COVID silver linings: Bank of Papua New Guinea releases economic bulletin and not all is bad news

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The Bank of Papua New Guinea has released its Quarterly Economic Bulletin for the March and June 2020 Quarters. It shows that the economy and government finances came under great pressure because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, but that the impact was uneven.

Diversify and conquer: what the future holds for Credit Corp in Papua New Guinea

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Peter Aitsi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Credit Corporation PNG, says the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on operations. He tells Business Advantage PNG that the company is moving to a more agile digital platform and diversifying its product range.

What’s on the agenda for Papua New Guinea business in 2021?

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With the Marape government surviving a challenge late last year and vaccines for the COVID-19 virus starting to emerge, Business Advantage PNG considers what business in Papua New Guinea can expect from the year ahead.

Commodities update: palm oil reverses trend, LNG soars but oil continues to weaken

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LNG prices continue to surge and are now up by over a third this year. But oil prices eased and cocoa prices also fell slightly. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly review of commodity and financial markets.

Bank of Papua New Guinea revises down growth expectations

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In his latest Monetary Policy Statement, the Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea, Loi Bakani, forecasts GDP will decline by four per cent in 2020 but rebound slightly next year. He also expressed concerns about changes to the Central Banking Act.

It’s time to devalue the kina, says Business Council

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The Business Council of Papua New Guinea has present its latest macroeconomic outlook, which outlines the risks faced by PNG’s economy and what business needs to recover from the COVID-19 downturn.

No recession for Papua New Guinea post COVID-19, says Central Bank

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The Bank of Papua New Guinea in its latest Monetary Policy Statement is predicting that the Papua New Guinea economy will not go into recession this year and there will be a strong recovery next year. But it says that the COVID-19 pandemic has badly affected many of the key sectors in the economy.

In brief: Barrick removes Porgera mine’s production from guidance and other business stories

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Porgera mine output is removed from Barrick’s full year guidance, Westpac announces new division for Westpac Pacific and Australia and New Zealand agree on a ‘trans-Tasman COVID-safe’ travel zone. The business news you need to kick-start your week.

War chest: oversubscribed COVID-19 bond will help Papua New Guinea fight virus

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The government’s COVID-19 bond was oversubscribed after the first week, according to Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey. He said over K1 billion was raised and that the money will help protect Papua New Guineans from the worst effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thinking about PNG’s COVID-19 economic response [opinion]

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Three academics, Dek Joe Sum, Maholopa Laveil and Stephen Howes, analyse Papua New Guinea’s monetary easing measures in response to COVID-19.