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B2B Asia News
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This is a B2B Asia News Daily Update for 8 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. Asian stocks retreated and oil prices rose on Friday as the fragile ceasefire with Iran was strained by missile and drone attacks that prompted U.S. retaliatory strikes on Iranian military facilities.
- Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.2% after closing the day before at an all-time high.
- South Korea’s Kospi edged 0.1% higher, a record closing high, as gains for tech shares offset wider losses.
- Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.9%, and the Shanghai Composite index shed 0.1%.
- Zooming in on Cambodia’s market—the Cambodia Securities Exchange Index was down 0.22 points or 0.05% to 424.02.
- Total trade volume was up with 319,464 shares changing hands at a total value of 1.23 billion riel or over $308,000 US dollars.
- On the main board, only one stock, MJQ Education, was up, while three stocks were down, with ACLEDA Bank as the biggest loser of the day.
- Over on the growth board, DBD Engineering was down, while Picasso City Garden and JS Land stayed flat.
- Shifting to the exchange rate, the Khmer riel to USD weakened slightly to 4,012 riel per US Dollar, while the US Dollar index hovered around 97.92.
- Turning to global commodities, oil prices pared early gains on Friday, a day after renewed fighting near the Strait of Hormuz raised new questions about the ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Brent crude futures was up to $100.28 US dollars per barrel, having been up as much as 3%.
- U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were up 5 cents to $94.86 US dollars a barrel. (0947 GMT)
- Gold rose on Friday and was on course for a weekly gain as markets priced in optimism over a prospective U.S.–Iran peace agreement, helping temper concerns high inflation will lead to higher-for-longer interest rates.
- Spot gold was up 0.8% at $4,720.42 US dollars per ounce. Bullion has gained 2.3% so far this week, the most since March 30.
- U.S. gold futures for June delivery rose 0.4% to $4,729.80 US dollars. (0919 GMT)
- Looking at the crypto market, Bitcoin dropped below $80,000 dollars after fresh U.S. airstrikes in Iran sparked a surge in oil prices and a broader risk-off move across crypto markets. The broader crypto recovery remains intact with bitcoin having rallied from $65,000 dollars in late March, although it's worth noting that a drop below $75,000 US dollars would negate the recent string of higher lows and would signal a reversion to the previous trading range.
- Moving on now to other business-related news:
- The ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) officially inaugurated the "ASEAN Panorama" trade fair on May 7. This is a multi-month initiative aimed at deepening economic integration and fostering strategic partnerships between Southeast Asian enterprises and South Korean markets. The exhibition is designed to serve as a premier platform for business-to-business (B2B) networking, and features a comprehensive lineup of business meetings and specialised seminars where industry leaders from both regions can share market insights and technical expertise.
- The Indian Business Chamber in Cambodia (IBCC) held its 2026 Job Fair on May 7, directly connecting 300 young Cambodians with 200 immediate job openings. Held at the Sun and Moon Hotel, the event also saw 15 companies conduct on-the-spot interviews, transforming a typical recruitment drive into a barometer of foreign investor confidence. The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training Minister presiding over the event hailed the fair as a model for public-private teamwork and emphasised that the active involvement of foreign business chambers like IBCC signals robust faith in Cambodia’s economic trajectory.
- On May 1, Emirates resumed daily flights between Phnom Penh and Dubai (via Singapore), as well as three weekly flights from Siem Reap to Dubai (via Bangkok). The airline now operates over 1,300 weekly flights to 137 global destinations. This expansion aligns with a surge in Cambodian aviation. In 2025, the country saw 6.98 million passengers—a 12% increase from the previous year. Cambodia is currently served by 36 airlines connecting to 52 destinations across 18 countries.
Watch the 8 May 2026 Daily Update in Khmer below: