https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/ THE BUSINESS TIMES - Find latest business and financial news including analysis and opinion on top business stories, stock markets in Singapore, Asia-Pacific and global market news and more at The Business Times. en-US https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/favicon.ico https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/ 32 32 https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/vietnams-northern-provinces-not-hanoi-or-ho-chi-minh-city-are-powering-near-10-gdp-growth Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:56:39 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/vietnams-northern-provinces-not-hanoi-or-ho-chi-minh-city-are-powering-near-10-gdp-growth The country’s economic acceleration is showing up far beyond its two biggest cities https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/indonesian-parliament-agrees-higher-severance-benefits-new-labour-law Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:47:55 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/indonesian-parliament-agrees-higher-severance-benefits-new-labour-law Employers can no longer “easily” lay off workers on the grounds of cost efficiency https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/thai-inflation-accelerates-again-floods-adding-price-risk Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:19:43 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/thai-inflation-accelerates-again-floods-adding-price-risk Despite the pickup, inflation remains within the Bank of Thailand’s 1% to 3% target range https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/asean-faces-widening-electricity-security-challenges-amid-rising-demand-iea-report Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000 Shikhar Gupta Asean Companies & Markets Energy & Commodities International /international/asean/asean-faces-widening-electricity-security-challenges-amid-rising-demand-iea-report Electricity demand in the region is expected to grow an average annual rate of 5.4% till 2030 https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/akzo-nobel-sell-south-east-asia-paints-business-nippon-paint-us1-35-billion Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:14:02 +0000 Companies & Markets Asean International /companies-markets/akzo-nobel-sell-south-east-asia-paints-business-nippon-paint-us1-35-billion The Dutch company says it will now focus on its merger with US coatings maker Axalta https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/clean-kinetics-breaks-ground-s2-5-million-solar-project-sats-thailands-central-kitchen Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:35:13 +0000 Goh Ruoxue Asean International /international/asean/clean-kinetics-breaks-ground-s2-5-million-solar-project-sats-thailands-central-kitchen The installation will generate some 3.46 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity a year https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/singapore-9-month-investment-banking-fees-hit-5-year-high-us693-8-million Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:11:36 +0000 Deon Loke Singapore Asean Companies & Markets International /singapore/singapore-9-month-investment-banking-fees-hit-5-year-high-us693-8-million M&A fees lead expansion, surging 23.7% to US$256 million https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/malaysian-firms-turn-short-term-borrowing-cash-buffers-shrink-bank-negara Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:42:03 +0000 Tan Ai Leng Asean International /international/asean/malaysian-firms-turn-short-term-borrowing-cash-buffers-shrink-bank-negara Middle East conflict pressures hit trade, construction and manufacturing, with small firms most at risk https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/global/thailand-cracks-down-foreigners-tourist-paradise-reconsiders-its-welcome Mon, 05 Oct 2026 05:50:10 +0000 Global Asean International Lifestyle /international/global/thailand-cracks-down-foreigners-tourist-paradise-reconsiders-its-welcome Protests under the slogan ‘Take Back Thailand’ reflect local anxiety about visitors exploiting rules for long-term stays and profit https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/malaysia-plans-first-ai-law-2027-scrutiny-intensifies Mon, 05 Oct 2026 05:10:16 +0000 Asean International Startups & Tech Technology /international/asean/malaysia-plans-first-ai-law-2027-scrutiny-intensifies Authorities are drafting an AI Act and building mechanisms to enforce rules governing the technology https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/global/asia-front-line-economic-risk-if-ai-boom-turns-bust-study Mon, 05 Oct 2026 04:27:14 +0000 Global Asean International Startups & Tech Technology /international/global/asia-front-line-economic-risk-if-ai-boom-turns-bust-study The region is ‘particularly exposed’ as it is at the centre of global supply chains, it adds https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/philippine-power-giant-first-gen-rebuffs-foreign-offers-plans-us2-6-billion-expansion Sun, 04 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Rachel Ranosa-Joshi Asean International /international/asean/philippine-power-giant-first-gen-rebuffs-foreign-offers-plans-us2-6-billion-expansion Proposals from KKR and Barito Renewables reveal a valuation gap as the group prioritises renewable growth https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/energy-commodities/south-east-asias-lng-hunger-sparks-caution-over-volatile-prices-infra-gaps Sun, 04 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Sharanya Pillai Energy & Commodities Asean Companies & Markets International /companies-markets/energy-commodities/south-east-asias-lng-hunger-sparks-caution-over-volatile-prices-infra-gaps Observers call for faster shift away from ‘roller coaster’ fuel after major supply disruptions https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/singaporean-insider-trading-suspect-loses-extradition-fight Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:24:48 +0000 Asean International Singapore /international/asean/singaporean-insider-trading-suspect-loses-extradition-fight He faces six counts in the US of alleged securities fraud and money laundering offences https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/vietnam-nears-10-growth-economy-surges-posts-trade-surplus Sat, 03 Oct 2026 02:17:30 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/vietnam-nears-10-growth-economy-surges-posts-trade-surplus This is the fastest since Q3 2022 and beats the 8.7% median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of eight economists https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/prabowo-taps-tycoons-religious-leaders-presidential-advisers Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:12:08 +0000 International Asean /international/prabowo-taps-tycoons-religious-leaders-presidential-advisers The appointments filled a body that had been without members since the previous administration ended https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/indonesia-launches-pilot-commodity-export-monitoring-platform Fri, 02 Oct 2026 11:06:24 +0000 International Asean Companies & Markets Energy & Commodities /international/indonesia-launches-pilot-commodity-export-monitoring-platform National Data Intelligence will be rolled out gradually after starting with a selected group https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/jb-singapore-rts-link-delayed-month-due-safety-testing-needs-start-feb-2027 Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:14:24 +0000 Derryn Wong Asean International /international/asean/jb-singapore-rts-link-delayed-month-due-safety-testing-needs-start-feb-2027 All systems tests and trial runs are expected to be completed by the end of this year https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/singapore-launchpad-part-aseans-deep-tech-and-ai-advancement-heng-swee-keat Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:39:16 +0000 Elysia Tan Singapore Asean International /singapore/singapore-launchpad-part-aseans-deep-tech-and-ai-advancement-heng-swee-keat The Republic has many strengths, from its rule of law to its tax framework, he says https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/gcash-parent-mynt-prices-us845-million-ipo-set-bolster-philippine-share-market Fri, 02 Oct 2026 05:14:53 +0000 Asean Capital Markets & Currencies Companies & Markets International /international/asean/gcash-parent-mynt-prices-us845-million-ipo-set-bolster-philippine-share-market This will lift the country’s bourse, where funds raised in 2026 fell 71% on the year as at Sep 29 https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/only-common-thing-s-e-asia-we-all-eat-rice-ciscos-asean-president Fri, 02 Oct 2026 03:17:11 +0000 Lionel Lim Asean International /international/asean/only-common-thing-s-e-asia-we-all-eat-rice-ciscos-asean-president Tay Bee Kheng says her role is to help the US company understand this region in a simplified manner https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/pandora-opens-us150-million-vietnam-plant-singapore-hub-drives-asia-growth Fri, 02 Oct 2026 02:39:35 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/pandora-opens-us150-million-vietnam-plant-singapore-hub-drives-asia-growth The jeweller’s first manufacturing base outside Thailand is aimed at raising production and resilience  https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/malaysias-f1-return-low-cost-second-chance-possible-singapore-boost Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Shikhar Gupta Asean International Lifestyle /international/asean/malaysias-f1-return-low-cost-second-chance-possible-singapore-boost Opportunity to fix a ‘mistake’ could open the door to a permanent return for Malaysian race https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/indonesias-prabowo-appoints-new-foreign-minister Thu, 01 Oct 2026 09:53:11 +0000 International Asean /international/indonesias-prabowo-appoints-new-foreign-minister The appointment of Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir is expected to mark a shake-up at the ministry https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/malaysia-aviation-group-acquire-sepang-aircraft-engineering-airbus Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:54:25 +0000 Tan Ai Leng Asean International /international/asean/malaysia-aviation-group-acquire-sepang-aircraft-engineering-airbus The combined capabilities allow MAG to offer expanded aircraft maintenance services across Asean and beyond https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/thai-airways-battles-10000-bag-backlog-after-bangkok-floods Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:42:42 +0000 International Asean /international/thai-airways-battles-10000-bag-backlog-after-bangkok-floods The airline is also reducing flights while operations recover https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/billion-dollar-business-plan-dfi-expand-starbucks-footprint-thailand-vietnam Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:23:32 +0000 Shikhar Gupta Asean Companies & Markets Consumer & Healthcare International /international/asean/billion-dollar-business-plan-dfi-expand-starbucks-footprint-thailand-vietnam DFI will also have full operational control of operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Macau and Laos https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/bangkok-floods-bring-instant-pain-debt-laden-households Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:19:28 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/bangkok-floods-bring-instant-pain-debt-laden-households The capital and its surrounding provinces generate roughly half of Thailand’s economic output https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/indonesia-posts-biggest-trade-surplus-nearly-year-us3-55-billion-august Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:16:23 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/indonesia-posts-biggest-trade-surplus-nearly-year-us3-55-billion-august Exports rose 6.72% on a yearly basis in August to reach US$26.61 billion https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/malaysia-budget-2027-anwar-faces-cost-living-and-deficit-test-election Thu, 01 Oct 2026 03:08:04 +0000 Tan Ai Leng Asean International /international/asean/malaysia-budget-2027-anwar-faces-cost-living-and-deficit-test-election Analysts expect more household aid, but costly fuel subsidies could leave the prime minister with less room to spend https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/bt50/building-more-connected-and-sustainable-south-east-asia Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Singapore Asean International /singapore/bt50/building-more-connected-and-sustainable-south-east-asia The region’s next chapter of growth will depend increasingly on energy connectivity https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion-features/middle-power-moment-arrives-south-east-asia-not-asean Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:00:00 +0000 Opinion & Features Asean Columns International /opinion-features/middle-power-moment-arrives-south-east-asia-not-asean But it is to the region’s advantage that it is not a unified supranational power like the EU https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/asean-should-make-exception-non-interference-principle-education-says-indonesias-ex-trade-minister Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:15:24 +0000 Low Youjin Asean International Singapore /international/asean/asean-should-make-exception-non-interference-principle-education-says-indonesias-ex-trade-minister He says widening education gaps could weaken the bloc’s collective ability to ride geopolitical, tech shifts https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/thai-august-factory-output-rises-4-44-year-beating-forecast Wed, 30 Sep 2026 05:38:16 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/thai-august-factory-output-rises-4-44-year-beating-forecast [BANGKOK] Thailand’s manufacturing production index rose 4.44 per cent in August from a year earlier, the industry ministry said on Wednesday (Sep... https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/asean/former-malaysian-pm-mahathir-mohamad-101-admitted-hospital-observation Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:09:25 +0000 Asean International /international/asean/former-malaysian-pm-mahathir-mohamad-101-admitted-hospital-observation The reason for his admission is unclear, pending an official diagnosis