The Brief: Asia's economy, 10 August 2026

Economies

Thailand Egg Prices Hit Two-Year High Amid Supply Shortfall: Thai egg prices reached a two-year peak of 4 baht per egg, driven by reduced supplies and rising feed costs. Government intervention offers temporary relief, with prices expected to ease by October.

Assam Expands Orunodoi Aid to 3.7 Million Women: Assam's Orunodoi 3.0 scheme will provide monthly financial assistance to over 3.7 million women from this August. The initiative offers ₹1,250 to beneficiaries, aiming for broader financial inclusion.

Singapore competitiveness requires deeper ASEAN integration, SIIA states: Singapore's long-term economic strength depends on closer ASEAN ties, a new Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) report reveals. Domestic reforms alone cannot secure this strength, the think tank concludes, advocating for regional cooperation on energy, AI, finance, and supply chains.

Markets

Thai Stock Exchange Sees Foreign Investor Return Amid Economic Gains: Foreign investors are returning to Thailand’s equity market, demonstrating renewed confidence in Thai assets. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) reports stronger capital inflows and improving economic fundamentals. This shift follows increased recommendations from global brokerages and higher allocations from emerging market funds.

Quanta Computer Raises US$2.16 Billion in Record Taiwan GDR Offering: Taiwanese electronics firm Quanta Computer secured US$2.16 billion through a Global Depositary Receipts (GDR) offering. This marks Taiwan's largest equity transaction since 2005 and its biggest GDR issuance ever.

HKEX Names Michael Ho Strategy Head, Kevin Rumjahn Shifts Roles: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) appointed Michael Ho as its new managing director and head of group strategy. This move, effective September 2026, sees Ho joining from Oliver Wyman. Kevin Rumjahn transitions to lead the CEO Office and strategic relations.

Palantir Shares Gain 29% as Q2 Revenue Exceeds Projections; Storage, AMD Guidance Disappoints: Technology company earnings faced investor scrutiny this week, with strong performance often failing to satisfy. Palantir bucked the trend, while storage firms and Advanced Micro Devices saw shares fall on cautious outlooks.

Banking & Fintech

DBS, OCBC Upgrade Outlooks; UOB Cautious on Fees After Q2 Results: Singapore's three largest banks reported Q2 earnings, with DBS and OCBC revising full-year forecasts upwards. UOB, however, adopted a more conservative stance, particularly on fee income. Wealth management remained a primary earnings driver for all three lenders.

Industries

Haidilao Launches Second Burger Brand, Expands Sushi Amid Hotpot Slowdown: Chinese hotpot giant Haidilao is diversifying its portfolio with a new burger concept and sushi outlets. This strategy addresses slowing core business growth and increasing fast-food competition.

South Korea Targets 10 GW Solar, Grid Upgrades for AI Power Needs: Seoul plans significant energy and infrastructure overhauls to support its semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors. The government will add over 10 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity by 2027 and reform electricity pricing and water supply systems.

Hanoi Apartment Speculators Face Losses as Market Cools: Hanoi property speculators struggle to offload units bought during the 2024-2025 boom. Rising mortgage rates and falling prices make finding buyers difficult, forcing many to accept losses.

Wealth

China's Megacities Retain Wealth, But UHNW Households See Decline: Beijing and Shanghai continue to hold a significant share of China's ultra-high-net-worth households. However, these major urban centres, along with Guangdong, saw a slight decrease in their wealthiest residents, reflecting broader economic pressures.