Getting business done in the Philippines has just become a whole lot easier.Jumping 29 spots in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 study – the biggest mover in ASEAN – the Philippines can attribute its rise from 124th to 95th to a variety of factors. Thailand and Myanmar were Southeast Asia’s other big movers after both shifted up six spots, while Singapore remains the best Southeast Asian nation in second.Released yesterday, the study is the 17th in an annual series that

ASEAN youths are highly aware of potential disruption and challenges brought on by technological advancement in the job market, requiring them to upgrade their skills regularly.

Despite rising trade tensions and geopolitical risks, half of ASEAN’s member states are among the top drivers of global growth.The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook released last week painted a bleak future for the global economy which is in a “synchronised slowdown” and is anticipated to grow 3.0 percent this year – the weakest since the 2008 global financial crisis. It is also a 0.3 percentage point downgrade from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook in April a

Digital consumers in ASEAN will be spending three times as much in 2025 according to a new study from Facebook and Bain & Company.The joint study by the social media giant and global management consultants released this week found that while consumers in Southeast Asia spent US$125 on average on online purchases in 2018, that sum is expected to more than triple to US$390 in 2025.Highlighting increasing choices, better internet access and rising affluence as factors that will continue

As if human rights abuses, corruption charges and deadly landslides haven’t hurt the industry enough, Myanmar’s multi-billion-dollar jade and gemstone industry now has to deal with the challenges of e-commerce.Myanmar produces 90 percent of the world’s jade and is a major player in the global gem economy, but poor regulations mean up to two-third of the country’s production is possibly not subjected to tax according to a report by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) in March.The

Singapore eased monetary policy for the first time in over three years Monday as the US-China trade war bites, while the export-reliant economy narrowly avoided recession in the third quarter.The financial hub's central bank joins others around the world, from Europe to the US, in loosening policy as fears mount of a global economic slowdown.The city-state has traditionally been the first among Asia's export-driven economies to be affected during a downturn, making it a closely watc

Offering investment opportunities in everything from zippers to bullet trains, Vietnam has long been recognised as a hub for foreign direct investment (FDI) – and a recent report has just confirmed that.The United States (US) News and World Report last month ranked Vietnam eighth in a list of 29 best economies to invest in, and the next closest ASEAN countries on the list were Malaysia (13th), Singapore (14th) and Indonesia (18th).

Selfie-snapping tourists railed against the closure of Hanoi's 'train street' on Thursday after police blocked off the Instragram-famous tracks for safety reasons.The narrow railway corridor in central Hanoi has become a hotspot among visitors seeking the perfect holiday snap on the tracks - often dodging trains that rumble through daily. But Hanoi authorities said this week they would block people from the tracks to avoid accidents, and police on Thursday erected barr

Singapore has dethroned the United States (US) as the world’s most competitive economy in yet another international survey.The Singapore government’s long-term vision and the country’s robust infrastructure and diverse workforce were among the factors which saw it edge the US in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index released yesterday.The US, which held top spot last year, dropped into second place this year – with Hong Kong moving up four spots in the list of 141 econ

More professionals are joining the gig economy to look for additional income or a change of pace in work. The gig economy refers to the hiring of independent contractors and short-term workers by businesses.