Foreign investor interest in Myanmar appears to be waning at a time when the global economy is losing momentum, if recent data is anything go by. As such, a hard reset of the local capital market is needed to ensure the business environment remains friendly to existing firms and entrepreneurs, as their survival and growth […]
Myanmar’s urban dwellers get a taste of credit
More consumers in urban Myanmar are taking out loans to buy electronics, cars, even homes. A purple logo — that of Japan’s Aeon Financial Service, a provider of small loans to consumers who pay back the money in installments — is becoming easy to spot at one Yangon shopping center, especially at appliance and cellphone […]
Suzuki launches new Swift, targets younger buyers
Suzuki Myanmar Motor Company yesterday launched its latest generation Suzuki Swift in the country. The new Suzuki Swift is the Japanese car maker’s global flagship compact car and the third generation of the model which was assembled locally under the semi-knocked-down system. Since 1998, Suzuki has operated a factory in South Dagon township, Yangon. Earlier […]
80 pc of automobile purchases related to installment system
About 80 per cent of all automobile purchases in the local market are linked to the installment system, said Dr Soe Tun, President of Myanmar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association. The number of people who buy automobiles under the financing and hire purchase system of banks has increased. The number of those buying automobiles with […]
JICA to lend US$100m to local SMEs in 2018-19
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will lend 11.5 billion Japanese yen (K151.685 billion) to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the fiscal year of 2018-19 through domestic banks. This decision was officially announced on September 5. The JICA’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) two-step loan will be managed by state-owned Myanma Economic Bank under its SME […]
Waiting for change at Myanmar’s central bank
Myanmar’s central bank governor Kyaw Kyaw Maung has long been seen as an impediment to reform. But come July, he will be out and a new chief will be in, heralding, it is to be hoped, a new era of change Being a bank in Myanmar isn’t easy, with lenders of all sizes facing insuperable […]
International partnerships drive transparency among Myanmar companies
Good corporate governance is what attracts investors, such as International Financial Corporation (IFC), for companies, according to the findings revealed by the latest transparency report. The report also points to the very poor disclosure record and absence of corporate governance by companies which are registered at Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) as “public” […]
Mobile money services make waves in Myanmar
Seven years ago, the country had virtually no formal banking sector. Now, its clunkier commercial lenders face extinction thanks to the arrival of exciting new mobile money services whose mission is to march onwards and upwards. Brad Jones wasn’t sure what to expect when he moved to Yangon in early 2015 to become chief executive […]
With Myanmar’s Economic Future Looking Promising, AYA Bank Seeks Foreign Investors
Myanmar’s economy is one of the fastest-growing and most promising in Asia. Its dynamic business environment, along with its strong infrastructure, communications sector and flourishing consumer lifestyle have been key to the country’s development so far. Although Myanmar’s economic growth has slowed to 6.5 percent in 2016-17 from 7.3 percent in the previous year, projections […]