Expectations of business expansion among Singapore small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have sunk to the lowest since 2009, according to a quarterly survey by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and Experian that was announced on December 23.
Singapore (VNA)ꦰ – Expectations of business expansion amongSingapore small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have sunk to the lowestsince 2009, according to a quarterly survey by the Singapore BusinessFederation (SBF) and Experian that was announced on December 23.
All sixsectors polled for the latest SBF-Experian SME Index have scaled back theirexpansion plans for 2020, partly due to an uncertain economic environment,increased competition and rising cost pressures. Some 3,600 companies were surveyed for the next six months ofJanuary to June 2020 on their expectations in seven areas, including businessexpansion, turnover, profitability, capital investment, hiring, capacity utilisationand access to financing. Overall optimism dampened for the first half of 2020, with the indexfalling further to 50.4, compared to 50.6 in the previous survey for Q4 2019and Q1 2020. SBF Chief Executive Officer Ho Meng Kit said the survey was conductedbetween October 7 and November 15./.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) of Singapore said on November 23 that it decided to adjust the country’s economic forecast this year to 3-3.5 percent from an earlier prediction of 2-3 percent.
The Singapore economy is likely to end the year weaker than earlier expected in the context that the ongoing tension between the US and China has stalled three of the world’s growth engines — trade, manufacturing and investments, warned Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Managing Director Ravi Menon on June 27.
The Singapore economy is expected to grow 0.7 percent this year, up from 0.6 percent in the previous survey in September, according to the latest quarterly poll of professional forecasters by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) released December 11.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
Illustrative image (Photo: Reuters) 
