17 July 2026 - Daily Update - B2B Asia News

This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 17 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 slid sharply on Friday, with equity benchmarks in Japan and Taiwan falling as much as 6%, as a global rout in technology stocks accelerated.
• MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan were down 2.7%, while the Nikkei tumbled more than 5%, leaving it down more than 13% from its recent peak.
• In Hong Kong, the Hang ​Seng Index slid 2.5%, while the Shanghai Composite dropped 3.05%.
• Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 1.08 points or 0.24% to 450.66.
• Total trade volume was up with 152,614 shares changing hands at a total value of 888.3 million riel or close to $220,000 US dollars.
• On the main board, two stocks were up, led by MJQ Education, while six stocks were down with Pestech Cambodia as the biggest loser of the day.
• Over on the growth board, DBD Engineering and JS Land were down while Picasso City Garden stayed flat.
• 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 101.75.
• Looking at global commodities, oil prices inched up on Friday after the U.S. and Iran stepped up attacks across the Gulf, with their broken truce limiting oil flows ​out of the Strait of Hormuz and with Tehran asking the Houthi organisation to ‌stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route.
• Brent crude futures rose 0.08% to $84.30 US dollars a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures gained 0.2% to $79.11 US dollars a barrel. (0632 GMT)
• Gold was on track for its ‌biggest weekly loss, as escalating U.S.-Iran clashes lifted oil prices, adding to inflationary pressures and strengthening the case for higher U.S. interest rates.
• Spot gold was up 0.8% at $4,002.39 US dollars per ​ounce, having touched its lowest since July 1 earlier ​in the day.
• U.S. gold futures for August delivery gained 0.4% to $4,006.10 US dollars. (0624 GMT)

• Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin was down 1.5%, retreating to $63,741.54 US dollars as markets digested the United States’ sanctions deadline on Iran's oil and cryptocurrency sectors, which pushed crude prices up 5% and reignited inflation concerns.

   

• Moving on now to other business-related news,
  • The Cambodia Industrial Development Conference and Industrial Expo 2026 opened on July 17, 2026, bringing together manufacturers, investors, technology companies and business associations to promote industrial partnerships, showcase advanced technologies and support Cambodia's industrial modernisation. The two-day event, organised for the first time by the Cambodia Industrial Economy Promotion Association (CIEPA), was officially opened by H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister Vanndy underscored Cambodia's transition from competing primarily on low production costs to an industrial model driven by technology, innovation, productivity and quality, enabling Cambodian industries to move further up regional and global value chains. As of June 2026, Cambodia had 3,319 large-scale operating factories, providing more than 1.3 million jobs and attracting total investment of approximately $27.8 billion US dollars, an increase of more than 25 per cent compared to the same period last year.
  • A Chinese technology firm has proposed investing in four major artificial intelligence projects in Cambodia, aiming to position the Southeast Asian nation as a regional hub for digital commerce and AI innovation. Beijing Star AI Co. Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zhang Wei, presented the company's proposal to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during a meeting in Beijing on July 15, during the Prime Minister’s three-day official working visit to China. The proposed initiatives, which the company is exploring alongside a local Cambodian partner, include: An ASEAN Regional Intelligent Computing Centre; A Film-Grade AI Agent Research and Development Centre; A Cross-Border AI Short Drama Distribution Centre; and An ASEAN Digital Commerce Operation Centre.
  • H.E. Somheng Bora, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce, recently led a Cambodian Delegation to meet with the senior representatives of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, alongside an Under Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles of India, at the federation’s headquarters in New Delhi. The meeting aimed to explore new opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The Cambodian Ministry of Commerce and Federation of Indian Export Organisations agreed to work toward amending and finalising a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Cambodian commerce ministry and the Indian federation, preparing a joint action plan for the next 1–3 years with clearly defined collaborative activities and measurable outcomes, and promoting trade activities including virtual webinars, trade seminars, and business networking sessions.

Watch the 17 July  2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: