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Asia Markets

Indonesia's consumer confidence rebounds to 118.5: fiscal stimulus filters through to the real economy, ASEAN domestic-demand narrative faces a key test

Bank Indonesia's consumer confidence index rebounded to 118.5 in August, ending six consecutive months of decline. Direct fiscal transfers and bank liquidity management are beginning to transmit to the real economy, but the manufacturing PMI remains in contraction territory, and the sustainability of the recovery depends on whether employment and income expectations can pick up the baton.

David Chen8 min read
Supply Chain Asia

From Cost Advantage to Strategic Pivot: How Vietnam Became the New Hub of Asian Supply Chain Restructuring

Geopolitical shifts and evolving cost dynamics are reshaping Asia's production networks, with Vietnam emerging as a key destination in the strategic relocation of supply chains, thanks to its multiple advantages. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the logic behind Vietnam's rise as a hub and its long-term implications for the regional industrial ecosystem.

Marcus Sterling6 min read
Asia Markets

Asia's construction industry sees a two-speed recovery: China slows down, while South Asia and Southeast Asia take over as growth engines.

The global construction market is seeing a modest recovery in 2026, but growth momentum is shifting from China to South and Southeast Asia. GlobalData's latest forecast shows that excluding China, global construction output will grow by 3.1%, while China's own long-term real estate adjustment is reshaping the regional landscape of Asia's construction industry.

Marcus Sterling5 min read
Policy & Trade

Celebrating Achievements, Confronting Challenges: The Regional Business Logic of the ASEAN Economic Community in the Next Decade

As the ASEAN Economic Community marks its tenth anniversary, regional integration has achieved historic milestones while also confronting new challenges posed by geopolitics, supply chain restructuring, and uneven development. This article examines the AEC's past, present, and future from an Asian business perspective, offering deep insights for regional corporate strategy.

Sarah Tan3 min read
Corporate Signals

Asia's New Reality: Why Global Enterprises Must Restructure Their Operating Models

BCG argues that global enterprises need a new operating model. Amid the restructuring of Asian supply chains, the rise of the digital economy, and geopolitical shifts, how can enterprises shift from prioritizing efficiency to prioritizing resilience? This article interprets the underlying logic of this transformation from an Asian perspective.

Li Wei4 min read
Executive Brief

APPEC 2025 Briefing: Asia's Oil Market Faces Three Major Structural Shifts

Based on Wood Mackenzie's briefing at APPEC 2025, this analyzes three major trends: the slowdown in global oil demand, the deepening import dependence of Asian refineries, and the structural shortage of refined oil products in the Pacific region.

Sarah Tan3 min read
Policy & Trade

Regional trade agreements become a buffer for Asia against Trump's tariffs.

Under Trump tariff pressure, RCEP and CPTPP are providing a buffer for Asian exporting countries through gradual tariff reductions, but the distribution of benefits is uneven. Starting from the case of Vietnam's seafood exports, this article examines how the two major agreements are reshaping regional supply chains and trade patterns.

Marcus Sterling5 min read
Executive Brief

Asia in a World of Supply Chain Shocks: Differentiation, Resilience, and Restructuring

Based on EY's "Global Economic Outlook Mid-2026," this analysis examines the divergent paths of Asian economies amid trade fragmentation, energy shocks, and the AI investment wave—from China's structural slowdown to India's growth leadership—revealing new dynamics in regional supply chains and capital flows.

Haruto Sato4 min read
Emerging Industries

Asian Unicorns: AI and Hard Tech Reshaping the Innovation Landscape

Based on the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2025, this analysis examines the dramatic shifts in the unicorn landscape from an Asian perspective: the rise of AI, China's pivot toward hard tech, India's adjustments, and Southeast Asian opportunities. It reveals the deeper forces driving regional innovation.

Sarah Tan6 min read
Corporate Signals

Global Enterprises Urgently Need to Reshape Operating Models: Strategic Evolution Under Asian Supply Chain Restructuring

Against the backdrop of global supply chain restructuring, digital transformation, and geo-economic fragmentation, BCG's 2025 report *Global Businesses Need a New Operating Model* sounds an alarm for multinational enterprises. This article examines the logic behind the failure of traditional operating models from an Asian perspective and explores how the new regional economic landscape centered on China, ASEAN, and India will compel companies to build entirely new operating paradigms.

Li Wei4 min read
Policy & Trade

US-Indonesia Trade Agreement and RCEP: Why Asian Supply Chains Need an Institutional Anchor

A US-Indonesia trade agreement was struck by a US Supreme Court ruling the day after it was signed, exposing the fragility of bilateral arrangements. This article analyzes how the RCEP, with its institutional framework and cumulative rules of origin, has become the true cornerstone of stability and resilience in Asian supply chains.

Li Wei4 min read
Executive Brief

Five Major Global Business Trends Reshaping Asia: From Supply Chain Restructuring to the AI Race

Based on the latest Euromonitor research, this article interprets five major global business trends from an Asian perspective: protectionism and supply chain restructuring, workforce transformation, the race for innovation investment, emerging market leaps, and the AI technology revolution, while analyzing their profound impact on regional industrial patterns and long-term competitiveness.

Amira Rozali6 min read
Supply Chain Asia

ASEAN Battery Industry Shifts from Resource Export to Manufacturing: Regional Industrialization Path and New Global Competition Landscape

ASEAN is transitioning from a raw material exporter to a battery manufacturing hub, and the 2026 ASEAN Battery Technology Conference marks the implementation of the regional industrialization strategy. This article analyzes how technical challenges, supply chain restructuring, and safety standards are reshaping the landscape of Asia's new energy industry.

Haruto Sato4 min read
Corporate Signals

Asia Pacific insurtech funding slashed to $4.1 billion: Capital shifting from "challengers" to "enablers"

Asia-Pacific insurtech funding dropped from $9.1 billion to $4.1 billion, with the number of deals halved. Capital shifted from digital insurers to technology providers, infrastructure, and platforms. India's share rose to 45%, while Singapore and Indonesia together accounted for 35%, and China's share declined. Embedded insurance and AI applications emerged as new growth drivers.

Haruto Sato3 min read
Asia Markets

Structural Shift Behind the Halving of Financing: Asia-Pacific Insurtech is Moving from 'Challenger' to 'Enabler'

Insurance technology financing in the Asia-Pacific region halved in 2022-2025 compared to the previous four years, but the flow of funds shifted from digital insurers directly challenging traditional insurance companies to technology infrastructure and platform companies. China's share declined, while India and Southeast Asia rose, driven by profound changes in regional insurance demand structure, regulatory environment, and innovation ecosystem.

David Chen4 min read
Executive Brief

Asia-Pacific InsurTech investment plummets: Funds shift to infrastructure and platforms

Insurance technology investment in the Asia-Pacific region halved from $9.1 billion in 2018–2021 to $4.1 billion in 2022–2025, with a corresponding decline in the number of transactions. Capital flows shifted from direct-to-consumer digital insurers to technology providers and infrastructure platforms. India, Singapore, and Indonesia absorbed the majority of capital, while China’s market position declined.

Li Wei3 min read
Executive Brief

Asia-Pacific Process Calibrator Market: Regional Opportunities and Competitive Dynamics under Supply Chain Restructuring

The Asia-Pacific process calibrator market is undergoing structural transformation: the pattern of import dependence is loosening, local suppliers are rising, and IIoT and multi-functional devices are driving product upgrades. Supply chain disruptions and certification fragmentation pose short-term challenges, but the wave of industrialization and replacement demand support long-term growth.

David Chen4 min read