BANGKOK, June 25 (Reuters): Thailand's inflation will remain elevated this year but should fall back into the central bank's target range of 1-3% in the second quarter of next year, a bank official had announced, South-East Asia's second-largest economy is expected to return to its pre-pandemic level late this year or early next year, Sakkapop Panyanukul, a senior director at the Bank of Thailand, told a trade seminar. The BOT predicts headline inflation of 6.2% this year and 2.5% next year. Thailand's economy is expected to grow by 3% this year and 3.7% next year, driven by exports, increased domestic demand and a recovery in tourism, the state planning agency had said earlier. Exports, a key driver of growth, still had momentum despite the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the global economy, Danucha Pichayanan, head of the National Economic and Social Development Council, told a business seminar. "The Russia-Ukraine issue is a risk but it's also an opportunity, … [Read more...] about Thai inflation seen back to target in Q2 2023, says central bank; economy expected to grow by 3% in 2022
Brexit will be good for uk economy
UK PM Johnson may face new ouster effort after election loss
- A + A (June 25): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who survived a confidence vote just two weeks ago, is facing fresh threats to his leadership after his Conservative Party lost two key parliamentary seats, according to reports. Tory rebels seeking his ouster want to scrap the party’s rule that prevents another leadership poll from taking place for a year, the Times and the Telegraph reported. They’re organising to take over an internal panel of backbenchers known as the 1922 Committee that sets party rules on confidence votes, according to the reports. Andrew Bridgen, a Tory lawmaker, told GB News on Friday (June 24) that he would stand for the election to the executive of the 1922 Committee to try and change the rules. Nominations open next week and the vote could be the following week, he said. The rules can be altered at any time by a simple majority of the typically 18-member executive, according to the Telegraph. Graham Brady, the chairman of the … [Read more...] about UK PM Johnson may face new ouster effort after election loss
MC Pro Weekender | A new narrative
(Representative image: Reuters) Dear Reader, A whiff of change wafted through the markets this week. The focus shifted from worrying over inflation to concerns about growth. The advance Purchasing Managers Indices (PMIs) for the current month for the US and the Eurozone showed slowing growth, but while they indicated inflation was cooling in the US, it continued to rise relentlessly in the Eurozone. They also reflected stalling demand and falling business confidence. The New York Fed’s economic model predicted an 80 percent chance of a hard landing for the US. UK consumer confidence hit a record low. In China, housing starts and property transactions reached extreme lows. The worries over an imminent recession in the US, the UK and the Eurozone sent commodity prices sharply lower. Copper prices have moved down dramatically. My colleague Ravi Ananthanarayanan wrote about the dark clouds hovering over steel . Crude oil prices too fell. That dissipated some of the … [Read more...] about MC Pro Weekender | A new narrative
Cannabis vendor in central Thailand is making bank
One cannabis vendor in central Thailand is pretty happy about Thailand’s new cannabis laws. The vendor, 53 year old Khamphai, is bringing good vibes to local stoners in Ang Thong province, and over 1,000 baht a day to herself. Every day, Khampai rolls up to the Suwaphan Agricultural Market with her cart full of small cannabis plants. The market is in Ang Thong’s main city district, crowded with eager buyers. For the past 3 days, she has been able to to sell 100-200 plants for 150-180 baht each, raking in over a thousand baht each day. Khamphai buys the Cannabis plants from Thailand’s northeast province of Buriram, bringing them back down to Ang Thong to earn those bucks. Khamphai and her vendor have reportedly caused quite a stir at the market, since this is the first time many market-goers have seen someone openly selling the ‘happy plant’. But apparently, enough customers have grown fond of Khamphai’s business, because now she’s rolling in the dough. While 1,000 baht a day … [Read more...] about Cannabis vendor in central Thailand is making bank
Resolving worker shortage woes
AS you’re aware, there is a serious manpower situation that Malaysia is facing. Some are saying Malaysia is at breaking point. It’s feared that our country is missing a golden opportunity to capitalise on high palm oil prices and will suffer production losses because of the acute shortage of workers. What has been done? According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) report in 2015, up to 78% of the oil palm plantation workers are foreign workers, with most of them coming from Indonesia. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was no new arrival of foreign workers beginning from March 2020, and Malaysia recently opened its international borders on April 1, 2022. Due to the shortage of workers in the oil palm plantation sector, expected revenue losses are around RM20bil. ALSO READ: More foreign labour soon This has led to the Malaysian Cabinet to agree to a special exemption for the intake of 32,000 foreign workers for the palm oil sector in April 2022. As mentioned much … [Read more...] about Resolving worker shortage woes
Amid startup layoffs, larger job market remains buoyant across sectors
The larger job market in India remains buoyant across sectors – even amid layoffs by a clutch of startups in recent months – and employees will generally continue to call the shots through FY23. “We see FY23 to remain an employees’ market with some amount of adjustments. Employees still have the bargaining power, opportunities and enjoy the benefit of demand,” said RP Yadav, chairman of Genius Consultants, a staffing and human resource company. While information technology and IT-enabled services will continue recruiting, e-commerce, logistics and export-oriented sectors including textiles and leather goods are doing well in terms of hiring. The consumer goods sector will increasingly do well, as will the retail and hospitality segment, according to staffing firms, HR experts and talent managers. The near-normal level of economic activity in retail and hospitality is indicative of a revival in these sectors after a prolonged phase of weakness due to the pandemic and offers a … [Read more...] about Amid startup layoffs, larger job market remains buoyant across sectors
Cabinet pay cut will not solve rising cost of living issue, says Mahdzir
KUALA NERANG: A proposal for ministers to take a pay and allowance cut is not the solution that will help the people deal with the rising cost of living now, said Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (pic) . Instead, he said the situation should be addressed with more effective methods including those announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob regarding electricity tariffs and chicken prices. "The Prime Minister and his team in the Cabinet have put in a lot of effort, especially ministers who are directly involved with the economy and the prices of goods like the Finance Ministry and those related to the economy, commerce, agriculture and public works. "They meet twice weekly to discuss ways and find solutions like the one the Prime Minister announced yesterday (June 24) on the no increase in electricity tariffs and the decision not to float the market price of chicken,” he said to reporters after officiating the Sekolah Kebangsaan Tualak … [Read more...] about Cabinet pay cut will not solve rising cost of living issue, says Mahdzir
China backs renminbi settlement in new models of foreign trade
BEIJING (Xinhua): China's central bank has ramped up support for renminbi settlement in new forms and models of foreign trade to better serve the real economy and facilitate trade and investment. In a recent circular, the People's Bank of China improved policies for cross-border renminbi business in e-commerce and other new models of foreign trade. The business scope of payment institutions will be expanded from goods and services trade to current accounts, and risk prevention and control will be strengthened with clear requirements for authenticity verification and anti-money laundering work, among other issues. Effective July 21, the new policies will provide better financial services for trade companies, guide the healthy development of new trade models, and help stabilize the economy, according to the central bank. Apart from e-commerce, new forms and models of foreign trade also include market procurement, offshore trade, and overseas warehouses. China has stepped up … [Read more...] about China backs renminbi settlement in new models of foreign trade
Recruiters thrilled as myStarJob Fair allows closer interaction with jobseekers
KUALA LUMPUR: Recruiters from top companies in the country were elated to be able to find top talents during the myStarJob Fair 2022 held at the Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre here on Sunday (June 26). ExxonMobil human resources, talent acquisitions (Malaysia/Singapore) manager Azatul Amery Ismail said being able to be part of the myStarJob Fair was a great experience. He said it presented them a better opportunity to meet candidates. "When you meet face to face, we are able to assess them in terms of their capabilities, appearance and explain further the job scope. "During this fair, we are looking for engineering, commercial and internship candidates. "There are about 50 positions we need to fill," he said. Air Selangor manpower planning & recruitment unit human resources & administrative department assistant vice-president II Abdul Khaliq Putra Abdul Rahman Putra said they are looking to fill some 200 positions from non-executives to executives and top … [Read more...] about Recruiters thrilled as myStarJob Fair allows closer interaction with jobseekers
The war in Ukraine hasn’t ended. Here’s how these founders continue to build their businesses
In those first few fraught hours of February 24th, after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, Anastasiia Smyk, CEO and co-founder of aviation software startup Input Soft , recalls being in a state of shock and incredulity. She was in Kyiv at the time, but her 11-strong team was scattered around the country. advertisement advertisement “The first week we were just thinking about how to survive at a human level,” says the 25-year-old entrepreneur. “So we decided to rent a house for our team in the Carpathian mountains, in the [safer] western part of Ukraine, and told them they could go there with their families to wait until we knew more about what was happening. Some of them went. Others were unable to get out.” One of those left behind was the startup’s accountant, whose home town of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, has been under Russian occupation since early March. On May 3rd, when the internet and mobile communications went down, she decided to risk her … [Read more...] about The war in Ukraine hasn’t ended. Here’s how these founders continue to build their businesses