South Korea’s financial regulator is considering measures to reduce market volatility after leveraged semiconductor ETFs contributed to sharp increases in speculative trading activity. Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Chan-jin said authorities were reviewing possible stabilisation measures and acknowledged that the recent introduction of the products may have been rushed. The leveraged semiconductor ETFs are linked to shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, two

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said he remains cautiously optimistic about the city’s performance during the second half of the year, citing resilient exports, improving consumer activity and a stable asset market. The Hong Kong economic outlook has strengthened despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and concerns surrounding global growth. Chan said second-quarter exports have remained solid, while retail and catering sectors continue to recover. He added tha

Thailand is reviewing its investment promotion framework following the introduction of a top-up tax designed to comply with OECD global minimum tax rules. The Thailand global minimum tax regime allows authorities to collect additional taxes from large multinational companies whose effective tax rates fall below the international minimum threshold of 15%. Finance Ministry officials are meeting with government agencies and the Board of Investment to assess how existing incentiv

Deloitte has maintained its Hong Kong IPO forecast for 2026, projecting 160 new listings that could collectively raise HKD300bn (USD38.2bn) and potentially place the city among the world’s three largest IPO markets by fundraising proceeds. The firm expects at least five major listings to raise HKD10bn or more across sectors including hard technology, semiconductors, healthcare, telecommunications, chemicals and consumer products. According to the Hong Kong IPO forecast, appro

Hong Kong graduates are significantly more optimistic about their career prospects than their global peers, with finance emerging as the city’s most attractive and stable sector, according to the CFA Institute’s 2026 Graduate Outlook Survey. The Hong Kong finance careers outlook highlights strong confidence among young professionals entering the workforce. The survey found that 71% of Hong Kong respondents rated their career prospects between eight and 10 out of 10, compared

AmCham Taiwan has renewed calls for a long-awaited Taiwan US tax deal, arguing that progress on the issue could significantly increase investment and trade between the two economies. The proposal gained fresh attention following the conclusion of a post-tariff trade arrangement between Taipei and Washington earlier this year. AmCham Taiwan president Carl Wegner said the Taiwan US tax deal would be a key topic during meetings with US officials in Washington. Taiwan has long so

Thailand is continuing efforts to establish itself as a regional financial centre, with officials reviewing draft legislation designed to attract investment and streamline regulation. The Thailand financial hub initiative remains a government priority despite delays in advancing the proposed Financial Hub Act through parliament. Fiscal Policy Office director-general Vinit Visessuvanapoom said authorities are reassessing the draft law and identifying measures that can be imple

Hong Kong’s rise to second place in the 2026 World Competitiveness Yearbook underscores the strength of its business environment and reinforces its position as a leading international financial and trading centre, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The Hong Kong competitiveness ranking reflects continued improvements across key areas that support the city’s role as a gateway between mainland China and global markets. The city ranked first globally for tax p

China has unveiled new measures to accelerate yuan internationalisation while maintaining vigilance against financial risks, signalling a continued commitment to opening its financial markets. Speaking at the Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai, People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng outlined a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening offshore yuan usage and liquidity management. A key element of the yuan internationalisation strategy is the authorisation of six major state

Mirae Asset Financial Group said its Mirae Asset client assets exceeded USD1tr at the end of May, reflecting strong growth across exchange-traded funds, retirement solutions and global asset-allocation strategies. The achievement marks a significant milestone for one of Asia’s largest financial-services groups. The company reported domestic client assets of approximately USD757.1bn, while overseas assets totalled USD259bn. Mirae Asset Securities accounted for around USD531.3b

Singapore is well positioned to benefit from the region’s expanding asset and wealth-management sector, with Asia-Pacific assets under management projected to reach USD34.5tr by 2030, according to a new PwC report. The Singapore wealth boom is expected to be supported by strong capital inflows, growing private wealth and continued innovation in financial services. PwC forecasts Asia-Pacific assets under management will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 6.8%, outpacin

Around 30 European family offices are considering establishing operations in Hong Kong, according to InvestHK, highlighting growing international interest in the city’s wealth-management ecosystem. The European family offices Hong Kong trend reflects increasing confidence in the city’s role as a gateway to China and wider Asian markets. Jason Fong, InvestHK’s global head of family office, said the European family offices Hong Kong prospects account for approximately 19% of th

Vietnam has introduced a stricter framework governing private corporate bond offerings and overseas bond issuance by domestic companies, strengthening oversight of how proceeds are used and improving issuer accountability. The Vietnam corporate bond rules came into force on June 5 under Decree No. 200/2026/ND-CP. Under the Vietnam corporate bond rules, proceeds may only be used for disclosed purposes, including investment projects, restructuring the issuer’s own liabilities a

Mirae Asset Securities has apologised after failing to secure an allocation of SpaceX shares despite collecting substantial investor orders for the offering. The Mirae Asset SpaceX IPO controversy has prompted regulatory scrutiny and raised questions about investor disclosures and allocation processes. According to Reuters, the brokerage gathered approximately USD500m in orders from South Korean investors but did not receive an allocation from the US lead underwriter, despite

Urs Wietlisbach, one of the billionaire founders of Swiss private-equity firm Partners Group, is establishing an independent investment unit within PG3 AG, the family office that has managed the wealth of the firm’s three founders since 2013. The family office succession planning move is seen as an early step in preparing for future wealth transition and governance changes. Bloomberg reported that the new unit will be led by Jascha Forster, currently chief investment officer

Hong Kong and Cyprus have signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment and cross-border business activity. The Hong Kong Cyprus tax agreement is the city’s 58th such treaty and its third concluded this year. Financial Services and Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui said the Hong Kong Cyprus tax agreement will clarify taxing rights between the two jurisdictions and help investors avoid double taxation. Hong Ko

Danantara Investment Management, a subsidiary of Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara, has raised USD1.5bn through its first US dollar-denominated bond issuance, attracting strong investor demand despite concerns surrounding Indonesia’s markets and economic outlook. The Danantara bond sale comprised USD750m of five-year bonds and USD750m of 10-year bonds. According to Reuters, orders peaked at approximately USD4.6bn, allowing final yields to be reduced by 35 basis poin

Asian consumers are increasingly prioritising financial independence, health and quality of life over simply extending lifespan, according to Manulife’s latest Asia Care Survey. The financial longevity planning study surveyed more than 9,000 individuals across nine Asian markets and found a significant shift in attitudes towards ageing and retirement. Around 70% of respondents identified financial health as a key enabler of longer and better lives, while 62% said maintaining

Hong Kong’s Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises has secured commitments from 124 companies across six batches, with total planned investment reaching HKD73bn (USD9.3bn) and the potential creation of 25,000 jobs. The Hong Kong strategic enterprises programme has become a key pillar of the city’s efforts to attract high-value industries, technology firms and innovation-driven businesses. Bryan Peng, executive director of OASES, said the first five batches had already ex

The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies has called for further reforms to help attract technology firms and founders to the city’s stock market, arguing that current proposals may still be too restrictive. The Hong Kong innovative companies debate centres on HKEX proposals to revise listing requirements for firms seeking weighted voting rights structures. Chairman Chan Ka-keung said the proposed “novelty test” could exclude high-quality businesses whose technologies or oper