author-image

Vikram Khanna

Vikram is a senior columist at The Straits Times, where he has worked since 2018, including as associate editor. He was associate editor at The Business Times from 1993 to 2018. Prior to joining SPH, he was at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, from 1987 to 1993. He also served on a sub-committee of the Singapore Government’s Economic Review Committee of 2001. He is a vice-president of the Economic Society of Singapore. He studied economics at the University of Cambridge, UK.

Latest articles

Stablecoins open the way for intelligent payments in Singapore

Singapore now has more than 130,000 merchants that accept payments from international wallets through the Alipay+ and GrabPay networks.

Many use SkillsFuture like a ‘voucher shop’. It’s time that changes

SkillsFuture has given us an incentive to learn, but the drive to learn must come from within.

Venezuela’s oil bonanza is an illusion

Venezuela’s state oil industry would make a lot of money with the US behind it, President Trump said on Jan. 3.

Tariff cuts, rate cuts and market turmoil on the cards in 2026

With US rates headed lower, there will be more downward pressure on the US dollar, which already lost some ground in 2025.

Ten lessons from a history of disruptions

Bounded by what they know, consumers cannot envision the future. It takes a disruptive innovator to resolve the problems they face.

China’s domestic price wars are a threat to its economy

China is in the throes of a cut-throat price war that covers a range of industries and services.

How to keep your country safe from Trump’s whims

A lack of coordination among countries when formulating a response to the Trump administration’s tariffs has enabled the US to divide and rule, says the writer.

Bubble trouble haunts the AI-driven US stock market

Big bets made by tech giants on AI have carried the US stock markets to dizzying heights, prompting fears that the bubble may burst

Gold’s dip a mere blip in glittering rally hinting at global monetary shift

A 500 gram gold bar displayed at an ABC Bullion store in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Gold held near a record high, finding support despite optimism global trade tensions are easing and hopes the US government will reopen soon. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg

Trump slaps ‘visa tax’ on foreigners, but US will pay the price

Mr Donald Trump’s “visa tax” will drive talent and innovation to other countries and there is no upside for American workers.