Asia Economics Weekly Vietnam export boom continues, Thai deflation risks GDP growth in Vietnam held firm at 8.2% y/y in Q3, underpinned by resilient exports despite the 20% US tariffs introduced in August. The strength of the export sector likely reflects increased re... 10th October 2025 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Korea defence spending boost, Thailand stimulus South Korea this week confirmed plans to lift defence spending by 8.2% in 2026, the sharpest rise in nearly 20 years, as US pressure pushes allies to shoulder more of their own security burden. Korea... 3rd October 2025 · 7 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Indonesia-EU trade deal, Taiwan flaunts chips weapon Indonesia’s announcement of a trade deal with the European Union provided respite this week for a government that has been on the defensive with investors over the direction of policy. But it’s... 26th September 2025 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Indonesia concerns shift to budget, CBSL to resume easing Indonesia’s latest budget for next year points to a slight widening of the deficit, compared with its earlier estimate. This, along with a statement today from the new finance minister, who called the... 19th September 2025 · 5 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Does turmoil in Indonesia lift or lower chances of a rate cut? Bank Indonesia will meet next week under the cloud of recent protests and the sacking of respected Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. We expect officials to hold fire from further easing, not... 12th September 2025 · 7 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Deflation concerns should pass Outside of China, there is no immediate threat of any other country in Asia falling into a prolonged period of deflation. Nevertheless, inflation across the region should remain low, which will give... 5th September 2025 · 5 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Encouraging signs of economic turnaround in Korea The monthly activity data released over the past week suggest that Korea’s economy made a decent start to the third quarter. Stronger consumption and rising government spending should support growth... 29th August 2025 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: A close call in Korea, BI’s surprise cut While most analysts expect the Bank of Korea to keep rates unchanged at Thursday’s meeting, we are forecasting a cut. Although GDP growth rebounded last quarter, the poor prospects for construction... 22nd August 2025 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Malaysian growth to slow, Indonesia’s 2026 budget Malaysia’s economy grew by 4.4% y/y in Q2 as strong investment was offset by weak exports. Looking ahead, growth is likely to slow in the near term as planned fiscal tightening and subdued global... 15th August 2025 · 7 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Trump targets pharma, chips and India Malaysia and Taiwan are the two countries in Asia most exposed to Trump’s threatened 100% tariffs on semiconductors. However, exemptions for companies with production facilities in the US and limited... 8th August 2025 · 6 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Trump's tariffs and what they mean for Asia Most countries in Asia will face tariffs of 15–25% on their exports to the US. While the tariffs are higher than we initially assumed, the impact on most countries will be manageable since they won’t... 1st August 2025 · 7 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Thai-Cambodia border clashes, more trade deals agreed Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have led to falls in Thai financial markets, but the broader economic fallout should be modest. Other risks, which include deflation, political uncertainty... 25th July 2025 · 9 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Lessons from the Indonesia and Vietnam trade deals With Indonesia joining Vietnam this week in securing a trade deal with the US, there are some important implications for the rest of the region. One is that the strength of a country’s negotiating... 18th July 2025 · 7 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Tariff uncertainty to drag on, export boom won’t last The reciprocal tariff rates announced this week as part of Liberation Day 2.0 were largely unchanged from April, though a few smaller countries in South East Asia saw their rates cut. While the lack... 11th July 2025 · 8 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Vietnam trade agreement eases worst-case fears The newly agreed US–Vietnam trade agreement should help preserve Vietnam’s competitive edge in the region, but the overall impact will also depend on how other countries in Asia are treated. Meanwhile... 4th July 2025 · 7 mins read
Asia Economics Weekly Asia Weekly: Korean consumer boost, political trouble in Thailand While retail sales in Korea remain just over 2% below pre-pandemic levels, there are growing signs the worst is behind us. Consumer sentiment has rebounded sharply following the recent presidential... 27th June 2025 · 6 mins read
