ข่าวเศรษฐกิจและธุรกิจประจำสัปดาห์

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  Total SA discusses with Myanmar to supply the country's most populous city, Yangon, with liquefied natural gas (Bloomberg)

  Total SA is in talks with Myanmar to supply the country’s most populous city, Yangon, with liquefied natural gas, Bloomberg reported on 20 July. The French energy giant may also build a power plant, according to Xavier Preel, general manager of Total E&P Myanmar. Total, which sold about 11 million tons of LNG last year, is seeking to expand its footprint in downstream activities like regasification terminals, pipelines and power plants to help create new gas demand as it refocuses away from oil.
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  Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) exceeds its US$ 6 billion foreign direct investment target for 2017-18

  The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) could achieve or even exceed its US$6 billion foreign direct investment target for 2017-18. Between April 1 and July 11 of the current fiscal year, FDI into the country hit US$2.7 billion, almost half the MIC’s target. Meanwhile, a total of US$127 million in fresh funds was pumped into the Thilawa Speical Economic Zone, while US$221 million was injected into existing projects. That’s US$3.1 billion in total for the first four months of the current fiscal year, which is half the MIC’s original target for the entire year.
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  Myanmar’s agriculture sector attracts only 0.55 percent of all foreign direct investment this financial year

  Myanmar’s agriculture sector absorbed foreign direct investment (FDI) this financial year estimated at US$15.21 million by mid-July, accounted for only 0.55 per cent of all FDI, said U Hsan Myint, the deputy director-general of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). “Agriculture is listed in ten prioritized sectors by Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). However, it is time-consuming investment”, he added
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  The restrictions that stop foreign banks offering retail services in Myanmar will be lifted soon (governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar – CBM)

  The governor of the the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) has said restrictions that stop foreign banks offer¬ing retail services in My¬anmar will be lifted ‘soon’. Deputy Governor U Set Aung told a July 10 Pyithu Hluttaw meeting that it’s time foreign banks were allowed to open branches across the nation and pro¬vide their retail banking services to local customers. “Sooner or later, we will approve retail banking for foreign banks,” U Set Aung, said.
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  US-based solar product company launched its services with the support of the International Finance Corporation and United Nations Capital Development Fund to widen access to clean energy among the rural population in Myanmar

  A US-based solar product company launched its services in Myanmar with the support of the International Finance Corporation and United Nations Capital Development Fund to widen access to clean energy among the rural population. The opening of its first store in Myanmar was accompanied with the introduction of the instalment system for purchases. Greenlight Planet launched its retail store on July 6 under the brand Sun King in Bago Region. The store offers both EasyBuy and upfront payment options across a range of solar lamps and home systems. The store is the company’s first branch in the country and also in Asia.
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  Myanmar’s real estate sector attracted US$ 569 million in foreign direct investment during 1 April - 30 June 2017 (Directorate of Investment and Company Administration - DICA)

  MYANMAR’S real estate sector attracted US$569 million in foreign direct investment between 1 April to 30 June, according to recent Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) statistics. During the same period, total FDI was an estimated $1.96 billion. Foreign investment mainly flowed into agriculture, livestock and fisheries, manufacturing, transport and communication and real estate. Total foreign direct investment in Myanmar since FY1988-89 is estimated at $72 billion, according to the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). Real Estate placed fifth among categories of FDI with $4.3 billion. Oil and gas investment accounted for 30 per cent of total investment with estimated investment of $22.4 billion. Energy investments were 28 per cent, drawing more than $20.5 billion.
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  Myanmar Offshore Supply Base (MOSB) received the green light from the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) to construct an oil and gas supply in Mon State

  Myanmar Offshore Supply Base (MOSB), a Singapore company, on July 11 received the green light from the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) to construct an oil and gas supply base in Mon State. It will be the first foreign-run oil and gas supply base in Myanmar. The project, which covers an area of over 193 acres onshore including some 46 acres of prime river front land, will provide a wide range of support services to the oil and gas operators in the waters off the coast in the Bay of Bengal. “We are now doing a feasibility study and understanding the requirements of the oil and gas industry in Myanmar. We will build according to the demands required to support the fast-growing oil and gas industry,” MOSB chair Leonard Oh told The Myanmar Times.
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  Domestic banks are not allowed to take on financial exposure to a single individual or entity of more than 20% of its core capital (Central Bank of Myanmar)

  Domestic banks will not be allowedto take on financial exposure to a single individual or entity of more than 20% of its core capital, the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) said July 11. Effective immediately, the new regulation is aimed at aligning Myanmar’s banking standards with international Basel II standards, a CBM director told The Myanmar Times. Currently, domestic banks are still operating on Basel I standards. Basel II is an international business standard that requires financial institutions to maintain enough cash reserves to cover risks incurred by operations.
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  Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) allowed 16 domestic and foreign investments in a meeting held on July 11, 2017

  The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has allowed 16 domestic and foreign investments, including a company to provide services for an offshore oil producer, during a meeting held on July 11. They are eight joint-ventured investments, six domestic schemes and two foreign investments. A company from Myanmar, Fortune International Limited, is due to invest in the building of apartments, apartment villas, offices and shopping complexes in Mayangone Township in Yangon Region and rent them out.
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  South Korea and Myanmar signed an agreement to build an industrial zone in Nyaung Na Pin Township, northern Yangon

  Governments in South Korea and Myanmar signed an agreement to build an industrial zone in Nyaung Na Pin township, north¬ern Yangon. Korea's Land & Housing Corporation (LHC) and Myanmar’s Department of Urban and Housing Development (DUHD) inked an contract to build an industrial zone on 570 acres. “We crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s on June 16th and are waiting for further directives from the govern¬ment. Advanced ground inspections and final archi¬tectural planning are need¬ed before construction can begin in early 2018,” U Win Naing, Deputy Direc¬tor of Urban and Housing Development Department, told Myanmar Business Today.