Asia M&A and investment review
Indian markets snap four day losing streak
The BSE Sensex added 50 points to settle at 74,609, while the NSE Nifty 50 gained 33 points to close at 23,413, with both indices oscillating through positive and negative territory before securing modest gains into the close.
Indonesia, Philippines form nickel alliance to dominate global supply
Indonesia and the Philippines have formalised a strategic alliance to unify the regional nickel industry, effectively creating a nickel cartel that controls nearly three-quarters of the world’s mining output.
Copper nation - Indonesia races to become an EV supply chain powerhouse
Indonesia’s ability to scale its copper output and refining capacity places it at the centre of the 'Green Cold War', allowing it to navigate between major powers by offering a high-capacity alternative to more volatile mining jurisdictions.
India's changing FDI landscape
Capital with adversarial Chinese or Pakistani ownership will hit a wall that each successive regulation has made harder to get around.
Bursa Malaysia slides as UAE’s OPEC+ exit rattles energy markets
Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session in the red on April 30 as investor sentiment soured following news that the United Arab Emirates will officially exit the OPEC+ alliance on May 1.
Asian trade jitters spark fresh Malacca Strait monetisation push
The collapse of maritime stability in the Middle East has cast a long, overdue shadow over the busiest maritime chokepoint in Asia: the Strait of Malacca.
China to list sovereign bonds in Indonesia in reciprocal deal
The deal permits China to issue yuan-denominated sovereign bonds directly on the Indonesian stock exchange for the first time. In return, Indonesia gains equivalent rights to issue Indonesian sovereign debt in China’s domestic market.
Currency strain forces Bank Indonesia to delay rate cuts
Indonesia’s resilience is being tested. While the country has successfully decoupled its inflation rate from the global energy spike through subsidies, it cannot decouple its currency from global risk sentiment.
India-South Korea summit unveils new agreements
South Korea has also formally joined the India led International Solar Alliance and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, and reciprocally India has agreed to join the Global Green Growth Institute.
India-South Korea summit puts shipbuilding, tech at the forefront
Bilateral merchandise trade between India and South Korea surpassed $25.1bn in 2024, following the implementation of a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2010.
Windfall tax delay exposes Indonesia’s challenge in capturing commodity gains
Indonesia recently announced that it had delayed the rollout of its windfall tax proposal on coal and nickel exports. The country noted that the complexity of balancing fiscal needs with industrial policy is behind the delay
Jurong Island’s output cut triggers $1.64 petrol spike in Australia
Singapore’s reclaimed oil refining region, the 32-square-kilometre Jurong Island, has become the primary driver of record-high petrol prices in Australia as Middle East supply shocks ripple through the Asia-Pacific energy corridor.
Singapore’s path towards nuclear energy use
Singapore is taking another step toward the possible deployment of nuclear power, with the National Environment Agency announcing plans to commission three studies focused on nuclear safety standards and environmental safeguards.
Malaysia emerges as regional energy and stock haven as Iran war drags on
Malaysia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s top-performing markets as the war in Iran drives energy prices higher and pushes global investors towards economies better positioned to weather volatility.