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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 21 May 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. Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose Thursday, tracking Wall Street gains, on rising optimism over a Middle East peace deal.
- Japan’s Nikkei 225 ended Thursday’s trading session 3.14% higher, following a strong trade data report.
- South Korea’s Kospi advanced 8.42%.
- China’s CSI 300 gave up early gains, dropping 1.39%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 1.15% in the last hour of trade.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 0.08 points or 0.02% to 430.12.
- Total trade volume was down with 121,180 shares changing hands at a total value of 608.1 million riel or close to $152,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, five stocks were up, led by Pestech Cambodia, while three stocks were down, with Grand Twins International as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, Picasso City Garden was up, while DBD Engineering and JS Land were down.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD weakened slightly to 4,023 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 99.19.
- Turning to global commodities, oil prices edged higher on Thursday, as investors monitored peace talks between the United States and Iran, while supply tightness and U.S. inventory drawdowns provided some support. Brent crude futures rose 0.4% to $105.42 US dollars a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up 0.5% at $98.76 US dollars. (0809 GMT)
- Gold edged lower on Thursday as higher Treasury yields and a firm dollar weighed on the metal, while hopes of a resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict limited losses. Spot gold was down 0.3% at $4,528.03 US dollars per ounce.
- Bullion had gained more than 1% on Wednesday after falling to its lowest level since March 30 earlier in the day.
- U.S. gold futures for June delivery fell 0.1% at $4,528.90 US dollars. (0611 GMT)
- Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin is trading near $77,900 US dollars after failing to break above its 200-day moving average around $82,400 US dollars, a level analysts see as a key test between a bear-market bounce and a sustained recovery. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs have seen roughly $2 billion US dollars in outflows over the past two weeks and key demand gauges in the U.S., Korea and Hong Kong are soft, leaving $70,000 dollars as the next major on-chain support level if the correction deepens.
- Moving on now to other business-related news:
- On May 21, the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce announced that the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) will organise the "2026 Korea Import Fair” from June 23-25 in Seoul, South Korea, with a focus on promoting, showcasing, and introducing foreign products to Korean customers and the Korean market, particularly in the sectors of food and beverages (F&B), consumer goods, and agricultural products. To encourage participation, the fair organisers will provide one complementary booth for interested companies in Cambodia. The Ministry invites all Cambodian traders and members of the public who are interested in the event to register with the Department of Trade Promotion and Exhibition Affairs.
- A total of 42 investment projects, with a combined capital of approximately $222 million US dollars, were approved in April 2026, according to a press release issued by the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) on May 20. The newly approved projects are expected to create around 24,000 jobs and cover the sectors of agriculture, agro-industry, and industry. Among the approved projects, 12 are located in Kandal province and 10 in Kampong Speu province, while the remaining projects are situated in Takeo, Svay Rieng, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Koh Kong, Tbong Khmum, and Battambang provinces.
- Cambodia exported 831,179 tonnes of raw cashew nuts between January and April of 2026, marking a year-on-year increase of 24 percent and generating an estimated$1.44 billion US dollars, according to export data released on May 20 by the Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC). Export growth has been largely attributed to proactive support measures introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Commune-level agricultural extension staff were deployed to work directly with farmers, helping them assess climate-related risks and adapt farming practices to changing weather conditions
Watch the 21 May 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: