South Korea will continue pursuing inclusion in MSCI’s developed-market index after the country remained classified as an emerging market because of unresolved foreign-exchange restrictions. The South Korea MSCI decision highlights continuing concerns among international investors over market accessibility despite ongoing regulatory reforms. MSCI said limited offshore convertibility of the Korean won and insufficient onshore liquidity during extended foreign-exchange trading

Hong Kong banks should broaden their Hong Kong family office services as a new generation of wealthy Asian entrepreneurs increasingly seeks strategic advice that extends beyond traditional investment management, according to KPMG. The recommendation comes as family offices become more prominent across the region amid rapid wealth creation and growing succession-planning needs. KPMG’s 2026 survey found that 46% of Asian family offices were established within the past five year

China is proposing significantly tougher sanctions for accounting firms involved in fraudulent corporate reporting as regulators intensify efforts to improve market integrity and investor confidence. The proposed China auditor penalties form part of a wider campaign targeting financial misconduct among listed companies and market intermediaries. Under draft amendments to the Certified Public Accountants Law, the maximum fine for issuing false audit reports would increase from

Hong Kong’s securities regulator has called on investment firms to strengthen asset manager stewardship practices, arguing that active engagement with investee companies is essential to maintaining the city’s competitiveness as a global wealth-management centre. Securities and Futures Commission chairman Kelvin Wong Tin-yau said stewardship should be regarded as a professional responsibility rather than an optional activity. Wong noted that Hong Kong has overtaken Switzerland

Moody’s Ratings has downgraded the Philippine banking outlook to negative from stable, citing risks from higher oil prices, inflation pressures and weaker economic momentum linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The revised Philippine banking outlook reflects concerns that banks may face slower credit growth and deteriorating asset quality over the coming year. The ratings agency said rising energy costs and inflation could weaken consumer spending, business conf

Asian ultra-high-net-worth families are increasingly embracing the family office model as they seek more personalised advice, international expertise and long-term wealth stewardship. According to Ardenwood Advisors founder Flora Dong, the rise of cross-border wealth is driving demand for more sophisticated structures capable of managing complex family and financial affairs. Dong said the trend is particularly evident among globally connected families with assets and business

China has unveiled a comprehensive 15-point programme aimed at strengthening foreign capital inflows and improving the business environment for international investors. The China foreign investment plan includes measures to expand market access, facilitate fundraising and support foreign participation in domestic capital markets. The initiative, jointly released by the commerce ministry, state planner and finance ministry, covers sectors including finance, services, pharmaceu

Nomura Holdings has increased Nomura CEO pay by 36% after Japan’s largest brokerage reported its strongest annual profit on record. Chief executive Kentaro Okuda received compensation of USD10m for the financial year ended March 31, reflecting the company’s improved earnings and market performance. The increase follows a second consecutive year of record net income under Okuda’s leadership, supported by stronger Japanese financial markets and a recovery in deal-making activit

Singapore accounts for the majority of Southeast Asia’s most heavily funded women co-founded companies, according to a new ranking by Tracxn. The women-led startups Singapore ecosystem represented 15 of the region’s 25 highest-funded businesses, highlighting the city-state’s strength in entrepreneurship and venture capital. Collectively, the companies have raised approximately USD16.5bn in equity funding as of May 15 across sectors including fintech, enterprise software, cons

Nearly two-thirds of high-net-worth individuals in Hong Kong and mainland China do not have formal wealth-transfer arrangements in place, despite growing concerns about economic uncertainty and market volatility, according to an HSBC Life survey. The legacy planning challenge is becoming increasingly important as affluent families seek to preserve wealth across generations and navigate a more complex investment environment. The survey found that concerns over future economic

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

Three actions any family office can take immediately — without a large budget, a dedicated team, or a multi-year transformation program. Over the past three weeks, this series has made the case that ESG-AI governance is a capital risk issue, that the regulatory and market environment has already shifted, that specific unpriced exposures exist in most private portfolios, and that governance delivers measurable financial value when it is structured correctly. The question that

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