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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 17 September 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 stock markets rose slightly on Thursday as investors took comfort in the U.S. Federal Reserve's first interest rate hike in over three years.
- MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3% while Japan's Nikkei also gained 0.3%. Chinese blue-chips slipped 0.2% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.7%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 0.75 points or 0.13% to 590.3.
- Total trade volume was up with 1,963,194 shares changing hands at a total value of over 15.3 billion riel or over $3.77 million US dollars.
- On the main board, two stocks were up, led by ACLEDA Bank, while six stocks were down, with Sihanoukville Autonomous Port as the biggest loser of the day. Over on the growth board, all stocks stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD remained stable at 4,053 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 100.21.
- Looking at global commodities, oil prices eased on Thursday, extending losses as reports of additional Saudi crude cargoes through Oman eased supply concerns, though prices stayed above $100 dollars a barrel on fears the Middle East conflict could widen.
- Brent crude futures were down 1.03% to $104.74 US dollars a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were down 0.81% at $101.6 US dollars a barrel. Both contracts fell about $3 dollars on Wednesday. (0801 GMT)
- Gold rose as investors digested the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hike and its signal that further policy tightening could follow, while an earlier rally in oil prices faded.
- Spot gold was up 1.2% at $4,314.64 US dollars per ounce, after hitting a near six-week low on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures for December delivery were down 0.8% to $4,353.90 US dollars. (0710 GMT)
Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin hovered around $76,200 US dollars, holding steady after a 3% decline on Tuesday. This positioning suggests the broader uptrend is still intact despite a cooling in momentum.
- Moving on now to other business-related news,
- Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for a strategic shift toward long-term sustainability in Cambodia’s automotive assembly sector, urging economic planners to prioritise the survival and growth of existing factories before approving additional projects. Speaking at the inauguration of TH Automotive Manufacture (GAC) in Kampong Chhnang province on September 17, the Prime Minister directed the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) to assess market demand and capacity before expanding the sector. Cambodia’s total vehicle assembly capacity currently stands at approximately 35,000 units annually. The Prime Minister warned that securing high numbers of investment licences is counterproductive if factories subsequently fail or close, further stressing that the priority must be ensuring existing investments survive, grow, and remain sustainable before pushing for further expansion.
- The Cambodian Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology led a delegation from the Japanese House of Councillors on a field inspection to assess progress on a major irrigation and drainage infrastructure project in Kandal province. The delegation, composed also of officials from the Embassy of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), visited the Kandal Stung-Bati subproject site to examine progress financed through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). The Minister noted that the broader initiative—spanning Kampong Speu, Kandal, and Takeo provinces—remains a critical priority to boost agricultural productivity, mitigate flood risks, and elevate rural living standards. Backed by approximately $238.2 million US dollars in Japanese concessional loans across three phases, the infrastructure programme funds the construction and restoration of headworks, primary, secondary, and tertiary canals, as well as the dredging and reinforcement of the Prek Thnot tributary and the development of local Farmer Water User Communities (FWUC).
- Her Excellency Cham Nimul, Minister of Commerce of Cambodia and Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Organising and Participating in World Expos and International Trade Fairs, led a Cambodian delegation to attend the opening ceremony of "The 23rd China-ASEAN Expo", on September 17. The ceremony was presided over by the Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China, with the participation of high-level representatives from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, and key private sector leaders. The 23rd China-ASEAN Expo is taking place from September 17–21 under the theme "China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Regional Opportunities: A Better Life", at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Centre in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The expo showcases agricultural products, technology, industry, and consumer goods, alongside business-to-business (B2B) matching sessions and ministerial-level meetings.
Watch the 17 September 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: