Developing Story
A story still writing itself. These are events moving in real time, updated as new information arrives rather than filed once and left alone.
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May- 2026 -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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23 MayEarth
Indonesia censors Papua deforestation film as 1,700 hectares cleared for food estates
Indonesian soldiers have disrupted more than 20 screenings of Babi Pesta ("Pig Feast"), a documentary exposing state-backed deforestation and Indigenous land seizures in Papua, since the film's release in early…
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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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23 MayTech & AI
Malaysia’s AI boom outpaces regulation, creating data liability risk for Western firms
Kuala Lumpur-based startup Zetrix AI targets 1 million users for its autonomous AI agent, Avatar, by 2026, part of a regional race to deploy agentic systems before regulators have written…
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22 MayEarth
Malaysia’s Maharani Gateway emerges as new energy hub amid Middle East rerouting
Malaysia's MYR 2.5 billion (USD 530 million) Maharani Energy Gateway, a 3,487-acre freeport project in Muar, Johor, awarded to KAJ Development Sdn Bhd under a concession signed on March 23,…
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22 MayEarth
Strait of Hormuz disruption forces India, Indonesia to reverse clean energy goals
The Strait of Hormuz disruption is doing more than raising fuel prices across India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines — it is pushing governments to reverse hard-won clean-energy commitments and…
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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%…
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22 MayCapital
Oil shock fractures Southeast Asia, hitting Philippines and Thailand hardest
A Middle East-driven oil price surge, with Brent crude between USD 88 and USD 94 per barrel since late April 2026, is fracturing Southeast Asia. Commodity exporters like Indonesia and…
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22 MayCapital
Iran War Drives Asia Currencies to Extreme Bear Scenarios, Forcing Rate Hikes
The Iran war, now in its fourth month, has pushed crude oil prices up 40%, driving extreme bear scenarios for the currencies and bonds of India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.…
