Business
Thai Households Struggling With Mountains of Debt as As Thailand’s Cost of Living Continues to Rise
BANGKOK – A mountain of debt continues to shackle purchasing power in Thai households as they grapple with a harsh reality amid sputtering economic conditions.
Household debt to GDP rose marginally to 78% as of last year’s third quarter from 77.9% at year-end 2017, but the debt value has risen considerably to 12.56 trillion baht from 12.1 trillion, according to Bank of Thailand data.
The fear of accumulated debt destabilizing the economy rings a bell among many Thais, as the 1997 Asian financial crisis still haunts policymakers and the public, a reminder of how corruption and financial mismanagement paved the way to disaster.
The increase in household debt could be attributed to rapid growth in auto loans, in line with the country’s solid car sales in 2018, said Titanun Mallikamas, secretary of the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
Other consumer loans, such as housing, credit card and personal loans, have also edged up, contributing to a fair share of high debt liabilities and a grim private consumption outlook.
“The MPC appears concerned with household debt, reflected by the committee’s policy interest rate hike to preserve financial stability,” said Amonthep Chawla, head of research at CIMB Thai Bank. “Higher financial burdens have not transpired, as commercial banks have not increased interest rates considerably.”
Automotive Sales
In 2018, Thailand’s automotive sales saw a sharp rise with 19.5% growth to 1.042 million units, registering a five-year high.
In December, car sales stood at 113,581 units, the highest since January 2014, with a growth of 8.9% year-on-year and 20% month-to-month.
Last year’s sales reflected two straight years of strong performance, the best since the record high propelled by the Yingluck Shinawatra government’s first-time car buyer scheme.
The scheme offered tax rebates of up to 100,000 baht to first-time buyers who bought passenger cars with a maximum engine capacity of 1,500cc, or pickup trucks with unlimited engine capacity but priced at no more than 1 million baht.
They were eligible to receive the refund after owning the cars for one year on the condition that they maintained ownership for at least five years.
In 2012, car sales stood at 1.436 million units, while sales figures totalled 1.33 million a year later.
While the market is not reliving the buying spree seen in 2012, higher non-performing loans (NPLs) in overall auto loans have been driven by significant growth in car sales.
In 2018, auto NPLs rose to 1.66%, up from 1.60% in the previous year, according to Bank of Thailand data.
Toshiaki Maekawa, president of Tri Petch Isuzu Sales, said last year’s aggressive car sales growth could dent purchasing sentiment, but higher auto NPLs are not expected.
“Buyers’ worries will slow down local purchasing power in this year’s market,” Mr Maekawa said. “This year’s sales volume is expected to be the same as last year’s figure at 1.04 million.”
With this projection, a rise in NPLs for auto loans is not expected this year.
“As a car distributor, Isuzu also forecasts the policy interest rate to be unchanged in 2019. In the bigger picture, the auto market is expected to be steady,” Mr Maekawa said. “Isuzu expects that auto NPLs will not be as high as during the bad debt situation transpiring after the tax-rebate programme on first-time car buyers ended.”
Despite overall household debt from all loans remaining high, hire purchase loans for cars continue to see healthy performance, said Surapong Paisitpatanapong, a spokesman for the automotive industry club under the Federation of Thai Industries.
In 2018, car sales growth was due to the introduction of new cars at affordable prices, Mr Surapong said.
In 2019, the car market is expected to perform well, he said, but the club’s projection is similar those of car distributors, with sales volume increasing incrementally by 0.8% to 1.05 million cars.
“Local economic sentiment seems to be healthy, capable of maintaining the projected sales volume,” Mr Surapong said. “New car models will be launched with smaller engine sizes and cheaper prices. In addition, Thailand’s GDP is projected to expand and local purchasing power is strong enough to cover debt repayments.”
Prudent Approvals
As one of the main pillars of the economy, financial institutions have tightened loan approvals since reports of swelling household debt emerged.
Sakchai Peechapat, president and chief operating officer of Tisco Bank, said the bank has seen riskier signs in the auto loan business and swelling household debt, validating the Bank of Thailand’s concerns.
Special mention (SM) auto loans in the banking industry, including at Tisco Bank, have increased and stayed at a high level for a while.
“Rising SMs are partly due to the higher debt burden of borrowers and their lower debt payment ability,” Mr Sakchai said. “With this scenario, Tisco is being prudent on auto loan expansion.”
Auto finance is the bank’s core business, representing 54.4% of the total loan portfolio at 130.86 billion baht, while NPLs of car loans make up 2.76%.
Mr Sakchai said auto loans have been growing more than other consumer loan products.
Rising car loan demand is in line with the country’s new-car sales after the end of the first-time car buyer scheme in 2017.
At the same time, the cycle of new car purchases on average has shortened from eight-and-a-half years before the scheme to five years.
The bank has controlled debt service ratio (DSR) of the loan product at a maximum 50% on average. In case of higher down payments, the bank can offer a higher DSR ratio in line with the borrower’s risk profile.
Despite rising SM loans, Tisco Bank can keep auto NPLs at a low level by managing short-term loan products. On average, an auto loan is repaid over five years.
Amid higher credit risk, the bank has slowed auto loan expansion, setting low-range auto loan growth at 3-5% for this year versus double-digit growth in the past.
Tisco Bank booked a marginal growth rate for auto loans of 0.9% last year.
A selective strategy focused on business partners’ vehicle brands, namely Ford and Mazda, is also helping control the bank’s loan product quality.
Mr Sakchai said greater competition and the underpricing of risk in the auto loan market have eased since automakers and financial institutions began controlling risks prudentially.
“Each loan provider has assessed asset quality thoroughly amid current economic conditions,” said Charl Kengchon, managing director of Kasikorn Research Center.
With the need to maintain financial stability, the central bank can implement a macroprudential measure on DSRs for retail borrowers, similar to how it has targeted a stricter loan-to-value ratio for mortgage loans, Mr Charl said.
Shrinking Speculation
The low-interest-rate environment has encouraged speculators to adopt search-for-yield behaviour, with property among their targeted segments.
Phattarachai Taweewong, senior manager of the research department at property consultant Colliers International Thailand, said the ratio of condo buyers who dump a unit they booked earlier has lowered over the past few years.
“Buyers who discontinue paying down payments for an off-plan condo unit are mostly speculators,” Mr Phattarachai said. “But this kind of buyer is lower in number, as the condo market for the past two years has not been as attractive as in previous periods.”
The market saw a lot of short-term condo speculators five years ago when the condo sector heated up. With the cooling off in demand and prices, these speculators could not resell their units, with some discontinuing paying down payments.
“When they are unable to resell units they booked, they usually dump them during the first few months of down payment so that they will not take a huge loss,” Mr Phattarachai said.
The condo speculation landscape has changed since. The number of speculators shrank as the condo sector became less attractive, with an oversupply spotted in some locations.
Speculators who remain in the market will not dump booked units, but will instead resell at a discounted price — in some cases at half the price, Mr Phattarachai said.
“This happens when a project where speculators booked a unit comes closer to completion,” he said. “If these speculators are unable to resell, they need to transfer the units.”
Some of them are able to get a transfer and rent out the unit, but many are not so fortunate.
Mr Phattarachai said the number of condo units booked, then dumped, by short-term speculators has decreased because there are numerous online channels for reselling, along with many individual agents who provide such services.
The impact of high household debt on the property sector can be seen in the first-time car buyer scheme during 2011-12.
“People who are paying a down payment for an off-plan condo mostly make up either real demand or long-term investment buyers buying to rent out,” Mr Phattarachai said. “For single houses and townhouses, buyers have real demand.”
Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.
This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.
Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.
Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.
The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.
Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.
Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.
The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.
Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.
Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.
Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.
Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.
Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”
Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.
The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.
Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.
The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.
Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”
Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.
The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.
Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.
The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:
SOURCE: CNBC
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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.
This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.
For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.
This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.
Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”
This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.
This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.
Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.
Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.
Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.
This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.
It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.
Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”
This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.
We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.
Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.
SOURCE: THBL
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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children
Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight
Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.
According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SOURCE | AP
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