The Brief: Asia's economy, 3 September 2026

Markets

Tokyo Core Inflation Hits 1.8% in August, BOJ Rate Hike Expected: Tokyo's core consumer prices rose 1.8% in August, nearing the Bank of Japan's 2% target. This third consecutive monthly acceleration strengthens expectations for a September interest rate hike from the central bank.

Leviste's SPPPHI sells P3 billion SPNEC stake, reduces ownership: Leandro Leviste's Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. (SPPPHI) divested P3 billion in SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC) shares. This move cuts SPPPHI's stake to 11.51 percent, lessening Leviste's influence in the firm he founded.

RBI to Absorb ₹5 Trillion with Overnight Reverse Repo Auction: India's central bank will conduct a variable rate reverse repo auction on Wednesday to manage market liquidity. The overnight operation aims to absorb ₹5,00,000 crore from the banking system.

Banking & Fintech

India NCDRC: Insurers Can Surrender Loan-Assigned Policies: India's top consumer body ruled life insurers may surrender policies assigned to banks as loan security if loans default, without policyholder consent.

DBS, Stripe Expand Asia Cross-Border Payments, Explore AI Tools: DBS and Stripe will broaden international payment services for Asian businesses. The partnership also investigates agentic artificial intelligence (AI) to boost transaction efficiency.

ASEAN Fintech Grapples With AI Skill Shortage, ADB Report Finds: A new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Global Fintech Institute (GFI) reveals a significant shortage of artificial intelligence (AI) skills across Southeast Asia’s financial technology sector. This deficit is most pronounced in Indonesia and Vietnam, despite both countries showing rapid AI adoption rates.

Industries

Seatrium, Petrobras Discuss Offshore Gas for Asia Supply: Singapore's Seatrium and Brazil's Petrobras are discussing a partnership for offshore natural gas solutions. This collaboration targets Asia's rising liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand.

SK hynix US HBM Production Hub to Commence 2029 Output: South Korean chipmaker SK hynix has begun construction on its advanced packaging facility in Indiana, investing over $4 billion. The plant will produce next-generation High Bandwidth Memory for AI applications, with mass production slated for the second half of 2029, aiming to supply US technology firms.

Hong Kong Home Prices Drop 0.46% in July, Ending 13-Month Rally: Hong Kong's residential property market saw prices fall 0.46 per cent in July, concluding a 13-month upswing. Mainland Chinese tax concerns and capital controls are curbing buyer demand.

Frencken Proposes S$100 Million Share Placement for Expansion: Singapore's Frencken plans to raise S$100 million via a share placement. The capital will fund manufacturing capacity upgrades and potential mergers and acquisitions, focusing on its mechatronics and advanced plastic solutions divisions.

Vietnam Fuel Prices Decline Amid Global Oil Market Shifts: Vietnam’s gasoline and diesel prices decreased on Thursday, influenced by global oil market developments. Domestic fuel costs remain notably lower than in neighbouring countries.

Wealth

Pham Thu Huong Becomes Vietnam's Second Richest as Vingroup Shares Rally: Pham Thu Huong, Vingroup's Vice Chairwoman, now holds Vietnam's second-richest individual title. Her net worth reached US$4 billion, driven by Vingroup's stock performance.