In 2022, the geopolitical tensions caused by the war in Ukraine, slowing growth in the Chinese economy and sharp rises in energy and food prices led to a significantly higher inflationary outlook globally. These factors all added to the risks confronting Vietnam as its economy recovered from its lengthy Covid-19 lockdowns. Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu […]Continue Reading
China will have to pay more to buy coal from Mongolia, which says it will stop shipping its solid fuel to China directly from February and instead sell it through auctions. Mongolia will also use border price, instead of pithead price, to sell its coal starting Wednesday, meaning that the new price will include the transportation […]Continue Reading
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr trumpeted the particular Philippines’ fastest economic growth rate within recent memory in the World Economic Discussion board in Davos within a bid to stoke new investor interest in his country. Based on the latest data launched by the Philippine Stats Authority (PSA), the Southeast Asia nation’s gross domestic item (GDP) expanded […]#@@#@!!Continue Reading
The oil “price cap” of US$60 per barrel for Russian oil is a controversial move by the European Union and G7. The price cap prohibits Western insurers and shipping companies, which account for more than 90% of the marine insurance industry, from servicing vessels that carry Russian oil above $60 per barrel. The intention is lofty — […]Continue Reading
Despite Western media reports that the Netherlands would follow the US guidelines on technology exports to China, ASML’s chief executive Peter Wennink said Wednesday that the company would probably maintain its level of exports to mainland China this year. ASML’s sales of chipmaking equipment to China rose from about US$700 million in 2016 to US$2.8 […]Continue Reading
Indonesian Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia suggested that Indonesia is looking into forming an OPEC-style cartel for nickel and other inputs used in battery production. Nickel is becoming a hot commodity as it is a key input in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries needed for electric vehicles (EVs) — and Indonesia has the world’s largest nickel ore […]Continue Reading
In 2022, North Korea exported tensions through stepped-up missile tests and threats toward South Korea. It also kept a national quarantine that prevented official imports of economic goods in place, but ultimately failed to keep Covid-19 from infecting the country. North Korea achieved a record number of around 90 missile tests of various types and ranges, including […]Continue Reading
After nearly two years of military rule, Myanmar remains trapped in conflict, facing increasing political instability and a growing humanitarian crisis. While businesses and the labor market had already been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, post-coup instability has done even more damage to Myanmar’s economy. This began with a cash shortage, rapid depreciation of the kyat against […]Continue Reading
Copper is all around us. The metal is both ever-present and invisible in our world. Copper makes reading the words on this screen possible. And the global spread of artificial light, electric power and telecommunications all required ever-increasing quantities of copper. Where does all of this copper come from? How was it produced, distributed, controlled, […]Continue Reading
December 2022 highlighted how much US trade policy has changed in recent years. It is tempting to blame the changes on former US president Donald Trump, whose protectionist views were strongly held and clearly stated. Many observers have been surprised by the Biden administration’s continuation of many Trump policies, albeit with different rhetoric, which culminated […]Continue Reading