Unpack Asia

Malaysia’s US trade deal: what it means for SMEs, exporters and manufacturers

Pact offers improved access for Malaysian exporters and makes US products more affordable for businesses, consumers

None of the digital banks in Singapore, including GXS Bank, MariBank and Trust Bank, have become profitable yet.

Digital banks in South-east Asia face profit pressure as rates slump and credit risks rise

Preserving deposits and embedding products within ecosystems could prove vital, say market watchers

Questions remain over whether a handful of family offices can generate enough economic activity to revitalise the Forest City mega development.

From ghost town to potential wealth magnet: 6 family offices get green light to operate in Forest City

Malaysia hopes these SFOs can give the zone an economic purpose beyond a cautionary tale

At the launch of the Philippines' Asean chairmanship logo, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s address omitted any mention of the South China Sea and instead centred on the use of AI.
OUTLOOK 2026

Old, new, borrowed and blue: What are the Philippines’ priorities as it chairs Asean anew?

Twin crises of the South China Sea and the Myanmar conflict aside, Manila’s chairmanship comes with the responsibility of engaging Timor-Leste

Floodwaters in North Sumatra. Heavy rains in Indonesia have battered core production hubs for commodities including palm oil and pulp paper.

Where the flood line meets the bottom line for storm-hit South-east Asia

With climate volatility escalating, the region’s hard-won economic resilience is now on thin ice

A collage showing G-Dragon (in red, at the top) as well as the Vietnamese artistes from two celebrity-driven music variety shows.

Singing all the way to the bank: Vietnam’s pop culture is big business

The country’s entertainment giants YeaH1 and DatVietVAC are cashing in as pop culture explodes

Behind the Malaysian currency’s outperformance lies a more muted regional showing, with its South-east Asian counterparts breaching record lows and its East Asian peers grasping onto slim year-to-date gains against the US dollar.

Ringgit’s winning streak masks Asia’s currency weakness

Philippine peso and dong breach record lows; rupiah, won and yen continue slide

In Demak alone, three villages have been lost to rising waters in the past decade, with one completely submerged last year, forcing more than 100 families to relocate.
ASIA UNPACKED

‘Fighting the sea every day’: Indonesia’s US$80 billion bid to save sinking Java coast

As rising seas threaten Indonesia’s industrial belt, the government is counting on a 500 km seawall to keep its economic engine afloat

Malaysian property giants, such as Gamuda Land, S P Setia and UOA, are planning integrated developments in Vietnam, capitalising on its rapid growth and rising middle class.

Vietnam beckons Malaysia’s property bigwigs with urban boom, reforms and rapid growth

Developers known for large townships and high-rises have ramped up their presence in the fast-growing market since the pandemic

More Vietnamese conglomerates are likely to seek new business undertakings in infrastructure such as transport projects, amid a government push to upgrade.

Philippine, Vietnam conglomerates to invest US$185 billion in fresh ventures over next decade

Strategic national goals in renewable energy and infrastructure will underpin new business areas: S&P Global Ratings