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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 1 April 2026, reviewing regional and global markets, and covering the daily business news you shouldn’t miss.
Watch the video in English above.
- We start with a quick look at regional markets. Asian stocks rallied sharply on Wednesday, following a strong U.S. market lead, driven by optimism that the Iran conflict might be ending. Key indices soared, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 rising 5.2% and South Korea's Kospi jumping 8.4%.
- Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 2%, and China’s Shanghai Composite rose 1.4%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 0.57 points or 0.13% to 433.92.
- Total trade volume was down with 92,459 shares changing hands at a total value of 503.3 million riel, or close to $126,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, four stocks were up, led by Royal Group Phnom Penh SEZ and MJQ Education, while three stocks were down, with Phnom Penh Autonomous Port as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, Picasso City Garden was up while DBD Engineering and JS Land stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD was stable at 4,001 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 99.43.
- Turning to global commodities, oil tumbled more than 3% on Wednesday, reversing earlier gains as persistent Middle East volatility unnerved markets even amid reports the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran could be winding down. The front-month Brent contract for June fell 3.2% to $100.64 US dollars per barrel.
- U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May slipped 3.3% to $98.04 US dollars per barrel. (0641 GMT)
- Gold prices rose to their highest in nearly two weeks, supported by a weaker dollar following U.S. President Donald Trump's statement that the war with Iran could wind down in weeks.
- Spot gold rose 1% to $4,717.82 US dollars per ounce, its highest level since March 20.
- U.S. gold futures for April delivery gained 1.4% to $4,744.30 US dollars. (0712 GMT)
- Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin held gains around $69,000 US dollars in early trading, attempting to build on momentum after ending a five-month losing streak in March. The market displayed early volatility, with price movements influenced by geopolitical news and technical factors, hovering near previous record highs.
- Moving on now to other business-related news:
- The Accelerating Inclusive Markets for Smallholders (AIMS) project, implemented by the Ministry of Commerce, announced the allocation of $1.5 million dollars in grant financing to the project’s Value Chain Innovation Fund (VCIF) Window 1 on April 1, to support the development of the Khmer chicken, safe vegetables, and premium rice value chains and market linkages for rural smallholders across 18 targeted provinces in Cambodia. In 2026, support will be expanded to an additional 1,400 rural households to adopt these commercially viable technologies and practices, building on the proven results from the previous year.
- Khmer Enterprise held a grant handover ceremony on March 31 providing financial assistance packages to 60 startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The event was presided over by H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation and Chairman of Khmer Enterprise’s Board of Trustees. The initiative is designed to strengthen business performance, sharpen competitiveness, and expand export opportunities, further supporting the nation's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- The Cambodian Minister of Labour met with the General Manager of BYD Cambodia and Regional Director of BYD Asia-Pacific Auto Sales Division, to discuss work progress on April 1. The meeting aimed to exchange views on strengthening cooperation to develop a skilled Electric Vehicle (EV) workforce. This initiative seeks to meet market demands, contribute to environmental protection in Cambodia, and address the global fuel crisis.
Watch the 1 April 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: