Insight Asia

Soon, the year of the Dragon begins, and China is facing more headwinds than ever. Like the Taiwanese election result, trade tensions with the EU and the property sector crisis. And how does Chinese manufacturing stand up? Sean Yokota and Fredrik Hähnel dive into the hard questions. From the SEB office in Singapore.

Sean Yokota, head of Markets for SEB in Asia and Fredrik Hähnel, head of SEB’s Asia businesses, give the latest on the Chinese economy. The re-opening boom has evaporated and some figures are the weakest since 1998. Where are the property sector, the currency, and the foreign direct investments going? And what will the BRICS meeting in South Africa mean?  Answers recorded at SEB's office in Singapore, Thursday afternoon local time.

Yokota and Hahnel this month dig deep into the renminbi and China's plans to make it a significant currency globally. What signs can be seen that this plan is succeeding, where is it today, and what will happen both in the short and long term? And what is the best advice for investors? Buckle up for a fact-filled episode.

Chinese assets have had an excellent beginning to 2023, but what will happen after the Chinese New Year celebration? What kind of impact has the shelving of the Zero Covid policy had – economically, practically and politically? And why does China have almost two-thirds av all women billionaires? These and other vital questions when Yokota and Hähnel in Singapore interview our new head of the Shanghai office – Juliette Lascoux.

The status of India and its prospects are the topics of this month's podcast. Sean’s and Fredrik’s well-informed guest is Cecilia Oskarsson, at Business Sweden’s office in New Delhi. India is huge and complex, but the country is climbing the ladder of “ease of business” and has – being the most populated country in the world with 1.4 billion inhabitants – exciting potential.

Sean Yokota, head of Markets for SEB in Asia, talks to his colleagues Fredrik Hähnel, head of SEB’s Asia businesses, and Eugenia Victorino , head of Asia Strategy and Research, about their reflections on from a recent trip to China. They particularly deep dive into the electric vehicle industry and Chinese producers' position there.

Why is China already a World Cup winner? And why are Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines the most promising markets in Asia right now? Will they be able to compete with China? And which economic superpower will they side with if push comes to shove? These questions get answers when SEB Head of Asia Strategy Eugenia Victorino joins Fredrik Hähnel and Sean Yokota in this fact-filled episode. From the SEB offices in Singapore.

What were the key take aways from the recent Communist Party Congress? What will Xi's stregthened position mean? What do foreign investors and companies discuss in China? This and more in our second episode.

Sean Yokota and Fredrik Hähnel in an inflationary exposé over Asia. But also where China is going after Covid, their property bubble and energy crisis and why India and Indonesia might be in a geopolitical sweet spot. And how do countries choose between security and economy? This and much more in this month's (and the first) episode.