12 January 2026 - Daily Update - B2B Asia News

This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 12 January 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. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.4%, while the Shanghai Composite index jumped 1.1% after reports that Chinese leaders were preparing more help for the economy. Tokyo's markets were closed for a holiday, while in South Korea, the Kospi added 0.8% and Taiwan's Taiex gained 0.9%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 meanwhile gained 0.5%.
• Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 0.89 points or 0.21%, to 426.36. Trade volume was up with 97,878 shares changing hands at a total value of 512.3 million riel, close to $128,000 US dollars.
• On the main board, most stocks were down while only Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority was up and Grand Twins International and CAMGSM stayed flat. The biggest loser of the day was Royal Group Phnom Penh SEZ, dropping 1.42%. Over on the growth board, DBD Engineering and Picasso City Garden stayed flat, while JS Land was down 0.79%.
• Shifting to the exchange rate, the KHR weakened to 4,025 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar Index was down to 98.84.
• Turning to global commodities, Brent crude futures were trading around $63 US dollars a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude held ground at $59 US dollars. (0412 GMT)
• Gold broke through $4,600 dollars an ounce for the first time, while silver also hit a record high, as investors snapped up safe-haven assets amid heightened geopolitical uncertainties and a criminal probe into U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Spot gold jumped 1.7% to $4,584.74 US dollars per ounce. Bullion hit a record high of $4,600.33 US dollars earlier in the day. U.S. gold futures for February delivery added 2.1% to $4,595.30 US dollars. (0752 GMT)
• Moving on now to other business-related news,
  - Official international trade numbers released by the Ministry of Commerce reveal that bilateral trade between Cambodia and the United States reached $13.14 billion US dollars in 2025, representing a 29 per cent increase from the $10.17 billion US dollars recorded in 2024. Furthermore, Cambodia exported goods worth $9.8 billion US dollars to countries under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, in 2025, marking a 7 per cent year-on-year increase.
  - The Ministry of Commerce has announced a temporary measure for companies that have failed to file annual declarations in previous years, limiting the penalty to the most recent year only. The Ministry requests all company directors and managers to cooperate in the timely implementation of this temporary measure in order to benefit from the penalty waiver and maintain legal compliance.
  - Air Cambodia is set to launch three new direct flights from Techo International Airport to popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. The airline confirmed new direct flights from Phnom Penh gateway to Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc island, with promotional fares starting at $100 US dollars (one way).

Watch the 12 January 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: