Economy — 1,980 insights
ASEAN faces uneven growth in AI era, DBS report warns
Economy

ASEAN faces uneven growth in AI era, DBS report warns

Singapore, Malaysia seen benefiting; Thailand, Indonesia may lag AI has the potential to widen economic performance gaps in ASEAN economies, according to a report from DBS, Bain and Vriens & Partners. © Reuters SINGAPORE -- Uneven growth beckons for Southeast Asia's major economies, with Singapore and Malaysia expected to gain from technology investments while Thailand and Indonesia face greater internal risks, a report released Wednesday warned.

September 16, 2026
Trump curbs on China-linked equipment threaten US clean-energy projects
Economy

Trump curbs on China-linked equipment threaten US clean-energy projects

Developers delay purchases, lawyers warn of higher costs as AI-driven power demand surges A energy substation in Texas. U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order to restrict foreign-made grid equipment have raised costs for energy developers. © Reuters NEW YORK -- Renewable energy projects have been delayed and risk being canceled after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order restricting foreign-made grid equipment, putting Chinese suppliers on shaky ground in the market.

September 16, 2026
Vietnam’s VinFast seeks financial boost with $1.2bn property deal
Economy

Vietnam’s VinFast seeks financial boost with $1.2bn property deal

EV maker pursues new earnings and cash flow as it restructures after years of heavy losses Pham Nhat Vuong, founder of VinFast and chairman of Vingroup, is selling a property development asset to the EV maker as it seeks new sources of earnings and cash flow. (Vingroup) HANOI -- Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast on Wednesday announced plans to acquire a $1.2 billion property firm from the car company's founder, billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong, to bolster its finances after years of losses.

September 16, 2026
Taiwan’s ruling DPP rethinks nuclear power opposition in AI era
Economy

Taiwan’s ruling DPP rethinks nuclear power opposition in AI era

Public sentiment on energy source shifts as electricity demand swells Work on Taiwan's fourth nuclear power plant remains frozen. (Photo by Tsukasa Hadano) TAIPEI -- Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party is being pressed to reconsider its opposition to nuclear power, one of the party's core tenets, as an unprecedented boom in artificial intelligence drives surging electricity demand.

September 16, 2026
Tokyo commercial land prices jump to 33-year high as remote work ebbs
Economy

Tokyo commercial land prices jump to 33-year high as remote work ebbs

Low office vacancy rates and surge in tourism sustain upward trend Office vacancy rates in Tokyo wards are well below the 5% break-even level for balanced supply and demand. (Photo by Shun Kato) TOKYO -- Commercial land prices in the Japanese capital have risen to levels not seen in more than three decades, lifted by strong demand for office space as remote workers return to company buildings.

September 16, 2026
How the loss of a Global Hawk’s eye in the sky may hurt Japan’s defense
Economy

How the loss of a Global Hawk’s eye in the sky may hurt Japan’s defense

Tokyo, which had only 3 of the long-range reconnaissance drones, risks surveillance gap The Global Hawk is programmed to continue flying even if communications are lost, and it can return autonomously to a predetermined location. (Photo by Konosuke Urata) TOKYO -- The presumed crash of one of Japan's three Global Hawk reconnaissance drones, which play a central role in long-distance surveillance missions, could deal a substantial blow to the nation's defense capabilities.

September 16, 2026
Talent shortage emerges as tech’s biggest bottleneck in AI expansion boom
Economy

Talent shortage emerges as tech’s biggest bottleneck in AI expansion boom

Key chip material supplier IV Technologies is expanding in central Taiwan and eager to expand its hiring. (Photo courtesy of IV Technologies) 'Sorry, bro! Any engineer who can breathe has already been hired' TAIPEI -- For Wayne Yang, general manager of emerging chip materials maker IV Technologies, the biggest headache is not finding new business -- demand is booming like never before -- but where to find enough engineers and technicians to keep pace with the company's rapid expansion.

September 16, 2026
Japan’s JFE Engineering, startups bet on Philippine renewable energy
Economy

Japan’s JFE Engineering, startups bet on Philippine renewable energy

Work with local companies spans solar, storage batteries, electricity retail The Philippine government has been taking steps to lower barriers to entry, including simplifying investment approvals. (Looop) TOKYO -- JFE Engineering and Japanese startups are rapidly entering the Philippine market for renewable energy, in many cases partnering with local companies for work on solar power and electric power retailing.

September 16, 2026
Nagoya University-linked startup regenerates Thai soil with microbes
Economy

Nagoya University-linked startup regenerates Thai soil with microbes

Towing's Soratan biochar contains microbes to feed more nutrients to plants. (Photo obtained by Nikkei) BANGKOK -- Japanese agricultural startup Towing is launching a full-scale business in Thailand that will sell an enhanced soil additive used to improve crop yields.

September 16, 2026
Japan consumers boost in-game purchases despite inflation squeeze
Economy

Japan consumers boost in-game purchases despite inflation squeeze

Randomized gacha reward mechanism seen driving spending by high-engagement users Game-related spending continues to increase even as food spending dips. (Photo by Norika Taguchi) TOKYO -- Japanese households are spending more on digital purchases within video games even as inflation pushes them to rein in other expenditures.

September 16, 2026
The reshaping of global trade as EU, China and US shift to enforcement
Economy

The reshaping of global trade as EU, China and US shift to enforcement

The United States, the European Union and China impose their own trade rules on each other and other economies. (Nikkei montage) Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa is an Asia-based geopolitics strategist specializing in the intersection of European, Asian and U.S. relations.

September 16, 2026
In labor-starved Japan, companies boost hiring perks for high school grads
Economy

In labor-starved Japan, companies boost hiring perks for high school grads

Businesses offer support for earning certifications, on-the-job training Students at Kawaguchi Technical High School look at a bulletin board filled with job postings. (Photo by Utako Kawakami) TOKYO -- Hiring screening for students graduating from high school in the spring of 2027 begins Wednesday in Japan, with more companies offering expanded training programs and revised promotion systems in an effort to secure young talent.

September 16, 2026