Home building in Papua New Guinea is set to accelerate sharply, according to Matthew Care, Chief Executive and founder of the real estate website Hausples.com.pg, which has an expo in Port Moresby this weekend. He tells Business Advantage PNG that the growth is being driven by pent-up demand.
The Asian Development Bank has begun its decade-long US$1 billion investment in the Highlands Highway, according to David Hill, the bank’s Country Director for PNG. He says the ADB is also planning significant investment in the health and civil aviation sectors.
LNG prices have surged but oil prices are stable, while cocoa prices are up but coffee is down. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly review of Papua New Guinea commodities and financial markets.
The Papua New Guinea economy is unlikely to rebound strongly before 2020, according to a report by the World Bank. It forecasts steady, but unspectacular, growth.
The National Government has issued a Supplementary Budget to deal with the fiscal and economic issues facing Papua New Guinea. Economic commentators tell Business Advantage PNG that it is a tough budget, but flag that more measures may be needed.
Leading financiers have called for better international marketing of the country’s financial system and assets. They told the Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Conference, that it is an important step towards creating more mature financial markets.
The secrets to a successful business operation in Papua New Guinea are to form partnerships, stay ahead of the game and be the best in your field. But the key, says Stan Joyce, Managing Director of SP Brewery, is to take the long-term view.
PNG Government-owned company Kumul Petroleum Holdings has sold its 10 per cent stake in Oil Search, with KPH Managing Director Wapu Sonk reportedly saying it lost A$322 million (K812 m) on the sale. However, stockmarket analyst David Lennox says overall the country has benefited from the process.
Oil prices are likely to remain volatile and LNG prices may head lower due to complex shifts in supply and demand. Other commodities seem more likely to be on an upwards trend, but the picture is patchy.
To deal effectively with China it is best to target second tier cities, David Thomas, Chief Executive of Think Global Consulting, told the Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Conference in Sydney. He said the country’s GDP and middle class will double in the next decade, profoundly altering the world economy.