NEW ZEALAND'S CONFIDENCE REBOUNDS.(economic
indicators)
With unemployment at low ebb and real wages on the rise, the stage
is set for sustainable growth in New Zealands household consumption for
the remainder of the year. However, industrial expenditure . . .
CHINESE IMPORTS TO RISE SHARPLY.
China experienced its first trade deficit in six years during
January thanks to a 63 percent year-on-year rise in the value of
imports. In part, the sharp rise was attributable to oil stockpiling . . .
SRI LANKAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT RISES.(foreign direct investment
quadrupled in 2002)(Brief Article)
As foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka quadrupled in 2002,
long-stagnant capital investment began to come back to life and the
upward trend should continue through 2003.
Sri Lanka's Investment . . .
MIXED SIGNALS ON PHILIPPINES CONSUMPTION.(imported goods and
services)
Strong growth in Philippine demand for imported goods and services
during the second half of 2002 has carried over into the first quarter
of 2003 but there are increasing signs that the pace of . . .
TAIWAN'S INTERNAL CONSUMPTION WANES.(export sales also down;
discusses unemployment)
Taiwans industrial base finds itself in the unenviable position of
being heavily dependent on export sales at a time when global demand for
its electronics components is slipping. In recent months, . . .
INDIAN SERVICE SECTOR TO DRIVE DEMAND.(business services growth
driven by multinational companies in developed countries)
Indias business services sector has experienced dynamic growth over
the past five years and the pace of expansion should pick up as the
decade progresses. Factors that weight in favor of dynamic . . .
MIXED PANORAMA FOR AUSTRALIAN COMMERCE.(retail sales to grow in
2003)(Brief Article)
Australian retail sales experienced their biggest decline in 18
months during December of 2002, but signs of moderate retail sector
growth emerged early this year. It now looks as though retail . . .
MALAYSIA FOCUSES ON DOMESTIC SALES.(Brief Article)
Faced with depressed sales of industrial exports, Malaysia is
turning its attention toward stimulating domestic orders for the nations
goods and services during 2003. Prime Minister Mahathir . . .
JAPAN'S DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION WOES.(Brief Article)
Through the early months of 2003, Japanese internal consumption
lingered near a 20-year low and it looks as though the panorama will not
improve significantly this year. One of the biggest . . .
DECLINING CONFIDENCE HITS KOREAN CONSUMPTION.(Brief
Article)
Both business and household confidence slipped during the early
months of 2003 and that will undermine growth in overall expenditure
through at least the third quarter. This year, the bubble in . . .
SOUTHEAST ASIA'S BROADENING INDUSTRIAL DEMAND.
The collapse of Southeast Asias single-track industrial development
will become increasingly apparent during 2003 and 2004. Scarcity of
foreign direct investment and the shift of high-tech . . .
HONG KONG'S LONG HARD ADJUSTMENT.
Hong Kong has endured four years of recession and it looks as
though the economic correction still has a long way to go. Private
sector spending should rise almost 3 percent during 2003, but . . .
JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL SPENDING ON HOLD.
There is little motivation for Japanese industry to expand these
days. Rather than expanding production at home, a growing number of
large manufacturers are investing in Chinese production . . .
A CAPITAL CRUNCH BATTERS INDONESIAN DEMAND.(Brief
Article)
An ongoing shortage of investment funding will undermine Indonesian
demand for capital goods throughout 2003 and will make it impossible to
reduce the nation's stubbornly high unemployment rate.
. . .
SRI LANKAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT RISES.(Brief Article)
As foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka quadrupled in 2002,
long-stagnant capital investment began to come back to life and the
upward trend should continue through 2003.
Sri Lanka's Investment . . .
INVESTORS UNCERTAIN ABOUT KAZAKHSTAN.(Brief Article)
A major influx of foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan over the
past few years led to an upsurge in private consumption, but a recently
enacted investment law has led international companies to . . .
CAPITAL SPENDING GAINS MOMENTUM IN PAKISTAN.(Brief
Article)
Moderate growth in internal demand for goods and services coupled
with export expansion is putting upward pressure on capital spending
within Pakistan's industrial sector. Nevertheless, . . .
INDIAN CONSUMPTION LOSES GROUND TO CHINA.(Brief Article)
India's average tariff rate of 35 percent makes it one of the
least open consumer markets in the world. That protective strategy has
stunted private sector development in recent years, causing . . .
INDONESIAN CAPITAL SPENDING BOTTOMS OUT.(Brief Article)
Capital expenditure in Indonesia has been depressed for several
years by a shortage of foreign direct investment and depressed national
sales. Manufacturers of electrical equipment and electronic . . .
MODEST GROWTH IN PHILIPPINES CONSUMER GOODS SALES.(Brief
Article)
Sales of non-durable consumer goods experienced healthy gains in
terms of volume, but profit margins slipped in an atmosphere of
declining inflation and slow economic growth. Late in 2002, . . .
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