-
Dec 14, 2024 | 
scmp.com | Elisha M. Sonthra |Donald Low |David Yu Chak-wai
Global tourism has staged a dramatic comeback from the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 1.1 billion international tourists recorded in the first nine months of 2024 – tantalisingly close to pre-pandemic levels. Asia, in particular, has witnessed a remarkable recovery with countries like Japan surpassing their 2019 tourism numbers. But Hong Kong’s rebound has been noticeably slower.
-
Nov 4, 2024 | 
qoshe.com | Donald Low
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive Aa Aa Aa - A + © Nikkei Asian Review visit website
-
Nov 3, 2024 | 
asia.nikkei.com | Donald Low
Donald Low is senior lecturer and professor of practice at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. At the end of September, the People's Bank of China surprised markets by cutting short-term interest rates, reducing banks' reserve requirements ratio, and launching a lending facility to encourage share buybacks and investment in domestic equities. The PBOC's press conference was followed by a statement from the Politburo that said that it would step up fiscal measures to support growth.
-
Oct 20, 2024 | 
scmp.com | Donald Low
Despite being one of the first populous Southeast Asian countries to achieve middle-income status in the early 1990s, Thailand has struggled to escape the middle-income trap. Its gross domestic product per capita last year was about US$7,000 – just over half of China and neighbouring Malaysia. The Asian financial crisis in 1997-98, which originated in Thailand, savaged the country’s economy, destabilised its banks and financial system, and set back its development prospects.
-
Oct 20, 2024 | 
qoshe.com | Donald Low
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive Aa Aa Aa - A + ..... © South China Morning Post visit website
-
Oct 11, 2024 | 
thediplomat.com | Donald Low
The monetary stimulus announced by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) at the end of September seems to have achieved little. After two weeks of frenzied buying followed by a day of massive selloffs, the market rallies in Hong Kong and mainland China appear to be over. It is unlikely that the short-lived rallies catalyzed actual investments, improved the lives of Chinese citizens (most of whom do not own shares), or enhanced prospects of the real economy.
-
Oct 2, 2024 | 
tribunecontentagency.com | Donald Low
After many months of resisting calls for a sizable stimulus to boost economic growth, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) finally delivered one last week. It announced a significant easing of monetary policy: the central bank’s main policy rate was reduced from 1.7 percent to 1.5 percent, while the reserve requirement ratio of banks was reduced by 0.5 percent. The latter would effectively inject 1 trillion RMB ($142 billion) into the banking system.
-
Oct 1, 2024 | 
thediplomat.com | Donald Low
After many months of resisting calls for a sizable stimulus to boost economic growth, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) finally delivered one last week. It announced a significant easing of monetary policy: the central bank’s main policy rate was reduced from 1.7 percent to 1.5 percent, while the reserve requirement ratio of banks was reduced by 0.5 percent. The latter would effectively inject 1 trillion RMB ($142 billion) into the banking system.
-
Sep 27, 2024 | 
qoshe.com | Donald Low
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive Aa Aa Aa - A + ..... © South China Morning Post visit website
-
Sep 27, 2024 | 
scmp.com | Donald Low
Last week, the World Bank released its annual World Development Report. Titled “The Middle-Income Trap”, the report observes that while most countries are able to get from low- to middle-income, getting from middle- to high-income is much less common and far more difficult. As the report points out, development strategies that served countries well when they were still low-income – especially high capital investment – yield diminishing returns when these countries reach middle-income status.
