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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 18 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 on Friday as falling energy prices and a tech sector rebound provided relief to global investors, alongside key policy decisions.
- South Korea’s Kospi rose 2.6%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.8%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.7% and China’s Shanghai Composite was up 1%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 5.02 points or 0.85% to 585.28.
- Total trade volume was down with 1,810,887 shares changing hands at a total value of 16.9 billion riel or over $4.18 million US dollars.
- On the main board, three stocks were up, led by Pestech Cambodia, while five stocks were down, with Sihanoukville Autonomous Port as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, DBD Engineering was up, Picasso City Garden was down, while JS Land 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 100.34.
- Looking at global commodities, oil prices fell 2% on Friday, extending losses for a third straight session as easing concerns over Saudi supply disruptions outweighed anxiety about a widening of conflict across the Middle East.
- Brent crude futures fell by 2% to $102.68 US dolars a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 1.8% to $100.08 US dollars. (0806 GMT)
- Gold prices rose, supported by a decline in oil prices and a weaker dollar, as traders continued to monitor developments in the Middle East and expectations for global monetary policy.
- Spot gold rose 1.1 percent to $4,386.39 US dollars per ounce, while US gold futures climbed 0.6 percent to $4,425.80 US dollars. (1111 GMT)
Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin traded around $76,371 US dollars, up slightly by about 0.29% compared to the previous day. Bitcoin has been holding near recent ranges following a choppy period in September, which historically tends to be a challenging month for crypto markets.
- Moving on now to other business-related news,
- Cambodia has called on countries in the region to promote responsible and human-centred use of artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen disaster management and emergency response capabilities, stressing that emerging technologies should support responders rather than replace human judgement. The call was made by H.E. Ross Sovann, Deputy Secretary General of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), while addressing the 3rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on Urban Emergency Rescue in Nanning, China, on September 18. H.E. Ross Sovann said rapid urbanisation and the evolving nature of disaster risks require countries to continuously strengthen their preparedness, response and recovery mechanisms. The Cambodian official underlined the importance of ensuring that AI is used as a tool to empower emergency personnel while maintaining human judgement at the centre of crisis management.
- On September 17, on the sidelines of the China-ASEAN Financial Cooperation and Development Forum, a delegation from the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB) held a meeting with the management of GUANGXI BEIBU GULF BANK (BBG) in Nanning, China. During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on continuing to strengthen financial cooperation, enhancing the efficiency and security of cross-border payment banking services, and supporting the application of AI technology.
- The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) has reaffirmed its commitment to raising regional civil aviation standards by modernising infrastructure and strengthening its regulatory oversight. H.E. Mao Havannall, Minister in Charge of the SSCA, made these remarks during the 61st Asia-Pacific Regional Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference, held in Kuala Lumpur from September 7 to 11. Cambodia’s airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville provide modern international gateway capacity and enable the country to operate in line with international standards, according to a SSCA Secretary of State. The airports are also expected to support the expansion of regional and intercontinental connectivity. Cambodia’s participation in the 61st Asia-Pacific Regional Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference strengthens and reaffirms the SSCA’s commitment to promoting the safety, security and sustainability of the civil aviation sector in line with the highest international standards and norms.
Watch the 18 September 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: