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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 22 April 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 shares were mixed in cautious trading Wednesday, as investors watched for next steps in the U.S.-Iran conflict after the U.S. President extended a ceasefire that was set to expire.
- Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.4%.
- South Korea's Kospi added 0.5%.
- Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.2%, while the Shanghai Composite gained 0.5%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 0.71 points or 0.16% to 434.43.
- Total trade volume was down with 70,543 shares changing hands at a total value of 405.3 million riel, or over $101,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, two stocks were up, led by MJQ Education, while five stocks were down, with Phnom Penh Autonomous Port as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, DBD Engineering and Picasso City Garden were down while JS Land stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD weakened slightly to 3,999 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 98.32.
- Turning to global commodities, oil prices jumped on Wednesday with Brent trading above $100 dollars a barrel, erasing earlier losses following reports of gunfire attacks on at least three container ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures were up 1.6% at $100.07 US dollars a barrel.
- West Texas Intermediate futures rose 1.7% to $91.18 US dollars. (0842 GMT)
- Gold prices rose on Wednesday as lower oil prices, following a U.S. extension of a ceasefire with Iran, eased fears of an inflation spike and prolonged high interest rates. Spot gold rose 1% to $4,759.63 US dollars per ounce, after falling to its lowest level since April 13 on Tuesday.
- U.S. gold futures for June delivery gained 1.3% to $4,778.30 US dollars. (0809 GMT)
- Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin climbed to about $77,500 US dollars as traders reacted to President Trump's decision to extend the Iran ceasefire and to Strategy's $2.54 billion purchase of 34,164 bitcoins, its largest buy since 2024. Analysts say bitcoin's move above key short-term holder levels and rising institutional adoption, including from Japanese investors, reduce near-term liquidation risk, though a sustained rally may hinge on clearing $80,000 dollars and geopolitical developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Moving on now to other business-related news:
- On April 21, H.E. Sou Socheat, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC), accompanied by the Deputy Director General and Chair of the SERC FinTech Working Group and other colleagues, held a bilateral meeting with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, both parties discussed establishing a formal cooperation between the SERC and SEC, shared experiences regarding the supervision of digital assets, and discussed the implementation of policies to support the development of the securities sector in both countries.
- The Council for the Development of Cambodia convened a meeting on April 21 to review seven qualified investment projects and one expansion project, with a combined investment value of $490 million US dollars, which is expected to generate around 2,000 jobs across multiple sectors. Four of the proposed investments fall under the industrial sector, including projects for manufacturing, assembly and installation of household electrical appliances, plastic-based goods, yarn manufacturing and dyeing, and an expansion project to increase laundry production capacity within an existing facility. Two projects fell under the agriculture and agro-industry segment, including the establishment of a cassava processing factory and the development of a poultry farming and breeding operation. Projects in the infrastructure sector include two major renewable energy initiatives: a 150-megawatt wind power project and a 350-megawatt solar power project.
- At the Asia-Pacific Food Forum held in Brunei on April 22, the Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries highlighted the Cambodian rice industry as a key driver of agrifood transformation, positioning the country among the world’s leading rice producers and exporters, with around 15 million tonnes of paddy production and a surplus of nearly 9 million tonnes offering strong export and investment potential. The Under Secretary of State emphasised that unlocking further investment across climate-smart production, modern infrastructure, value-added processing, and public private partnerships will be critical to enhancing productivity, sustainability, and resilience in the rice sector.
Watch the 22 April 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: