Asia is seeing a convergence of geoeconomic and geopolitical risks which pose a serious threat to growth in the region, said an expert in international affairs on Wednesday. SEE MORE China’s styrene butadiene (BD) rubber market is expected to be soft in the second half of 2019 due to waning demand amid a slowing economy. SEE MORE The price of gold in Vietnam rocketed to VND39 million per tael (1.2 ounces) on June 21, the highest level in the past six years, after global bullion price hit US$1,400 an ounce. SEE MORE Vietnam’s local currency (LCY) bond market reached a size of VND1,193 trillion (US$51 billion) at the end of March, up a marginal 0.7% quarter-on-quarter, a reversal from the 5% quarter-on-quarter contraction in the last quarter of 2018. SEE MORE US propylene supply outpaces derivative demand heading into the second half of 2019, and the market is poised to lengthen further on strong refinery rates and cracker capacity additions. SEE MORE