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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 14 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 markets headed toward their best weekly gain in eight weeks on Friday, fueled by mild inflation figures that eased fears of a near-term U.S. rate hike.
- However, stalled Middle East peace negotiations capped broader investor enthusiasm. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.16%, heading for a 2.6% weekly gain, its strongest performance since mid-June. Japan's Nikkei was 1.5% higher. South Korea's KOSPI, a barometer for investor sentiment on the AI trade, rose 1.8%, on course to snap a seven-week losing streak with gains of nearly 11%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 2.93 points or 0.63% to 470.22. Total trade volume was up with 589,585 shares changing hands at a total value of 3.7 billion riel or close to $938,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, four stocks were up, led by ACLEDA Bank, while two stocks were down with Royal Group Phnom Penh SEZ as the biggest loser of the day. Over on the growth board, all three stocks were down.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD strengthened slightly to 4,044 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 99.74.
- Looking at global commodities, oil prices rose on Friday and were on track for weekly gains after the United States threatened an indefinite naval blockade of Iran, raising concerns about disruptions to crude supplies from the Middle East.
- Brent futures were up 1.64% to $88.50 US dollars a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 1.92% to $82.81 US dollars a barrel. (0810 GMT)
- Gold prices slipped and were headed for a weekly loss as investors locked in profits a day after bullion was propelled to its highest level in more than two months on mild U.S. inflation data that weakened the case for a near-term U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike. Spot gold was down 0.5% at $4,330.70 US dollars per ounce, U.S. gold futures for December delivery slid 0.7% to $4,387.40 US dollars. (0714 GMT)
Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin was under pressure again at $62,843 US dollars, while XRP teetered near $1 dollar amid a cluster of unfriendly developments over the past 24 hours.
- Moving on now to other business-related news,
- Russian commercial vehicle manufacturer GAZ Group is moving forward with plans to establish a production and assembly facility in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, according to a high-level meeting held at the City Hall on August 13. The announcement came during a working session between the Phnom Penh Deputy Governor and a delegation from GAZ Group. The talks mark the company’s second visit to the country, following initial discussions during Prime Minister Hun Manet’s official trip to Russia. The Russian firm confirmed it has already held preliminary discussions with the Cambodian Prime Minister and is actively seeking a strategic site within Phnom Penh to expedite operations. Company officials cited strong domestic demand as a primary driver for entering the Cambodian market.
- The Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, H.E. Heng Sour, received a courtesy call from the newly appointed Deputy Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Cambodia on August 14, to discuss the Ministry’s priorities and strategic directions, as well as recent developments in labour and vocational training. H.E. Heng Sour warmly welcomed the new SDC Deputy Director and expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership between Cambodia and Switzerland, particularly through SDC-supported development projects. He expressed hope that the new SDC leadership would further strengthen cooperation and ensure that ongoing joint projects deliver greater effectiveness and impact, especially in human capital development.
- The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Capital-Provincial Investment Sub-Committees approved and registered a total of 33 investment projects worth approximately $525 million US dollars in Cambodia in July 2026, according to the CDC. The approved projects are expected to create around 17,000 jobs for local people. Of the total, 23 investment projects were registered by the CDC, representing approximately $494 million US dollars in investment capital and expected to generate around 9,000 jobs. Meanwhile, 10 projects were registered by the Capital-Provincial Investment Sub-Committees, with a total investment of approximately $31 million US dollars and the potential to create around 8,000 jobs.
Watch the 14 August 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: