This Week in Asia /

Economics

Related Topics:

Banking & finance

Japan’s H3 rocket carrying the Michibiki No 5 satellite lifts off from the Tanegashima Space Centre on Monday. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters

Can Japan’s space industry regain thrust after H3 rocket failure?

Failure is inevitable, aerospace experts say, so Japan needs to be less afraid of making mistakes and move on.

28 Dec 2025 - 5:41PMvideocam

Trump’s dance, Najib’s 1MDB saga, influencer case: Malaysia leads Asean in 2025

27 Dec 2025 - 1:00PMvideocam

Singapore in 2025: election fever, courtroom drama, pickleball mania

27 Dec 2025 - 11:00AM

Indian rice could become costlier for US amid Trump’s tariff threat

Experts warn of wider repercussions, including efforts by importers to divert shipments and renewed strain in US-India trade talks.

26 Dec 2025 - 8:06PM

A worker gathers rice grain with a broom in a grain market at Mansa in the northern state of Punjab, India, in November. Photo: Reuters

Power, protests and policy shake-ups shape Indonesia’s 2025

President Prabowo Subianto asserts his authority as he navigates the global stage and domestic challenges in his first full year in office.

26 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Duopoly of Air India, IndiGo to face challenge from 2 new airlines

The approval for Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to operate in India comes amid mounting calls to challenge the dominance of Air India and IndiGo.

26 Dec 2025 - 12:40PM

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

India’s new law to fuel energy needs, drive nuclear power growth

The new law, which will end years of near-exclusive state control, could unlock stalled investment and boost nuclear capacity, analysts say.

24 Dec 2025 - 5:35PMvideocam

Fishermen tether a boat on the shore near the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, India. Photo: AP

India’s gem exports defy US tariffs as Asia, Middle East demand grows

Shipments rose 19.64 per cent year on year to US$2.51 billion in November, reflecting a successful diversification push, analysts say.

24 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Singapore’s young graduates feel the heat in ‘draining’ job hunt

A dearth of entry-level jobs has forced some young Singaporeans to pivot to stopgap roles and entrepreneurship.

24 Dec 2025 - 1:00PM

Economic ‘pragmatism’ powers Indonesians’ positive view of China, survey finds

Analysts say China’s ‘visible’ investment activities and its ‘soft diplomacy’ in Indonesia have contributed to the positive public perception.

23 Dec 2025 - 6:51PMvideocam

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping shake hands during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, in November 2024. Prabowo is seen as “close” to Xi in a new survey. Photo: Pool via AP

‘Pax Silica’: America’s new AI inner circle and Asia’s chosen few

Japan, South Korea and Singapore made the cut, leaving key partners like India and Vietnam – and even New Zealand – on the sidelines.

22 Dec 2025 - 8:00AM

Representatives of the “Pax Silica” signatories hold signed documents at a summit held in Washington on December 12. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Why India to Europe trade corridor is stalling even as talks continue

A key hurdle hampering the progress of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor is the lingering uncertainty over Gaza.

21 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

Losing ground: Japan sounds alarm over foreign-owned land

From next year, anyone buying property will have to confirm their nationality – a move some analysts say is overkill.

21 Dec 2025 - 10:29AMvideocam

US-ally trade wars

Mexico’s 50% tariff shock shuts Asia’s North American trade bypass

A tariff wall will soon separate protected partners like CPTPP members Singapore and Malaysia from exporters facing a shutout.

20 Dec 2025 - 1:30PM

A drone view shows the Manzanillo seaport in Mexico in April. Photo: Reuters

Thailand’s tourism crown slips as troubles in paradise mount

Border clashes with Cambodia, fierce competition from Malaysia, deadly floods and a strong baht threaten the kingdom’s holiday appeal.

21 Dec 2025 - 12:33PM

Illustration: Huy Truong

The Philippines

Philippines struggles to win back Chinese tourists as regional rivals surge

New data shows Chinese arrivals to the Philippines hit 312,000 last year, only 18 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

19 Dec 2025 - 2:15PMvideocam

Steppe in the right direction? ‘Japan is back’ in Central Asia with new summit

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the leaders of five Central Asian nations are expected to establish a new framework for cooperation in AI.

18 Dec 2025 - 5:41PMvideocam

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trump’s tariffs on Southeast Asia put US Christmas gifts at risk

From Hot Wheels to headphones, new levies are squeezing the supply of Americans’ festive favourites.

15 Dec 2025 - 8:02AM

Passers-by look in Christmas-themed shop windows at Macy’s department store in New York earlier this month. Photo: Zuma Press Wire/dpa

Southeast Asia’s rich buy sky garages while the middle class lose their homes

As wealthy buyers seek penthouses with living-room supercar parking, struggling families battle banks to keep a roof overhead.

15 Dec 2025 - 3:32PMvideocam

‘We’re just trying to survive’: young Malaysians buckle under rising debt

The country has seen a nearly 60 per cent increase in bankruptcies among those under 30 amid rising living costs and access to easy credit.

11 Dec 2025 - 6:27PMvideocam

Rupee slump ‘a little relief’ for Indian exporters amid US trade talks

The lower rupee is helping Indian industries that have been absorbing tariff losses in the hopes of a US-India trade deal, analysts say.

11 Dec 2025 - 6:24PMvideocam

A roadside vendor counts Indian rupee notes in Mumbai on November 28. Photo: AFP

India-EU trade pact nears finish line despite carbon tax dispute and Russia

Brussels is looking past India’s ties with Moscow to secure a vital economic win, with analysts predicting a deal within months.

10 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic (left) shakes hands with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in India on Monday. Photo: X/MarosSefcovic

IndiGo flight chaos exposes risks of India’s aviation duopoly

India’s largest airline grounded nearly 3,000 flights last week, showing how easily a staffing crunch at one carrier can paralyse the sector.

10 Dec 2025 - 3:22PMvideocam

The Philippines

Philippines ‘flood control queen’ faces arrest over corruption scandal

Prosecutors accuse Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya of pocketing millions for a government-funded flood control project that was never built.

9 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

Nepal charges Chinese contractor with corruption over airport deal

A watchdog alleges the company colluded with ex-ministers to inflate costs and siphon off US$74 million from the Pokhara airport project.

9 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Staff members wait for the arrival of passengers at Pokhara International Airport in December last year. Photo: China News Service/VCG/Getty Images

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.