Skip to main content

The Trump Presidency: One year on

One year since President Trump took office, what has been the impact for businesses in Asia? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 27 November 2017 on the impact on global economy.

Thus far, Donald Trump’s Presidency has not been bad for the American stock market and the US dollar. However, the expected infrastructure spending and tax cuts, which drove stock market exuberance in 2016, are still far from being realized and could well be at risk.

Perera opined that President Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has caused a strain in global trade relations and has raised the risk of trade frictions. President Trump has also overseen a decline in US influence in the Middle East and Asia.

However, the basic fundamentals of the US economy remain strong thanks to its world-class universities, innovative companies, confident consumers, a strong start-up sector as well as its pervasive deployment of cutting-edge technology.

Despite the uncertainties that the Trump Presidency has precipitated, the US will remain an indispensable investment and trade partner to Asia for the foreseeable future.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Egyptian-Israeli gas deal to boost bilateral trade

A USD15 billion deal has been announced between Israel and Egypt to export natural gas. Israel’s Delek Group has signed an agreement to supply 64 billion cubic meters of gas in a span of ten years to Egypt’s Dolphinus Holdings. The deal is considered a milestone ever since the 1979 peace accord, bringing Egypt a step closer to becoming a regional energy hub. However, the transportation of natural gas from Israel to Egypt is a challenge given the security risks. Will the Egypt-Israel gas export deal usher in a relationship of bonhomie and economic co-operation? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/egyptian-israeli-gas-deal-to-boost-bilateral-trade/

Pokémon Go – A game changer for marketers?

Have you caught your Pokémon yet? Pokémon Go – the mobile application-based game – is immensely popular. The game uniquely uses Augmented Reality technology. It has succeeded in growing its user base beyond just fans of the Pokémon comic. With the ability to drive foot traffic to stores, the app has created a new and potentially powerful platform for companies . Clocking in 7.5 million downloads since its debut in the U.S. on July 2016 , is the app a marketer’s boon – or is it destined to become just another “has-been” fad? What is Pokémon Go? Taking gamification to the next level, Pokémon Go is a gaming application based on the concept of augmented reality (AR) to deliver a real-life Pokémon experience. Released in July 2016, the game was developed by Niantic Labs and published by the “father” of Pokémon, Japanese company Nintendo. Using Augmented Reality technology similar to Google Maps, players need to find Pokémon characters at random physical locations and captur...

India’s ‘hairy’ exports for Africa

Renowned for its beauty, texture and strength, the Indian hair export market is worth about USD393.5 million. With rising demand in the African subcontinent for extensions and wigs, Indian companies are now keen to invest into the hair business more than ever. The recent announcement of South Africa-based hair extension company Friska Hair being acquired by Godrej Consumer Products India shows that hair export is serious business. One driving factor is Africa’s young and growing population, which helps ensure that consumer spending grows in lockstep with GDP. This is good news for Indian hair exporters. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/indias-hairy-exports-to-africa/

China's measured reaction to US trade tariffs

The recent US trade tariff announcement will impact Chinese imports worth USD60 billion. Will China’s reaction and the prospect of continuing tit-for-tat tariff hikes cause more panic across global markets? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in China Daily – Asia Weekly. As the US Treasury explores restrictions on Chinese investment in the country, the value of stocks plunged across Asian markets. Industries that might come under more scrutiny for possible higher trade tariffs include maritime equipment, new materials, automated machine robotics and tools along with new advanced information technology and high-tech shipping to name a few. Voicing concern, Perera pointed out that China’s focus will still be on minimizing an escalation of mutual tariff hikes. China has hugely benefitted from global trade and FDI flows. However, China is clearly prepared to pursue retaliatory tariffs of its own for strategic reasons – it has announced tariff h...

Precious metal destroys cancer cells

University of Warwick researchers developed an organo-metal compound coded as FY26 to infiltrate cancer cells and activate cellular mitochondria to destroy cancer cells. To date, FY26 has been tested in ovarian cancer cells and has been deemed 50 times more effective and cheaper than other chemotherapy drugs. Can a newly discovered metallic compound vastly improve the treatment of ovarian cancer? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/precious-metal-destroys-cancer-cells/