economy

SINGAPORE (Jan 30): The Federal Reserve has been happy to raise interest rates very slowly despite tight labour markets because of low inflation. However, there are now signs that the underlying pace of price rises is close to the Fed target. This means t

SINGAPORE (Jan 29): Small medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore appear to display an appalling lack of interest in taking their businesses beyond the city state, according to QBE’s annual survey of more than 400 local SME business leaders.

SINGAPORE (Jan 25): The fate of the world lies heavily in what happens in the 85% of the world's population that lives outside of North America and Europe, particularly Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

BEIJING (Jan 25): Just as the US throws up new barriers to cross-border commerce, its largest trading partner China is redoubling its efforts to seal free-trade agreements.

OSLO (Jan 22): Inflation is what could jolt the markets this year.

HONG KONG (Jan 17): Hong Kong retained its title as Asia’s most expensive rental city for expatriates, while Singapore fell further down the ranking due to a slower economy and fewer relocations, according to consultancy firm ECA International.

JAKARTA (Jan 4): Indonesia’s economy, the largest in Southeast Asia, hit a milestone last year by reaching US$1 trillion ($1.3 trillion), yet the mood wasn’t celebratory as the government continued to miss its revenue targets.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 4): Malaysia faces higher interest rates, currency risks and a contentious election battle in 2018 that will test Prime Minister Najib Razak’s grip on power.

LONDON (Jan 3): Factories across the globe warned they are finding it increasingly hard to keep up with demand, potentially forcing them to raise prices as the world economy looks set to enjoy its strongest year since 2011.

BEIJING (Jan 2): China starts three years of " critical battles" against debt, poverty and pollution in 2018 as policy makers also face rising US interest rates, renewed trade-war threats, and nuclear saber-rattling from North Korea.