HSBC Hong Kong cross-border wealth hub ambitions were reinforced by chief executive Georges Elhedery, who reaffirmed Hong Kong’s centrality to the bank’s long-term growth. He described the city as a core market and gateway between mainland China and global capital, predicting it would become the world’s largest cross-border wealth hub by 2030. Elhedery noted that HSBC has been adding around 100,000 new clients a month in Hong Kong over the past two years, highlighting the cit

A new FedEx survey Asia-Pacific trade reveals that more than 40% of APAC businesses plan to pivot away from the United States within a year, as firms adjust to regulatory changes and supply-chain pressures. Of those surveyed, 22% will target Asian markets and 21% will shift toward Europe. The survey of 3,800 companies across nine regional economies follows the US ending its de minimis rule in August, which had exempted imports under USD800 from customs duties. The policy chan

IMF global economy outlook shows resilience but continuing fragility, according to Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva ahead of the Fund’s annual meetings in Washington. She said global growth is performing better than expected, supported by sounder policy fundamentals and private-sector adaptability. However, persistent uncertainty and trade tariffs continue to weigh on the outlook. The IMF projects medium-term global growth at around 3%, below pre-pandemic averages. Geor

The UK-Vietnam Business Summit 2025 will focus on deepening bilateral cooperation in finance and renewable energy. Scheduled for 5 November in Ho Chi Minh City, the event aims to strengthen collaboration in developing an international financial centre and advancing clean energy projects. UK Consul General Alexandra Smith said the partnership builds on the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the UK’s entry into the CPTPP, which removed tariffs on 99% of UK exports to Vietnam.

Growing AI investment anxiety in South Korea is driving fears among investors about missing out on new technology opportunities. A Korea Press Foundation survey of 1,000 respondents revealed that 59.1% felt uneasy about lagging behind in AI investment trends, with anxiety peaking among those in their 30s at 64.5%. Around 67.2% feared not gaining AI-related work skills, while 54.9% expressed concern over the fast-rising AI education boom. Researchers said the findings highligh

Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) surpassed HKD1.5tr (USD192bn) in total assets for the first time at the end of September, reaching a record HKD1.53tr, according to provisional data from the MPF Schemes Authority. Equity and mixed-asset funds, which account for nearly 80% of total assets, posted average net returns of 18.8% and 10.6%, respectively, over the past year. The Core Accumulation Fund under the Default Investment Strategy achieved a 9.8% return for the sam

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia’s economy has shifted from a phase of uncertainty to one of recovery, progressing from defensive stabilisation policies to proactive structural reform. Speaking at the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2025, Anwar highlighted that growth remains steady, inflation controlled, and unemployment low, but warned of the need to prepare for future global disruptions. He stressed that Malaysia’s fiscal consolidation is guided by prudent stewardship

Hong Kong is preparing a new round of stock exchange reforms aimed at expanding access for smaller and more diverse companies, with multiple voting rights, to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The proposed Hong Kong listing reforms, announced by Salina Yan Mei-mei, Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, seek to lower qualification thresholds and widen eligibility across industries while maintaining listing quality. Yan told lawmakers that simplifying

Singapore’s digital economy 2025 expanded to SGD128.1bn (USD99bn) in 2024, accounting for 18.6% of GDP, up from 18.0% in 2023 and 14.9% in 2019, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) latest report. The Infocomm Media Development Authority said more than two-thirds of the digital economy’s output came from non-Information & Communications sectors, led by finance and insurance, wholesale trade, and manufacturing. SME digital adoption climbed to 95.1%, w

Thailand has unveiled a new plan to simplify stock-listing rules and attract more international investors as part of its drive to...

Hong Kong’s wealth management hub continues to strengthen as it leverages deep financial ties with mainland China and benefits from...

Hong Kong will host its first Women Finance Leaders Summit on 3 November, convening more than 200 senior executives including global CEOs...

Vietnam’s economy likely expanded 8.22% year-on-year in the third quarter, driven by a 10% rise in manufacturing and recoveries in mining...

SinoPac King’s Town merger was finalised with SinoPac Financial Holdings completing its NT$60bn (USD1.9bn) acquisition of King’s Town...

European pension funds and other long-term investors are reassessing China private equity opportunities as optimism returns to...

HKMA green finance initiatives could help Hong Kong bridge a global funding gap of more than USD200bn, even as China has built the...

Hong Kong cross-border wealth is rebounding strongly and is poised to surpass Switzerland in 2025, with USD2.9tr projected by year-end,...

Malaysia family office framework is gaining traction as part of its ambition to be a regional wealth hub, anchored in the Forest City...

Hong Kong asset management growth is accelerating, driven by a sharp rebound in IPO activity and rising demand for wealth and pension...

Philippine SEC independent directors face stricter limits under a draft circular proposing fixed three-year terms and a maximum nine-year...