Economy and commerce
Japanese FDI on the rise in Cambodia
The strong inflow of Japanese investment is expected to continue on the back of both large-scale commercial projects and the consumer habits of Japanese expatriates residing and working in Cambodia, according to investment officials. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/japanese-fdi-rise-cambodia
UK to maintain Cambodia’s duty-free access
The British government has attempted to assuage the fears of least developed countries (LDCs) including Cambodia by assuring them that they will retain their trade privileges to the United Kingdom following the country’s exit from the European Union ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/uk-maintain-cambodias-duty-free-access
Tourism industry eyes Russia
The Tourism Ministry has outlined the potential of tourism services and investment opportunities to Russia, hoping to attract tourists and investments to Cambodia. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39752/tourism-industry-eyes-russia/
QR codes could prove to be a digital alternative to cash for Cambodia
Global payments giant Visa is the first international financial firm to announce the roll out of a payment solution in Cambodia for quick response codes, or QR codes, those pixelated black and white squares designed to be read by a smartphone camera that have begun ...
Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/qr-codes-could-prove-be-digital-alternative-cash-cambodia
Central shared switch due to launch in July
The central bank hopes to launch its central shared switch mechanism next month after a trial run that has already connected the account records of three of the Kingdom’s leading financial institutions, allowing them to operate ATM and point-of-sale (POS) terminals in tandem, according to ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/central-shared-switch-due-launch-july
Flexibility measures weighed for CSX
Cambodia’s capital market regulator will meet soon to discuss a proposal to permit market orders for trading stocks on the Kingdom’s bourse, a move that would give investors more flexibility when buying or selling shares, officials have said. ...
Brian Ng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/flexibility-measures-weighed-csx
Smooth sailing for port’s IPO
Earlier this month Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) became the fifth listed firm on the Cambodian Securities Exchange (CSX) following an initial public offering that raised $27 million. The Post’s Brian Ng sat down with Shuzo Shikata, CEO of SBI Royal Securities (SBIR), the sole underwriter ...
Brian Ng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/smooth-sailing-ports-ipo
Finance sector wants no VAT
Banking and financial industry figures have called on the government to abolish the 10 percent value added tax on the sector and asked for further discussion. The industry thinks the tax will increase the burden on financial service users. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39655/finance-sector-wants-no-vat/
NBC, South Korea team up for research
The central banks of Cambodia and South Korea signed an agreement on Friday to jointly conduct research and analyse the relationship between exchange rates and inflation in the Cambodian economy, according to bank officials. ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/nbc-south-korea-team-research
New rules for digital payments
The central bank has issued new regulations governing the licensing of payment services providers (PSPs), requiring that all firms providing online services to accept electronic payments have at least $2 million in registered capital, a move expected to increase the stability of the sector and ...
Hor Kimsay and Matthieu de Gaudemar
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/new-rules-digital-payments
Risk puts brakes on movable assets
Access to credit would increase dramatically if Cambodian borrowers could put up movable assets as collateral, but lenders say much more needs to be done to remove the risks associated with these assets, including the establishment of a legal framework that would restrict changes in ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/risk-puts-brakes-movable-assets
March inflation rate rises to 4.3 percent
Although growth in Cambodia’s consumer price index (CPI) went up by 4.3 percent year-on-year in March, according to latest figures from the National Institute of Statistics, an expert maintains that the increase in cost of living will have minimal effect on the lives of Cambodians. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39611/march-inflation-rate-rises-to-4-3-percent/
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
Banks roll out cards with new logos
Financial institutions that were abruptly ordered to change their logos earlier this year due to the perceived similarities with state iconography have begun issuing new bank cards to their clients free of charge. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/banks-roll-out-cards-new-logos
Agriculture expo expected to draw Chinese investors
More than 1,000 Chinese investors and businessmen will soon come to Cambodia to seek investment partnerships with their Cambodian counterparts during the inaugural International Agriculture Products and Expository conference on Koh Pich Island. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39529/agriculture-expo-expected-to-draw-chinese-investors/
Partnership to lift rice standards in Kingdom
The International Finance Corporation and Amru Rice, one of Cambodia’s biggest rice exporters, launched a new partnership yesterday to improve the competitiveness of the Kingdom’s rice sector, according to a press release. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/partnership-lift-rice-standards-kingdom
Shaky outlook for black pepper
The rapid expansion of pepper cultivation in Cambodia coincides with the spice’s plummeting world prices, creating concerns that the glut of pepper ripening on vines across the Kingdom could further erode next season’s market prices and push the sector toward a collapse. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/shaky-outlook-black-pepper
Platform to unify online trading for CSX
A central online trading platform expected to launch by the end of the year will allow investors to trade securities listed on the local stock market using a desktop computer or smartphone. ...
Brian Ng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/platform-unify-online-trading-csx
Equity fund takes stake in iCare
A Singapore-based private equity fund manager has acquired a significant minority stake in iCare Benefits (Cambodia) Co Ltd, an employee benefits programme offered to enterprises that operate in the Kingdom. ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/equity-fund-takes-stake-icare
A roadmap for financial growth
The government yesterday unveiled its financial sector development strategy for 2016 to 2025, which provides stakeholders with a document to evaluate the last decade of growth while outlining an action plan for the next decade. Chea Serey, director-general of the NBC, said the content of ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/roadmap-financial-growth
Local bond market on the horizon
The government is preparing legislation to regulate the establishment of a corporate bond market that would give local companies a new debt instrument to raise capital for their operations or expansion. ...
Brian Ng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/local-bond-market-horizon
Economists assail opposition proposal to ditch US dollars
Economists on Tuesday lambasted the CNRP’s proposal to eliminate the use of U.S. dollars for transactions in the country within one year of a victory in next year’s national elections, saying the policy would be “a disaster” and “impossible.” ...
Brendan O’byrne
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/economists-assail-opposition-proposal-to-ditch-us-dollars-131307/
Naga CEO Lip Keong seeking majority stake
Nagacorp Ltd, the operator of Phnom Penh’s NagaWorld hotel and casino complex, announced that the company’s chief executive, Chen Lip Keong, has submitted a proposal to shareholders and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that would allow him to divest his personal investment of $369 million ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/naga-ceo-lip-keong-seeking-majority-stake
Jet’s to expand night market
Following the popularity of Cambodia’s first-ever container night market, the company behind the project said it is investing an additional $500,000 to expand the open-air facility with an annex scheduled to open next month. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/jets-expand-night-market