Singapore

Malaysia’s Johor launches 7,300-acre innovation sandbox, part of new special economic zone with neighboring Singapore
10Dec mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Malaysia’s Johor launches 7,300-acre innovation sandbox, part of new special economic zone with neighboring Singapore

The Malaysian state of Johor is debuting a sprawling new innovation sandbox, bolstering its plans to build a “regional champion” alongside the border with Singapore. The 7,300-acre development—named Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTEC)—is located within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, a new strategic partnership between Singapore and Malaysia meant to create over 20,000 jobs for people on both sides of the causeway. Designed to be Asia’s largest innovation sandbox, it will concentrate high-value industries like medtech, logistics, data centers and agritech. IBTEC, formally launched on Dec. 2, will make “production smarter, supply chains more resilient and operations more efficient,” said developer JLand Group, the real estate arm of Johor Corporation, in a press statement. ...
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Richest Countries in the World in 2025 by GDP Per Capita
10Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Singapore

Richest Countries in the World in 2025 by GDP Per Capita

From Singapore's strategic brilliance to Luxembourg's financial wizardry, these 10 nations prove that in the wealth game, it's not about the size of your landmass but the size of your economic imagination. Ever wondered what it’s like to live in a country where your neighbour’s biggest concern is whether to buy their third yacht in navy blue or forest green? While you’re calculating whether you can afford that extra shot of espresso, residents of these countries are casually discussing their investment portfolios over champagne brunches. When you think of the wealthiest countries in the world, you are probably considering GDP per capita. In this article, we list the top 10 richest countries based on GDP per capita, as estimated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)....
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Singapore surpasses Switzerland in global talent rankings, while the US falls behind
28Nov mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Singapore

Singapore surpasses Switzerland in global talent rankings, while the US falls behind

Singapore has topped the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index for the first time, driven by strong education systems, effective governance, and a proactive approach to maintaining a workforce that is adaptable and ready to innovate in the age of artificial intelligence. The index, now in its eleventh edition, is published by INSEAD Business School in partnership with the Portolance Institute in Washington, D.C., and measures countries’ ability to develop, attract, and retain talent across income levels. This year, it covers 135 economies worldwide, analyzing 77 indicators, including soft skills and talent concentration in the field of artificial intelligence, across six key pillars. The report, titled “Resilience in an Age of Disruption,” comes at a time when the world is ex...
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Xinhua Finance — Fengjie Navel Oranges Expand Global Reach With 10,000-Ton Export Deal Signed in Singapore
18Oct mmBy Brian ThompsonNo Comments
Singapore

Xinhua Finance — Fengjie Navel Oranges Expand Global Reach With 10,000-Ton Export Deal Signed in Singapore

Fengjie navel oranges are headed for supermarket shelves overseas, marking a new chapter in agricultural trade between China and Singapore. The 2025 Global Sourcing Event for Fengjie Navel Oranges took place in Singapore on October 15, where producers from Fengjie County in Chongqing signed multiple export agreements with buyers from Singapore and Malaysia. The total export volume surpassed 10,000 tons, signaling international demand for China’s growing fruit sector and pointing to the expanding agricultural partnership between the two countries.  At the signing ceremony, witnessed by County Mayor and Deputy Secretary of the Fengjie County Committee Wu Tao, and representatives from participating compani...
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India’s pension system ranked lowest in world, Singapore tops
17Oct mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

India’s pension system ranked lowest in world, Singapore tops

India’s retirement income system continues to trail global best practices, as the Global Pension Index 2025 ranks India with a D-grade and a score of 43.8 out of 100 — notably behind top-performing systems.   According to the Global Pension Index 2025, published by Mercer and the CFA Institute, few nations have cracked the code on balancing adequacy, sustainability, and trust — with the Netherlands, Iceland, and Denmark once again leading, and India, Philippines, and Thailand among those lagging far behind. "The research highlights significant diversity between systems around the world, with index scores ranging from 43.8 to 85.4. The Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark, Singapore, and Israel rank highest. These nations offer strong benefits, sound regulation, and solid as...
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Singapore Emerges as Asia’s Top Tech Hub with $128B GDP Boost
11Oct mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Singapore

Singapore Emerges as Asia’s Top Tech Hub with $128B GDP Boost

Singapore has emerged as Asia's leading tech hub, with its digital economy contributing S$128.1 billion to GDP in 2024 and creating over 214,000 jobs. Driven by AI and investments, it faces challenges like talent shortages and equity concerns. The city-state is poised for sustained leadership through inclusive strategies. Singapore has solidified its position as a dominant force in Asia’s technology sector, emerging as the region’s premier hub for tech employment and innovation. Recent data highlights a remarkable surge in the digital economy, which contributed S$128.1 billion to the nation’s GDP in 2024, representing 18.6% of the total. This growth has propelled the creation of over 214,000 tech jobs, underscoring the city-state’s transformation into a global benchmark for tech-dr...
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Chinese travelers important driver of Singapore’s visitor economy, says tourism analyst
10Oct mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Singapore

Chinese travelers important driver of Singapore’s visitor economy, says tourism analyst

Chinese travelers are now "a system-level driver of Singapore's visitor economy," Subramania Bhatt, a veteran tourism analyst based in the city-state, told Xinhua in a recent interview, noting that their travel patterns are increasingly extending beyond iconic landmarks, spilling over into smaller, niche itineraries and experiences. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, since the introduction of visa-free travel between Singapore and China in February 2024, China has become Singapore's largest tourist source market. In the first eight months of 2025, Singapore recorded nearly 2.3 million visitor arrivals from China. A China Outbound Travel Sentiment Survey in the third quarter of 2025 showed that Singapore was the most popular future travel destination among over 15,000 pote...
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Singapore expected to keep monetary policy unchanged on firm growth
10Oct mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Singapore

Singapore expected to keep monetary policy unchanged on firm growth

Singapore is expected to leave settings unchanged at its monetary policy meeting next week, as the city-state’s growth outlook remains resilient despite a slowdown in trade due to U.S. tariffs. Of 14 analysts polled by Reuters, 10 expect the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to hold off making changes in its scheduled review on October 14. Maybank economist Chua Hak Bin said a construction boom, generous fiscal support and falling interest rates have cushioned the blow from a trade slowdown. "Some economic segments appear to be strengthening during the third quarter, judging by the readings for retail sales, hospitality, property transactions, bank lending, trading volumes and IPO deals, which will help cushion the contraction in exports," he said. Similarly, ANZ head ...
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Singapore’s digital economy adds $12B to GDP, creates 214,000 tech jobs in 2024
7Oct mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Singapore

Singapore’s digital economy adds $12B to GDP, creates 214,000 tech jobs in 2024

Singapore’s digital economy expanded by $12 billion in 2024, contributing $128.1 billion, 18.6% of thenation’s GDP, and creating 214,000 tech jobs, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) saidin its third Singapore Digital Economy Report. The report attributes most of this growth to digitalisation in non-tech sectors, rather than within traditional tech firms. Finance and insurance remained the largest contributors, followed by wholesale trade andmanufacturing. The number of tech professionals in Singapore rose from 208,300 in 2023 to 214,000 in2024, despite a cautious global hiring outlook and ongoing layoffs in the sector. Roles linked to AI, data, and cybersecurity saw the fastest growth. Non-tech industries drove thisexpansion, with a 3.9 per cent increase in tech em...
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Economic Freedom Index 2025: Singapore tops the chart, check where India stands among 184 nations
29Sep mmBy Brian ThompsonNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Economic Freedom Index 2025: Singapore tops the chart, check where India stands among 184 nations

Singapore has once again claimed the top spot in this year’s Economic Freedom Index, becoming the world’s freest economy, which continues to show resilience and prosperity. Switzerland is in second place, followed by Ireland. Taiwan ranks fourth, marking its highest position ever. Meanwhile, India stands behind at 128, reflecting significant challenges in the domestic economic environment. In this year’s rankings, there are a few shifts among the top economies. The 2025 Index reviewed the economic policies of 184 countries from July 2023 to June 2024. It found that the global economy, as a whole, remains “mostly unfree”. The average economic freedom score worldwide rose slightly from 58.6 last year to 59.7 this year. The 2025 Economic Freedom I...
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