Markets

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has eased its policy stance, cutting interest rates before it was expected to do so. This generated unnecessary controversy from the media and market analysts, who alleged political pressure lowered policy rates. But the...

A pressing policy question facing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders at their summit in April 2015 and beyond is whether the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) can be sustained without more effective institutions. This article explores the link between...

After decades of the fastest economic growth in the world, China’s economy has started to slow down. This is perhaps inevitable, given an average annual growth rate of around 10% was sustained for almost thirty years following the economic reforms...

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Temasek, one of Singapore’s two sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), along with the Government Investment Corporation (GIC). Set up in 1974 as part of the newly independent city-state’s nation- building effort, Temasek has evolved...

India’s new government faces challenges for economic revival, but it also has a golden opportunity to build consensus for strong structural and fiscal reform.Restoring growth is paramount. In the last two years, growth has slipped below 5 percent, the lowest...

The US dollar is mixed.  It is mostly softer against the euro and sterling, paring yesterday's late gains.  It is firmer against the yen and Swiss franc amid cross rate developments. The US dollar is mixed.  It is mostly softer...

As the hard talks on Greece’s bailout start again, there is no time to lose. A compromise is possible. Before the weekend, Euro group president Jeroen Djisselbloem said that “Greece wants a lot but has very little money to do that....

The Chinese economy, one might think if one took most of the commentary on it seriously, is on a hiding to nowhere good. The growth rate is falling. Manufacturing is suffering over-capacity. The real estate bubble has burst, or it...

There are too many near-term uncertainties to make an outright directional call on EM. Between a looming deal for Greece, a fragile agreement in Ukraine, the bounce in commodity prices and fall in the dollar, we prefer to focus on...

The US dollar is little changed in Europe after a quiet Asian session.  Both the US and Canada are on holiday today.  The key focus it euro group meeting today as they discuss the terms of Greece's aid.   The...

As 2014 fades in the rear-view mirror, the Chinese economy exhibits two sharply conflicting trends: while economic growth continues to decelerate, the stock market is rising steadily. The capital market boom — which started mid-year and accelerated following the People’s...

There is a high degree of uncertainty in the global markets.  How deep into negative territory can nominal bond yields fall?  Has oil bottomed?  Are deflationary forces deepening? Will Greece remain within EMU, will the monetary union be stronger or...

China’s new government fund for venture capital has real potential to significantly promote China’s domestic entrepreneurship and innovation. But if access to the new funding is too easy, the projects main objective will be jeopardised. China’s new government fund for...

Since the launch of bold economic reforms in 1986, Vietnam has transformed itself from an impoverished and isolated economy into one of the fastest-growing and most open economies in the world. But it should not be complacent. It must undertake...

Over the last week, Russia (+10.3%), Hungary (+6.1%), and Czech Republic (+2.3%) have outperformed in the EM equity space as measured by MSCI, while Turkey (-3.5%), Korea (-3.1%), and Colombia (-3.0%) have underperformed. To put this in better context, MSCI...