The results of the 2024 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index signal that global trade is at a crossroads as companies struggle to bolster their supply chains through near-shoring, re-shoring, friend-shoring and other production/sourcing strategies. It is not all bad news, though. As World Trade Organization director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says, “The case for strengthening the trading system is far stronger than the case for walking away from it.” Between October and December 2023, Transport Intelligence, one of the world’s leading providers of logistics and supply chain market research, surveyed 830 logistics industry professionals for their opinions on the prospects and challenges that emerging markets face in the year ahead. The following are the findings of the survey.

Sobering findings of the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) continues to evolve, large language models (LLMs) will have increased capabilities, use audio-visual training, transform the workplace and improve conversational AI.

Language of tomorrow

The amount of single-use plastic used and disposed of by individuals and households is alarming. According to WWF-Malaysia, post-consumer plastic waste generation in Malaysia is estimated to be more than one million tonnes and 81% of its value is lost because it is not recovered.

What to do with single-use plastic?

With a host of challenges — from persistent economic headwinds and geopolitical conflicts to technological disruption and climate change — redefining business risk and limiting growth, CEOs are faced with a compelling need to accelerate business reinvention. PwC’s latest annual CEO survey — conducted with 4,702 CEOs globally, of whom 1,774 are in Asia-Pacific, including 44 from Malaysia — indicates that the vast majority of companies are already taking steps towards reinvention.

What Malaysian CEOs are doing to reinvent business

After a fantastic showing in 2021, during which US$13 billion was raised in 152 intial public offerings, Southeast Asia’s IPO market continued to be active in 2023 in terms of issuances even though it generated only US$5.8 billion from 163 listings, data in Deloitte’s Southeast Asia IPO Capital Market Report show. The total IPO amount raised was 24% lower than in 2022 despite the number of IPOs conducted remaining constant.

How southeast Asian IPOs fared in 2023

The Ringgit Plus Financial Literacy Survey 2023 is a snapshot of how Malaysians earning below RM5,000 a month manage their personal finances as 87% of the 3,211 respondents aged 18 and above earn less than RM5,000.