China market regulator chief Luo Wen has formally left the State Administration for Market Regulation following his appointment as Communist Party chief of Hebei province. China's human resources ministry confirmed Luo's removal from the regulatory position after the 61-year-old was named Hebei's top official on July 31, replacing Ni Yuefeng. Hebei surrounds Beijing and forms an important part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic region, making its provincial leadership an i

Singapore wealth management fees reached record levels at the country's three largest banks during the second quarter as continued inflows from affluent clients supported higher fee income. DBS Group's wealth management fees jumped 42% to SGD919m (USD716m), while fees at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation increased 44% and United Overseas Bank recorded growth of more than 29%. The results highlight Singapore's continued attraction of regional and international wealth as the

A proposed Hang Seng Tech Index expansion would increase the Hong Kong technology benchmark to 50 constituents from 30 and introduce revenue growth as an additional selection criterion. Hang Seng Indexes Company has proposed a dual-selection framework under which the 40 largest eligible companies by market capitalisation would qualify, while another 10 constituents would be selected according to revenue growth. The index compiler said the changes would improve representation

Hong Kong & Dubai climate finance cooperation will deepen when financial regulators from the two centres hold their third Joint Climate Finance Conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 10. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) will bring together corporate leaders, investors and policymakers to discuss partnerships, financing solutions and innovations supporting the transition towards lower-carbon economies. HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Y

China US tariffs are expected to increase by the end of 2026, according to more than half of Chinese corporate executives surveyed by UBS, while 40% anticipate tariff reductions. The UBS China C-Suite survey, conducted from May to mid-June, found that 57% of respondents expected bilateral relations to deteriorate, compared with only 12% anticipating improvement. Despite trade concerns, exporters reported improving demand. A net 14% said orders had strengthened from a year ear

Asia-Pacific CFO resilience remains strong despite growing geopolitical and economic risks, with finance leaders investing in digital transformation, artificial intelligence and operational efficiency. A Deloitte Taiwan survey found that chief financial officers were more optimistic about their own organisations than about the global economy, reflecting confidence in their ability to withstand external shocks. Companies are prioritising cash-flow management, supply-chain resi

The South Korea stock market remains supported by solid economic fundamentals despite a sharp recent sell-off, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said. Koo cited resilient economic growth, strong exports, manageable inflation and improving consumer and business confidence while pledging additional measures to deepen capital markets and support emerging industries. His comments followed a Bloomberg Opinion column describing South Korea as increasingly “uninvestable” because of ext

The AllianzGI UOB Asset Management transaction will expand Allianz Global Investors’ presence across Southeast Asia and strengthen its investment capabilities in several high-growth Asian markets. AllianzGI has agreed to acquire UOB Asset Management from Singapore’s UOB Group for SGD555m (USD433m), subject to regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to close in 2027 and includes a long-term distribution agreement enabling AllianzGI to offer investment products through

Rising Singapore business costs have become the leading concern for local companies as global uncertainty, weaker demand and supply-chain disruption weigh on profitability. A Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey of 540 businesses found that 80% were concerned about higher operating expenses, up from 65% a year earlier. Although 78% expected to remain profitable in 2026, 56% anticipated lower earnings than in the current year. Companies said they were resp

Indonesia Q2 growth slowed from the previous quarter but remained stronger than economists expected, supported by government expenditure and stimulus measures. Gross domestic product expanded 5.29% year on year during the April-to-June period, exceeding the 5.1% median forecast in a Reuters poll but easing from 5.61% in the first quarter. Government spending increased 15.97%, partly because of expenditure on civil servants, although this was slower than the 21.81% rise record

Taiwan brokerage accounts increased by 118,840 during July to a record 14.61 million, led by younger investors despite extreme stock-market volatility. Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed that account holders aged 19 and below recorded the largest increase, rising by 43,116 to 828,674. Investors aged between 20 and 30 increased by 32,813 to 1.89 million. Together, these two age groups accounted for almost 64% of the monthly increase. Investors aged 61 and above remained the lar

ASEAN infrastructure investment should be driven by private capital and commercial discipline, supported by predictable government policies and deeper regional integration, according to Singapore Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Defence Chan Chun Sing. Speaking at the ASEAN & Asia Forum, Chan said investors choose Singapore for its consistent delivery and global connectivity rather than the size of its domestic market. Policy certainty is particularly important f

Thailand family offices are expanding as rising private wealth increases demand for specialised investment management, succession planning, tax structuring and philanthropic services. A recent report said affluent families are increasingly adopting formal family office structures to manage more complex financial needs and preserve capital across generations. Thailand's growing wealthy population, expanding middle class and continued foreign investment are creating favourable

The Hong Kong growth forecast for 2026 has been raised by UBS to 4.5% from 3.3%, placing the bank's outlook above the market consensus of 3.5%. Hong Kong's economy expanded 4.3% year on year during the second quarter, below expectations of 4.9%. Nevertheless, UBS expects steady growth to continue, supported by the development and implementation of China's next Five-Year Plan. Song Yu, chief China economist at UBS Securities, said policy priorities have shifted towards support

AI skills in finance are becoming more valuable than traditional business qualifications, with 86% of US finance executives saying AI training is more useful than an MBA for many new employees, according to PwC. The survey of more than 1,000 executives found that 91% of companies were increasing compensation for workers with artificial intelligence capabilities. Employers are particularly seeking professionals able to build, deploy and manage AI agents across financial operat

Hong Kong SME credit conditions remained broadly stable during the second quarter of 2026, according to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's latest survey of small and medium-sized businesses. Excluding respondents who were uncertain about banks' lending stance, 78% viewed credit approval conditions as similar to or easier than six months earlier, up from 73% in the first quarter. The proportion reporting more difficult conditions declined to 22%. Among SMEs with existing credi

China and Hong Kong capital markets cooperation is set to deepen through new measures supporting cross-border listings, offshore yuan products and faster exchange-traded fund approvals. The Securities and Futures Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission said eligible mainland companies would continue receiving support for Hong Kong listings, while qualifying Hong Kong-listed firms could seek listings on mainland exchanges. Hong Kong companies may also issue b

The ASEAN and China free trade agreement is expected to be upgraded by the end of 2026 as both sides seek to deepen cooperation in digital trade, green commerce and regional supply chains. Officials attending the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee meeting discussed completing negotiations on ACFTA 3.0 before a leaders' summit scheduled for November. The revised framework will introduce new commitments covering digital trade, environmental goods and services, and

A major Vietnam capital markets reform programme aims to expand outstanding bonds to around 60% of gross domestic product by 2045 while making capital markets a significantly larger source of long-term financing. Under Decision 1413/QD-TTg, Vietnam will tighten credit-rating requirements, broaden bond products and modernise market infrastructure after outstanding bonds reached around 34% of GDP during 2025, below earlier targets. Planned reforms include infrastructure, ESG an

The Taiwan economic indicator remained at a red level in June for a seventh consecutive month as strong artificial intelligence demand continued to support exports, industrial sales and investment. The National Development Council said the composite business monitoring score increased by two points from May to 41, marking the second-longest red-level streak on record. Leading and coincident indicators also strengthened. Demand for semiconductors, chips and servers continued t