Spotlight Archives
- Asia Capital Markets MonitorApril 2009Asia's capital markets are starting to stabilize and the region's relatively resilient economies should help them recover as the global crisis ebbs and investor appetite returns, says the inaugural issue of ADB's Asia Capital Markets Monitor. Read the news release.
- Pan-Asian Integration: Linking East and South Asia March 2009This book, edited by Joseph Francois, Pradumna B. Rana, and Ganeshan Wignaraja, is a rich volume of perspectives on Pan-Asian integration from leading thematic experts covering critical issues including regional patterns of trade and investment, services trade, trade and monetary cooperation, infrastructure, logistics and trade facilitation. Read more.
- ADB Working Paper Series on Regional Economic Integration No. 26 - Re-considering Asian Financial Regionalism in the 1990sMarch 2009By exploring past financial regionalist projects in Asia, Shintaro Hamanaka argues that Asian countries, especially Japan, have held a strong desire to establish an Asia-only regional cooperation framework at least since the early 1990s. Regionalism can be best understood as a project under which a relatively minor power seeks to establish a framework that excludes more influential states in order to increase its influence within the group.
- ADB Seminar Series on Regional Economic Integration: Cross-Border Infrastructure in Thailand and Lao PDR - A General Equilibrium Approach to Estimation of Economic Impacts (19 March 2009, 10:30-12:00, ERD Conference Rm. 7217, ADB Headquarters)16 March 2009Prof. Peter Warr, The Australian National University, estimates the economic impacts of the second Mekong River Bridge between Thailand and Lao PDR. Results suggest that transport cost reductions due to improvement of inter-regional transport facilities will produce a large increase in inter-regional trade volumes in both directions. Please confirm participation with Ms. Liza Cruz at mlscruz@adb.org.
- ADB Seminar Series on Regional Economic Integration: Is Inflation Targeting Paving the way to Asian Monetary Union? (27 February 2009, 10:30 am -12:00 pm, LRC2, ADB Headquarters)27 February 2009Prof. Andrew Rose, University of California, Berkeley, finds that apart from rising trade, inflation targeting promotes business cycle synchronization and thus can be useful in easing the transition towards monetary union. This result challenges the oft-cited benefit that inflation targeting provides insulation from foreign shocks. Please confirm participation with Ms. Liza Cruz at mlscruz@adb.org.
- Asia Bond Monitor First Quarter 2009February 2009Local currency bond markets are set to expand this year with several governments likely to sell more debt to finance their economic stimulus packages. Companies are also expected to turn to local markets to refinance or raise fresh capital, says the latest issue of Asia Bond Monitor. Read the news release and full report.
- ADB Working Paper Series on Regional Economic Integration No. 25 - Aging in Asia: Trends, Impacts and ResponsesFebruary 2009Within the next few decades, Asia is poised to become the oldest region in the world. A rapidly aging population can have adverse effects on economic performance and prospects through a decrease in the labor force, lower saving and investment rates, and spiraling pension and health care costs. In this paper, Jayant Menon and Anna Melendez-Nakamura examine the impact of aging on the region and discuss policy options to deal with its challenges. To prevent an “aging crisis” in Asia, policymakers need to start refashioning their institutions and policies to influence behavior, and they need to do so quickly.
- ADB Working Paper Series on Regional Economic Integration No. 25 - Aging in Asia: Trends, Impacts and ResponsesFebruary 2009Within the next few decades, Asia is poised to become the oldest region in the world. A rapidly aging population can have adverse effects on economic performance and prospects through a decrease in the labor force, lower saving and investment rates, and spiraling pension and health care costs. In this paper, Jayant Menon and Anna Melendez-Nakamura examine the impact of aging on the region and discuss policy options to deal with its challenges. To prevent an “aging crisis” in Asia, policymakers need to start refashioning their institutions and policies to influence behavior, and they need to do so quickly.
- ADB Working Paper Series on Regional Economic Integration No. 24 - Does Trade Integration Contribute to Peace?January 2009In this paper, Jong-Wha Lee and Ju Hyun Pyun examine the effect of trade integration on military conflict. Based on a large panel data set from 1950 to 2000, they find an increase in bilateral trade interdependence and global trade openness significantly promotes peace. They also find the impact of trade integration on military conflict varies depending on the geographical proximity: bilateral trade interdependence promotes peace more significantly for contiguous countries, while global trade openness contributes more to peace between distant countries. Read more.
- New Book: Infrastructure for a Seamless Asia2009This joint ADB and ADBI flagship study addresses major challenges in developing regional infrastructure—both hard and soft—in Asia, specifically exploring the costs and benefits, financing requirements, and infrastructure priorities in the region. It evaluates existing regional infrastructure programs, policies, and institutions, and makes recommendations to meet these challenges. The key message of the book is that now is the time to forge ahead with the goal of integrating this vast and diverse region—to foster lasting prosperity for all its citizens—through the building of pan-Asian infrastructure connectivity. Read more.
