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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 21 January 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. Most Asian stocks fell on Wednesday, extending recent declines as heightened geopolitical uncertainty over the U.S.’ demands for Greenland unsettled investors. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6%, while the TOPIX index shed over 1%. Singapore’s Straits Times index shed 0.6%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index shed 0.2%. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 0.8%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was up 0.54 points or 0.13%, to 424.41. Total trade volume was down with 101,213 shares changing hands at a total value of 649.7 million riel, over $161,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, three stocks were up, led by ACLEDA Bank. On the other hand, three stocks were also down, with Pestech Cambodia as the biggest loser of the day. Over on the growth board, all three stocks were flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the KHR weakened to 4,029 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar Index was slightly up from our last report to 98.58.
- Turning to global commodities, oil prices fell on Wednesday as an expected build-up of U.S. crude inventories outweighed a temporary halt in output at two large fields in Kazakhstan, and geopolitical pressure from U.S. threats of tariffs over its bid to gain control of Greenland.
Brent futures fell 1.5% to $63.95 US dollars a barrel. The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude contract lost 1.3% to trade at $59.58 US dollars a barrel. (0745 GMT) - Gold prices surged to a record above $4,800 dollars per ounce, as investors sought the metal as a safe haven following a broad selloff in U.S. assets amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and NATO over Greenland. Spot gold climbed 2.1% to $4,862.19 US dollars per ounce. U.S. gold futures for February delivery climbed 2.2% to $4,869.40 US dollars per ounce. (0837 GMT)
- Moving on now to other business-related news,
A delegation representing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic and Industrial Research Federation met with H.E. Chea Vuthy, Secretary General of the Cambodian Investment Board (CIB), on January 21 to discuss investment opportunities in Cambodia. Over the past year, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic and Industrial Research Federation has led numerous companies on study tours to Cambodia, seeking to foster an understanding of the investment environment. Visiting companies have so far decided to establish factories for the production of tissues and sanitary paper, office supplies, and renewable energy. - A new direct flight operated by Cambodia Airways connecting Kampong Som city in Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province with Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province, was announced by the Ministry of Tourism. The new route will operate three flights per week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
- More preparations are underway for the upcoming 20th Francophonie Summit, which Cambodia is set to host this year. The fourth meeting of the summit’s National Organising Committee was held on January 19, under the presidency of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The Francophonie Summit is expected to bring together leaders and representatives from French-speaking countries and governments, further strengthening the Kingdom’s role and visibility within the global Francophonie framework.
Watch the 21 January 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: