Indonesia INDONESIA: Indonesia is on track to become the world’s fourth largest ceramic producer, driven by strong sectoral growth, rising investment and supportive industrial policies, according to the Ministry of Industry. "We are optimistic that Indonesia, with strong investments and well-targeted policies, will break into the global top four in the near future," said Taufiek Bawazier, the ministry's Director General of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Textile Industries. Ind

The Indonesian Economic Growth Slows Slightly in Third Quarter Indonesia: The Indonesian economy expanded by 5.04% year-on-year in the third quarter, down from 5.12% in the previous quarter, according to official data released on Wednesday. The moderation in growth poses a challenge for the government, which aims to achieve an annual target of 5.2% and gradually raise it to 8% by 2029. The slowdown coincided with anti-government protests and disruptions in key sectors, includ

Philippine Economic Growth Slows Amid Corruption Scandal and Weak Investment Philippines: The Philippine economy expanded by 4% year-on-year in the third quarter, falling short of market expectations of 5.2% and the 5.5% growth recorded in the previous quarter, according to the National Statistics Agency. The slowdown has been linked to an ongoing corruption scandal involving government infrastructure projects, which has affected investor and consumer confidence. Economic Pla

Thailand Records 7% Decline in Foreign Tourist Arrivals Thailand: Thailand recorded 26.89 million foreign tourist arrivals between 1 January and 2 November, marking a 7.22% decrease compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Tourism Ministry. Malaysia remained the top source of visitors with 3.88 million arrivals, followed by China with 3.8 million. The Finance Ministry recently revised its forecast for total foreign tourist arrivals in 2025 to 3

Sanitation as Open Defecation Namibia: Namibia continues to struggle with major sanitation challenges, with 40% of the country’s 756,339 households still practising open defecation, according to the 2023 Census Report released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). Speaking at the first National Sanitation Symposium on behalf of the minister of agriculture, water and land reform, deputy minister Ruthy Masake highlighted that the problem is most severe in rural areas and info

Thailand Approves Fiscal Package to Revive Tourism and Support Growth Thailand: Thailand’s Economic Cabinet has approved a fiscal stimulus package aimed at revitalising the country’s declining tourism sector and boosting economic growth. The Ministry of Finance is expected to present the proposal to the full Cabinet for approval next week. The decision followed the first meeting of the Economic Cabinet under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s administration, which focused o

USD 1.2 Billion Disbursement Pakistan: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves USD 1.2 billion disbursement to Pakistan following a staff-level agreement reached after several days of talks in Islamabad. The IMF confirmed that Pakistan’s economic program is contributing to macroeconomic stability and restoring market confidence. In July 2024, the IMF had approved a USD 7 billion bailout package for Pakistan under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to help the country avo

GDP Growth Expected to Slow China: China GDP Growth Expected to Slow, in a year during the third quarter of 2025, with GDP growth forecast at 4.8% year-on-year, down from 5.2% in the second quarter and the slowest pace since Q3 2024, according to a Reuters poll of 45 economists. On a quarterly basis, the economy is projected to have expanded 0.8%, slowing from 1.1% in April–June. The slowdown, driven by a prolonged property slump, trade tensions with the U.S., and deflationar

GDP VIETNAM: Vietnam aims to achieve an average annual economic growth rate of at least 10% during the 2026–2030 period, according to a document released by the country’s ruling Communist Party. Published on the Party’s official website ahead of its upcoming five-year congress, the plan sets an ambitious vision for the nation’s next development phase. It also outlines a goal to raise Vietnam’s GDP per capita to US$8,500 by 2030, nearly doubling the current target of US$4,700–

Indian Flag INDIA: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised India’s economic growth forecast for FY26 upward to 6.6%, from its earlier estimate of 6.4%, citing robust first-quarter performance that more than offset the effects of higher U.S. tariffs on Indian exports. However, in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO)  report, the IMF trimmed India’s FY27 growth projection to 6.2%, down from the 6.4% forecast released in July. Despite the upward revision, India’s FY26 g

Saudi Arabia Flag SAUDIA ARABIA: Most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies are expected to post steady growth in 2025 and 2026, supported by rising oil production, according to a Reuters poll of economists who have upgraded their outlook for Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest economy. Following a series of production cuts since early 2023, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) are now reversing course, raising their collective output

News UZBEKISTAN: Uzbekistan is set to rank among the five fastest-growing economies in the broader Europe and Central Asia region in 2025, according to the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia Economic Update, Fall 2025 . The report forecasts Uzbekistan’s GDP to expand by approximately 6.2%, significantly outpacing the regional average amid a general slowdown across emerging European and Central Asian markets. Overall, regional GDP growth is projected to ease to around 2.4% i

Finance GERMANY: Cordes & Graefe KG, the holding company of GC GROUP, is preparing for a major leadership transition: effective January 1, 2026, Dr. Ulrich Hüllmann will assume the role of CFO and general partner, succeeding Andre Wedemeyer. After more than 20 years on the Executive Board, Wedemeyer is retiring from operational duties at the age of 60, as planned. Dr. Hüllmann brings a distinguished track record as a CFO and board member of international industrial companies.

Economy AUSTRALIA: Australia’s unemployment rate unexpectedly jumped to a near four-year high of 4.5% in September, as more people entered the labor market, a weak outcome that has reignited expectations of further policy easing. Following the data, investors sharply increased bets on a Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rate cut in November, with the probability rising to 72% from 40% prior to the report. Optimism for easing had previously waned amid concerns over persistent in

United Arab Emirates UAE: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its economic growth forecast for the United Arab Emirates, projecting GDP to expand by 4.8% in 2025 and 5.0% in 2026, reflecting stronger activity across both oil and non-oil sectors. The revision follows consistent economic resilience and ongoing diversification efforts, which continue to position the UAE as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Gulf region. According to the IMF, the UAE’s rob

UK UK: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that the United Kingdom will be the second fastest growing economy among G7 nations in 2025, outpaced only by the United States. Despite the modest growth rate of 1.3%, the UK is expected to outperform major European peers such as Germany, France, and Italy. The IMF highlights that while the economy shows resilience amid trade tensions, tariff impacts, and geopolitical uncertainty, households are facing significant pr

China’s Exports Surge Despite Escalating Trade War China: Chinese companies exports more goods than expected in September, with shipments rising 8.3% year-on-year, surpassing the 6.6% forecast in a Bloomberg survey, while imports grew 7.4%, resulting in a $90.5 billion trade surplus. The stronger demand from markets beyond the US is helping Chinese firms withstand potential tariff hikes threatened by President Donald Trump and providing support to the domestic economy amid de

Indonesia Cuts Rate as Loan Growth Hits Three-Year Low INDONESIA: Indonesia’s newly appointed Finance Minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, has announced plans to review his predecessor’s draft 2026 budget, including a potential revision of the fiscal deficit target, as part of his commitment to President Prabowo Subianto’s pro-growth agenda. Barely days into his role following the ouster of veteran Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Purbaya said the finance ministry will revise next year’s sp

Growth Seen at Just 0.3% Thailand: Thailand’s economy is expected to grow at 0.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025 if no further government stimulus is introduced, as global trade tensions and a slow tourism recovery continue to weigh on growth. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) highlighted weakening domestic demand and declining production capacity in several industries, urging the government to boost local consumption through schemes such as the “Khon La Khrueng” co-paym

World Bank Raises China’s 2025 Growth Forecast to 4.8% Amid Regional Slowdown Concerns China/SEA: The World Bank has revised its 2025...