East Asia
The world’s most advanced economies and its most contested flashpoint sit side by side here. Technology leadership, demographic decline, and a strait that could redraw the global order — all in the same neighborhood.
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May- 2026 -25 MayTech & AI
Grab’s AI-driven ‘cyborganisation’ challenges Southeast Asia’s data protection laws
Grab CEO Anthony Tan is restructuring the super-app around a 'cyborganisation' model, integrating AI into every employee's workflow for operational decisions. With 2024 revenue of US$2.35 billion and US$150 million…
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25 MayCapital
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 MayCapital
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 MayCapital
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 MayCapital
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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23 MayEarth
HSBC’s $4 billion facility routes Chinese clean energy to Philippines, bypassing US influence
HSBC has launched a $4-billion Sustainability and Transition Credit Facility to finance mainland Chinese clean energy companies expanding into Southeast Asia, with the Philippines identified as a primary destination. The…
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23 MayPower
Pakistan seeks China’s backing to mediate US-Iran tensions, Afghanistan border dispute
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Beijing for a four-day state visit, seeking Chinese backing to mediate between the United States and Iran, and for support with Afghanistan. The…
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22 MayCapital
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 MayEarth
Hormuz crisis forces South Asian nations to reverse decarbonisation, risking higher emissions
Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is running at 5% of pre-war rates, causing widespread disruptions across South Asia and the Pacific. Bangladesh's fertiliser and garment factories are severely…
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22 MayCapital
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%…
