US President Donald Trump has delayed his so-called “reciprocal” tariffs once more, with the new deadline set for August 1, Statista reports.
Across the archipelagos and peninsulas of the wider ASEAN region, ESG is no longer confined to idealistic investor presentations. It is beginning to shape investment flows, boardroom decisions and national policy frameworks.
This tilt has been most pronounced in India’s expanding economic outreach to Southeast Asia under its "Act East" policy, which has evolved from a diplomatic slogan to a trade and connectivity strategy.
Cynics are even claiming the US president doesn’t want to push his controversial tariffs into the spotlight as the US reels from devastating flash floods in Texas that claimed over 100 lives in recent days.
As the global push for decarbonisation intensifies, liquefied natural gas - LNG - is emerging as a pivotal player in Asia’s energy transformation.
From 2017 to 2023, private equity and venture capital assets under management in Asia surged by 130%, significantly outpacing growth in Western markets.
India is one of the world’s major consumers of edible oil, with palm oil being the most popular. A significant portion of the country’s domestic demand is met through imports, primarily from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Asia's level of digital banking infrastructure has enabled it to challenge and even surpass traditional Western players such as Citi and HSBC in key regional markets.
Trump's confrontational approach to China, while superficially aligned with concerns within ASEAN, is neither strategic nor consultative. It is built more on spectacle than substance, more on division than dialogue.
While ETF markets in Asia have historically lagged behind those in North America and Europe in terms of depth and diversity, 2025 is witnessing a decisive maturing of the regional ETF ecosystem.
Asian growers are now tapping into global markets more aggressively than ever before.
Microsoft and Google recently announced multi-billion dollar investments to expand their existing facilities in Singapore, incorporating AI-ready infrastructure and renewable energy commitments.
In the event of an escalation, Beijing would likely call for restraint and push for a negotiated settlement. It may be doing so already behind the scenes. However, its silence or perceived tilt towards Tehran could provoke criticism from the West.
In a bold diplomatic stance, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim declared Malaysia’s support for Iran’s retaliation against Israel, citing the country’s right to defend its national dignity.
From energy security and trade disruptions to political polarisation and rising tensions among Muslim-majority nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia and nuclear armed Pakistan, the consequences for Asia could reshape regional dynamics.
Since President Putin announced partial mobilisation in September 2022, hundreds of thousands of Russian men – mainly in their 20s and early 30s – have fled the country to avoid being drafted. Many have ended up in Southeast Asia.
While he has not shied away from criticising Tokyo, Lee has sensibly signalled a willingness to compartmentalise some issues in order to foster cooperation on trade, technology and regional security.
What’s striking right now is how ASEAN is operating on two levels. Publicly, it champions inclusivity and dialogue. Privately, it’s hedging harder than ever.
In the face of renewed US protectionism and the use of tariffs as economic weapons, RCEP offers the Indo-Pacific region something far more strategic: a framework for resilience, integration and independence.
While fewer in number, some Asian nations have displayed clear signs of alignment or strategic proximity to China.