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Forum: Help retrenched young seniors get back into the workforce​


FEB 21, 2024

In the 2024 Budget, there seems to be a lack of emphasis on one group of vulnerable Singaporeans who have been retrenched.
The number of retrenched workers has increased recently and is expected to rise further due to companies looking at higher profitability and conducting right-sizing exercises.
The Budget is giving top-ups of $15,000 for Institute of Technical Education graduates aged 30 and below when they complete a diploma programme. Those aged 40 and above pursuing a second diploma will get a monthly training allowance of up to $3,000 for 24 months.
Will it make sense for those in their 60s to pursue a second diploma and get hired (hopefully) after graduation?
I am sure those in their 60s will not get a similar scheme to obtain a second diploma and get hired (hopefully) after graduation.
I was laid off last year when I was 59 years old. I have applied for numerous positions without success. Employers do not want to hire older people with a short “runway” as they say it is difficult to integrate them into their generally younger teams. This is also the case when I look for work at government agencies.
I attended a three-month full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme in September 2023, hoping to get a job placement after the training. Unfortunately, the class was left on its own to look for jobs after we completed the programme, which was described as a “train-and-place programme”.

Most unemployed seniors face financial difficulties, especially if we have to support the family.
Most of us would prefer to get a job rather than get handouts from the Government. I hope the Government will look into helping young seniors get back into the workforce.

Eric Yip Kok Leong
 

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Phasing out older payment cards in SimplyGo switch a ‘judgment error’, says Transport Minister​

yaohui-ntsimplygo26-9843.jpg


Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the authorities will learn from the SimplyGo issue and do better in future. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Esther Loi and Lee Nian Tjoe

FEB 13, 2024

SINGAPORE - The authorities made a “judgment error” in deciding to phase out older public transport payment cards for adults, and underestimated how commuters wanted to continue seeing fare information and card balances, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.
“I apologise to our commuters for what happened,” said Mr Chee in an interview with reporters on Jan 26. “We will learn from this and we will do better in future.”
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had announced on Jan 9 that it would retire the older card-based ticketing system – which ez-link and Nets FlashPay cards run on – by June 1. These cards were to be replaced by SimplyGo, an account-based system that processes fare payments at the back end, unlike the older system of storing transaction data on cards.
But the announcement was met with an outcry from passengers, who expressed frustration about their inability to see fare deductions and card balances when tapping out. Some who tried upgrading their ez-link cards on Jan 10 also faced delays due to a surge in transaction volume.
On Jan 22, Mr Chee said the Government will spend an additional $40 million to extend the lifespan of the card-based ticketing system and allow passengers to continue using the older payment cards.
Speaking to the media on Jan 26, he acknowledged that the LTA had underestimated the strong preference of some commuters who wanted to continue viewing fare deductions and card balances at fare gates and card readers.
“We understand your feedback and concerns. We respect your preferences. We want to give you this option to continue to be able to choose which system best meets your needs,” he added.

Mr Chee said LTA had consulted more than 1,000 commuters from 2020 to 2023 about SimplyGo.
LTA decided to retain the concession card system after receiving feedback from seniors, and placed machines at bus interchanges and MRT stations to make it easier for commuters to check their fare transactions and card balances without using the SimplyGo app, he noted.
“If we had consulted more widely, and gathered views from a wider group of commuters before we made the decision... we would have come across the stronger reactions and preferences that some commuters had expressed,” he said.

Asked if there is an optimal number of people to consult for such policies, Mr Chee said his ministry is reviewing this.
There is no fixed number to get a representative range of views, he said, adding that in hindsight, it would have been useful for the Government to hear a wider range of views and concerns on certain issues such as SimplyGo, which affects many people.
The additional $40 million will allow the card-based ticketing system to run till at least 2030.

LTA had previously said that fare deductions and card balances are not displayed at fare gates for payment cards under SimplyGo, as it takes a few seconds to retrieve the information from SimplyGo’s back-end system. This will slow the entry and exit of passengers and result in longer queues.
Mr Chee said he has tasked LTA to study how to improve SimplyGo’s features and the user experience.
Noting that there is no technical solution at the moment for the fare display issue, he said LTA will work with other government agencies and industry partners on this.
Commuters whom The Straits Times spoke to acknowledged Mr Chee’s apology, but hoped the Government would learn from this incident and improve how it handles similar situations in future.
Ms Serena Ng, 52, said the authorities “should do a better job before rolling anything out”.
The personal assistant added that the authorities should have carried out more user testing and got a greater understanding of the needs of commuters in different age groups before deciding on the transition.
Simplygo20shelved20graphic2028129_6.png


Citing better communication as an area for improvement, Ms Ng said her own card upgrade process was not user-friendly, and her elderly parents were confused about whether concession cards could still be used under the new system.
Facilities management executive Nor Isran Kamsani, 43, who uses the old ez-link card for commuting, hopes that the authorities will not go back on their word to keep the old card-based system in operation, and that they continue to maintain it properly till 2030.
Communications manager Amanda Poh, 32, wants to see the Government follow through on its promise to review how it engages the public to get feedback.
“I don’t know the last time the Government apologised and reacted so quickly,” she said.


Timeline: From ez-link to SimplyGo saga​

April 2002: Launch of original ez-link card​

Established by LTA, this rechargeable contactless card can be used across the public transport network.

September 2009: Switch to the Cepas ez-link card​

The new ez-link card can also be used for motoring and retail purposes, such as at carparks.

March 2017: Trial for contactless Mastercard bank cards​

More than 100,000 commuters pay via their Mastercard bank cards for an average of 60,000 daily journeys.

April 2019: Official launch of SimplyGo​

SimplyGo is introduced as an alternative payment method for public transport rides.

Jan 9, 2024: Replacement of old ticketing system with SimplyGo by June 1, 2024​

LTA announces that it would retire the old card-based ticketing system, requiring adult commuters to upgrade their older ez-link and Nets FlashPay cards to SimplyGo-compatible ones.

Jan 10: Inability of back-end systems to handle large volume of transactions​

Many commuters have trouble accessing the SimplyGo mobile app and upgrading their older cards at physical ticketing machines or ticket offices.

Jan 12: Outpouring of complaints on the inability to display fares​

Commuters raise concerns about not being able to see their SimplyGo card balances and fare deductions. While it is “technically possible” to do so, it would take a few seconds and slow down commuter flow, says LTA.

Jan 19: Postponement of free exchange of Nets FlashPay cards for SimplyGo-compatible ones​

Hours before the scheduled exchange is due to start on Jan 19, payment firm Nets says on Facebook that the card exchange service would be temporarily unavailable until further notice.

Jan 22: Shelving of plans to retire the old public transport payment system​

Following public dissent over the transition, LTA says that it will extend the use of the old card-based ticketing system.

Jan 26: Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat apologises for SimplyGo saga​

Calling this incident a “judgment error”, Mr Chee says that LTA should have consulted more commuters on their opinions about the transition.
 

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Forum: ‘Yes’ to new fare cards if commuters had known about $40m​


JAN 30, 2024

I am disappointed that the Land Transport Authority is thinking of spending $40 million to extend the usage of the existing fare cards, mainly so that commuters can see fare deductions and card balances when tapping out at fare gates (Phasing out older payment cards in SimplyGo switch a ‘judgment error’, says Transport Minister, Jan 26).
If the public had known that so much money would be involved in keeping the old system, we would definitely be able to accept the minor inconvenience of not being able to see fare deductions and card balances when we tap out.
Therefore it was the right decision to retire the older cards but commuters just needed to know the reason for the change and the costs involved for keeping them.

Lin Hay Tsu
 

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Forum: Digitalisation should not come at the expense of the consumer​


JAN 20, 2024

Singapore’s moves to step up competitiveness through digitalisation are commendable. Yet, our zealousness to transform the economy leaves a lot to be desired.
At hospitals, customers who want to pay immediately are being turned away, only to be prompted to pay online via SMSes later, as if using credit cards for payment is any less cashless than direct bank deductions.
Barrier-free carparks, such as the one in Punggol Northshore, deduct parking fees without displaying the parking charge.
The initiative provides administrative convenience to the carpark operator, whose bank account is directly credited as soon as the vehicle leaves the carpark.
But the driver is clueless as to the cost of parking.
To monitor the expenditures, one has to spend extra effort digging through an app or bank statement.
With the SimplyGo initiative, commuters leave a bus or train without seeing immediately how much balance is left on their cards, and they also do not know whether there is enough value to carry on with their journey.

We must not have the impression that we have to forgo certain merits of travelling to achieve further benefits of technology.
We could have forgotten that the eventual goal of using technology is to improve public lives, and not solely to save costs for operators.
The manner by which some things have been digitised in Singapore has instead deprived the public of much of their required services.
Singapore’s institutions must move ahead with digitalisation without cutting costs at the expense of consumers by passing the workload to them or artificially trying to impress the authorities that they are functioning “digitally”, but are instead creating problems and not adding value.

Jimmy Ho Kwok Hoong
 

Hypocrite-The

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Why can't singkieland adopt and use the octopus card, one card for multiple transactions? N displays value straight away? Y reinvent the wheel?
 

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Forum: Explain what happened during SimplyGo U-turn​

JAN 24, 2024

The announcement that commuters no longer need to switch to SimplyGo as the Land Transport Authority reversed its decision to scrap the older ticketing system by June was unexpected (LTA shelves plan to replace older public transport payment cards with SimplyGo by June, Jan 22).
After money was spent on a supposedly well-thought-through initiative, another $40 million will be spent so that commuters can continue using ez-link and Nets FlashPay cards for public transport.
It was reported the funds will be spent on maintaining and replacing the hardware of the card-based ticketing system. The authorities should still give a breakdown and account for the money spent.
In addition, the hiccups commuters experienced in the upgrading process are disappointing.
It was reported that people could not use some of the SimplyGo app’s features and passengers faced difficulties in upgrading their ez-link cards to SimplyGo cards after the news of the conversion broke.
I hope the authorities will explain clearly to commuters what happened during this U-turn.

Ng Lee Kwang
 

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Forum: Improve accuracy of timings for buses on MyTransport app​

JAN 18, 2024

Like many commuters, I use the MyTransport app to plan trips, and I would commend the app as it can potentially help commuters to plan trips and eliminate waiting time.
However, the timings shown in the MyTransport app fluctuate wildly and are inaccurate at times, causing frustration for commuters who end up wasting time waiting for buses.
The feedback I received from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is that the bus-arrival prediction times are based on a combination of scheduled bus departure times provided by the bus operator and real-time bus information.
The system assumes that a bus will depart at the time specified in the schedule by the bus operator.
I urge LTA to review the MyTransport app to eliminate the inaccuracies and its dependency on scheduled bus departure times.

Ang Bock Leng
 

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Forum: Retirees still need more help to be re-employed​

JAN 06, 2024

I refer to the reply by the Ministry of Manpower (Steps taken to support senior workers on re-employment, Jan 3).
Kudos to the Manpower Ministry for the schemes it has put in place to extend the employment of seniors, and its encouragement of employers to do so.
However, the ministry did not address the point made by Mr Tristan Gwee (Tap older workers’ wealth of experience, Dec 11) and Mr Ong Kim Bock (Do more to get retirees back in workforce, Dec 14), that is, to tap seniors who have left the workforce, and would like to, and can potentially, be re-employed.
In my interactions with other retired seniors, I have found that many of us would like to be re-employed.
I have applied to the ministry, other government bodies and tripartite organisations, but with no success.
Other seniors have had similar experiences, and we have come to the same conclusion that ageism played a role in why we were not employed.
The Government has called for employers to engage seniors as part of the workforce. But can we expect the private sector to overlook ageism and employ seniors, when government bodies do not seem to walk the talk?

There is a group of retired but capable seniors who have been sidelined. With their efforts to rejoin the workforce not bearing fruit, they are resigned to spending their time at coffee shops or binge-watching TV shows instead of contributing to the nation.

Lai Tuck Kee
 

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Forum: Self-checkout comes with its own host of problems​

JAN 22, 2024

While I agree with Mr Jeffrey Law (Don’t ask supermarket staff to do everything at self-checkout counters, Jan 19), the question is whether supermarket self-checkout is as efficient as it is made out to be.
Often, you still have to wait in line. The checkout kiosks bleat and flash when you fail to set a purchase down in the right spot. Scanning items can be hit-or-miss – wave a barcode too vigorously in front of an unresponsive machine, and suddenly you’ve scanned it two or three times.
Then you need to locate the usually lone employee charged with supervising all the finicky kiosks, who will show her exasperation while scanning her ID badge and tapping the kiosk’s touch screen from pure muscle memory.
There is little evidence that self-checkout is reliably faster than the traditional cashier system, and that feel of convenience has always been largely a trick of perception.
Trained cashiers can scan and bag goods faster than even the most enthusiastic shopper.
But actual checkout speed tells only part of the story.
Self-checkout has a psychological effect: As long as the shopper is taking an active part, it seems to go faster.

But sometimes the user is a less digitally savvy senior forced to use a kiosk because there aren’t enough cashier counters open.
There is also the issue of theft, as the act of bagging your own stuff creates opportunities to make it out the door without paying for everything, including pilfered plastic bags.
Losses from unscanned and mis-scanned items at poorly designed kiosks are a trade-off that retailers are well aware of.
The self-checkout system is not about efficiency or convenience for companies. It is about saving costs by making customers do the scanning and bagging instead of hiring cashiers.

Roland Paul Ang
 

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Forum: Strengthen employment laws to protect retrenched staff​


JAN 25, 2024

After nearly three years in a senior leadership role at a global company in the creative industry, I was recently retrenched. The reason was “financial challenges” and not “an indication of my contributions or performance”.
I was informed that I would not be getting any severance benefits because there are no labour laws in effect that protect employees. I was specifically told that the Ministry of Manpower gives only broad recommendations – with any severance done purely out of goodwill, not because of legislation. Sadly, my contract did not include any provision for retrenchment benefits either.
A friend urged me to speak with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, which referred me to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices.
Both officers who spoke with me were sympathetic, but ultimately said they could only point my company to the best practice and could not enforce anything.
My story isn’t the only one.
The recent high-profile retrenchment exercise at Lazada has exposed a weakness in Singapore’s labour and workplace laws – these laws are geared towards supporting companies, not employees.
I have worked in Britain and Australia – both these countries have workplace laws that protect employees who are retrenched. These are common practices in many developed countries.

As a country that has ambition to be a hub for companies in the region, Singapore should update its Employment Act to give more legal protection to employees.
If we are unable to give adequate protection to employees and strike a fair balance in the employment relationship, I worry about how competitive we will be on the global stage.

Shawn Low
 

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Forum: Help retrenched young seniors get back into the workforce​

FEB 21, 2024

In the 2024 Budget, there seems to be a lack of emphasis on one group of vulnerable Singaporeans who have been retrenched.
The number of retrenched workers has increased recently and is expected to rise further due to companies looking at higher profitability and conducting right-sizing exercises.
The Budget is giving top-ups of $15,000 for Institute of Technical Education graduates aged 30 and below when they complete a diploma programme. Those aged 40 and above pursuing a second diploma will get a monthly training allowance of up to $3,000 for 24 months.
Will it make sense for those in their 60s to pursue a second diploma and get hired (hopefully) after graduation?
I am sure those in their 60s will not get a similar scheme to obtain a second diploma and get hired (hopefully) after graduation.
I was laid off last year when I was 59 years old. I have applied for numerous positions without success. Employers do not want to hire older people with a short “runway” as they say it is difficult to integrate them into their generally younger teams. This is also the case when I look for work at government agencies.
I attended a three-month full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme in September 2023, hoping to get a job placement after the training. Unfortunately, the class was left on its own to look for jobs after we completed the programme, which was described as a “train-and-place programme”.

Most unemployed seniors face financial difficulties, especially if we have to support the family.
Most of us would prefer to get a job rather than get handouts from the Government. I hope the Government will look into helping young seniors get back into the workforce.

Eric Yip Kok Leong
 

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I have read numerous times, that those Ministers and the previous President, said that they are humbled to serve.
If they are humble, perhaps, all of them should consider, and voluntarily take a reduction in their annual compensation by 20 to 30 per cent.
Our politicians are only in Parliament to serve themselves and not the people. That is why a junior Minister will not accept anything less than $1 million per annum to "serve" the citizens of S'pore. It is pure greed!
 

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Forum: Using immigration to boost population comes with own set of issues​


MAR 11, 2024

Aware executive director Corinna Lim made a case for bolstering immigration as a key step to tackling the dismal total fertility rate (TFR) here (Review immigration policy, Singapore’s Plan B for a plunging fertility rate, March 6).
Immigration is always a quick and convenient solution, but it comes with its own set of issues.
While it takes time for new arrivals to integrate and imbibe the ways of the local population, many, meanwhile, may bring social norms that rile the citizen population, creating social tensions and unhappiness.
While this can be resolved over time via gradual integration, a sizeable presence may simply embolden them to carry on their ways without seeing the need to change.
And outside of work requirements, modern-day immigrants may also see little need to integrate with the local population as they can easily link up with their countrymen via social media. This risks leading us to become a country made up of fragments.
We should also not forget that allegiance to a country takes a much longer time to take shape. A huge immigrant intake from any particular country may galvanise the group to advocate that country’s stance.
Being a small country and with today’s geopolitical assertiveness of much bigger and more powerful players, Singapore cannot afford to sleepwalk into a potential future problem.

A dismal TFR is an existential threat to us as a country. I see the root cause as people not having the confidence to have children under the constant cycle of pessimistic news.
A whole new relook at persuading people to have babies is required.

Peh Chwee Hoe
 

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Forum: After 20 years, two sisters’ dream furniture shop comes to an end​


APR 05, 2024, 05:00 AM

My mother and my aunt will put up the shutters of their small furniture shop, Sisters’ Dream, for the last time this week after 20 years.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the shop. I know the stray cats, the customers and their children, and the many other businesses that have come and gone along this shophouse stretch in Bedok.
The dream for the business started after a family holiday in Australia. My mother and my aunt began with selling homeware in our living room before committing to a commercial space and learning how to design custom-made furniture.
Everything about their business was old-fashioned – and the antithesis of today’s business retail environment. They drew furniture sketches by hand, wrote down their daily sales in a jotterbook, and used a fax machine to connect with suppliers.
The furniture they designed was from mature teak with striking wood grains – made to last generations. Nothing like the assemble-it-yourself furniture that can be bought online.
However, the sticking points of their business throughout the past 20 years were the rising rents and unreliable supply chains. That, and the fact that both women are in their 60s and just tired.
The shop provided for our families, but it also sapped the life out of my mother and my aunt.

Customer service is stressful, especially when dealing with ruthless hagglers. Making enough sales every month just to pay a much-too-high rent was unsustainable.
Competing with international furniture brands – with their efficient supply chains, production lines and subsequent economies of scale – was self-defeating.
Every time I raised the topic of seeking government support for small businesses, my mother and my aunt were quick to dismiss the idea: “They’re not looking to help businesses like ours, lah; they’re looking at the tech start-ups run by young people.”
I don’t think they even know where to look for government subsidies and grants or how to access them.
There were many steps they could have taken to ensure the business longevity of Sisters’ Dream, but I believe they were content to make “just enough”, and were apprehensive of change.
I’m going to miss visiting the little shop and exploring its corners.
In my mind, I picture my mother and my aunt resting on the showroom daybed, complaining about how expensive the Singapore dream has become.

Aza Wee Sile
 

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Worldwide Cost of Living: Singapore and Zurich top the ranking as the world’s most expensive cities​

Thu, 30th Nov 2023



  • EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living survey found that, on average, prices rose by 7.4% year on year in local-currency terms. Price growth has slowed from the 8.1% reported in last year’s survey, but remains significantly above the trend in 2017-21.
  • Singapore maintained its pole position as the world’s most expensive city for the ninth time in the last eleven years, tying with Zurich (Switzerland) and overtaking New York (US), which fell to third place this year.
  • Although three US cities (New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco) are among the top ten, North American cities have, on average, slipped down our cost-of-living ranking.
  • Western Europe accounts for four of the top ten most expensive cities in our ranking, owing to sticky inflation in groceries and clothing along with appreciation of the region’s currencies.
  • The Russian cities of Moscow and St Petersburg experienced the biggest drop in the ranking as sanctions weakened the rouble.
  • Of the ten categories in our price index, utility prices rose the most slowly over the past year, reflecting the waning impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Grocery prices, however, continue to rise strongly.
This year’s Worldwide Cost of Living survey found that, on average, prices had risen by 7.4% year on year in local-currency terms for over 200 commonly used goods and services. This marks a decline from the record 8.1% increase reported last year, but price growth remains significantly higher than the trend in 2017-21. Although this year’s survey covers 173 of the world’s major cities, the global average has been calculated by excluding Kyiv (which was not surveyed in 2022) and Caracas (which continues to face hyperinflation), as was the case last year.

Singapore and Zurich were the most expensive cities in this year’s survey. Zurich moved up from sixth place to join Singapore at the top, bumping New York (which tied with Singapore for first place last year) down to third place. Zurich, which is back at the top after three years, moved up due to the strength of the Swiss franc, as well as high prices for groceries, household goods and recreation. Overall, our top ten this year consists of two Asian cities (Singapore and Hong Kong), four European cities (Zurich, Geneva, Paris and Copenhagen), three US cities (New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco) and Tel Aviv in Israel. Our survey was conducted before the start of the Israel-Hamas war, which has affected the exchange rates in Israel and may have made it harder to procure some goods in Tel Aviv, thereby affecting prices.

Globally, utility prices (household energy and water bills) witnessed the slowest inflation of the ten categories covered in our survey. This was the fastest-rising category in 2022 and the moderation suggests an easing of the energy price shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Grocery, on the other hand, saw the fastest pace of price growth. Food inflation has been sticky across the world as many manufacturers and retailers have passed on higher costs to consumers and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events continues to keep supply-side risks elevated.

A free summary report can be downloaded here.


EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living 2023 survey compares the prices of more than 200 goods and services in 173 major cities.
Besides easing supply-side tensions, the hawkish monetary policy stance adopted by the US Federal Reserve has helped moderate inflation in the country by our calculations. Moreover, several foreign currencies have appreciated against the US dollar in 2023. Both these factors have led to the majority of the 22 US cities covered in our survey falling down the ranks. Even then three US cities (New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco) are among the top ten. In New York prices were up by 1.9%. Although some grocery items, such as eggs and beef, and recreational activities saw increases, prices remained subdued for others, including petrol and clothing.

On the other hand, cities in Latin America and western Europe have moved up. The Mexican cities of Santiago de Querétaro and Aguascalientes were the biggest movers up the ranking, with the peso proving to be one of the strongest emerging market currencies in 2023, on the back of interest-rate rises and strong inward investment. European cities, in general, have moved up the ranks amid sticky inflation as well as appreciation in the euro and other local currencies in the region. Asia continues to see relatively low price increases on average. Four Chinese cities (Nanjing, Wuxi, Dalian and Beijing) and two Japanese ones (Osaka and Tokyo) were among the biggest movers down the ranking this year.

“The supply-side shocks that drove price increases in 2021-22 have reduced since China lifted its covid-19 restrictions in late 2022, while the spike in energy prices seen after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 has also eased. However, the cost-of-living crisis is hardly over and price levels remain much above historical trends. We expect inflation to continue to decelerate in 2024, as the lagged impact of interest-rate rises starts affecting economic activity, and in turn, consumer demand. But upside risks remain—further escalations of the Israel-Hamas war would drive up energy prices, while a greater than expected impact from El Niño would push up food prices even further.”
UPASANA DUTT, HEAD OF WORLDWIDE COST OF LIVING AT EIU
A free summary report can be downloaded here.
 
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