Today's Asia Stocks Pulse

Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi hit record highs amid Iran tensions
The Nikkei 225 and Korea’s Kospi surged to fresh all‑time highs, driven by strong earnings and a landmark wage agreement at Samsung Electronics. Investors balanced the rally against heightened geopolitical risk after U.S. strikes in Iran and a fragile cease‑fire.

Bhatia Communications Sets Record Date for Third Interim Dividend Payable in FY26
Bhatia Communications & Retail announced February 20 as the record date for its third interim dividend for FY 2025‑26, offering Rs 0.01 per equity share. The dividend is payable to shareholders holding shares before that date. The announcement follows a December‑quarter earnings beat, with higher revenue and net profit. Despite the payout, the stock has fallen 27% over the past six months.
Morgan Stanley Said to Consider $500 Million India Fund, Shifts some Assets
Morgan Stanley Investment Management is exploring a $500 million continuation fund focused on India, intending to transfer eight healthcare‑related assets, including Omega Hospitals and RG Scientific, into the new vehicle. The move signals the firm’s effort to provide existing investors an...
Wipro, Infosys, TCS and 9 Other Stocks Hit 52-Week Lows and Slip up to 20% in a Month
A wave of weakness hit India’s blue‑chip segment as the Sensex slumped nearly 1,048 points, pushing nine BSE 200 stocks to fresh 52‑week lows. Leading IT giants Wipro, L&T Technology Services, TCS and Infosys each fell between 14% and 19% over...
EIL Q3 Profit Soars over 3x YoY to Rs 302 Crore
Engineers India Ltd (EIL) posted a net profit of Rs 302 crore for Q3 FY2025‑26, more than three times its profit a year earlier. The surge was driven by a dramatic rise in turnkey contract earnings, which jumped to Rs 273.68 crore from Rs 18.92 crore,...
India Bond Traders Seek Buybacks as Yields Climb Despite Switch
Indian bond traders are pressing the government for buybacks as 10‑year yields climb despite a recent debt‑switch operation. The benchmark 10‑year yield rose to 6.6878%, up about five basis points after the Treasury swapped ₹755 billion of FY27 bonds for longer‑term...

Sebi Eases Reporting Norms for Brokers, Extends Exemptions to Primary Dealers
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) released a consultation paper proposing to relax the naming, tagging and reporting requirements for bank and demat accounts held by stockbrokers. The draft aligns primary dealers with the exemptions already granted to...
Gainers & Losers: TCS, SpiceJet & Bajaj Finance Among 6 Top Movers on Friday
Indian markets closed sharply lower on Friday, with the Nifty slipping 1.3% to 25,471 and the Sensex dropping 1.25% to 82,627. The sell‑off was led by consumer, IT and energy stocks, as the Nifty IT index fell 1.4% amid heightened...

PNGS Reva Diamond IPO to Hit Dalal Street Soon: Check 5 Key Risks Ahead of the Offer Launch
The PNGS Reva Diamond Limited is set to launch a fresh‑share IPO on Dalal Street valued at roughly ₹380 crore. The issue comprises 0.98 crore new shares priced between ₹367 and ₹386 each, with the bidding period running from February 24 to February 26,...
Senco's Stellar Q3 Topline Growth Driven by Gold Price Rally; Likely to Close FY with ₹8,000 Cr Revenue: MD
Senco Gold & Diamonds reported a 39% same‑store sales surge in Q3, driven primarily by a 65% rally in gold prices over the past year. Despite the topline boost, Q3 volumes slipped 3% YoY and nine‑month volumes fell 10%. EBITDA...
Ola Electric Q3 Results: Loss Narrows YoY to Rs 487 Crore; Revenue Falls 55%
Ola Electric reported a narrower Q3 FY26 loss of Rs 487 crore versus Rs 564 crore a year earlier. Revenue from operations plunged 55% year‑on‑year to Rs 470 crore, driven by a steep decline in automotive sales. Unit deliveries fell to about 32,680, down from 84,029,...

Chinese Loan Data Out After Market - Lighter than Expected
The episode reviews China’s latest loan data released after market close, noting new yuan loans of CNY 4.71 trillion in January—significantly below the CNY 4.8 trillion forecast and far under expectations of around CNY 5 trillion. While total social financing surged to CNY...
Rupee Closes Nearly Flat, Modest Depreciation Bias Lingers
India’s rupee ended Friday essentially unchanged, closing at 90.6350 per dollar, a slight dip from the prior session. The currency faced pressure from weak domestic equities, elevated interbank dollar demand, and maturing non‑deliverable forward contracts, while the Reserve Bank of...
Market Highlights: Sensex Settles 1,048 Pts Lower, Nifty Below 25,500; HUL, Eternal Drop 4% Each
Indian benchmarks tumbled on Friday, with the Sensex shedding 1,048 points and the Nifty slipping below the 25,500 mark. A broad sell‑off was led by the IT index, which fell more than 5% as investors fretted over AI‑driven disruption and...
Dollar Rises Against Dong on Black Market
The Vietnamese dollar rose 0.5% on the black market to VND 26,547 per U.S. dollar, while the official Vietcombank rate stayed at VND 26,160. The State Bank of Vietnam trimmed its reference rate marginally to VND 25,049. Globally, the greenback is set for...
Singaporeans to Get Nearly $400 in Vouchers, up to $316 in Cash as Cost-of-Living Support
Singapore's 2026 budget introduces a Cost‑of‑Living Special Payment, granting eligible adults up to S$400 cash and providing every household with S$500 in Community Development Council vouchers. The cash payout targets citizens earning up to S$100,000 and owning no more than...
Lum Chang Creations Receives SGX Nod for Mainboard Transfer From Catalist
Lum Chang Creations (LCC) received in‑principal approval from the Singapore Exchange to move its listing from the Catalist market to the mainboard. The approval follows a strong first‑half performance, with net profit soaring 104% to S$11 million. LCC, a spin‑off of...
Patriot Lines up Global Copper-Silver Assets for the AI-Driven Surge
Patriot Resources, an ASX‑listed junior, has assembled a global copper‑silver portfolio aimed at capitalising on the AI‑driven data‑centre boom. The company recently secured the high‑grade Tassa silver‑gold project in Peru for $500,000 and is advancing drilling that has returned multiple...

Thailand’s Minor International to 'Explore' Hong Kong IPO
Thailand’s Minor International is weighing a Hong Kong IPO for its Minor Food restaurant unit, which could raise more than US$400 million as early as this year. The unit runs 2,699 outlets in 24 countries under 80 brands, including Burger King...

Market View: AI Scare Trade, STI at 5,000 & When Pop Turns Portfolio
In this episode, Michelle Martin and co‑host Ryan Huang dissect the ripple effects of Algorhythm Holdings' new SemiCab logistics platform, labeling it an "AI scare trade" that is unsettling trucking and real‑estate service stocks. They then shift focus to Singapore’s...

US AI Sell‑off Drags Japan, Korea From Record Highs
Tech, AI-related selling in US having early impact on Japan -1.6% and S Korea -0.7% stock markets. Both coming off record highs. Spore was also at record high yesterday. Some negative headlines.
State Firms Snap up Foreclosed Homes, Easing Oversupply
1/2 Reuters: "Chinese state-owned companies are buying foreclosed property projects, in a sign that long-promised government efforts to reduce massive oversupply in the crisis-hit housing sector are finally getting traction, albeit at a slow pace." https://t.co/Nk0gtgJVgr

Asian Initial Thoughts: US Inflation, Markets Closed on Monday, Chinese House Prices & Loans
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,...
PE Firms Chase Japan’s Retail Wealth Amid Institutional Decline
Our story on PE giants like Blackstone, KKR, EQT's attempt to tap Japan's wealthy retail investors for funds as institutional money wanes. Most see Japan as the largest private wealth opportunity outside of the US, but the market comes with...

TCS Shares Plunge 40%, Worst Drop Since GFC
Shares of Tata Consultancy Services are seeing their worst drop since the GFC nearly 20 years ago. Share prices -40% from the peak https://t.co/L98zqUFch3

Exim Bank Offers B50bn Lifeline to Ailing Exporters
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...

Mazda Malaysia Sales Dip, yet Bermaz Auto Shares Rise
The Mazda Malaysia January numbers were lower MoM but Bermaz Auto was still up on the news https://t.co/gI8pN0xr11

PETER’S ASIAN BUSINESS & FINANCE BRIEFING – Friday 13 February 2026, 06:00 Hong Kong
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’s Finance Framework Rated Best in Region
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...
Former ALI Exec Named ICCP Chair/CEO
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, Apex Mining Added to MSCI Philippines Small Cap Index
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 "Atomic" Rotation: 3 Trillion Won Floods KOSPI as Capital Abandons "Bits" For "Atoms"
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...
Surge in ANZ, CBA Helps Drive ASX Higher; AMP, Temple & Webster Tumble
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,...

Market View: Grab’s Profit Pivot, Budget 2026 Bets & The AI Crosscurrents
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 Electronics IPO Plummets: Profit Falls 61%
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...
2025 Real GDP per Capita Rises, Energy Cuts Ease Inflation
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...

China Unveils New Year Measures as Consumption Data Dips
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...

Two Stocks Generate 51% of Korea Market Gains
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

Asian Stocks Outpace US, Shifting Money Abroad
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...

Xi’s Broken Heart: Why China’s Markets Are Bleeding Out
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...

Dedollarisation Isn't Driving Yields Lower, Media Misleads
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 Goes Bullish on Pop Mart HK
Moatless Capital is bullish Pop Mart 9992 HK. Let's see how that works out for him. https://t.co/Uvnbb3EgKB

New Deputy Finance Minister Guns for 5.6% First-Quarter GDP Growth
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....

Insiders Buy Jollibee Shares After Spin‑off Plan
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
Promoters May Offload Up to 3% of Netweb Technologies
#BlockDeal | Sources say that promoters likely to sell up to 3% stake in #NetwebTechnologies via block deals

Mahindra & Mahindra Q3 PAT Rises 33% to ₹3,931 Crore
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...

Pop Mart Rallies 50% with Minimal Short Covering
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
Sensex, Nifty Trade Flat as Investors Await CPI Data; Auto, Healthcare Stocks Outperform
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...
Toyota‑Elliott Dispute over Toyota Industries Deal Lacks Key Financials
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 Cools, Producer Prices Keep Falling
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
AI Restrictions Trap Chinese Startups, Hurt US Innovation
“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