Property News Roundup 24th March 2025
We’re delighted to share the weekly news highlights below.
- Cambodia’s Public Debt Hits More than $12 billion
In 2024, Cambodia’s debt reached approximately $12 billion, reflecting a low rate of debt repayment. This debt is divided into two categories: external debt and domestic debt. Notably, 99% of the public debt is external, while the remaining 1% is domestic. Cambodia’s external debt is sourced from various countries and institutions, including China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and France, as well as multilateral organizations such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The borrowed funds have been allocated to key sectors such as transportation, water supply, energy, irrigation, infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, and other national priorities.
17 March 2025 | Source: Kiri Post | Link: https://tinyurl.com/3wp7ny76
- Trump drafts three-tier US travel ban targeting 43 countries
President Donald Trump appears to have expanded the scope of the travel ban from his first term to include 43 countries. The draft list was separated into three sections — red, orange, and yellow. The red list includes 11 countries facing a total entry ban, while the orange list covers 10 countries with restricted entry. The yellow list, which includes Cambodia, has 22 countries given 60 days to address alleged “deficiencies” or risk stricter restrictions.
17 March 2025 | Source: The Independent | Link: https://tinyurl.com/3j94auew
- PM reduces tax rate for domestic airlines
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced a significant reduction in the withholding tax for domestic airlines, lowering it from 14% to 2% to help ease financial pressure on the industry. He stated that even though the reduction in tax rates for the private sector will cause the government to lose revenue, the government must still do what it can to ensure that the private sector survives.
17 March 2025 | Source: Khmer Times | Link: https://tinyurl.com/3ey7jf9m
- Gold Rises To New Heights As Anxiety Grips Markets. Here’s What You Need To Know
Gold futures surpassed the $3,000 per troy ounce for the first time this week. Interest in buying gold can rise sharply in times of uncertainty, as anxious investors seek safe havens for their money. Gold prices are spiking higher now as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have kicked off an international trade war that has roiled financial markets and threatened to reignite inflation for families and businesses alike. If trends continue, analysts say gold’s price could continue to climb in the months ahead.
18 March 2025 | Source: Kiri Post | Link: https://tinyurl.com/523j5yf4
- Cambodia confident of removal from US ‘Yellow List’ travel restrictions after review
Cambodia is optimistic about a favourable outcome in the US government’s review of its ‘Yellow List’ of proposed travel restrictions. It is likely that the initial report of the restriction is based on old information reported to the Trump administration and doesn’t include the recent update on US-Cambodia relations. However, Cambodia on the US’s travel restriction list does not reflect the real situation in the Kingdom.
19 March 2025 | Source: Khmer Times | Link: https://tinyurl.com/ykuvk32x
- New Techo International Airport to help boost visitor numbers, Hak says
During a site visit to the ongoing construction of the Techo International Airport, Minister of Tourism Huot Hak emphasized the airport facility is crucial in enhancing convenience for air passengers, particularly international tourists. It will not only enhance Cambodia’s connectivity to more tourist destinations both regionally and globally but also help the Kingdom receive 7.5 million international tourists in 2025
20 March, 2025 | Source: Khmer Times | Link: https://tinyurl.com/2he3maav
- Australian Bank CEOs Say Trump ‘Tariff Madness’ May Drive Up Global Inflation
the CEOs of two top Australian banks said that A trade war sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs may drive up global inflation, stoke market volatility and slow economic growth. U.S. protectionist policies could strain the global economy, raising costs and creating uncertainty. U.S. tariffs would mean inefficiencies in trade (and) therefore more inflation.
20 March, 2025 | Source: Kiri Post | Link: https://tinyurl.com/3hy8r993
- Cambodian Government Set to Launch Incentive Policy for Domestic Assembly Production
The Government of Cambodia is on the verge of introducing a groundbreaking incentive policy aimed at boosting domestic assembly production and significantly reducing imports. Prime Minister Hun Manet announced this initiative during the 2nd annual conference of the Cambodian Oknha Association, where he outlined the government’s 2025 economic plans.
20 March 2025 | Source: Construction & Property | Link: https://tinyurl.com/mu5nsure
- Chinese firms eye investment in Cambodia
Chinese companies, one an industrial park management firm and another electric storage battery manufacturer, Wednesday evinced interest in exploring investment opportunities in Cambodia. The companies expressed their keenness to invest during a meeting with Hean Sahib, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the Investment Promotion Working Group for Preah Sihanouk at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in the capital.
21 March 2025 | Source: Khmer Times | Link: https://tinyurl.com/ymuubvf9
- Trump policies ‘promise’ an economic downturn, says prominent forecaster in first-ever ‘recession watch’
The UCLA Anderson Forecast has issued its first-ever “recession watch,” warning that policies from the Trump administration could trigger an economic downturn. The forecast cites concerns over tariffs, immigration policies, and federal workforce reductions, which could collectively slow the economy. The report highlights emerging weaknesses in consumer spending and financial sector risks, suggesting a potential for “stagflation,” where economic stagnation occurs alongside high inflation. Despite these warnings, most Wall Street forecasters do not currently predict a recession as the likely outcome.
21 March 2025 | Source: CNBC | Link: https://tinyurl.com/t669yvb8