2 July 2026 - Daily Update - B2B Asia News

This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 2 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 mostly fell on Thursday as a heavy sell-off in chip shares spread across the region. South Korea's Kospi bore the worst of it, tumbling around 5% as its heavyweight chipmakers slid.
• In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed about 1.5%, while Taiwan's Taiex slipped 1.1%. On the other hand, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose about 0.8%, lifted by an 8.7% jump in electric-vehicle maker BYD after it reported a second straight monthly rise in sales, while India's Sensex added 0.5%.
• Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 0.42 points or 0.09% to 454.58.
• Total trade volume was down with 88,808 shares changing hands at a total value of 408.3 million riel or close to $102,000 US dollars.
• On the main board, three stocks were up, led by Royal Group Phnom Penh SEZ, while three stocks were down with MJQ Education as the biggest loser of the day. Over on the growth board, JS Land was down while DBD Engineering and Picasso City Garden remained flat.
• Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD weakened slightly to 4,030 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 101.29.
• Looking at global commodities, oil prices dropped about 1% on Thursday, down for a third consecutive day, after Qatar said Iran and the U.S. ​had made progress in indirect talks focused on the Strait of Hormuz.
• Brent futures lost 1.1% to $70.78 US dollars a barrel, while U.S. West Texas ​Intermediate crude fell 1.2% to $67.74 US dollars a barrel.
• Both benchmarks ​fell more than 1% in the previous session. (0642 GMT)
• Gold prices rose as softer-than-expected ‌U.S. jobs data and lower oil prices eased inflation concerns, while investors awaited the nonfarm payrolls report for cues on the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy path.
• Spot gold had risen 0.9% to $4,067.67 US dollars per ounce, after touching its highest level since June 23 in the last ​session.
• U.S. gold futures for August delivery inched 0.1% lower to $4,080 US dollars. (​0753 GMT)

• Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin was trading around $60,925 US dollars, experiencing a relief rally driven by reassuring comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials that eased inflation concerns. This upward volatility comes despite U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recording their worst month on record in June and stalled legislative progress continuing to weigh on institutional demand.

   

• Moving on now to other business-related news,
  • Cambodia and the United States have officially signed a historic Open Skies agreement, establishing the first bilateral air transport framework between the two nations to modernise civil aviation ties, boost commercial trade, and expand direct flight capabilities. The landmark pact was signed on June 30 in Washington, D.C., by H.E. Dr. Mao Havannall, Cambodia’s Minister-in-Charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State H.E. Christopher Landau. According to an SSCA press release, the agreement elevates the aviation relationship between the two countries to modern global standards, paving the way for more affordable, efficient, and flexible routes for both passenger travel and cargo logistics.
  • Japan has reaffirmed its continued support for Cambodia in the education sector, specifically the expansion of student exchange programme, Japanese language teaching, teacher development, and ICT cooperation. The reaffirmation was made by the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology during a meeting with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport in Tokyo, Japan on July 1. The two sides reiterated their commitments to further strengthening and expanding the friendship ties and strategic partnership between Cambodia and Japan, which have been built solidly over the past seven decades.
  • In a significant move to deepen bilateral technical cooperation, the Chinese government has formally transferred its comprehensive "National Occupational Standards" to Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training. The official handover ceremony, held recently at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh, was co-chaired by Cambodian Minister of Labour and Vocational Training and the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia. The initiative is designed to modernise the Kingdom’s technical education framework and align workforce competencies with the rapidly evolving demands of the labour market, particularly in the high-growth New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector. The standards package is expected to serve as a pivotal blueprint for driving structural reforms within Cambodia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, elevating national employment benchmarks and fostering a more competitive workforce.

Watch the 2 July  2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: