Malaysia’s palm oil, rubber, chip exporters to benefit from TPPA: Moody’s

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's palm oil, rubber and electronics' exporters will see substantial value from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, Moody's Investors Service says.

It said on MOnday that Vietnam's apparel and shoe manufacturers would profit from lower import duties with the US and Japan. In Japan, cars and auto-parts makers in particular stand to do well out of the agreement.

The international ratings agency said Australia and New Zealand's farmers will also benefit from increased market access and lower tariffs on their goods. 

For Singapore, which has trade agreements in place with nine TPP countries, the deal will complement these existing pacts and boost investment and trade flows with partner nations.

Another positive aspect of the trade negotiations has been to act as a catalyst for reform in several countries in the region, such as Japan and Vietnam.

Moody’s said the recent pact on the TPP trade agreement was credit positive for all 12 participating sovereigns, but especially for those in Asia.

“The deal will reduce the cost of trade and open up new investment opportunities, supporting growth. While full details of the agreement have yet to be published, greater access to the US for their goods should help to make Asian countries the biggest beneficiaries in GDP-relative terms,” it said.

Moody's findings are contained in a just-released report, entitled "Trans-Pacific Partnership to Bolster Trade and Growth, a Credit Positive."

The free trade agreement (FTA) -- between Australia (Aaa stable), Brunei (unrated), Canada (Aaa stable), Chile (Aa3 stable), Japan (A1 stable), Malaysia (A3 positive), Mexico (A3 stable), New Zealand (Aaa stable), Peru (A3 stable), Singapore (Aaa stable), the United States (Aaa stable) and Vietnam (B1 stable) -- will increase market access, lower or eliminate tariffs and set standards in areas including intellectual property rights, environmental and labour conditions, and government procurement.

However, Moody’s said one modestly credit-negative aspect to the trade deal is that it could hurt governments' fiscal balances by reducing their customs revenues over the longer term. But additional receipts from an expected uptick in economic growth due to the agreement are likely to offset foregone tariff revenue.