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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 26 October 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 started the day off with losses, though some benchmarks bounced back. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 slipped 0.8% as shares of computer chipmakers and other tech firms came under renewed selling pressure.
- The Kospi in Seoul dropped 1.5%. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng picked up 0.5%, while the Shanghai Composite index rebounded from early losses to gain 0.2%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 8.04 points or 1.31% to 605.69.
- Total trade volume was up with 462,376 shares changing hands at a total value of 2.8 billion riel or over $689,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, only one stock, Grand Twins International, was up, while seven stocks were down with ACLEDA Bank as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, DBD Engineering and JS Land were down, while Picasso City Garden stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD weakened to 4,084 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 101.80.
- Looking at global commodities, oil prices fell on Monday after surging last week to near six-month highs, amid hopes of easing hostilities between the United States and Iran, although persistent attacks on key producer Saudi Arabia kept investors wary.
- Brent crude futures were down 1.28% at $115.23 US dollars. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 1.7% at $101.51 US dollars per barrel. (0744 GMT)
- Gold climbed back above $4,000 dollars on Monday, as softer oil prices eased some inflation concerns ahead of this week's U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting that could shed light on the future interest rate path.
- Spot gold rose 0.5% to $4,014.49 US dollars per ounce after hitting $3,975 US dollars on Friday, its lowest level since July 20. US gold futures for December delivery rose 0.5% to $4,028.40 US dollars per ounce. (0924 GMT)
Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin price fell below $80,000 US dollars due to leveraged long liquidations and significant outflows from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs totaling about $773.5 million US dollars over two days. This decline follows failed attempts to hold gains above $83,000 US dollars and comes as investors prepare for the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision on October 28 and a major Bitcoin options expiry on October 30, both expected to add volatility.
- Moving on now to other business related news,
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $72 million-dollars financing package to help Cambodia strengthen rural farming and increase women’s participation in agriculture, while enhancing the resilience of about 200,000 smallholder farmers in disaster-prone communes. The Smallholder Resilient Economic Development Sector Project will upgrade agricultural infrastructure and services across 186 communes in seven provinces, which are severely vulnerable to natural hazards. It will modernise irrigation systems to serve an additional 7,000 hectares of farmland and rehabilitate 190 kilometers of access roads to connect farmers to markets, jobs, and opportunities, particularly for women and underserved populations.
- The Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, H.E. Hem Vanndy, has called for greater investment in processing technology and quality standards to help Cambodia capture more value from its agricultural production and strengthen export competitiveness. Speaking at the Cambodia Agriculture Forum & Exhibition 2026 (CAFE26), he said agricultural exports remained dominated by raw or semi-processed products, generating limited added value and leaving producers exposed to international price fluctuations. Heightened competition and the gradual loss of preferential trade treatment following Cambodia’s graduation from least developed country status would make domestic capabilities increasingly important. The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI) is strengthening national quality infrastructure and promoting modern drying, cold storage and packaging technologies. Its priorities include developing agro-industrial clusters with shared infrastructure and helping smaller businesses become suppliers to multinational food processors.
- Cambodia’s 2027 draft national budget was approved by the Council of Ministers on October 23, aiming to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintain stability, protect people’s livelihoods and support targeted economic growth amid heightened global uncertainty, while ensuring adequate response capacity and sustainable public finances. Total expenditure under the 2027 national budget is set at 39.7 trillion Khmer Riel, equivalent to 16.57 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), representing an increase of 3.2 percent compared with the 2026 Financial Management Law. Meanwhile, expenditure for sub-national administrations is projected at 5.06 trillion Khmer riel, accounting for 11.9 percent of total state budget expenditure, or 2.12 percent of GDP. On the revenue side, the Cambodian government expects total national budget revenue to reach 32.3 trillion Khmer riel, equivalent to 13.49 percent of GDP and marking an increase of 6.7 percent compared with the 2026 Financial Management Law. According to the Cambodian government, the 2027 budget is designed to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintain stability, safeguard people’s livelihoods and support targeted economic growth amid heightened uncertainty, while ensuring adequate response capacity and the sustainability of public finances.
Watch the 26 October 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: