Asean finance

Investing? Look beyond S&P 500, says The Library of Mistakes’ founder

BT exclusive: The concept dedicated to the study of financial history comes to Singapore in 2027

A rice paddy field in Hoi An. Vietnam's 14.7 million ha of forest absorbs around 70 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually; agriculture, particularly rice cultivation, could yield up to 57 million credits per year.

Vietnam-Singapore carbon credit pact: A defining test for Asean green finance

More than a bilateral deal, this collaboration is a test for both countries to anchor themselves in the global carbon economy

At the heart of the concern is whether Vietnam’s civil law foundation and its stringent financial controls can meet the complex demands of global investors and businesses without radical adaptation.

Vietnam’s international financial centre vision confronts reality of legal and market gaps

Its financial ecosystem is still seen as fledgling and shallow, while its stock market is still classified as a frontier market by MSCI

On Malaysia, investors have stayed confident in economic fundamentals being more resilient than what market performance suggests, says Macquarie’s head of Malaysia research.

Sea, Grab, Mandiri are Asean’s most-watched stocks: Macquarie

Resumption in investment cycle to boost the region’s corporate performance, but macro tailwinds remain uneven

A growing number of private sector players are jumping into projects related to the Asean Power Grid – the bloc's effort to link up its 10 members' power systems by 2045.
BRUNCH

Asean Power Grid: Can South-east Asia finally plug into a shared power future?

Cross-border clean energy projects are gaining momentum, with 2025 shaping up as a breakthrough year – if politics and money align

Novan Amirudin (left), group chief executive officer of CIMB, says: “Tariffs are one factor that would impact a company’s or a bank’s financials, but it’s how we then choose to play with the different levers to offset that situation that is the important part.”

Instead of being a universal bank across Asean, CIMB wants to have a niche in each market, says group CEO

This strategy will help the lender mitigate some impact from US’ tariff policies

From left: Vira-Anong Chiranakhorn Phutrakul, deputy CEO and head of wholesale banking, UOB Thailand; Richard Maloney, president and CEO, UOB Thailand; Peerapat Srisukont, managing director of industrial business, Frasers Property Thailand; Kriangkrai Pokanukrom, first senior vice-president, financial reporting, Frasers Property (Thailand) Public Company Ltd.

UOB Thailand, Frasers Property team up to help companies expand in Asean

The companies will jointly identify and support foreign direct investment opportunities, particularly for firms seeking to establish or expand operations in key industrial zones in the region

Asean country flags in Laos, ahead of last month's clutch of Asean summits. Total fintech investment into Asean stood at US$1.41 billion in the first nine months of 2024.

Singapore leads Asean in fintech investment and deals for 9M 2024: report  

Thailand rises to second place for the period, surpassing last year’s runner-up Indonesia 

Harish Venkatesan, head of corporates and business banking, HSBC Singapore (left), and Kelvin Teo, co-founder and group CEO, Funding Societies.

Funding Societies secures third credit facility from HSBC, taps latter’s US$1 billion Asean war chest

The new facility is expected to increase the digital finance platform’s reach in financing micro, small and medium enterprises in Asean

Richard Yorke, head of global corporate and investment banking for Asia-Pacific at MUFG, says that the bank's ability to provide clients with a complete range of solutions sets it apart from other foreign or local competitors.

MUFG looks to leverage regional partners to grow Asean corporate banking business 

Bank’s network in S-E Asia said to give it strong local capabilities and thus a ‘huge competitive advantage’