Will move to cap microfinance interest rates backfire on CPP?
The ruling CPP doubled down on Tuesday on its decision to cap interest rates on microfinance loans as a way to help the poor get out of debt, even as analysts called it a political move that would have long-term negative effects on the rural ...
Hang Sokunthea and Matt Surrusco
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/will-move-to-cap-microfinance-interest-rates-backfire-on-cpp-126564/
China’s squeeze on capital outflow felt in Cambodia
Stringent capital controls imposed by China’s central bank last November that scrutinise the outbound flow of money from the mainland have created uncertainty for Chinese investors looking at the Cambodian market and could jeopardise future and existing projects. ...
Kali Kotoski and Brian Ng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/chinas-squeeze-capital-outflow-felt-cambodia
ADB stays hopeful on forecast for Kingdom
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) maintained its economic growth forecast for Cambodia at 7.1 percent for 2017 and 2018 buoyed by the strong performance of developing economies across Asia and the ongoing recovery of large industrial countries, according to a release yesterday. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/adb-stays-hopeful-forecast-kingdom
Business Insider: Boosting inclusion for online payment at Pi Pay
While Cambodia remains a largely cash-based society, the market for financial technology has begun to expand through online payment services and mobile e-wallets like Pi Pay. The Post’s Robin Spiess sat down with Pi Pay CEO Tomas Pokorny to discuss the future of economic digitisation in the Kingdom. ...
Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/business-insider-boosting-inclusion-online-payment-pi-pay
Inflation in 2017 low and ‘manageable’
Inflation in Cambodia last year reached 2.9 percent due to a moderate increase in the price of key commodities, particularly petroleum and agricultural goods, with the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) saying the low inflation rate was a product of sound macroeconomic management. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50100904/inflation-2017-low-manageable/
NBC sees increased confidence in riel after dollar buys in 2017
The central bank injected $915 million worth of riel into the economy last year by buying up US dollars with the local currency, stabilising the exchange rate amid higher demand for riel, according to the bank’s latest report. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/nbc-sees-increased-confidence-riel-after-dollar-buys-2017
$540m Mekong project endorsed
Environment ministers from the six countries of the Greater Mekong subregion endorsed a five-year environment agenda that includes more than $540 million worth of projects to spur green investments and increase environmental cooperation to help the subregion achieve sustainable growth. ...
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50106157/540m-mekong-project-endorsed/
Bank services VAT seen as ‘inefficient’
Banking sector leaders have expressed concern over a new government decree that places additional fees on financial services, warning that the costs of what some have described as an “impractical and inefficient” tax would likely be passed along to consumers. ...
Kali Kotoski and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bank-services-vat-seen-inefficient
Bond to funnel benefits to women
An $8 million bond set to debut on Singapore’s stock exchange will mobilise private capital to support social enterprises and microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines, providing nearly half a million women in these countries with more access to credit in order ...
Brian Ng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/bond-funnel-benefits-women
Cambodia’s loss of LDC status will bring challenges: World Bank
As Cambodia continues its upward trajectory towards becoming a lower-middle-income country, it will face even greater challenges in reducing high levels of poverty as the Kingdom loses its preferential trade privileges and donor funding dries up, according to a new World Bank report. ...
Kali Kotoski and Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodias-loss-ldc-status-will-bring-challenges-world-bank
$64b GMS action plan
Cambodia as a member of the six-nation Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) endorsed a five-year action plan framework that includes $64 billion in projects to help the sub-region achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development. ...
Sum Manet
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5083528/64b-gms-action-plan/
Public transport a priority: WB
As the urban population continues to grow at rate of 2.6 percent per year, improving public transport and coming up with detailed urbanisation plans should be top priorities for authorities in Phnom Penh, as well as for other urban centres, including Sihanoukville and Siem Reap, ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5084611/public-transport-priority-wb/
Officials deny arrest has links to new loans
The rumour mill has been in overdrive regarding the arrest of The Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg; however, various government officials yesterday shunned the conspiracy theories. Tom Abrahamsson, head of administrative and consular matters at the Swedish Embassy in Phnom Penh, refuted speculation that Svartholm ...
Gov's to Lay More than 400 Km of Fiber-Optic Cable
With a loan from Japan, the government will begin laying more than 400 km of fiber-optic cable early next year to connect Phnom Penh with five provinces, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC) said yesterday. Telecommunication Minister So Khun said the cable-which will connect Phnom Penh with ...
As Insurance Claims Grow, So Do Premiums
The total amount of claims paid out by local insurance firms during the first nine months of the year have tripled to more than $11 million compared to the same period in 2011 According to data from General Insurance Association of Cambodia (GIAC), paid claims grew ...
Officials ignore call for special small and medium enterprises bank
Cambodian officials have refused to establish a specialised bank for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) despite experts saying the sector needs aid in order to compete efficiently with ASEAN economic integration in 2015. Hang Chounnaron, secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Finance said Cambodia would ...
Microfinance institution Sathapana increases maximum loan limit
Microfinance institution Sathapana has increased its maximum loan size to US$200,000, a 300 per cent increase from the previous level of $50,000. The upgrade in loan size is a result of Cambodia’s good economic climate and the expectation that there will be demand among customers for ...
Investment to aid low earners
US-BASED Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) yesterday signed a deal to provide a $5 million long-term loan to Thaneakea Phum (Cambodia) Ltd (TPC), a local microfinance institution (MFI), to support TPC’s expansion of its home improvement loans for low-income Cambodians. Fernanda Lima, director of US-based socially ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013022861653/Business/investment-to-aid-low-earners.html
Cambodia takes $430m China loan
Cambodia yesterday signed deals for about US$430 million in loans from China, the latest in a number of high-profile borrowing deals with its northern neighbour. The bulk of the loans, from Export-Import Bank of China, would go towards two national road projects and a multipurpose dam ...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012061456790/Business/cambodia-takes-430m-china-loan.html
Doing business gets easier in Cambodia: World Bank
Cambodia rose five places in the World Bank’s annual Doing Business study to 133I’d out of 185 countries, largely due to the establishment of a credit bureau, which makes acquiring loans easier. The report, which ranks countries in 10 categories on the ease of doing ...