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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 20 February 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 financial markets struck a cautious tone on Friday as escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran dampened investor appetite. While markets in mainland China and Taiwan remained closed for the Lunar New Year holidays, Hong Kong's Hang Seng resumed trading with a 0.8% loss.
- Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.1% while in Australia, the S&P/ASX200 closed down just 4.80 points Friday to 9,081.40 (closing Value).
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 1.63 points or 0.38%, to 427.4.
- Total trade volume was up with 63,441 shares changing hands at a total value of 271.4 million riel, or close to $67,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, 5 stocks were up, led by , Pestech Cambodia Plc. (PEPC) while one stock were down, with Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, all stocks have stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the KHR were up at 4,021riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar rose to 97.95.
- Turning to global commodities , Oil prices edge higher as US-Iran tensions simmer Oil prices are on the rise as traders react to growing concerns that the US could launch military action against Iran.
- Brent crude is up 1.55% at $71.44 a barrelnd, and WTI is up 1.61% to trade at $66.24 a barrel
- Gold also moved higher, with spot gold at $5,020.95 per ounce and U.S. gold futures for April delivery at $5,037.60.
- Looking at the crypto market, prices were softer at the time of the latest read: Bitcoin traded at $66,998.61, down 1.72%, while Ethereum was at $1,972.61, down 2.28%.
- Moving on now to other business-related news:
- The meeting on February 18, 2026, underscores a major pivot in U.S.-Cambodia relations, have pledged to expand bilateral commerce and investment during talks in Washington, marking a thaw in economic relations between the two nations. The meeting, held on Feb. 18 during Samdech Hun Manet’s participation in the inaugural meeting of Board of Peace, follows a surge in economic activity. And Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet welcomed a new deal establishing a roughly 19 percent tariff rate on Cambodian exports to the U.S. market.
- On February 19, 2026, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) officially announced the approval and implementation of a capital gains tax exemption for products within the securities sector, this contributes to serves as a tax incentive for public investors holding and trading government securities, bonds, and/or equity securities. According to notification from the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC), the Ministry of Economy and Finance approved Prakas No. 133, dated February 5, 2026, regarding the exemption of capital gains tax for securities sector products.
- Cambodian exporters are being urged to view emerging European trade regulations as a "strategic opportunity" rather than a hurdle. This was the topic theme of a full-day workshop held on February 17, 2026, at the Sun and Moon Riverside Hotel
Watch the 20 February 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: