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This Week in Asia /
Economics
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The Philippines
Manila vs Hong Kong: the 2 sides of Asia’s housing affordability crisis
Asia is home to 60 per cent of the world’s slum dwellers and some of the planet’s most expensive real estate.
3 hours ago
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Singapore
Singapore’s robotaxi drive revs up with help from Chinese AV leaders
12 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM
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Nepal
Nepal’s school fee crackdown upends South Asian private education norms
11 Apr 2026 - 5:00PM
US, Israel war on Iran
How the Gulf conflict recast risks for Asian investors in Dubai
Asian firms that use Dubai as a launch pad into the Middle East are weighing new threats to liquidity, logistics and confidence.
11 Apr 2026 - 3:22PM
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Smoke rising from an area near the Dubai International Airport is seen after a drone attack amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran on March 16. Photo: Reuters
Japan
Japan’s Middle East oil habit gets an Iran war reality check
Almost all of Japan’s oil comes from the Middle East. A closed strait turned that dependence into a trap.
11 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM
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Singapore
Singapore, Australia vow uninterrupted fuel supply amid global energy shock
Both countries are also working towards a legally binding agreement on economic resilience and essential supplies.
10 Apr 2026 - 8:40PM
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US, Israel war on Iran
Iran’s Hormuz toll threat lays bare Asia’s energy vulnerability
Analysts warn that charging ships to pass through Hormuz could set a dangerous precedent for other strategic waterways and hit Asia hardest.
10 Apr 2026 - 8:43PM
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Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, on March 11. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia
Malaysian group under fire for saying working from home will hurt city profits
The Federation of Malaysian Business Associations warns of losses of more than US$120 million but critics say the group is ‘missing the point’.
10 Apr 2026 - 3:33PM
Japan
Japan seeks to take back control of the world’s shipbuilding sector. Here’s how
Analysts warn higher costs, labour shortages and lost capacity will affect Japan’s bid for control in a sector now dominated by China.
10 Apr 2026 - 8:45AM
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Asean
US to remain key ally of Asean despite Iran war fallout: diplomat
Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink says the US still has ‘extraordinary’ influence in the region, given its trade and security ties with Asean.
9 Apr 2026 - 6:20PM
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Malaysia
Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves in Malaysia
Singapore said it would not be appealing to Iran for access to the strait as transit through crucial trade waterways was a right.
9 Apr 2026 - 7:11PM
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Oil tankers anchor off Muscat, Oman, on March 7. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines
Can Philippines become critical minerals powerhouse with help from US, Japan?
To curb China’s dominance in the sector, Manila has to cut red tape and fight corruption to draw US and Japanese investors.
8 Apr 2026 - 8:42PM
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India
India’s space ambition set to soar after Artemis II moon mission’s success
The Indian space sector could work with international partners on future Chandrayaan and other lunar missions, analysts say.
8 Apr 2026 - 6:00PM
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Myanmar
Fuel crisis at planting season threatens Myanmar’s fragile economy
Rising fertiliser costs and fuel rationing have affected farmers’ productivity, but Myanmar has little capital to replenish these stocks.
8 Apr 2026 - 8:05PM
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The Philippines
Philippine lawmakers’ call for oil deals with China prompts warnings of ‘a trap’
However, some analysts say that if both sides can agree on equitable oil and gas production, Filipinos could benefit from lower prices.
8 Apr 2026 - 5:43PM
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Workers maintain well-drilling facilities on a Chinese offshore oil platform in the northern waters of the South China Sea. Photo: Xinhua
Malaysia
Iran ‘does not forget its friends’ as Malaysia-linked ships pass through Hormuz
The move signals Tehran’s use of access to Hormuz as leverage, analysts say, while drawing scrutiny over Malaysia’s oil transfers.
7 Apr 2026 - 7:52PM
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Singapore
Singapore set to be hit by global energy crisis as it unveils countermeasures
Among the measures, the government announced an increase of US$155 to a cost-of-living cash payment to eligible Singaporeans.
7 Apr 2026 - 6:20PM
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The Philippines
Why high fuel costs could accelerate the Philippines’ EV boom
Vietnam’s VinFast is seizing the moment by offering incentives for drivers to make the switch from petrol-powered vehicles to electric.
7 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM
A person on an electric scooter passes a jeepney at a transport terminal in Quezon City on March 19. The Philippines is grappling with a national energy emergency triggered by the war in Iran. Photo: EPA
Thailand
Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times
Police are investigating alleged oil hoarding in southern Thailand and reselling to nearby countries, citing ‘abnormal’ vessel movements.
6 Apr 2026 - 8:04PM
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Malaysia
Can palm biodiesel be Malaysia’s quick fix for soaring fuel prices?
Infrastructure costs, supply chains and industry readiness could pose problems for wider adoption of biodiesel blends, analysts say.
6 Apr 2026 - 6:49PM
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US, Israel war on Iran
Fuel, food and fury: how the Iran war could topple South Asian governments
Analysts warn the crisis is threatening to spill over into wider economic and political instability.
5 Apr 2026 - 1:30PM
India
India turns to ‘trusted friend’ Russia for oil supply as Iran war energises ties
The two sides aim to keep their energy trade flowing despite sanctions while balancing against the US and China, analysts say.
5 Apr 2026 - 2:32PM
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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi in December. Photo: AFP
Thailand
Thailand’s fishing industry fights for survival as Iran war hits fuel costs
Half of the fleet is already docked as the fishing association warns the whole sector may ‘collapse like dominoes’.
5 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM
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US, Israel war on Iran
UAE squeezes Iranian economic lifeline in retaliation for attacks
The UAE has quietly banned most Iranians from entering the country or transiting its airports, and cracked down on IRGC-related networks.
4 Apr 2026 - 3:00PM
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South Korea
South Korea and Indonesia’s fighter jet is ready. But will it sell?
Only a handful of nations have ever built a supersonic fighter jet from the ground up.
4 Apr 2026 - 10:00AM
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