while recorded trade volumes more than doubled from 2009 to 2013. This surge is taking place even as foreign investment…

Overview

Reforms continue to open the economy as GDP grows
OBG
plus

After spending decades as one of the most isolated and least-developed countries in Asia, Myanmar is emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Since a historic reform process began in 2010, foreign investment has been pouring in, driving annual growth to more than 8%, according to IMF estimates. Investment inflows and growing exports have also helped stabilise the currency and…

Overview

Economic reforms have cleared the path for modern financial practices
OBG
plus

The traditionally small banking sector is undergoing an extraordinary burst of growth as economic reforms and the lifting of sanctions are leading households and businesses to modernise their financial practices. Bank deposits and credit have been growing at more than 30% a year, even after adjusting for inflation. And in a breakthrough reform in October 2014, the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) announced…