The Business Times
business-time-50
Asean Business logo
SPONSORED BYUOB logo
SUBSCRIBERS

Double trouble for Asean exporters as Trump’s tariffs, currency swings bite hard

The Taiwan dollar’s record-breaking rally and sharp gains across regional currencies are piling more pressure on exporters, with Thailand among the most vulnerable

Summarise
google-preferred-sourceAdd BT as a preferred source
Goh Ruoxue

Goh Ruoxue

Published Wed, May 7, 2025 · 10:49 AM
    • Thailand, the second-largest exporter of rice, is among the most vulnerable across the region to sharp currency spikes, which will hurt its exports over time.
    • Thailand, the second-largest exporter of rice, is among the most vulnerable across the region to sharp currency spikes, which will hurt its exports over time. PHOTO: REUTERS

    DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.

    [SINGAPORE] South-east Asia’s exporters are facing a double whammy: a fresh surge in regional currencies in May and the looming end of US President Donald Trump’s 90-day tariff pause in July.

    Export-oriented economies facing potential new US levies and already grappling with structural competitiveness issues are especially at risk, warned experts.

    Thailand stands out on all three counts as among the most vulnerable across the region to sharp currency spikes, which will certainly hurt exports over time, said MUFG Bank’s senior currency analyst Michael Wan.

    Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free.

    Asean BusinessCurrenciesTrump tariffsDonald TrumpUS tariffsSingapore dollarRinggitrupiahbahtexports

    Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.

    Reuse this contentFeedback

    TRENDING NOW

    Malaysia Madani, or Civil Malaysia, is Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's slogan encapsulating positive values (such as humanity and strong governance) that would shape policy direction. But the "corporate mafia" claims have now cast the spotlight on governance credibility.

    From 1MDB to ‘corporate mafia’: Is Malaysia facing a new governance test?

    While residential property has delivered solid gains, observers say other assets such as equities often outpace it over the longer term.

    Higher costs, lower returns: Why are Singaporeans still betting on real estate?

    Malaysia ranks 23rd globally on the Milken Institute’s global opportunity index.

    South-east Asian markets account for 8.8% of global capital inflows from 2021 to 2024: report

    Eu Yan Sang group chairman Richard Eu has been with the company since 1989 and has seen plenty of change over the years, such as how employees view their jobs.

    Richard Eu on how core values, customers keep Singapore’s TCM chain Eu Yan Sang relevant

    Latest T-bills Treasury Bills Results & Interest NewsLatest SSB Singapore Savings Bonds NewsLatest COE Certificate of Entitlement News
    Latest Johor-Singapore SEZ NewsLatest BTO Build To Order & Sales of Balance NewsLatest STI Straits Times Index NewsLatest SGX Dividends, Share Price NewsLatest Bonds Market NewsLatest Singapore Stocks To Buy NewsLatest Singapore Economy News
    View More