Asia Centric by Bloomberg Intelligence

South Korea's short-lived martial law and impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol has shocked the world and crushed confidence in Asia's fourth-largest economy. Even before these events, the country was suffering from sluggish economic growth combined with the worst-performing stock market and currency in the region throughout 2024. What's next for South Korea's political process and what will it t...

It's that time of year when we look to what the next 12 months have in store. Currencies are set to weaken against a strong dollar, so which ones may provide a degree of safety? Equities outperformed in 2024 but tariffs hang over trade-sensitive countries and the tech and AI sectors may have peaked. Where can investors find the most value? And geopolitical risk and a new US-China trade war have ye...

Hong Kong nightlife isn't what it used to be, with fewer revelers spending less than in the pre-pandemic boom – indicative, perhaps, of wider political and demographic changes taking place in the city. Yet entertainment and property mogul Allan Zeman – known as the “father of Lan Kwai Fong” after the bar area he established in the 1980s – remains upbeat and optimistic. Despite business being slowe...

US President-elect Donald Trump is already providing a preview of what's to come for US-China relations when he enters the White House, appointing several China hawks to his team and vowing to impose additional tariffs. Stephen Roach, economist and former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, believes the world should take Trump at his word over tariff threats and that it signals his second term could...

Falling interest rates could spark a return to real estate M&A deals across the Asia-Pacific region, according to Ivy Ng, APAC Chief Investment Officer at DWS Group. Ng joins John Lee and Katia Dmitrieva on the Asia Centric podcast to break down where she sees the biggest opportunities and risks, and argues the worst may be over for the sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

President-elect Donald Trump's sweeping election victory and cabinet appointments point to more protectionist policies and market volatility, with broad implications for Asia. China is firmly in the crosshairs, but previous US efforts to contain its advance -- particularly in technology -- have largely faltered, according to Bloomberg Economics and Bloomberg Intelligence.  Tom Orlik, chief economi...

Food trends across Asia are shifting rapidly with declining populations, wealthier consumers eating more meat and climate change upending supply and prices. China is set to be overtaken by India as the world's number one driver of food demand, according to the UN, further shifting the picture. Darin Friedrichs, co-founder of Sitonia Consulting, speaks with Bloomberg Intelligence's John Lee and Blo...

China could deploy more stimulus -- and officials have more policy space and tools to do so than many other major economies, according to Weijian Shan, Executive Chairman of PAG, an Asia-based investment firm with more than $55 billion in assets under management. Despite being bullish on China's growth prospects, Shan says the nation still needs to find a way to pivot toward the consumer. Shan, wh...

Reports of active management's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Active continues to grow and evolve in ETFs while mutual funds prosper and define benefit plans. Bloomberg Intelligence strategy team uncover active opportunities and glean insights from active managers and those who cover the industry. Listen to Inside Active by Bloomberg Intelligence .  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

Artificial intelligence is fueling demand for data centers across Asia, with capacity set to double in the next four years, according to Moody’s. Projesh Banerjea, KKR director and Southeast Asia infrastructure lead, joins John Lee and Katia Dmitrieva on the Asia Centric podcast to discuss how investors can best tap into that growth – and how it can get complicated. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te gave his first National Day address last week, vowing he'd stand up to mainland China while maintaining the status quo of peace and stability. The speech elicited a swift response from Beijing, reminding investors of the ongoing geopolitical risks in the region. David Sacks, Asia Studies Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, speaks with John Lee from Bloomberg...

People love their pets, so much in fact that the industry is set for serious growth as owners purchase higher-end goods and services. Not only are they upgrading the food they buy but are also embracing services such as healthcare and even elderly care for their beloved cats and dogs. Ada Li and Diana Rosero-Pena from Bloomberg Intelligence speak with Bloomberg News' Katia Dmitrieva to discuss whe...

The world's population is likely to peak in the next 60 years and nowhere is this trend felt more than Asia, with countries such as South Korea and Japan registering some of the lowest birth rates and oldest populations. Wei Li, Global Chief Investment Strategist at BlackRock, discusses the role demographics plays in investing and why it may be the most important megatrend. She joins John Lee of B...

Central banks got the green light to begin easing policy last week after the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by more than expected. Officials across Asia have perhaps been the most eager to move lower, but in this new era, each country faces a different path forward for monetary policy. John Lee from Bloomberg Intelligence and Katia Dmitrieva from Bloomberg News speak with Alicia Garcia-Herr...

AI has been hailed as a transformative technology with McKinsey estimating it could add $26 trillion to the global economy. While many investors have already jumped on the AI bandwagon, not everyone agrees. Daron Acemoglu, Institute Professor at MIT and author of books including Why Nations Fail, takes a critical look at AI and explains why the economic and social benefits may have been overstated...

Shareholder activism is gaining traction in Japan, with the number of new campaigns surging by 70% in the first half of 2024. At the same time, homegrown activist funds are becoming more prominent in Japan’s corporate circles. Shuhei Furukawa, managing director and portfolio manager at Misaki Capital, and James Han, managing partner at Prodigies Group, join John Lee of Bloomberg Intelligence to di...

India's economy is the darling of emerging markets, with a burgeoning middle class, a rising population and rapid growth set to outperform all large peers this year. But recent data suggest cracks are forming, with less government spending and a slowdown in factory output. Miguel Chanco, chief emerging Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics and a long-time critic of India's growth story, joins...

Hong Kong's wealth management is booming as rich mainland Chinese investors pour in funds. The city’s offshore wealth-under-management industry now amounts to more than $2.2 trillion, the second largest in the world, and is approaching Switzerland's level. What's driving these rich Chinese to invest overseas, and how will China's economic slump impact future flows? Lemuel Lee, Head of Wealth Manag...

A rate hike from the Bank of Japan combined with weak US economic data coalesced to cause the biggest one-day sell off in stocks since 1987. What does this mean for monetary policy in Japan and the US? And how could investors position themselves for the uncertainty ahead? Gareth Nicholson, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Managed Investments at Nomura International Wealth Management, joins co-...

Uranium prices have skyrocketed as demand surges for nuclear power globally and traders fret about a potential shortage. China is Asia’s biggest user of nuclear energy, while countries such as Australia are still debating whether to embrace it. Investors have been piling into mining companies and uranium ETFs, but is this the best way to capitalize on the demand? And what are the risks to the seem...

We're about halfway through the year and China's economy is still struggling to regain momentum after the housing bubble burst and consumers pulled back. A major policy meeting in China that wrapped last week did little to assuage concerns, with officials focused more on the long term. The US presidential election could have big implications for trade and tariffs.   Andrew Tilton, chief economist...

Global investors are piling into Japan, betting the economy has finally broken out of its economic stagnation. How will the return of inflation transform the country’s economy and is it sustainable? Can Japan's efforts to improve its corporate governance meet high investor expectations? And what are the key industries investors should watch out for? Taro Kimura, Senior Japan Economist and former B...

China is building closer economic ties with the Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabian companies announcing deals to acquire stakes in Chinese firms including Lenovo and Hengli Petrochemical, while China is promising to build factories in the region. So how will this create investment opportunities? Can China help transform Saudi Arabia’s economy through its ambitious 2030 vision? And how will US-Chin...

Hong Kong's economy is under attack from all sides -- from a $270 billion residential and office property price slump in the past five years to a retail sector reeling under pressure from mainland China competition. What will it take for the city to regain its gusto? Gary Ng, senior economist at Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking, joins John Lee and Katia Dmitrieva on the Asia Centric podcas...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forecast to win his country’s election by a landslide, but was instead forced to form a coalition government and share power with allies for the first time since coming to power in 2014. So how will the shock election result affect India’s growth trajectory? And what does it mean for its red-hot equity markets? Abhishek Gupta, India Economist at Bloomberg Ec...