China Q4 GDP growth slowed to a three-year low as domestic demand weakened, even as the full-year pace met Beijing’s target, official data showed. Gross domestic product grew 4.5% in October–December from a year earlier, easing from 4.8% in the third quarter, while 2025 growth came in at 5.0%, the National Bureau of Statistics said. A record trade surplus and firmer industrial output underscored exporters’ resilience, but consumption and investment remained soft amid a prolon

A billionaire wealth surge drove global fortunes up 16% in 2025 to a record USD18.3tr, widening economic and political divides, anti-poverty group Oxfam said as the World Economic Forum opened in Davos. Oxfam said billionaire wealth rose at three times its recent pace last year, extending an 81% gain since 2020, even as one in four people struggle to eat regularly and nearly half the world lives in poverty. The group said billionaires are 4,000 times more likely than ordinary

Multi-family office Farro Capital has strengthened its sustainable investing capabilities with the appointment of a new impact and sustainable finance head, as family offices increase allocations to responsible strategies. Singapore-based Farro Capital said it has hired Priyaka Dhingra as head of impact and sustainable finance to mobilise capital from family offices into projects spanning climate change mitigation and adaptation, new technology deployment and social developme

Fiera Capital is expanding Japan private markets distribution with a senior hire as it builds its local presence and targets institutional and family office investors. The Canadian asset manager said it has appointed Chinatsu Aoyama as director and private markets specialist in Japan, based in Tokyo, to support distribution of strategies across real estate debt and equity, natural capital, infrastructure, private credit and private equity. She reports to CJ Morrell, managing

HSBC Private Bank is bolstering its Asia wealth planning capabilities through a series of senior hires aimed at deepening client coverage and advisory strength. HSBC Private Bank said it expanded its Global India coverage team in Singapore by appointing Phaneendar Bhavaraju and Rangan Krishnan as senior relationship managers reporting to Manoj Ramarao, senior desk head for Global India in Singapore and Hong Kong. Bhavaraju brings more than 28 years of experience across privat

The Family Office will convene Saudi royals and global investors at its annual Red Sea investing summit, highlighting the growing role of the region in global family office portfolios. The Gulf-based wealth manager said its Investing Is a Sea summit will be held from Jan 29 to 31 on Shura Island on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, under the framework of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 programme. Discussions at the Red Sea investing summit will cover global macro conditions, portfolio

HKU urged Hong Kong to reposition itself as a “super value-adder” by deepening integration with mainland industry while expanding overseas networks, according to its 2026 economic policy green paper. HKU dean Cai Hongbin said the city must better understand mainland strategic priorities and support Chinese firms expanding abroad, while strengthening higher education to attract global talent. Economist Tang Hei-wai said geopolitical shifts are opening opportunities in regions

MAS-linked GFTN plans a USD200m fund to support growth-stage fintechs navigating the gap between late-stage venture funding and IPO markets, deputy chairman Neil Parekh said. Global Finance & Technology Network, a nonprofit set up by Singapore’s central bank in 2024, will partner with Japan’s SBI Holdings and SBI Ven Capital to back fintechs with proven traction seeking to expand into new jurisdictions or extend product offerings. The MAS-linked GFTN fintech fund is targeting

KKR has raised USD2.5bn for an Asia-Pacific performing private credit strategy as investors, including family offices and institutions, seek yield outside public markets. The capital includes USD1.8bn for KKR Asia Credit Opportunities Fund II and USD700m from separately managed accounts targeting similar opportunities, the firm said. KKR described ACOF II as the region’s largest pan-regional performing private credit fund, following its first Asia-dedicated vehicle that close

Asia loan bankers are bracing for tougher competition and thinner margins as subdued deal flow and stronger borrower bargaining power reshape the lending landscape. Bloomberg data show G3 loan volumes in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan fell 6.7% in 2025 to a two-year low of USD189bn, as tariff uncertainty and elevated US interest rates led some companies to delay dollar borrowing or shift to local-currency funding. Over the same period, G3 bond issuance jumped 27% to a four-year

US family office Avestar Capital has opened a Singapore hub, positioning the city-state as its Asia-Pacific base as it expands beyond the United States. The new entity, Avestar Singapore Pte. Ltd., will be led by Zal Devitre, a wealth management executive with more than two decades of international experience, the firm said. Founder and chief executive Xerxes Mullan said Asian ultra-high-net-worth families increasingly require cross-border advice that integrates investment ma

Hong Kong investment volumes rose 12% to HKD39bn (USD5.0bn) in 2025, with momentum accelerating in the fourth quarter as pricing turned more attractive, property consultancy Colliers said. Fourth-quarter transaction volumes surged 65% from the previous quarter, supported by three US Federal Reserve rate cuts totalling 0.75 percentage points and positive wealth effects from gains in the Hang Seng Index. Large transactions dominated activity, with 85 deals above HKD100m, mainly

Vietnam’s 2026 growth outlook will hinge on a recovery in domestic consumption, effective policy execution and sustained public investment, analysts said. Nguyen Xuan Thanh of the Fulbright School said household spending remains the biggest uncertainty, although industrial-zone employment is improving and tourism-related services are rebounding. A stronger social safety net and concrete reforms could help restore confidence, he said. Vietnam public investment will remain a ke

Thailand has indicted members of the Phornprapha family in a high-profile Thailand stock manipulation case involving More Return Plc. Prosecutors said Akapat “Kim” Phornprapha, Athipat Phornprapha and Orapin Phornprapha were charged over alleged coordinated trading that distorted MORE’s share price and volume between July and November 2022. The court denied bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations, estimated investor losses of THB4.5bn (USD127m) and flight risk after t

UBS hosted the UBS Asia Wealth Forum in Singapore, bringing together more than 2,000 clients, investors and industry leaders, underscoring the growing importance of Asia in global wealth and family office strategies. The UBS Asia Wealth Forum, which concluded on Jan 12, featured speakers including former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Pershing Square Capital Management founder Bill Ackman, Oaktree Capital co-CEO Armen Panossian and Gavekal CEO Louis-Vincent Gave, the

Ares Management is expanding its Hong Kong office footprint in Central, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the city as global asset managers seek higher-quality space. Ares will add about 12,500 square feet in Gloucester Tower, where it has been a tenant since 2017, with the new lease taking effect in March, landlord Hongkong Land said. The Ares Hong Kong office expansion comes as financial firms upgrade premises in the core business district. Hongkong Land said banks an

Singapore has defended the performance of its sovereign wealth funds, saying Singapore sovereign wealth fund returns from GIC and Temasek are reasonable and within expectations despite criticism. Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow told parliament that comparisons with global peers should account for different mandates and risk profiles, with Singapore prioritising long-term results over short-term swings. He said GIC’s risk-moderation measures ahead of potentia

Taiwan has ended its longest-ever market-support operation after the Taiwan stabilization fund intervention concluded, citing improved trading conditions and restored investor confidence. The Taiwan stabilization fund intervention deployed a cumulative NTD12.25bn (USD387m) since April 9, 2025, generating a return rate of 52.56% and an unrealised profit of NTD6.44bn as of last month, its executive committee said. The 279-day programme was launched to stabilise markets amid glo

Rising costs and family disputes are driving an increase in family office closures, advisers say, even as the sector continues to expand in the United States. There were nearly 3,200 single-family offices in 2024 managing USD1.3tr, according to Deloitte estimates, but for some families the overheads are increasingly outweighing the benefits, particularly those with USD250m to USD750m in assets. Advisers point to intense competition for experienced staff pushing up compensatio

Asian household cash holdings remain unusually high, with households often keeping 50% to 55% of net worth in cash and deposits, far above the roughly 15% typical in the United States and Western Europe, business magazine CEO World reported. The conservative approach reflects memories of past crises, uneven social safety nets and limited access to trusted investment products. However, this stance is beginning to ease as incomes rise, capital markets deepen and digital investm