The Brief: Asia's economy, 1 September 2026

Economies

Singapore Leads Vietnam FDI in 2026 With US$7.5 Billion: Singapore became Vietnam's largest foreign direct investor in the first seven months of 2026. The city-state committed US$7.5 billion, representing over a third of total registered investment.

Markets

RBI to Absorb ₹200,000 Crore via Overnight VRRR Auction: India's central bank will conduct an overnight variable rate reverse repo auction on August 27, 2026. This operation aims to absorb ₹200,000 crore from the financial system, managing surplus liquidity.

Nifty 50: Choice Broking's Bagadia Sees Cautiously Positive Outlook: Sumeet Bagadia of Choice Broking holds a cautiously positive near-term view for India's Nifty 50 index. He cites improving buying interest and a strengthened technical setup. Bagadia also provided buy recommendations for five Indian stocks.

US Dollar Holds High on Inflation, Fed Hike Bets: BOJ Eyed: The US dollar maintained its strongest level in over a week after US inflation data boosted expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate increase. Markets also await signals from the Bank of Japan regarding a potential September rate hike.

India's MCX Gold, Silver Rise; Oil Falls Ahead of US PCE Data: Indian gold and silver futures moved higher on Wednesday. This followed a decline in crude oil prices and a weaker US dollar. Markets now await key US inflation data.

Bank of Korea Lifts Rate to 3 Percent Amid Inflation, Strong Growth: The Bank of Korea increased its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 3 percent on Thursday. This marks a second consecutive hike, driven by persistent inflation and better-than-expected economic expansion.

Banking & Fintech

Philippine Life Insurers Net P21.42 Billion, Assets Exceed P2 Trillion: The Philippines' life insurance sector reported a P21.42 billion net income for the first half of 2026. This 3.4 percent rise comes as total industry assets surpassed P2 trillion, according to the Insurance Commission. Premium collections also saw significant growth.

Industries

Philippine Business Leaders Question Data Centre Push Amid Energy, Job Concerns: Senior Philippine business figures urge a re-evaluation of data centre investments. They cite critical power shortages, high resource demands, and limited job creation as key issues.

Golden Bay Landholdings Details Garden City Project, Community Focus: Golden Bay Landholdings Inc. recently showcased its Garden City residential project in Pasay City. COO Jardin Wong detailed the development’s expanded lifestyle concept at a forum, emphasising family and community connection.

Larsen & Toubro Secures Middle East Orders, Signals Regional Business Recovery: Indian engineering firm Larsen & Toubro won 13 new orders since early July, with seven from the Middle East. This demonstrates a business rebound in the region after recent conflict disruptions.

Wealth

India Mid-Cap Funds Show Deepest Alpha Underperformance by July 2026: Recent data reveals several Indian mid-cap and small-cap funds delivered negative alpha, indicating underperformance against their benchmarks. Taurus Mid Cap Fund recorded the largest negative alpha as of July 2026.

India Differentiates Stock Trading Profits for Tax, Impacts ITR Deadlines: Indian taxpayers must correctly classify stock trading profits as capital gains or business income. This distinction alters Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadlines and loss adjustment rules, preventing penalties.