Bloomberg (January 22, 2014)
Bloomberg released its annual rankings of the best countries for business in 2013 and these were 1. Hong Kong, 2. Canada, 3. U.S., 4. Singapore, 5. Australia, 6. Germany, 7. United Kingdom, 8. Netherlands, 9. Spain and 10. Sweden. Japan slid from #3 in 2012 to #12, but still finished ahead of South Korea (#13) and China (#28).
Tags: Australia, Business, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Ranking, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, U.S., UK
Washington Post (December 5, 2013)
The U.S. does not test well. In contrast, Japan, Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan swept top places for math, reading and science in the recent PISA global educational survey. Nevertheless, “the United States has done very well in harnessing the talents of its top 1 percent and in attracting the top 1 percent from the rest of the world to live and work here. These are the engines of innovation, growth and dynamism.” Whether they will keep the U.S. from falling behind, however, remains to be seen.
Tags: Dynamism, Education, Growth, Hong Kong, Innovation, Japan, Math, Reading, Science, Shanghai, Singapore, Taiwan, Talent, U.S.
Chicago Tribune (November 13, 2013)
“It used to be the tallest building in America. It used to be the tallest in the world. It used to be the Sears Tower. Now Chicago’s Willis Tower is second, um, banana to New York’s not-yet-completed One World Trade Center, which was declared tallest in the nation.” And it’s not just Chicago that has lost the skyscraper race. “The U.S. has all but conceded the skyscraper Olympics to cities like Dubai, Taipei, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Eight of the world’s 10 tallest buildings are in the Middle East and Asia. Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Tower, now under construction, will be 3,281 feet tall.”
Tags: Chicago, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, One World Trade Center, Saudi Arabia, Sears Tower, Shanghai, Skyscraper, Taipei, Tallest, U.S., Willis Tower
Bloomberg (July 1)
Hong Kong has long been ambivalent about mainland China and now “faces perhaps its biggest challenge: China’s wobbly economy. A downturn on the mainland threatens to erode Hong Kong’s AAA credit rating, and to alienate the city’s population once and for all…. If it’s not careful, China may lose 7 million votes of confidence, too.”
Tags: Challenge, China, Confidence, Credit rating, Downturn, Economy, Hong Kong
Financial Times (March 17)
“Net buying of Japanese equities by overseas investors amounted to slightly more than Y1tn in the first week of March – the highest weekly figure in Tokyo Stock Exchange records going back to 1982.” IPOs have also shot to top position in Tokyo and now rank second globally. “As investors have warmed to the pro-growth policies of Shinzo Abe, prime minister, since the beginning of January, newcomers to Japan’s markets have raised Y181bn ($1.9bn) – more than issuers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia combined.”
Bloomberg (January 24)
In Bloomberg’s ranking of the best countries to do business, “Japan rose four places to third, behind the U.S. and Hong Kong, which led for a second straight year, in an index based on six criteria including the degree of economic integration and readiness of the local consumer base. Japan’s advance coincides with a 14 percent slide in its currency against the dollar in the past year that has bolstered its export competitiveness.” Japan scored 75.6 behind the U.S. (77) and frontrunner Hong Kong (79.6).
Euromoney (November issue)
“Asia’s young population has long been the envy of the west, but several of Asia’s most developed economies, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, were among the countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world this year as a result of rising education levels, more women working long hours and people getting married later, among other factors…. This presents many threats, but foremost among them are slowing economic growth and the need to provide income support for more elderly populations.”
“Asia’s young population has long been the envy of the west, but several of Asia’s most developed economies, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, were among the countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world this year as a result of rising education levels, more women working long hours and people getting married later, among other factors…. This presents many threats, but foremost among them are slowing economic growth and the need to provide income support for more elderly populations.”
Wall Street Journal (August 15)
Singapore is “the world’s richest country.” According to a report from Knight Frank and Citi Private Wealth, Singapore’s per capita GDP (purchasing power parity) of US$56,532 in 2010 “is the highest in the world, topping Norway (US$51, 226), the US (US$45, 511) and Hong Kong (US$45, 301).” According to a report from the Boston Consulting Group, Singapore also “has the highest percentage of millionaire households in the world.”
Singapore is “the world’s richest country.” According to a report from
Knight Frank and Citi Private Wealth, Singapore’s per capita GDP (purchasing power parity) of US$56,532 in 2010 “is the highest in the world, topping Norway (US$51, 226), the US (US$45, 511) and Hong Kong (US$45, 301).” According to a report from the Boston Consulting Group, Singapore also “has the highest percentage of millionaire households in the world.”
Euromoney (April Issue)
“Asian sovereigns are overtaking advanced western economies in their financial and economic stability.” With the input of 400 economists and specialists, Euromoney conducted its latest country risk survey. The results reveal a “profound shift in global perceptions.” Six Asian countries (Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and Macau) have advanced more than 10 places in the rankings and Singapore is now considered the world’s second-safest sovereign. In contrast, the highest ranking Eurozone country is Finland in fifth place. Hong Kong was rated the tenth safest, trumping Germany which stands at thirteenth.
Securities Monitor (January 18, 2012)
“Chi-X Japan numbers have shot up significantly since the beginning of the year.” In the fourth quarter, Chi-X Japan increased trades by 50.4%, though it still handles less than 3% of Japan’s trading, most of which remains on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) and the Osaka Securities Exchange (OSE). Chi-X is also gaining traction in Australia and Canada, where it now accounts for roughly 11% of trades. In combination with the Singapore Exchange (SQX), Chi-X also operates a Pan Asian dark pool, Chi-East, which “supports trading of 3,264 securities including all Hong Kong main-board listed shares.”
