Prayut to use S44 to settle weed patents. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is preparing to use Section 44 to settle contentious requests to patent marijuana extracts, which has sparked concern it could set back plans to develop them for medical purposes. (Bangkok Post, 27/11/18)

MPI up 4% last month. The manufacturing production index in October was at 112.79, up 4.08%YoY and 1.55% from the previous month on automotive, cigarette, sugar, petroleum and air-conditioner production. (Bangkok Post, 27/11/18)

EC finalizes new electoral map. The Election Commission (EC) has finalized the redrawing of the electoral boundary map, which will be officially announced shortly, setting the stage for political parties to choose candidates for the general election tentatively slated for Feb 24 next year, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has said. (Bangkok Post, 29/11/18)

Italy, EU to work to bring views on 2019 budget closer together: Commission. Italy and the European Commission will work in the coming days to bring closer their positions on Italy’s 2019 draft budget, which the EU executive says breaks EU laws by not reducing the country’s huge public debt. (Reuters, 25/11/18).

Taiwan rebukes ruling party, emboldens China-friendly opposition. Voters in Taiwan have delivered a strong rebuke to the island’s pro-independence ruling party in local elections, emboldening the China-friendly opposition, one of whose main figures says he will now reach out to Beijing to forge more friendly ties. (Reuters, 25/11/18).

British parliament to vote on Brexit deal on Dec 11. British MPs will hold a crucial vote on Dec 11 to approve or reject the Brexit deal agreed with EU leaders, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday. (AFP, 27/11/18)

China not seriously considering U.S. Treasuries as trade war weapon – envoy. China’s ambassador to the United States said on Tuesday he does not believe Beijing is seriously considering using its massive U.S. Treasury debt holdings as a weapon in the U.S.-China trade war, citing concerns that such a move would destabilize financial markets. (Reuters, 27/11/18)

Britain worse off under any Brexit: Treasury. Britain will be economically worse off for leaving the EU, finance minister Philip Hammond said Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May takes the Brexit divorce deal to a skeptical Scotland. (AFP, 28/11/18)

Fed’s Powell, in apparent dovish shift, says rates near neutral. U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell injected investors with a strong dose of optimism on Wednesday, saying that the central bank’s policy rate is now “just below” estimates of a level that neither brakes nor boosts a healthy U.S. economy, comments that many investors read as signaling the Fed’s three-year tightening cycle is ending. (Reuters, 29/11/18)

U.S. trade restrictions have hit $369 billion of Chinese exports: monitoring group. U.S. trade restrictions have hit a total of $369 billion of Chinese exports this year, much higher than the US$278bn of goods impacted by tariffs alone, a regular monitoring report of G20 trade restrictions said on Thursday. (Reuters, 30/11/18)