The Week Ahead: Asia, week to 8 November 2026

Economies: the week just gone

Vietnam's FDI commitments hit $54.85 billion to October, led by Singapore: Vietnam secured $54.85 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments during the first ten months of 2026, marking a 74% year-on-year increase and a 17-year high.

Indonesia Q3 GDP accelerates, rupiah weakness pressures Bank Indonesia: Indonesia's economy grew 5.47% year-on-year to September 30, but the rupiah has weakened 8.3% against the US dollar in 2026, prompting central bank intervention.

Renminbi's Global Push Diverges From Yen's Path, Bruegel Says: China's strategy for internationalising the renminbi differs from Japan's yen experience, with Beijing maintaining a protected economy and wariness of dollar dependence, according to an analysis by Bruegel.

Philippine October Inflation Hits 44-Month Peak at 7.8%, Central Bank Responds: Fuel and transport cost increases drove the October surge, prompting Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise its key lending rate by 50 basis points to 5.5% as the peso weakened.

Vietnam's Per Capita GDP Projected to Overtake Indonesia's: The International Monetary Fund forecasts Vietnam's average economic output per person to reach US$5,259 in 2026, exceeding Indonesia's US$5,153 for the first time.

Markets: the week just gone

MakeMyTrip Buys Majority Stake in Bengaluru's Quick Ride: Online travel firm MakeMyTrip acquired a majority stake in Bengaluru-based ride-pooling platform Quick Ride on Friday, 6 November 2026, expanding its ground transport services.

RBI announces ₹50,000 crore 4-day repo auction on November 9: The Reserve Bank of India will conduct a four-day Variable Rate Repo auction for ₹50,000 crore, scheduled for November 9. This operation aims to manage near-term liquidity in the Indian financial system.

RBI Absorbs Liquidity as India's Overnight Rates Stabilise: The Reserve Bank of India withdrew ₹77,980 crore from the financial system on 4 November, while the overnight money market saw ₹7.3 trillion in trading at a 5.53 per cent average rate.

India's RBI accepts ₹18,133 crore at 5.49% in 3-day VRRR auction: The Reserve Bank of India conducted a Variable Rate Reverse Repo auction today, 6 November 2026, receiving offers below its notified amount for liquidity absorption.

Prosynergy Consulting Retains Digital Asset Advisory Award in Hong Kong: The firm secured its second consecutive "Digital Assets Advisory Firm of the Year" title at the 9th Regulation Asia Awards, recognised for its work with SFC-licensed entities.

Banking & Fintech: the week just gone

DBS Q3 profit drops 5% amid trading slump, names new chairman: Singapore's largest bank reported S$2.81 billion net profit for Q3, missing analyst forecasts, as Anthony Lim prepares to take over leadership.

Visa Opens Six Singapore Tech Hubs for AI and Digital Payments: The new Paya Lebar Green centre will house over 1,500 employees, developing agentic commerce and quantum computing applications for the Asia Pacific region.

DBS Q3 Profit Drops 5%; Analysts Trim 2027 Targets: Singapore's DBS Group recorded S$2.81 billion in third-quarter net profit, a 5 per cent decline, as analysts lowered price targets following a cautious 2027 outlook.

MetLife Investment Management names Omar Slim Japan head: Omar Slim relocates from Singapore to Tokyo, maintaining his regional fixed income portfolio for the asset manager.

OCBC Q3 Profit Up 3%, 2026 Loan Growth Outlook Lifted: Singapore's second-largest bank, OCBC, posted S$2.04 billion in net profit for the third quarter, surpassing analyst expectations and revising its full-year loan growth forecast.

Industries: the week just gone

Changan Automobile details Thailand EV expansion, ฿10bn investment: The Chinese EV maker plans 12 new models and aims for 30,000 sales in 2026, boosting local component sourcing to over 60% by 2029.

Mall Group commits 600m baht for festive season traffic boost: The Thai retail giant targets a 20% increase in visitor numbers through its "The Great Happy New Year 2027" campaign, running until January 2027.

Emerging Asia LNG Power Stalls: US$67.8bn Projects Hit By Cost: A new IEEFA report reveals over half of proposed LNG-fired power plants and import terminals in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Bangladesh are inactive or cancelled since 2021.

Tesla leads South Korea imported car sales for ninth month: The electric vehicle maker registered 9,165 units in October, extending its lead among imported brands in South Korea for the ninth consecutive month.

AyalaLand Logistics P62 Million Q3 Profit Narrows Nine-Month Decline: The Philippine property subsidiary recorded P2.5 billion in consolidated revenue for the nine months to September 2026, driven by industrial lot sales and leasing.

Wealth: the week just gone

DSP Report: India Equity Funds Outperform US, China Over 30 Years: India's equity mutual funds delivered an average annualised return of 13% over three decades, ranking third globally for lump-sum investments and second for Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs).

Bengaluru Court: LinkedIn Not Proof for Maintenance Income: A recent ruling on October 28, 2026, states that qualifications or social media profiles do not inherently prove financial independence, impacting spousal maintenance claims in India.

Stockal Faces ₹100 Crore Loss Claims from Indian US Stock Investors: Nearly 30 Indian retail investors allege the Bengaluru-based fintech facilitated unauthorised liquidation of their US portfolios into thinly traded Chinese shares last month.

Hong Kong Families Seek Cross-Border Wealth Advice: At the Hubbis Wealth Planning & Structuring Forum in Hong Kong on 28 October 2026, experts discussed the growing demand for integrated wealth management services.