Singapore grows 5.4% as manufacturing momentum eases
Advance third-quarter estimates show continued expansion, with a pullback in manufacturing from the previous quarter.
RBF NEWS / All stories
All stories
The latest RBF News briefings and explainers, across all five desks.
China’s factory PMI returns to expansion, but smaller firms lag
The September survey rose to 50.1, while employment and smaller-enterprise readings remained below the threshold.
India’s UPI scale puts payment security at the centre of inclusion
A Finance Ministry disclosure records 554.9 million onboarded users and outlines safeguards for the digital payments network.
Bank of Japan’s September decision highlights an inflation balancing act
The policy rate moved to around 1.25%, while published opinions reveal disagreement over the strength of domestic demand.
Australia sheds 39,300 jobs as September labour data soften
Part-time employment fell, while the statistics bureau urges caution over monthly volatility and survey changes.
Indonesia holds its policy rate while expanding currency hedging incentives
Bank Indonesia combines a 5.75% rate with measures aimed at capital inflows, lending and digital payments.
Viet Nam secures $666.74 million for trade links and coastal livelihoods
Three World Bank-backed projects target Hai Phong transport, Mekong roads and sustainable fisheries.
Malaysia’s advance GDP estimate shows 5.3% third-quarter growth
The early estimate points to continued expansion, with a fuller GDP release scheduled for November.
Asia-Pacific aid groups put early action at the centre of disaster funding
IFRC’s preparedness programme and El Niño warning highlight the economic value of protecting livelihoods before emergencies deepen.
Asia’s small-business challenge reaches beyond access to loans
ADB’s 2025 enterprise monitor connects finance with innovation, manufacturing and the resilience of everyday businesses.
Fiji inflation reaches 7.6% as Reserve Bank holds policy rate
A September policy decision highlights the balancing act between price pressures and economic growth.
Fiji’s next green finance challenge: turning policy into investment
Stronger data and a pipeline of eligible projects are central to moving sustainable finance from frameworks to funding.
Reserve Bank of Fiji announces $118 million government transfer
The transfer follows a reported $120.6 million profit for the financial year ended in July.
Fiji investor education event puts financial scams in focus
A World Investor Week event in Suva draws attention to fraudulent investment schemes and digital impersonation.
New guidelines set out how Fiji’s green finance taxonomy works
The Reserve Bank’s September guidance explains how financial institutions can assess eligible sustainable investments.
For founders, cash flow tells a different story from profit
A practical guide to the timing of cash, working capital and the questions to ask before expanding.
Beyond the donation: the questions that make giving more informed
Look at an organisation’s purpose, reporting and results to understand how a donation can support its work.
What a balance sheet can tell you about a business
Assets, liabilities and equity provide a snapshot. The more revealing questions often concern what has changed.
Singapore’s port handled a record 41.12 million containers in 2024
A January 2025 maritime review recorded rising cargo volumes, fuel sales and maritime business spending.
Singapore launched a global fintech network in October 2024
The MAS initiative combined international forums, advisory work, digital platforms and investment ambitions.
China’s initial 2024 GDP estimate showed 5% growth
The January 2025 release showed stronger fourth-quarter growth alongside continuing property-sector weakness.
China’s new-energy vehicle sales rose 29.4% in January 2025
Electrified vehicles gained share even as the overall automobile market slipped slightly from a year earlier.
India’s UPI processed 16.73 billion payments in December 2024
Government figures documented rapid payment-system growth, with annual UPI volume reaching about 172 billion transactions.
India counted more than 159,000 recognised startups in January 2025
The government’s nine-year review highlighted jobs, women directors and the spread of entrepreneurship beyond major cities.
Japan ended its negative-rate framework in March 2024
The Bank of Japan shifted to a short-term rate target while retaining support through government bond purchases.
Japan recorded 36.87 million visitor arrivals in 2024
January 2025 tourism estimates showed arrivals above both 2023 and the pre-pandemic 2019 benchmark.
Australia’s February 2025 rate cut followed progress on inflation
The RBA lowered its cash rate target to 4.10%, while remaining cautious about further easing.
Australia’s economy gained 0.6% in the final quarter of 2024
The March 2025 ABS release showed public and private spending supporting growth.
Indonesia recorded 5.03% growth in 2024
The February 2025 statistics release showed stable expansion and a large economic contribution from Java.
Bank Indonesia cut its policy rate to 6% in September 2024
The central bank paired monetary easing with support for lending, small businesses and digital payments.
Vietnam’s southern waterways secured US$107 million financing in 2024
The World Bank-backed project targeted freight efficiency, safer navigation and lower transport emissions.
Vietnam’s 2023 recovery credit linked business support and green reform
A US$263.9 million World Bank operation supported tax, childcare, digital services and energy reforms.
Malaysia’s 2024 expansion reached 5.1% as investment strengthened
The February 2025 release showed construction and capital spending supporting a stronger annual result.
Google announced US$2 billion Malaysia investment in May 2024
The plan combined a first Malaysian data centre and cloud region with AI education programmes.
Singapore community groups gain a new route to matched funding
Temasek Foundation’s 2024 plans paired practical financial tools with support for local community projects.
UNICEF mobilised water supplies after Typhoon Yagi hit Vietnam
The September 2024 response prioritised safe water for hospitals, households and schools in northern provinces.
Australian Red Cross reported resilient giving as household budgets tightened
Its June 2024 release showed continued donations alongside a fall in giving compared with an earlier period.
Indonesian women entrepreneurs built online sales skills through JICA project
A three-year partnership combined digital marketing, business training and individual mentoring for small enterprises.
India approved a 1,000-crore-rupee venture fund for space startups
The October 2024 Cabinet decision aimed to supply risk capital to companies across the space industry.
Japan selected 30 ventures for its new impact-startup programme
J-Startup Impact combined commercial growth support with help measuring social and environmental outcomes.
Thailand's economy, explained
One of Southeast Asia's largest economies runs on manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. A plain guide to how it fits together and the challenges ahead.
Why tourism matters so much to Thailand's economy
Tourism is one of the pillars of the Thai economy, supporting millions of livelihoods. Here is how it works, why it is powerful and where it is vulnerable.
Thailand as a manufacturing and export hub, explained
Sometimes called the 'Detroit of Asia', Thailand is a major base for carmaking, electronics and exports. A guide to how it got there and what comes next.
Small businesses and access to finance in Thailand
Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of Thai employment. A practical look at the financing hurdles they face and the tools now changing the picture.
Thailand's financial system and the Bank of Thailand, explained
From the central bank's role to a popular instant-payment network and the question of household debt, a guide to how money works in Thailand.