Markets

China has accepted that its newfound economic clout as the world’s largest economy (in purchasing price parity terms) comes with responsibilities for economic leadership. Within two years, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank grew from a proposal put on the table...

The fluctuations of the oil prices, the Fed’s policy rate and the U.S. dollar are intertwined. In fall 2015/spring 2016, the Fed’s impending rate hikes will cause substantial turbulence in emerging markets. Until recently, oil prices were recovering. However, after...

Share of SMEs in the Thai economy Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the Thai economy. In 2012, there were 2.7 million SMEs in Thailand (see Figure 1) comprising 98.5% of total enterprises. In the same...

The world’s second largest economy, China made headlines when it became a part of two new banks in the Asia-Pacific region. The two new banks are a five member initiated BRICS-bank called ‘New Development Bank’ (NDB) and Beijing-led bank called...

EM again starts the week on the back foot, but losses are (for now) concentrated in the commodity currencies.  With commodities (except for iron ore) already under pressure again, this trend looks set to continue.  US jobs data Friday is...

The Canadian dollar is the worst performing major currency over the past month.  It has lost nearly 4.5% against the US dollar.  That brings its year-to-date loss to almost 12%.  The Canadian dollar is the worst performing major currency over...

Japan is at a momentous turning point. On 16 July 2015, the government of Shinzo Abe used its big majority in the House of Representatives to override objections from opposition parties and pass legislation permitting collective self-defence (CSD). However, this...

Bougainville went to the polls in May 2015 for the third Autonomous Bougainville Government election since the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement in 2001. The election was a significant political milestone for the region, marking the beginning of a...

1) S&P revised Brazil’s BBB- rating from stable to negative, 2) Banco de Mexico announced changes to its FX intervention program, which had been rumored since last week, 3) The Russian central bank has halted its daily USD purchases and...

SOEs contribute to 23.4 percent of industrial revenue and 21.6 percent of profits — a significant drop from more than 80 percent of both industrial revenue and profits at the start of the reform and opening up in the late...

At least embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is right about one thing. The current mess in Malaysian politics is the making of his greatest nemesis, Mahathir Mohamad, who led the Southeast Asian nation with an iron fist from 1981–2003....

There is a potential mega-battle brewing over trade rules and the provision of market economy status for China that could reach the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2016. Whether particular countries grant China market economy status has important implications for...

In late October 2013, the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee held a conference of Diplomatic Work with Neighbouring Countries in Beijing, where it unveiled new priorities under its New Neighbourhood Diplomacy guidelines. The new approach makes China’s neighbourhood, covering both...

EM assets start the week on a softer footing.  The China situation remains unsettled, with stocks on Monday posting their biggest one-day loss in eight years.  More support measures seem likely if the rout continues.  The calm in China equity...

The parliament of a representative democracy is essentially a mirror of the democracy’s society. Naturally, societies still entrenched in patriarchal constructs have male-dominated legislatures. While there is still a global underrepresentation by women in decision-making roles, the Indian Parliament in...