Spotlight Archives
- The Noodle Bowl Effect: Stumbling or Building Block?Aug 2015A proliferation of free trade agreements between individual countries, known as the “noodle bowl effect”, has negative effects on trade. Yet, basic game theory shows that they could instead be beneficial. This paper explores an economy’s incentive for entering a free trade agreement (FTA) rather than anticipating a global trade regime.
- Aid for Trade in Asia and the Pacific: Thinking Forward About Trade Costs and the Digital EconomyJuly 2015Aid for Trade (AfT) flows have increased each year since 2006 in the region. And while regional aggregate trade costs continue to fall, many subregions continue to struggle with trade costs that are substantially higher than the global average.
- Declining growth of output per worker in Asia: so what and what now?Jul 2015Since the early 2000s, labor productivity growth, or the growth of output per worker (measured by GDP divided by employment), has been declining in most economies in Asia. Reducing the number of poor people typically requires a satisfactory rate of growth of the economic pie and has to be accompanied by rising incomes. So falling productivity may also jeopardize the efforts of governments to reduce poverty.
- Pacific Economic Monitor: July 2015 - Midyear ReviewJuly 2015This issue of the Pacific Economic Monitor updates the 2015 and 2016 GDP growth and inflation projections for ADB's Pacific developing member countries. The policy briefs included in this issue focus on disasters in the Pacific.
- 7th Meeting of International Policy Advisory GroupJuly 20153–4 August 2015 Auditorium A & B, ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines The workshop will focus on three themes: Theme 1: Growth Drivers and the Quality of Growth Theme 2: Financial Resilience and Stability Theme 3: Reform Policies focusing on Skills and Infrastructure
- ADB Institute Policy Brief: Global Value Chains along the New Silk RoadJune 2015Central Asia is opening up rapidly with the completion of new transport corridors. Providing a passageway for goods between east and west, however, cannot be its main goal. It needs to attract investment to diversify its economies from petroleum and other natural resources. Other parts of Asia have developed by linking with global value chains.
- ADB Institute Policy Brief: Ensuring the Triple Win of Labor Migration in AsiaJune 2015Labor migration is a large and growing phenomenon in Asia as workers in origin countries seek better paying jobs and employers in destination countries endeavor to fill employment gaps. Domestic policies and bilateral agreements are necessary to support efficient job matching, eliminate abuses in the recruitment process, and protect the rights of workers abroad.
- RCI Chat May-June 2015June 2015Grab a copy of May-June 2015 issue of RCI Chat! RCI Chat tracks regional cooperation and integration news in Asia focusing on cross-border infrastructure, trade and investment, money and finance, and regional public goods.
- Asia Bond Monitor June 2015June 2015The Asia Bond Monitor (ABM) reviews recent developments in East Asian local currency bond markets along with the outlook, risks, and policy options. The ABM covers the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries plus the People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; and the Republic of Korea. Download the Asia Bond Monitor June 2015 here.
- Connecting South Asia and Southeast AsiaMay 2015A 2015 ADB/ADBI study estimated $568 billion worth of gains from infrastructure led connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia. It also reported that an affordable $73 billion is required to meet the cost of sub-regional infrastructure investment. Download study here.
