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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 12 August 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 were up on Wednesday, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan up 0.8%, while Japan's benchmark Nikkei share gauge also rose 0.8% as the market reopened after a holiday. South Korea's Kospi surged 4%, driven by gains in tech shares. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index meanwhile dropped 0.83% and the Shanghai Composite Index closed 0.32% higher.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 1.04 points or 0.22% to 465.3. Total trade volume was down with 113,658 shares changing hands at a total value of 554 million riel or close to $137,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, three stocks were up, led by CAMGSM, while two stocks were down with Royal Group Phnom Penh SEZ as the biggest loser of the day. Over on the growth board, JS Land was up, DBD Engineering was down, while Picasso City Garden stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD strengthened slightly to 4,048 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 99.86.
- Looking at global commodities, oil prices rose on Wednesday as doubts about a U.S.-Iran peace deal and attacks on two ships fuelled concerns about disruptions to Middle East supplies, although industry data showed swelling inventories of U.S. crude.
- Brent futures were up 0.84%, to $89.66 US dollars a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed 0.87%, to $83.92 US dollars. Both contracts had risen more than $1 dollar earlier in the session. (0553 GMT)
- Gold rose nearly 1%, supported by reduced bets on U.S. Federal Reserve tightening next month as investors awaited key U.S. inflation data that could reshape policy expectations. Spot gold gained 0.9% to $4,406.34 US dollars per ounce. U.S. gold futures for December delivery rose 0.6% to $4,466.70 US dollars. (0515 GMT)
Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin dipped back below the $64,000 US dollar mark to hover near $63,700 US dollars on Wednesday as traders exercise caution ahead of key U.S. inflation data.
- Moving on now to other business-related news,
- A 50-member Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) business delegation visited Cambodia from August 6–9, meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet and top government officials to strengthen bilateral trade relations. During the visit, the delegation hosted the China-Cambodia Investment and Trade Cooperation Summit and surveyed key commercial infrastructure, including the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, and Canadia Group. To drive cross-border expansion, both sides agreed to fast-track 10 major development projects with a primary focus on high-growth sectors including artificial intelligence, green energy, and healthcare. Additionally, the partnership aims to integrate regional industrial parks, logistics networks, and legal resources into a unified supply chain, connecting GBA technology and capital directly with the Cambodian market.
- Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on August 12 that Cambodia has attracted $4 billion US dollars across 214 investment projects nationwide, expected to create 140,000 jobs. A notable $2.7 billion dollars (across 72 projects) is targeted at the northeastern provinces of Stung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, and Kratie, with 57 projects already undergoing implementation procedures. To sustain momentum, highlighted by a 95.75% project implementation rate over the past three years, the government is instructing institutions to further streamline bureaucratic procedures and enhance conditions for both domestic and foreign investors.
- The Association of Banks in Cambodia (ABC) and the Cambodia Microfinance Association (CMA) have urged for more balanced and complete reporting on past cases involving customers of banking and financial institutions. In a joint statement issued on August 12, the associations said they respect the role of civil society organisations and the media in raising public awareness and safeguarding citizens’ legitimate interests. However, they said recently published videos by certain organisations and media outlets present only a partial picture of recent cases and do not fully reflect subsequent measures, developments and their current status. The associations warned that reporting without full context could cause public confusion or misunderstanding and potentially affect confidence in Cambodia’s banking and financial sector.
Watch the 12 August 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: