Other Briefings
Assessing Foreign Investment Prospects in ASEAN Through the Business Optimism Index
In recent years, ASEAN has become a hotbed for foreign investment. In 2014, ASEAN member states combined for over US$2.3 trillion in total GDP. Each ASEAN nation, however, present their own unique advantages and challenges for foreign investment. The ASEAN Business Optimism Index, released each quarter by Dun & Bradstreet, provides in-depth insight into business sentiment for the quarter ahead as measured by sales volume, net profit, selling price, new orders, inventory, and employment across sectors and industries.
Laos-Vietnam Border Trade Agreement Signed
A bilateral border trade agreement between Laos and Vietnam was signed on June 27, 2015 in Vietnam’s Nghe An Province.
State by State: ASEAN and Virginia Trade
ASEAN may not figure highly on the radar for businesses in Virginia, but exports to the South-East Asian bloc represent a one and a half billion dollar trade value, amounting to 5 percent of all Virginian exports. That amount is not to be sniffed at and suggests potential for development.
July 2015 ASEAN Regional Meetings
There are a number of important ASEAN regional meetings taking place in July, including the ASEAN-European Union Senior Officials’ Meeting taking place in Brussels, and the 7th Meeting of the High Level Task Force (HLTF) on ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision taking place in Singapore.
State by State: ASEAN and New York Trade
Trade between New York and ASEAN is a multi-billion dollar business and rapidly increasing, with the ASEAN nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines & Thailand particularly big markets. Singapore is the hub for shipping to these nations.
Regional Leaders Push for More Financial Integration in ASEAN Ahead of AEC
While the pace of ASEAN trade integration has progressed on schedule, financial integration is still not yet up to par. This is becoming of increasing importance as the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) nears its January 2016 implementation deadline. Regional leaders, such as Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have expressed their disappointment at the slow pace of the ongoing integration process.
State by State: ASEAN and California Trade
In this State by State article, we look at ASEAN’s bilateral ties with California, one of economically successful states in the US, and a major trade partner of the ten nation bloc.
Indonesian Yarn Manufacturers Seek Safeguards to Prevent Foreign Yarn Dumping
Led by the Indonesian Synthetic Fiber Association (ISFA), yarn manufacturers in Indonesia are petitioning their government to impose a temporary safeguard duty on imported yarn products.
State by State: ASEAN and Michigan Trade
In this State by State article, we look at ASEAN’s bilateral ties with Michigan, a state that has a small but dynamic trade relationship with the ten-nation bloc.
Thailand Economic Growth to be Curtailed in 2015, 2016 to be Brighter
Thailand’s central bank and HSBC have both lowered their growth forecasts for Thailand in 2015. However, both banks have raised their economic outlooks for 2016. In 2014, Thailand’s economy grew at its slowest pace in three years and has failed to recover so far this year.
