The Brief: Asia's economy, 9 November 2026

Economies

Brazil Charts Fossil Fuel Transition Ahead of COP31: Brazil introduced a voluntary roadmap on 3 November, aiming to enhance international cooperation on energy system shifts as the COP31 climate summit opens in Türkiye this week.

Vietnam FDI hits 17-year high of $54.85bn to Oct, 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, weak rupiah 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.

Markets

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.

Banking & Fintech

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.

Industries

Changan Automobile to invest ฿10bn in Thailand EV expansion: 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.

The Mall Group invests 600m baht for 20% visitor 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.

Wealth

Hong Kong Summits Discuss Wealth Inflows, Bypass Beijing Offshore Scrutiny: Financial leaders gathered this week in Hong Kong to discuss the city's expanding wealth management sector, largely avoiding Beijing's recent scrutiny of offshore family assets.

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).