The Brief: Asia's economy, 4 November 2026
What moved across Asia overnight: 18 stories on economies, markets, banking and industry, read in five minutes.
Economies
South Korea October Exports Climb 93.7%, Driven by AI Demand: Overseas sales reached US$115.28 billion, with semiconductor and computer shipments surging due to global artificial intelligence investment.
Philippines Factory Gate Prices See Four-Month High in September: Official data from the Philippines shows manufacturing producer prices increased 3.4% year-on-year in September 2026, primarily driven by rising energy costs.
Markets
Hong Kong to Launch Interbank Tokenised Gold Trading: The initiative, referencing the HAU gold price ticker, aims to establish the city as a leading digital metal trading centre, building on earlier pilot programmes.
PAG Buys 51% Evergrande Property Services for US$509.8 Million: The US$509.8 million deal, announced last Friday, aims to recover funds for creditors of the embattled China Evergrande Group.
Mukesh Ambani adds $8bn as Reliance, Jio shares climb: India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, saw his fortune reach $88.3 billion, placing him 22nd globally, driven by market gains in his conglomerate.
SGX RegCo, CGAC Propose New Boardroom Rules for Singapore Firms: The proposed changes, including a lead independent director requirement, could affect about 70 listed entities in Singapore.
RBI Sets ₹14,167 Redemption Price for Sovereign Gold Bonds: India's central bank announced the premature redemption rate for its 2021-22 Series VII bonds, calculated from recent gold market prices.
Reserve Bank of India to Auction ₹29,900 Crore in State Bonds: India's central bank will manage the sale of State Government Securities on 3 November 2026, enabling states to raise funds for their development programmes.
KOSPI Falls on Alphabet Plunge, Fed Policy; Samsung Profit Ignored: Seoul's KOSPI index fell 2.6% despite Samsung Electronics reporting a near ninefold rise in Q3 operating profit, while Alphabet's 10% share drop impacted Nasdaq futures.
Malaysian Healthcare IPOs Accelerate with Big Caring, Asia OneHealthcare: Pharmacy chain Big Caring launched its Initial Public Offering on 29 October, targeting a 19 November listing on Bursa Malaysia. Concurrently, Asia OneHealthcare submitted its preliminary prospectus for a separate mainboard debut.
Banking & Fintech
HSBC Doubles Hong Kong AI Team, Launches Stablecoin Services: The bank plans to establish a global AI institute in Hong Kong by early 2027, alongside introducing new stablecoin and tokenised deposit services.
Thunes, UnionPay Raise China Daily Payout Cap to US$10,000: The expanded service allows instant transfers for financial institutions and money operators to 79 major Chinese banks, including ICBC and Bank of China.
Industries
Grab, SAP Concur Integrate to Automate Asia Business Expenses: The partnership streamlines corporate travel, meal, and delivery expense reporting for firms across Southeast Asia, targeting a market projected to reach $700.9 billion in 2026.
Nvidia's Huang defends Megaspeed ties amid US chip export probe: Jensen Huang stated Nvidia's dealings with Singapore's Megaspeed International were "normal" after reports of a former executive's alleged role in evading US export rules to China.
ACAP presses for NAIA fee waiver: The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines cites a record-weak peso and doubled jet fuel prices, noting passenger service charges at Ninoy Aquino International Airport have nearly doubled since 2025.
South Korea's top court affirms W18.6 billion fine on Broadcom: The US chipmaker was penalised for coercing Samsung Electronics into a long-term component supply deal, with the ruling finalised on October 27.
South Korea's APR doubles Q3 revenue on overseas sales surge: South Korean beauty firm APR reported record quarterly revenue of 773.1 billion won, with overseas sales jumping 135% to account for 94% of the total.
Mi Technovation subsidiary buys Singapore industrial hub for S$103.88mn: The Malaysian firm's wholly-owned subsidiary, Ohima International, is establishing a global operational hub for its vehicle technologies unit in the seven-storey building.
Each item above was reported and checked separately; this brief collects the overnight session in one place. Follow any headline through for the figures and the source they came from. The Week Ahead maps the week's data and central-bank dates every Sunday.
This article is journalism, not investment advice; consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions. Market data is indicative, may be delayed, and should be verified with your broker or exchange before use.
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