Financial Markets
Asia Markets Rally as Fed Signals June Rate Cut
Asian markets rallied after Federal Reserve Chair Powell indicated a June rate cut was likely, pushing the MSCI Asia-Pacific index to an 18-month high.
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Startups
Softbank Vision Fund Leads $800 Million Round in Korean AI Startup
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 led an $800 million investment in Korean AI company Upstage, valuing the enterprise AI platform at $4.5 billion in the largest Asian AI funding round of 2026.
Trade
ASEAN-China Free Trade Area Upgrade Negotiations Enter Final Stage
ASEAN and China entered final negotiations on upgrading their free trade agreement, with new chapters covering digital trade, supply chain resilience, and environmental standards.
FinTech
India's UPI Crosses 15 Billion Monthly Transactions
India's UPI processed 15.3 billion transactions in March 2026, a 28% year-over-year surge that cements its status as the world's largest real-time payments network.
IPOs
Shein Files for London IPO After US Listing Plans Stall
Fast-fashion company Shein filed for a London IPO after U.S. listing plans stalled amid political opposition, targeting a valuation of around $50 billion.
Infrastructure
Indonesia Launches Sovereign Wealth Fund INA's $10 Billion Green Bond
Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund INA launched a $10 billion green bond program, with the inaugural $3 billion tranche drawing orders 4.2 times the offered amount.
Trade
Australia's Iron Ore Exports to China Fall 8% as Steel Demand Weakens
Australian iron ore exports to China dropped 8% in Q1 2026 as China's prolonged property downturn cut steel production, pushing benchmark prices below $100 per ton.
Startups
Singapore FinTech Startup Nium Raises $350 Million Ahead of IPO
Cross-border payments platform Nium raised $350 million in a pre-IPO round led by GIC at a $3 billion valuation, ahead of a planned Nasdaq listing in Q3 2026.
Infrastructure
Belt and Road Investment Shifts Toward Renewables and Digital
China's Belt and Road Initiative directed 62% of new commitments toward renewables and digital infrastructure in 2025, pivoting away from coal and heavy construction.
Corporate Earnings
Korea's Coupang Posts First Full-Year Profit as E-Commerce Market Matures
Coupang posted its first annual net profit of $420 million, achieving a milestone for the South Korean e-commerce giant as operating leverage from its logistics network materialized.
Energy
Reliance Industries Launches $5 Billion Green Hydrogen Push
Reliance Industries committed $5 billion to green hydrogen production in Gujarat, aiming for 1 million metric tons of annual output by 2030.
Tourism
Japan's Inbound Tourism Spending Hits Record $48 Billion in 2025
Foreign visitors spent a record 7.2 trillion yen in Japan during 2025, as the weak yen and cultural tourism boom drove a surge in arrivals from Southeast Asia and the West.