Chart of the Week │ Mar 11, 2026
Cost of Living Rankings for Expatriates and Ordinary Residents in 2025
Over the past few years, the most expensive cities for expatriates have been concentrated in North America and Western Europe, with Singapore and Hong Kong standing out as notable exceptions.
Featured Research
Do Export Tax Rebates Boost Exports in India? Evidence from RoDTEP
ACI’s latest research on India’s newest export tax rebate scheme, the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP), shows that eligible firms increased their export intensity as applicable rebate rates rose. But the response was uneven, with export…
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One Size Doesn’t Fit All: The Power of Local Context in Policy Design
Why do some public policies succeed while others falter? New research from the Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI) reveals a critical factor: context-awareness. The study finds that policies designed with a deep understanding of local contexts achieve significant positive results, whereas…
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How US Investment Shapes Singapore’s Competitiveness Under the USSFTA
Two decades after the US–Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) came into force, one question stands out: what is the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) from the United States on Singapore’s economic development? New research from the Asia Competitiveness Institute…
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Safeguarding ASEAN’s Solar PV Future: Trade, Policy and Business Perspectives
Riding on the global wave of renewable energy expansion, ASEAN has emerged as a major exporter of solar PV products. Yet, this export-led growth also exposes the vulnerabilities of ASEAN’s solar PV industry—especially its deep integration into the global supply…
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Protectionism’s Toll on ASEAN: Lessons from a USD 10 Billion Export Loss
ASEAN’s exports have become more vulnerable as global protectionism rises. Using monthly trade data at the six-digit (HS-6) level, the study quantifies how these policy shifts affect regional trade. It finds that each new protectionist measure reduced ASEAN exports by…
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Tracking Investment and Policy Shifts in a World of Protectionism
Summary: On 26 September 2025, ACI hosted a webinar themed “Tracking Investment and Policy Shifts in a World of Protectionism”. This is the first webinar under the ACI data and Policy Analytics Seminar Series this year. The session explored how…
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Can Asia-Pacific Deliver on the RCEP Promise?
Summary: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was launched as a milestone in Asian trade integration. Bringing together 15 economies, it promised stronger linkages, more resilient supply chains, and a rules-based anchor for the region. Yet with tariff shocks from…
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Looking ahead of Hainan Free Trade Port’s Development: Challenges and Opportunities
ACI’s latest research finds that the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) is hindered by its weak economic fundamentals, competition from established Pilot Free Trade Zones (PFTZs) and limited institutional capacity. Building clear strategic positioning, executing policies robustly,…
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Book Launch | The Solar Power Industry in ASEAN: A Competitiveness Analysis
Summary: The Solar Power Industry in ASEAN – A Competitiveness Analysis offers a comprehensive evaluation of the region’s developmental trajectory through rigorous quantitative assessments and an examination of key policies proposed and implemented by ASEAN and individual member states. By…
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ACI Perspectives 