Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia’s increasingly diversified economy exceeded 3% growth in 2021 and is forecast to surpass 5% growth starting in 2022. With a robust manufacturing and services offering, some 40% of jobs in the country linked to export activities and a trade-to-GDP ratio above 130% over the last 12 years, Malaysia has a demonstrated openness to trade and investment. Grounded…
– China’s “zero-Covid” strategy is limiting output and suppressing consumer demand – The slowdown is also weighing on demand in countries that export to China – Commodities exporters have remained comparatively resilient – There is the opportunity for emerging markets to fill gaps in global supply chains With China’s economy slowing on the back of a strict Covid-19 containment…
– Bukalapak’s $1.5bn listing is set to be Indonesia’s largest-ever IPO – Backdrop of rapid growth in the digital economy during the pandemic – Potential to unleash a wave of South-east Asian tech listings – M&A remains strong as the region’s digital economy continues to grow A record initial public offering (IPO) from Indonesian e-commerce platform Bukalapak underscores the…
– Environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria are growing in significance globally – ASEAN member states are increasingly oriented to ESG standards across the board – Green infrastructure, social impact and transparency are among the keyfocus areas – Coordinated efforts to boost ESG could spearhead the bloc’s Covid-19 recovery Environmental, social and governance (ESG)…
– Thailand and Malaysia led the region in terms of government stimulus – Key digital solutions were developed in food delivery, education, health care and finance – Despite falling globally, M&A increased in Asia throughout the year – Emerging markets in ASEAN stand to benefit from the supply chain shift away from China Closely linked both geographically and economically to China,…
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was finally signed on Sunday November 15, on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). As well as marking a significant regional milestone, it is hoped that this deal will help its 15signatories recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. As OBG outlined in July, the…
The pandemic and its related economic effects prompted a slowdown in initial public offerings (IPOs) in South-east Asia, as it did globally. However, there are indications that the region is set to see listing activity bounce back in the coming months. The onset of Covid-19 gave rise to a dramatic, worldwide decline in IPOs, with April and May registering a 48% decrease in volume and a 67% drop…
While global trade has shrunk considerably following the outbreak of Covid-19, Malaysia has recently seen an unexpected rise in both its exports and trade surplus. Official trade data revealed that exports in June rose by 8.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM82.9bn ($19.5bn). This surprise increase came on the back of a 25.5% contraction in May, while most economists had predicted a fall in exports…
At the start of 2020, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – potentially the world’s largest free trade deal – seemed on track to be signed by the end of the year. However, the coronavirus pandemic has slowed that process, raising some questions about when the agreement will be formalised. In what would constitute a significant win for multilateralism, the RCEP would bring…