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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 15 July 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 markets advanced on Wednesday after a sharper-than-expected slowdown in US inflation eased concerns over further interest rate increases, while strong earnings from major US banks added to investor optimism.
- The Nikkei 225 closed up 1.49%, while South Korea's KOSPI completely erased its previous slump, surging a whopping 6.2% as semiconductor giants rebounded.
- China's blue-chip CSI 300 Index was little changed, while the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.1%.
- In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index advanced 1.5%, supported by gains in major technology companies.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 0.07 points or 0.02% to 450.3.
- Total trade volume was up with 98,529 shares changing hands at a total value of 471.4 million riel or close to $117,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, four stocks were up, led by Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, while only one stock, CAMGSM, was down.
- Over on the growth board, all stocks were up.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD remained stable at 4,037 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 101.90.
- Looking at global commodities, oil extended gains by around 2% on Wednesday as the U.S. President reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to close "all other export corridors that benefit the U.S. and its allies". Brent futures climbed 2% to $86.44 US dollars a barrel.
- West Texas Intermediate futures gained 1.8% to $80.77 US dollars a barrel. (0806 GMT)
- Gold prices fell after climbing more than 2% in the previous session, as rising oil prices fuelled inflation concerns and injected uncertainty into the U.S. interest-rate outlook, weighing on the non-yielding bullion.
- Spot gold was down 0.7% at $4,025.12 US dollars per ounce, U.S. gold futures for August delivery eased 1% to $4,030.40 US dollars. (0805 GMT)
Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin was up 1.05%, trading near $64,600 US dollars, continuing its upward momentum after gaining ground earlier in the week, keeping the near-term bullish trend pushing toward immediate resistance at $65,000 US dollars.
- Moving on now to other business-related news,
- Cambodia’s economic momentum accelerated in the first half of 2026, with the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) approving 276 new investment projects valued at $4.7 billion US dollars, according to a report released by CDC on July 14. The manufacturing and infrastructure boom is projected to create more than 160,000 jobs for local workers. Domestic investors stepped up significantly, accounting for 41.74% of the total capital. On the foreign direct investment (FDI) front, China maintained its position as Cambodia's top economic partner, contributing 35.75% of external capital, followed closely by Singapore at 15.38%.
- On July 14, Her Excellency Tekreth Kamrang, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce, received a courtesy call from the Head of Product Safety and Standards of the United Kingdom, Graham Russell, during his visit to Cambodia to expand bilateral trade and investment cooperation with the UK. During the meeting, both sides discussed strengthening cooperation in food safety standards and consumer protection and jointly addressing challenges faced by the private sector, particularly turning the action plans under the Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF) framework into tangible outcomes. The Cambodian Secretary of State emphasized the importance of the JTIF framework and preparations for the upcoming fourth JTIF meeting, which is expected to further facilitate trade for British businesses and investors interested in investing in and expanding their business operations in Cambodia, with the aim of transforming opportunities into economic benefits for both countries.
- A specialised Royal Government Working Group has wrapped up field inspections of four major agricultural projects worth a combined $25 million dollars in Stung Treng and Kratie provinces, signaling a massive push to transform Cambodia’s northeastern economic corridor. The delegation, operating under the Special Programme to Promote Investment in the Four Northeastern Provinces (SPIN), was led by two Undersecretaries of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The team met with investors to hammer out the technical conditions, special incentives, and tax concessions available under the SPIN framework for 2025–2028. In Stung Treng province, the delegation reviewed a $4 million dollar mixed livestock farm project expected to create around 50 jobs, as well as a $7 million dollar fruit plantation and cassava starch processing factory projected to generate approximately 500 jobs. In Kratie province, the team inspected a $4 million dollar agricultural processing factory expected to employ around 500 people, along with a $10 million dollar agro-industrial project to cultivate yellow bananas and process agricultural products, including cashew nuts, mangoes, pineapples, durians, bananas and jackfruit, creating about 553 jobs.
Watch the 15 July 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: