Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories

Will Obama visit open up Southeast Asia economies?

The focus of President Obama's visit to the region has been geopolitical but what about the economic gains to be made?

Today President Obama made a short but highly symbolic visit to Myanmar, the southeast Asian country also known as Burma. The six hour stopover is part of a wider tour of the region that also included Cambodia and Thailand.

As it begins to open up its economic system, Myanmar has quickly caught the attention of many foreign investors. The county has a strong manufacturing workforce and is rich in natural resources such as timber, oil and gas.

Yet, while the government of Myanmar appears to be moving in a democratic direction, many rules are still not clear. So for now, companies looking to make a safe investment may have to watch and wait as the country’s political and economic system gains more structure and clarity. 

Related Topics

Collections:

Latest Episodes

View All Shows
  • Marketplace
    10 hours ago
    25:19
  • Make Me Smart
    15 hours ago
    19:00
  • Marketplace Morning Report
    18 hours ago
    6:55
  • Marketplace Tech
    a day ago
    8:33
  • This Is Uncomfortable
    3 days ago
    56:05
  • Million Bazillion
    24 days ago
    32:45