
Hormuz hopes lift Asia‑Pacific equities as oil prices surge
Asia‑Pacific markets rallied on Friday as optimism grew that Iran and Oman’s draft protocol could reopen the Strait of Hormuz for oil shipments. Crude prices rose, with U.S. WTI at $112 per barrel and Brent at $141, prompting South Korea’s Kospi to jump 2.7% while Japan’s bond yields hit multi‑decade highs and China’s CSI 300 slipped.

The episode outlines the upcoming Lunar New Year market closures across major Asian economies and the U.S. President’s Day holiday, forecasting lighter trading volumes. It highlights the imminent release of the Fed’s Miran speech and the China House Price Index, noting that housing issues have become structural with only Shanghai showing modest price gains. The host also recaps recent earnings reports from companies like Capgemini, Ingersoll Rand, Moderna, Mohawk Industries, NatWest, and Yamaha, emphasizing their relevance amid the market slowdown.

The Export‑Import Bank of Thailand unveiled a 50‑billion‑baht working‑capital facility to shore up exporters’ liquidity amid heightened global volatility. President Charat Rattanaboonniti said the bank will also provide export and foreign‑exchange insurance while urging firms to hedge currency risk with...

The episode covers four major Asian market stories: Singapore’s 2026 budget under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, which projects a surplus, boosts AI investment, and offers household cost‑of‑living credits; the political fallout in the US as the House votes to overturn...

SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. earned Moody’s SQS2 rating, the highest sustainable‑finance grade in the region, confirming its low‑carbon strategy. The framework, designed with ING’s guidance, integrates renewable energy, modern equipment and rain‑water recycling across its operations. SteelAsia is expanding green‑steel capacity...
Augusto Bengzon, former chief finance officer of Ayala Land Inc., has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Investment and Capital Corp. of the Philippines (ICCP). Bengzon brings 18 years of financial‑services experience, including 16 years at Citibank across...

Maynilad Water Services and Apex Mining have been added to the MSCI Philippines Small Cap Index following the February 2026 index review. Maynilad debuted on the Philippine Stock Exchange last November after raising P34.3 billion, the second‑largest IPO in PSE history....

The episode analyzes a dramatic shift on Feb 12, 2026, where the Korean KOSPI surged over 3% on record foreign inflows while U.S. tech indices fell, highlighting a rotation from software‑focused “bits” to hardware‑centric “atoms.” Host LoRosha explains that institutional...
Australian equities rose 0.3% to 9,043.5 as a surge in bank stocks lifted the S&P/ASX 200. ANZ Bank reported a $1.9 bn profit for the December quarter, sending its shares up 8.5% and sparking gains across Commonwealth, Westpac and NAB. In contrast,...

The episode examines Grab’s turnaround from losses to a US$268 million profit, its US$500 million share buyback, and investor concerns about growth and the US$425 million Stash Financial acquisition. It also breaks down Singapore’s 2026 budget, highlighting AI initiatives, tighter CDC payouts, and...

LG Electronic - IPO Stock : Bad News Profit Slumps 61% 🚨 Net Profit slumps 61.6% to Rs 89.6 crore Vs Rs 233 crore Revenue down 6.4% to Rs 4,114 crore Vs Rs 4,396 crore EBITDA slumps 42.4% to Rs 196 crore Vs...
Today's GDP figures show a much needed pickup in real GDP per capita - 2025 was the first year this measure grew for three years. In April, energy bill reductions from the 2025 Budget will come into effect, tackling inflation...

Chinese local governments announced a suite of stimulus measures ahead of the longest Lunar New Year break, extending the holiday to nine days. The central government allocated 2.05 billion yuan in vouchers, red‑envelopes and subsidies to directly benefit consumers. January's consumer...

51% of gains in Korea’s world-beating stock market come from just two stocks. The other 834 stocks account for the rest of net points contribution. https://t.co/1gO0xNXweZ

Perhaps the trade this year isn't so much "sell America," but rather something like: "spend a lot more money everywhere else" - at least so far this year. For example, Asian stocks have made their best start over US equities...

The episode examines the growing divergence between China’s onshore stock markets and Hong Kong’s offshore market, arguing that this split reflects a deepening mistrust of Xi Jinping’s political control over finance. While mainland indices appear stable, the offshore market is...

Is Dedollarisation driving bond yields lower or is social media pushing the wrong story? A deep dive into dollar strength, Fed policy, gold, and global trade dynamics. Full breakdown inside 👉️ : https://t.co/qdYNFtTIhV https://t.co/rMDnvdP14u

Moatless Capital is bullish Pop Mart 9992 HK. Let's see how that works out for him. https://t.co/Uvnbb3EgKB

Indonesia’s newly appointed deputy finance minister, Juda Agung, entered office on February 5 after serving as Bank Indonesia’s deputy governor. Within days he announced an ambitious revision to the first‑quarter 2026 GDP target, nudging it from the baseline 5.5 percent to 5.6 percent....

From yesterday's post: insider buying in Philippine fast-food restaurant chain Jollibee, right after it announced that it would spin off its international operations on a US exchange in late 2027. https://t.co/qaFLrM4ucT
#BlockDeal | Sources say that promoters likely to sell up to 3% stake in #NetwebTechnologies via block deals

Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 33% jump in standalone profit after tax to ₹3,931 crore for Q3 FY26, while revenue rose 26% to ₹38,942 crore. Vehicle sales increased 23% to 302,238 units, and the farm‑equipment segment posted a 20.2% margin on ₹10,200 crore...

For those of you still watching where this bull-bear battle goes for Pop Mart, S3 Partners just said they have not seen much short covering despite the shares over 50% rally in less than a month through Tuesday https://t.co/oArFfDeiSH
Indian equities traded in a narrow range on Wednesday as investors awaited the January CPI release, leaving the Sensex down 156 points (0.19%) and the Nifty 50 slipping 26 points (0.10%). Auto and healthcare stocks outperformed, with Eicher Motors gaining...
This @NikkeiAsia article just out on Toyota Group's "clash" with Elliott on the disposition of Toyota Industries is shameful. There are a bunch of very basic quotes. There is no mention of book value. There is no mention of the...
China’s Consumer Inflation Eases, Producer Prices Stay in Decline The consumer-price index rose 0.2% from a year earlier in January, cooling from December’s 0.8% increase https://t.co/7xOyvC2ByN https://t.co/7xOyvC2ByN
India’s Q3 earnings season saw several blue‑chip stocks post strong results, lifting market sentiment. Eicher Motors led gains with a 7% share surge after reporting 22.9% revenue growth and higher EBITDA margins. Apollo Hospitals and Titan also delivered double‑digit profit...
“If Beijing forces Chinese AI innovation to remain fully domestic, Chinese startups face permanent capital constraints. If Washington blocks all China-adjacent AI deals, American firms lose access to innovative Chinese technologies.” https://t.co/zD3VCYdTdC

FnGuide up another +11% today. Feel’s like there’s almost no end to the demand for the stock. https://t.co/mqJYQH1Dd1

The White House has issued an updated U.S.–India trade factsheet, removing a reference to India cutting tariffs on pulses and softening language around digital services commitments. The document also shifts wording from India “intending” to purchase more U.S. goods to...

Country Garden shares rose about 1.8% after the Shanghai Stock Exchange issued a circulated criticism for delayed debt disclosures but stopped short of imposing fines. The regulator flagged failures across three reporting periods and recorded disciplinary action against the firm...
Japan announced a major increase in government support for its content industries, including video games and anime, to accelerate overseas expansion. Overseas sales of Japanese media reached ¥5.8 trillion in 2023, and the government aims to lift annual export revenue to...
Goldman Sachs has played on the fringes of Indian dealmaking for years. A big push to take market share from its Wall Street rivals is starting to bear fruit https://t.co/wB4mwz8dvu Anto Anthony @ScanlanDavid
Metrobank reports private wealth investors in the Philippines becoming more selective in 2026, focusing on disciplined, opportunity‑driven allocation. High‑net‑worth clients favor Asian and emerging‑market equities, especially AI‑linked semiconductor stocks, while keeping equities overweight versus fixed income. Fixed‑income exposure is added...
The Philippines and the United States have signed a critical minerals agreement that goes beyond raw‑material extraction, targeting downstream processing, power generation, logistics and chemical handling. The Department of Trade and Industry says the pact adopts a whole‑of‑government approach to...
Goldman Sachs has accelerated its India strategy, injecting roughly $500 million into its local franchise over the past three years. The push has lifted the firm to fourth place in equity offerings and fifth in M&A league tables, overtaking long‑time rivals...

Insider buying in Cebu Air CEB PM. Comes right after the Philippines introduced visa-free entry for Chinese nationals. Source: Smart Insider https://t.co/QYnTMGfGiz
Lumax Auto Technologies saw its share price surge over 11% this week, breaking the intermediate resistance at ₹1,560 and establishing a new support level. The stock is currently trading around ₹1,640, with analysts projecting a target of ₹1,880‑₹1,900 in the...

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set the USD/CNY midpoint at 6.9438 on Tuesday, notably higher than the Reuters estimate of 6.9109. The central bank maintains its +/-2% trading band around the reference rate, with the yuan closing the previous...

In this episode, Peter Lewis discusses Japan’s post‑election economic challenge: reviving growth without reigniting inflation that has already driven staple prices, like rice, to double. He is joined by Richard Harris of Port Shelter Investment Management and Tony Nash of...
The Bank of Japan has started selling its massive ETF portfolio, roughly 95 trillion yen ($610 billion). The unwind will be deliberately gradual, with estimates suggesting the process could extend for decades, even up to a century. By reducing its holdings...
Singapore’s economy expanded 5% in 2025, surpassing the 4.8% forecast, largely thanks to a surge in AI‑driven manufacturing output. Global demand for artificial‑intelligence‑enabled products lifted factory orders and export volumes. While the growth outperformed expectations, policymakers warned that rapid AI...
China's state‑owned Zijin Mining Group announced an aggressive push to rank among the world’s top three gold and copper producers, primarily through overseas acquisitions. The strategy emphasizes gold and copper as core minerals for future growth while acknowledging heightened geopolitical...
Fujitsu announced it will begin manufacturing artificial‑intelligence servers at its Ishikawa plant in March 2026, expanding domestic production capacity. The new line emphasizes component‑origin tracking to guard against data‑leak risks, a feature aimed at sovereign AI deployments. This move aligns...
"The [Japan] Financial Service Agency is currently conducting a review of the Corporate Governance Code with a desire to see improved capital efficiency through companies both reinvesting excess cash into their core business and increasing shareholder returns" - AVI

China’s central bank reaffirmed an “appropriately loose” monetary policy in its Q4 report, promising ample liquidity and the option to cut reserve‑requirement ratios or interest rates. The PBOC highlighted support for domestic demand, technology innovation and small‑medium enterprises while keeping...

The People’s Bank of China is set to announce the USD/CNY reference rate around 0115 GMT, with Reuters estimating a midpoint of 6.9109. China’s managed‑floating system keeps the yuan within a ±2 % band around this rate, blending market data with...

Westpac projects the Reserve Bank of New Zealand will keep the Official Cash Rate at 2.25% in its February 18 meeting, but expects the first rate hike to arrive in December 2026, slightly earlier than previously forecast. The bank notes...
Sharp announced that its plan to sell the Kameyama No. 2 LCD panel plant in Mie Prefecture to parent company Foxconn has collapsed, prompting a shutdown slated for August. The company will cut 1,170 jobs through early‑retirement packages and record a...
Honda Motor Co announced a 42% plunge in profit for the nine months through December, falling to 465.4 billion yen from 805.2 billion yen a year earlier. Sales dipped 2.2% to 15.98 trillion yen, yet the company kept its full‑year profit forecast of...

China will publish its January 2026 CPI and PPI data today, offering the first post‑holiday inflation signals of the year. Analysts expect headline consumer inflation to edge up to roughly 0.6‑1.2% year‑on‑year, buoyed by seasonal food and service price spikes...