Singapore’s economy grew 6% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, beating an earlier official estimate of 4.6%, supported by wholesale trade, manufacturing and finance as artificial intelligence-related demand boosted exports. The Singapore Q1 GDP figures also showed the economy expanded 1% quarter on quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, reversing an advance estimate of a 0.3% contraction. The Ministry of Trade and Industry maintained its 2026 growth forecast at betwe

Hong Kong has approved 36 company re-domiciliation applications since launching the regime nearly a year ago, according to the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau. The Hong Kong re-domiciliation regime was introduced to attract overseas-incorporated companies seeking to relocate their legal domicile to the city while maintaining operational continuity. Authorities said another 21 applications are currently being processed by the Companies Registry. The approved compani

Hong Kong’s role as an international financial and regional business hub will continue strengthening despite geopolitical tensions, according to Hong Kong Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma. The Hong Kong financial hub outlook remains supported by the city’s free flow of information and its mature banking, capital markets, accounting and legal ecosystem, Ma said during a public event. He added that foreign companies still largely prefer Hong Kong as a location fo

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed updated regulations for electronic stock market transactions as authorities seek to modernise the framework governing online securities trading. The Vietnam online securities trading reforms would replace rules introduced in 2017 and later amended in 2020. The draft circular introduces provisions covering electronic know-your-customer verification, electronic contracts, transaction authentication and API-based connectivity between se

Standard Chartered has raised its 2026 growth forecast for Taiwan to 9.5% from 7.6%, citing stronger-than-expected first-quarter expansion and surging artificial intelligence demand that is boosting exports, semiconductor production and investment. The Taiwan AI economy outlook follows first-quarter GDP growth of 13.7% year on year, marking the fastest quarterly expansion in nearly four decades. The bank said exports surged 35.3% during the quarter as global demand for AI-rel

Hong Kong plans to launch a government-owned gold-clearing system by July as the city seeks to strengthen its role as a global bullion trading hub and diversify financial market infrastructure. The Hong Kong gold clearing system will reportedly mirror London’s bullion-market model by allowing settlement through unallocated accounts, enabling faster and more scalable trading without assigning specific numbered bars. People familiar with the matter said trial operations are exp

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan has begun a five-day European tour aimed at attracting global capital and strengthening the city’s role as an international financial hub. The Hong Kong asset managers outreach programme began in Paris, where Chan met representatives of French asset management association AFG and think tank Asia Centre. According to the South China Morning Post, the trip forms part of Hong Kong’s broader push to expand its wealth management industry, wi

Japan’s economy grew an annualised 2.1% in the first quarter, outperforming market expectations and extending the country’s recovery before rising Middle East energy prices clouded the outlook. The Japan Q1 GDP figures showed real gross domestic product rose 0.5% from the previous quarter, exceeding forecasts for a 0.4% increase. Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of Japan’s economy, rose 0.3%, while capital expenditure also increased 0.3%. Net external de

The World Bank said the Philippines must improve conditions for businesses to invest, expand and innovate if it wants to become ASEAN’s next growth engine, warning that weak investment could constrain productivity and job creation. The Philippines investment climate remains challenged by delays in permits, port congestion, complex paperwork and inefficient border procedures, according to World Bank country director Zafer Mustafaoğlu. He noted that business registration in the

China and the United States have agreed to establish trade and investment councils as both countries seek to stabilise economic ties following last year’s tariff war, according to China’s commerce ministry. The China US trade councils agreement will include discussions covering reciprocal tariff reductions on selected products and wider trade cooperation. Beijing said the two sides made progress on agricultural trade and aircraft purchases, including reductions in non-tariff

Hong Kong’s economy remains resilient, supported by technology-related exports, improving private demand and stronger financial market activity, the International Monetary Fund said following its latest Article IV mission. The IMF Hong Kong assessment reaffirmed the city’s position as an international financial centre, a “super-connector”, a major fundraising hub and the world’s leading offshore renminbi centre. The IMF said financial sector risks remain manageable because of

Thailand plans to overhaul more than 7,000 business regulations as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government seeks to reduce bureaucracy and attract more foreign and domestic investment. The Thailand business reform programme aims to improve the country’s competitiveness as regional rivals including Vietnam and Indonesia intensify efforts to attract global capital and supply-chain relocations. Authorities are proposing a “super licence” system designed to consolidate mu

Japan has presented a draft plan to create specialised industry clusters across 10 regions, focusing on semiconductors, clean energy and other strategic sectors as part of efforts to revive regional economies and attract corporate investment. The Japan industry clusters strategy is expected to become part of a broader regional future growth plan as early as June. Hokkaido, Kyushu, Hokuriku and Chubu are being considered as semiconductor manufacturing and technology hubs, whil

More than 80% of surveyed enterprises plan to adopt artificial intelligence either immediately or within the next 12 months as companies accelerate the shift from pilot projects towards large-scale deployment, according to Cherrypicks. The Hong Kong AI adoption trend reflects rising demand for automation, process intelligence and human-machine collaboration across corporate operations. The Hong Kong-based technology company, a unit of NetDragon Websoft, said firms are increas

Bhutan and Singapore have signed a double tax avoidance agreement aimed at strengthening investment, trade and economic cooperation while supporting Bhutan’s ambitions to develop Gelephu Mindfulness City into a regional business and family office hub. The Bhutan Singapore tax pact was signed in Singapore by Bhutan Finance Minister Lekey Dorji and Singapore official Jeffrey Siow. The agreement is Bhutan’s third bilateral tax treaty and is expected to clarify taxing rights on c

Hong Kong ranked among the world’s least complex jurisdictions for doing business, according to TMF Group’s latest Global Business Complexity Index, reinforcing the city’s appeal for multinational companies, investors and family offices seeking efficient regional operating hubs. The Hong Kong business environment ranked 78th out of 81 jurisdictions assessed in the report, placing it among the bottom 10 for business complexity alongside New Zealand, Denmark, Jersey and the Cay

Singapore will reappoint Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore for another three-year term from June 1, reinforcing continuity at the city-state’s central bank and financial regulator. The MAS chairman reappointment announcement also confirmed that managing director Chia Der Jiun will continue as a board member for a further two years. Attorney-General Lucien Wong will also serve another three-year term, while Chaly Mah, chairma

Taiwan’s financial firms posted record first-quarter pretax profits as a rally in local equities lifted investment returns, wealth management income and brokerage activity, the Financial Supervisory Commission said. The Taiwan financial firms result showed combined pretax profit across banking, insurance and securities rising 37.09% from a year earlier to NTD370.997bn (USD11.81bn), beating the previous first-quarter record set in 2021. Banking pretax profit climbed 28.5% to N

Singapore’s national accountancy body has formed a task force with finance and business leaders to strengthen Singapore financial reporting standards and improve how listed companies communicate long-term value to investors. The Strengthening Financial Reporting Taskforce, launched by the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants in partnership with the Singapore Exchange, will examine ways to improve disclosures on financial performance, governance, risks and strategy. Ta

Investors are turning to Asian equities for the next leg of the global stock rally, with Taiwan and South Korea emerging as key targets because of their exposure to artificial intelligence hardware, Bloomberg reported. The Asian equities rally has lifted shares in both markets, helped by gains in Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Derivatives strategists are recommending bullish trades on Taiwan’s TAIEX, South Korea’s KOSPI 200 and Japan’