Iran Braces for Risky Transition as Khamenei's Death Leaves Power Vacuum
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died, leaving Iran without a clear successor. An interim leadership council has been appointed, but the process for selecting a new supreme leader remains opaque. The power vacuum raises concerns over potential hard‑line crackdowns on ongoing protests and could reshape Iran’s regional posture. Analysts warn that the uncertainty may affect oil markets and geopolitical calculations.
India and Israel Sign Tech and Cyber Security Pacts During Modi's Trip
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit, India and Israel signed multiple agreements to deepen cooperation in technology and cybersecurity. The pacts create a joint innovation fund, enable real‑time cyber‑threat intelligence sharing, and launch collaborative projects in artificial intelligence, quantum...
Phuket Emerges as Real Estate Hot Spot in Thailand
Phuket is rapidly emerging as Thailand’s next real‑estate hub as developers pivot from a saturated Bangkok market. Sansiri announced a 24 billion‑baht sales target, planning about 20 new projects—including 13 luxury villas and a Bang Tao condominium—by 2028. Rival firms such as...
Japan Conveys Concerns to US over Trade Terms in New 150-Day Tariffs
Japan’s economy minister Ryosei Akazawa asked U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to ensure Japan is not treated less favorably under the new 150‑day tariff regime that replaces the invalidated reciprocal levies. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s global...
Bangladesh Seeks to Keep Least Developed Status Amid Economic Stress
Bangladesh’s new government has formally asked the United Nations to delay its graduation from least‑developed country (LDC) status. The request cites mounting macroeconomic stress, trade uncertainty and institutional weaknesses. Deferring graduation would preserve preferential trade benefits that shield Bangladeshi exports...
Thai Hotel Group to List $1bn REIT in Singapore This Year
Thai hospitality conglomerate Minor International announced plans to launch a $1 billion real‑estate investment trust that will bundle 14 hotel assets in Europe and Thailand. The REIT is slated for a Singapore listing later this year, giving the group access to...
Japanese Yen Bounces on Takaichi Election Sweep, but Will It Last?
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a landslide victory in the February 8 snap election, propelling Japanese equities to record highs. The political certainty sparked a yen rally, moving the currency from around ¥157 per dollar to the ¥152...
Japan's Enhanced Defense Stance Needs Space Ambitions to Match
Japan is moving to raise defence spending toward 2 % of GDP and to scrap the five‑category export ban, signalling a major policy shift. The government argues that higher budgets must translate into sovereign space capabilities, especially ISR satellite constellations. Recent...
Japan Bill Requires Airlines Deny Boarding to Unauthorized Visitors
Japan's government will submit an immigration reform bill requiring airlines to deny boarding to travelers lacking pre‑travel authorization starting fiscal 2028. The measure obliges visa‑exempt visitors to declare occupation, purpose and accommodation online, with the Immigration Services Agency verifying data...
Trump Now Wants to Impose 15% Tariff After Supreme Court Decision
President Donald Trump announced a new 15% tariff on imports, raising the rate from the 10% he mentioned a day earlier. The increase follows a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his earlier reciprocal and fentanyl‑related tariffs. Trump said the tariffs...
Japan's Real Wages Poised to Grow After a Year of Decline
Japan’s real wages are set to move into positive territory in January 2026 after a year of decline, driven by a slowdown in CPI inflation to 2% YoY and a suite of government price‑relief measures. Tax cuts on gasoline, tuition‑free...
Southeast Asia Braces for 'Increasing Divergence' After Mixed 2025 Growth
2025 saw Southeast Asia split between export‑driven growth and contraction. Vietnam and Singapore recorded strong export gains despite U.S. tariff volatility, while the Philippines and Thailand were battered by severe weather events and political instability, dragging their economies down. The...
Japanese Market 'More Dynamic' Than London, Says Apollo CEO
Apollo Global Management’s CEO Marc Rowan told Nikkei that Japan’s corporate finance market is becoming more dynamic than London’s, prompting Apollo to expand its private‑credit platform in the country. He highlighted the need for long‑dated funding to support infrastructure, energy...
Philippine Central Bank Cuts Rates in Latest Bid to Support Growth
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) lowered its overnight repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 4.25%, marking the ninth cut since August 2024. Inflation remains modest at 2%, comfortably within the 2‑4% target band, while the peso rallied to...
Japan to Offer Support for Exports of Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells
Japan announced a new subsidy scheme to support overseas installations of flexible perovskite solar cells, aiming to accelerate the export of its homegrown renewable‑energy technology. The program targets projects in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia and Thailand identified as early beneficiaries....
Overseas Investors Tap Brakes on JGB Selling Post-Election
The Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s snap election has steadied the government‑bond market, halting a sharp rise in long‑term yields. Foreign institutional investors, who had been offloading JGBs, have paused sales and begun modest buying. Domestic investors are...
Hong Kong Plots Student Housing Buildup as Land Revenue Shrinks
Hong Kong’s government has earmarked the Kai Tak commercial site for student housing, marking the first use of open‑market land sales to spur such development. The move aims to offset shrinking land‑sale revenue while addressing a surge of mainland and other...
Vietnam Tackles Gold Fever with Black Market Crackdown
Vietnam has introduced fines of up to $12,000 to deter illicit gold trading, marking a decisive shift after ending a 13‑year state monopoly on gold production and sales. The new penalties target black‑market dealers and unlicensed jewelers, aiming to bring...
JICA Mulls Resuming ODA Loans to Pakistan After Decadelong Hiatus
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is weighing a restart of official development assistance (ODA) loans to Pakistan after a ten‑year hiatus. The move reflects improving macro‑economic indicators, including steadier growth and reduced fiscal stress. JICA’s decision will be coordinated with...
Vietnam's Airports, Money Controls Said to Deter Tech Investors
Vietnam’s startup funding has slowed as investors cite cross‑border frictions, notably congested airports and strict capital controls. The newly opened Long Thanh International Airport is intended to ease Ho Chi Minh City’s traffic but has yet to deliver full relief....
Copper Becomes BHP's Biggest Earner as Profits Soar
BHP reported that copper now accounts for the majority of its earnings for the first time, propelling a sharp rise in six‑month profit and revenue. The miner’s shift away from iron ore, which is suffering from weaker Chinese demand, has...
Honda, Toyota Voice Concerns over EU's 'Made in Europe' Plan
Japanese and British automakers Honda and Toyota have warned that the European Union’s proposed “Made in Europe” plan could limit their market access. The initiative, driven by EU Executive Vice‑President Stephane Sejourne, seeks to curb cheap Chinese imports and boost...
Japan's SMFG Issues World's First 'Digital Inclusion' Bonds
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) has launched a $500 million bond that it brands as the world’s first “digital inclusion” issuance. The instrument is designed to raise capital for building internet connectivity infrastructure in underserved regions of emerging markets. By linking...
China Vanke Downsizes Serviced Apartment Business After Record Red Ink
China Vanke, a state‑backed developer, announced a record 82 billion yuan ($11.8 billion) loss for 2025. The loss prompted the company to shrink its serviced‑apartment business, scaling back operations in Shenzhen under the Port Apartment brand. The move is part of a...
Bank of Japan Quietly Embarks on ETF Sale Set to Last a Century
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 Beats Estimates with 5% GDP Growth in 2025 Amid AI Challenges
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 State Gold Miner Zijin Eyes Global Top 3 as Geopolitical Risks Grow
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...
Vietnam's VinFast Targets 300,000 EV Sales in 2026, a 50% Jump
Bank of Japan's $615bn ETF Trove Eyed by Lawmakers as Sales Continue
Fujitsu to Boost Server Production in Japan, Eyeing Sovereign AI Demand
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...
