Japan Q4 GDP growth returned to positive territory but badly missed forecasts, underscoring the policy challenge facing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as households grapple with high living costs and the Bank of Japan edges toward normalisation. Japan Q4 GDP growth rose an annualised 0.2% in October-December, versus a 1.6% median estimate, after a revised 2.6% contraction in the previous quarter, government data showed. On a quarterly basis GDP gained 0.1%. Private consumption

Thailand 2026 growth forecast has been upgraded after the economy beat expectations in the fourth quarter, giving a boost to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s incoming administration. Thailand 2026 growth forecast was lifted after gross domestic product rose 2.5% year on year in October-December, accelerating from 1.2% in the previous quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Council said. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, output jumped 1.9%, t

Vietnam credit-quota reform could reshape competition in the banking sector as the country pilots the removal of long-standing growth limits from 2026 and rolls out Basel III-style capital rules, S&P Global Ratings said. S&P said Vietnam credit-quota reform would shift the system away from administrative controls toward more market-based discipline, allowing well-capitalised banks to expand lending based on capacity rather than assigned quotas. However, it called the move a d

Malaysia’s 2026 outlook is improving as analysts point to resilient domestic demand, steady services activity and continued investment, even as external risks linger. Kenanga Research said momentum could deliver upside toward 5% growth in 2026 but kept its base forecast at 4.5%, citing a mixed export outlook despite firm semiconductor shipments and a policy push for industrial upgrading. Hong Leong Investment Bank raised its 2026 GDP forecast to 4.7%, above the finance minist

Hong Kong CEOs revenue growth outlook outpaced global peers, with 98% expecting revenue to rise over the next three years, according to PwC’s 29th Global CEO Survey. The poll of 4,454 CEOs across 95 countries and territories found 87% globally forecast growth. More than half of Hong Kong chief executives, 58%, reported revenue increases from AI, while 17% said they achieved both revenue growth and cost reductions, above the 12% global average. PwC said 56% of Hong Kong CEOs c

Maybank deposit tokens cross-border payments are being tested as Maybank and Malaysia’s Yinson Holdings pilot a tokenised ringgit under Bank Negara Malaysia’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub. Maybank said the pilot uses its permissioned blockchain to run on-chain transactions involving ringgit and other ASEAN deposit tokens, with Yinson as the first corporate participant. Bank Negara launched the hub in June 2025 as a regulatory sandbox to trial programmable money and ringgit-ba

Hong Kong brokers 2026 outlook remains upbeat, with more than 40% calling the city the most attractive investment market this year despite rising costs, stiff competition and tighter regulation, an industry survey showed. The Hong Kong Securities Association said its poll of 152 responses found over half were optimistic on Hong Kong equities, including 8% who were very optimistic. Mainland China ranked second, cited by about 30% of respondents, while nearly 60% viewed the U.S

Vietnam crypto transfer tax proposal would exempt cryptocurrency transfers and trading from value-added tax while imposing a 0.1% personal income tax on the gross value of each transfer, mirroring the levy used for securities transactions, according to a draft circular opened for public consultation by the finance ministry. Individual investors would pay the tax regardless of residency status. For organisations established in Vietnam, income from crypto-asset transfers would

Singapore household wealth top 20% averaged SGD5.3m (USD3.9m) in 2023, driven mainly by property assets worth SGD3.4m, the Ministry of Finance said in its first comprehensive release of household wealth data. The ministry defines net wealth as total assets minus liabilities, with assets spanning property, net CPF balances and other financial assets, while liabilities are largely mortgages. Across all wealth groups, home equity and CPF balances were the biggest components, and

South Korea Indonesia cross-border QR payments are set to launch in April 2026, enabling visitors to pay at merchants in either country using domestic QR apps, Bank Indonesia said. The Indonesian central bank and the Bank of Korea reviewed progress on the interlinkage and agreed to keep working closely as they move toward launch. Talks began in 2023 and led to a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024, with the service operating alongside the Local Currency Transactio

Vietnam business formation January data showed a surge in activity as nearly 24,200 new firms were registered and more than 24,500 businesses resumed operations, signalling improving confidence as the economy recovers, official data showed. Total registered capital for new firms rose to VND180.9tr (USD7.1tr), while registered employment increased to about 108,200, the National Statistics Office said. However, average capital per newly formed company fell to VND7.5bn, and addi

China APEC trade growth accelerated during the 2021–2025 period, with total trade reaching RMB125.49tr (USD18.05tr), up 39.4% from the previous five years, official data showed. Trade in 2025 alone reached RMB26.29tr, accounting for nearly 60% of China’s total foreign trade, according to the first plenary meeting of the 2026 APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures held in Guangzhou. Zhao Zenglian, a deputy head of China’s General Administration of Customs, said the Asia-Paci

Asian middle-class financial anxiety is widespread, with more than 70% of consumers worried about their overall financial wellbeing, according to a survey by insurer FWD Group conducted with Ipsos. The pan-Asian poll of more than 9,000 consumers aged 21 to 65 across 10 markets found 71% were concerned about overall financial wellbeing and rising everyday living costs, 43% about high healthcare expenses, and 37% about unexpected job loss or income drops. Reflecting a shorter p

Singapore digital payments growth is projected to lift transaction volumes to USD113.7bn by 2030, up from USD39.4bn in 2023, as the city leads Southeast Asia in adoption and funding and younger consumers accelerate the shift to cashless transactions, according to a report by the Singapore FinTech Association and PwC. The report said Singapore’s payments sector raised more than USD319m in the first nine months of 2025, exceeding the combined funding of several regional peers.

Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone plans were reaffirmed by Malaysia and Singapore as a central pillar of bilateral economic ties, with both sides saying the initiative is shifting from planning to implementation to attract high-value investments and create jobs. The recommitment followed talks in Kuala Lumpur between Malaysia’s Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir and Singapore’s National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat. Malaysia is finalising an investment blue

Hong Kong GDP growth forecast has been raised by Citi to 3.2% for 2026, the bank’s second upgrade in about two weeks and a cumulative increase of 0.7 percentage points. Citi said the economy kept recovering in the fourth quarter, with strong investment growth and steadily improving consumption pushing domestic demand beyond expectations. It added the rebound is broad-based across finance, property and retail. Citi expects residential home prices to rise 8% this year and sees

Japanese investment in Thailand is set to continue as companies plan to keep investing despite labour shortages and high costs, according to a survey cited by Thailand’s Board of Investment. Of 520 firms surveyed, 23% said they aim to expand operations as they expect the economy to improve in the first half of 2026, while 35% expect exports to rise and 26% plan to establish regional offices. BoI secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi said Thailand remains Japan’s key long-t

Jeonbuk financial hub ambitions are gaining momentum as major Korean lenders move to build asset management and capital markets operations in the province. KB Financial Group said it will develop a KB Finance Town in Jeonbuk Innovation City, bringing together banking, securities, insurance and asset management with about 250 staff. Shinhan Financial Group followed by naming Jeonbuk as its base for asset management and capital markets, targeting 300 professionals. The province

Da Nang IFC plans are emerging as a catalyst for the city’s property and investment recovery, alongside major port and infrastructure projects, market watchers said. The proposed International Financial Centre aims to attract financial institutions and pilot digital asset models, with a first-phase 27,000-sq-m office tower planned. In parallel, Da Nang is advancing a 1,881-hectare free trade zone linked to Lien Chieu Port and the Hi-Tech Park, which analysts say could boost d

Hong Kong private equity hub prospects remain strong as the city positions itself to lead Asia’s private markets, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said. Chan said Hong Kong hosts more than 650 private equity firms with assets under management of about USD230bn, supported by deep liquidity in asset and wealth management, a rapidly expanding family office ecosystem and strong capital inflows. He highlighted opportunities in hard technology including artificial intelligence,