Tag: COVID-19

COVID rates drop, first vaccines in sight

The rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to decline into the new year, with daily case counts dipping to between 500 and 700 this week. The number is a huge drop from a mere month ago, when daily confirmed cases ranged between 1000 and 1500. Fu

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COVID hit YSX trades in 2020

Trades on the Yangon Stock Exchange (YSX) plunged in 2020, according to its annual report. Only MMK 12.6 billion worth of shares were traded, a drop of nearly MMK 800 million from the previous year. The downturn came despite a sixth company, Everflow

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Myanmar aims to borrow USD 1 billion for vaccines

The Myanmar government is requesting a total of roughly USD 1 billion in loans to buy its first COVID-19 vaccines. It has petitioned the World Bank, IMF, ADB and JICA, U Tun Tun Naing, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Indu

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Can plane tours help the industry take off?

This week, Myanmar National Airlines conducted the first contactless, no-land flight tours — a government-backed attempt to revitalize domestic tourism. The two flights made low passes over Mount Zwegabin (near Hpa-Ann) and Kyaiktiyo (home of Golde

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Factory closures and lay-offs put over 65,000 out of a job

“A total of 65,707 workers lost their jobs when factories closed or suspended operations and laid off workers amid COVID-19. Most of the affected factories were involved in contract manufacturing,” said an official of the regional ministry of Imm

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Thilawa SEZ investment declines by 50% YoY

Investments in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone is the last victim of the COVID-19 induced economic fallout. The Thilawa SEZ in South Yangon has reported a 50-percent year-on-year decline in foreign investment, according to the SEZ management commit

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