For decades, export manufacturing has played a critical role in powering remarkable socioeconomic development across Southeast Asia. Yet while several other Asian manufacturing economies have evolved into global leaders in advanced industries and innovation, most of Southeast Asia is still viewed primarily as a location for low-wage assembly work. The ten-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) now has a golden opportunity to move up the manufacturing value chai

Foreign direct investment (FDI) can significantly contribute to the sustainable development of both home and host countries in several important ways: through expanding access to markets, bringing in foreign exchange, contributing to skills development, human capital growth, technology transfer and increasing competition in local markets. It can also support industry upgrading and facilitate regional and global value chain integration of small and medium-sized enterprises. Co

Trade facilitation can help protect public health while minimizing disruptions to trade as a result of COVID-19. Crowded border posts and longer truck lines lead to delays during a time when efficiency and speed are of the utmost importance to respond to the pandemic. UNCTAD urges agencies to coordinate and cooperate within and among countries to ensure that critical goods reach consumers and hospitals, in coastal and landlocked countries in particular. Border agencies are im

If history tells us anything, crisis forges change. Like other pandemics throughout history, COVID-19 led to tectonic shifts in society, markets, and government policy. People and businesses are rethinking traditional work structures, while inflation concerns are rising amid trillions in stimulus injections. But what impact does this have on investors? To answer this question, this infographic from New York Life Investments pinpoints five trends to watch amid a COVID-19 recov

Investment flows plunged globally by 35% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. The fall was heavily skewed towards developed economies. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are expected to bottom out in 2021 and recover some lost ground with an increase of 10% to 15%, according to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2021, published on 21 June. FDI flows plunged globally by 35% in 2020, to $1 trillion from $1.5 trillion the previous year, the report says. Lockdowns caused b

Western European countries lead in the 2021 rankings, reflecting the resilience of economies in the face of the global COVID-19 health crisis. Switzerland has come top for the first time in the 33-year history of IMD’s World Competitiveness Ranking, in a year that reflected the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic competitiveness. Sweden came second (up from 6th last year) with Denmark in third spot (2nd in 2020) in a shakeup that saw European economies weather the hea

The EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) has published two papers calling for more progress on ASEAN’s regional economic agenda and linking a durable recovery from the pandemic to ASEAN’s Leaders, Trade and Finance Ministers putting in place specific measures to accelerate work on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The EU-ABC, which represents the interests of the European business community across Southeast Asia, cited concerns about the lack of progress on key elements of AS

We are pleased to share the latest FDI & Trade Intelligence News and Resources from across KW Group Networks & Partners - For daily updates follow us on LINKEDIN OFFICIAL MAY CHINA TRADE DATA. Analysis by John W. Miller, Chief Economic Analyst, Trade Data Monitor: Asia is really humming. Chinese exports of goods to top Asian trading partners boomed in May, suggesting that the continent is blowing past Europe and the U.S. in 2021 in the speed and scale of its recovery from the

Excellent new report by Simon J. Evenett and Johannes Fritz, Centre for Economic Policy Research outlining implications for national development policies, for deliberations on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, for the financing of FDI, and for the negotiation on investment accords. Sharp reductions in FDI inflows have occurred since the onset of the pandemic. The reality is that FDI was in trouble long before. This comes at a time when governments and civil soci

The 2021 FDI Report from FDI Intelligence outlines key regional factors driving FDI through the current turbulent times. Covid-19 has deeply shocked the world economy and global investment plummeted accordingly. However, a deeper look at the data published in The fDi Report 2021 reveals the many different nuances of this main narrative, and provides valuable guidance for the years to come. In 2020, both the number of FDI projects and capital investment in FDI dropped by a thi

Silicon Valley sets the gold standard as a tech hub, so there is little wonder that so many locations around the world are attempting to emulate its success. Investment Monitor assesses the challengers. The democratisation of tech ecosystems has seen the rise of Asia-Pacific as the home to some of the world's leading tech hubs. According to Startup Genome, the region now plays host to 30% of the world’s top ecosystems, compared with 20% in 2012. Of the 11 new ecosystems to ha

CREDENTIALS - KW Group Asia: FDI, Trade Innovation & Digitalisation Consulting & Events Since 2010 Did you know that by 2030 65% of the worlds middle-class consumers will be found in Asia and it is forecast that ASEAN will become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a roughly $4 trillion USD consumer market? "ASEAN is poised to become a dramatic consumption opportunity, driven by four mega-forces: strong demographic trends; rising income levels; geopolitical shifts increas

McKinsey highlights five growth levers for emerging ASEAN and show how they could boost recovery in countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia Emerging ASEAN (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) began the crisis at a disadvantage, and COVID-19 exposed and often heightened their challenges. Larger, developed nations generally have the resources and infrastructure to weather the pandemic’s impact. Some emerging ASEAN countries were unable to mount stimulus pr

Switzerland tops the GlobalData Country Risk Index as the world's least risky country, while Venezuela ranks bottom, but what does the risk factor mean for a location's FDI inflows? Key findings from assessing the relationships between a country's risk score and FDI and GDP per capita: - Switzerland tops the ranking as the least risky country. - Venezuela is the riskiest country. - FDI and GDP per capita are negatively correlated against country risk. - More successful FDI co

New economic data from across the APEC region shows a softer economic contraction of 1.9 percent in 2020, with continued fiscal measures leading to a rise in government consumption and improved investment and household consumption. According to the latest APEC Regional Trends Analysis, household consumption, APEC’s main driver of growth, improved to -3.9 percent in the second half of 2020 on a year-on-year basis, as compared to -7.0 percent in the first half of last year. Inv

World trade’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis hit a record high in the first quarter of 2021, increasing by 10% year-over-year and 4% quarter-over-quarter, according to UNCTAD’s Global Trade Update released on 19 May. According to the report, the impressive rebound in Q1 2021 continued to be driven by the strong export performance of East Asian economies, whose early success in pandemic mitigation allowed them to rebound faster and to capitalize on booming global demand for

At KW Group we are continually looking for new and innovative ways to help Governments & Businesses become globally connected. Our virtual trade mission programs play an important role in supporting expansion in international markets and to increase exports. CASE STUDY: UAE - MALAYSIA TRADE MISSION Organised by KW Group in 2018 as the first major trade & investment mission in ASEAN by the UAE Government the mission was led by His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minis

The outlook for foreign investment is beginning to look a bit brighter after more than a year of severe shock from COVID-19. The pandemic affected output and trade, and caused global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to fall by more than 40 percent. While global trade rebounded in the second half of 2020, FDI remained weak. But with the global economy expected to grow by 4 percent in 2021, foreign investors may be ready to plan for future expansion—with caution. Results

China preliminary data for April (release by Major Products & by Country/Region) and below TDM insight by John W. Miller, Chief Economic Analyst - Trade Data Monitor For years, economists marveled at China’s history-shaping growth in manufacturing exports. But as this April’s trade data from Beijing illustrates, it’s time to start paying more attention to the ballooning of shipments to China. Chinese imports in April increased 43.1% year-on-year to $221.1 billion, the biggest

In the pandemic’s second year, some familiar worries -- about inflation, capital flight or public debt -- are starting to surface across the developing world. Except in one corner. In Asia, policy makers aren’t too preoccupied with these classic emerging-market problems. Their economies look increasingly like they’ve emerged. Asian Exception In the pre-pandemic decade, Asian economies posted much faster growth and lower inflation rates than their emerging-market peers That’s