The Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) will consider further liberalising interest rates and allow private banks more freedom to set their own rates to be more competitive, U Soe Min, deputy governor of the CBM told Parliament on Monday. The CBM will seek assistance and advice from the International Monetary Fund in doing so and […]
MAB launches wealth banking service as competition rises
Myanmar Apex Bank (MAB) has launched a special wealth banking and rewards programme – MAB Gold Wealth Banking – for high net worth individuals in Myanmar. For now, the platform is targeting those who have the cash to place a minimum fixed deposit of K300 million as potential clients. Interest rates for fixed deposits are […]
Reset capital market, allow foreign competition to unleash growth: leaders
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 […]
Laxer Rules of Foreign Banks to Spur Trade, Central Bank Says
The Central Bank of Myanmar said its decision last week to let foreign banks operating in the country lend and provide other services to domestic companies will help exporters limited by local lenders finance their trade with the rest of the world. “We expect that they [foreign banks] will mainly provide foreign currency to the […]
Yangon blighted by housing woes
There’s no doubt many Yangon residents want to own their own home in the city as soon as possible, especially those with families or planning to start one. But for many city folks, the prices of new housing units, even those classified as low-cost housing, are beyond their reach given the current state of the […]
Loan scheme hinders SME growth
The availability of loan is one of the major challenges for development of Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mandalay region, according to a talk on the challenges of the SMEs. Head of Mandalay Region SME Department said: “The major challenges of SMEs in Mandalay are: capital, technology, market penetration, access to information and infrastructural […]
Businesspeople Urge State Counselor to Reduce Tax And Loan Interest Rates
Leading businesspeople urged State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to reduce tax and bank loan interest rates during a meeting in the administrative capital Naypyitaw on Tuesday. Potential investors are maintaining a wait-and-see attitude and Myanmar’s economy is experiencing a slowdown, said leading builder U Maung Weik. Reducing bank loan interest and tax rates […]
Soilbuild – a small Singapore construction firm that ventured into Myanmar 30 years after its founding
Soilbuild Construction Group took the plunge to expand overseas even though it was fully aware the move offered no guarantees of profit. Its executive director explains why. SINGAPORE: When it comes to ensuring the growth of our local companies, the most common refrain nearly all bosses of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hear is this: […]