Capital
Asia-Pacific isn’t catching up to the global economy anymore — it’s writing the rules. Track the markets, trade shifts, and investment plays reshaping where Western money goes next.
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May- 2026 -26 May
Sri Lanka’s 100-bp rate hike risks derailing fragile IMF-backed recovery
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka raised its overnight policy rate by 100 basis points to 8.75% in May 2026 — its sharpest tightening in three years — as Iran-conflict-driven…
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25 May
Asian bond selloff deepens as oil prices and US rate bets drive yields to 7.4%
Rising U.S. rate expectations and Brent crude near $111 per barrel are forcing India, the Philippines, and Indonesia into a fiscal corner. Indonesia's 10-year government bond yield reached 7.4% on…
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25 May
Saudi Arabia’s $24.7 billion oil revenue masks market share loss in Asia
Saudi Arabia earned $24.7 billion from oil exports in April 2026, its highest monthly revenue in over three years, as Brent crude traded near $86 per barrel. However, Saudi crude…
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24 May
China’s $620 billion US debt sale reshapes global reserve system, avoids market crash
China has reduced its officially reported U.S. Treasury holdings from a peak of $1.316 trillion in November 2013 to $693.3 billion by February 2026 — a liquidation of more than…
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24 May
Hormuz blockade drives Japan, South Korea naphtha prices to record highs, threatening plastics supply
A three-month blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has driven Japan's benchmark naphtha spot price to $910 per metric ton, a 26% increase. This surge is forcing Japan and South…
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24 May
South Korea’s Middle East crude imports fall 37% as US supply nears parity
South Korea's crude oil imports from the Middle East fell 37.3 percent year-on-year in April 2026 to 4.49 million tons, reducing the Gulf's share of Korea's total import mix from…
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22 May
Wan Hai Lines raises Asia freight rates by up to $200 per container, citing Red Sea costs
Wan Hai Lines will apply a rate restoration on Asia trades from June 1, 2026, charging USD 100 per 20-foot container and USD 200 per 40-foot and high-cube containers, citing…
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22 May
South Korean airlines face margin crisis as fuel surcharges double on key routes
South Korean airlines face a margin crisis as domestic fuel surcharges on Korean Air and Jeju Air more than doubled on several routes since late 2025, driven by a 20%…
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22 May
Indonesia’s rupiah hits record low of 17,600, challenging central bank credibility
Bank Indonesia raised its benchmark 7-day reverse repo rate to 5.25% on May 21, 2026, as the rupiah hit a record low of IDR 17,600 per US dollar. The rate…
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22 May
Thailand launches $5.39 billion relief package for 43 million citizens as inflation bites
Thailand's Cabinet approved a THB 176 billion (USD 5.39 billion) relief package, 'Thai Help Thai Plus,' for 43 million people to counter rising living costs. With April 2026 inflation at…
