Thailand’s draft Financial Hub bill does not grant absolute authority over financial transactions but allows regulatory intervention if transactions threaten economic stability, according to Pornchai Thiraveja, director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office. 

Vietnamese banks are increasingly opting for share-based dividend payouts to boost charter capital, enhance financial resilience, and comply with Basel III capital adequacy requirements.

A new report by Kroll reveals that business executives in Singapore are increasingly concerned about financial crime risks, with 76% of respondents anticipating their organizations will be targeted in 2025. 

The Indonesian government has unveiled a set of policies aimed at revitalizing labor-intensive industries, including textiles, footwear, furniture, food, and beverages, in response to widespread factory closures and layoffs.

Microsoft’s planned $2.2 billion investment in Malaysia is proceeding as scheduled, despite global economic and policy uncertainties, according to Laurence Si, managing director of Microsoft Malaysia. 

Vietnam has raised the foreign ownership limit in select banks from 30% to 49%, allowing greater foreign investment in institutions tasked with absorbing struggling lenders.

Negotiations between Indonesia and the European Union on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement remain unresolved, with import licensing emerging as a key sticking point, according to a senior Indonesian minister.

Once a dominant force in Malaysia’s oil and gas sector, Sapura Energy is now grappling with severe financial distress, burdened by RM16 billion in liabilities and a deteriorating order book.

Vietnam’s banking industry is experiencing widespread layoffs as institutions streamline operations, cut costs, and embrace digital transformation.

Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in southern Vietnam are facing difficulties in securing bank credit, despite financial institutions offering loan packages with preferential interest rates. 

Indonesia’s plan to increase mineral royalties on key commodities such as copper, gold, nickel, and thermal coal is raising concerns among industry stakeholders, with analysts warning of potential financial strain on mining companies and increased regulatory uncertainty.

Singapore and Thailand have signed five memorandums of understanding to enhance trade and investment cooperation in areas such as cross-border e-commerce, fintech, and consumer protection.

Vietnam’s central bank, the State Bank of Vietnam, has announced plans to gradually eliminate the credit growth quota policy for commercial banks, a system that has been in place since 2011 to control lending and maintain financial stability.

Indonesia has collected Rp 26.18 trillion ($1.6 billion) in Value-Added Tax (VAT) from digital transactions since implementing the Electronic-Based Trading System (PMSE) five years ago.

The Thai Pilots Association is set to file a lawsuit against the Labour Ministry in the Administrative Court on Friday, seeking a temporary injunction to block foreign pilots from operating domestic flights.

The State Bank of Vietnam has finalized the compulsory transfer of four financially weak banks—CB, Oceanbank, DongA Bank, and GPBank—to Vietcombank, MB, HDBank, and VPBank, respectively.

Capital A Bhd expects to exit its Practice Note 17 (PN17) status by May 2025, following approval from Bursa Malaysia for its regularisation plan, CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes announced.

As Eid al-Fitr approaches, the Indonesian government has reaffirmed employers' obligation to provide the Tunjangan Hari Raya, or Eid bonus, to private sector workers.

Singapore-listed companies have improved their climate-related disclosures, but less than one-third have met all Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures requirements, according to a review by the NUS Business School’s Centre for Governance and Sustainability and Singapore Exchange Regulation.

Ride-hailing companies in Indonesia have responded differently to President Prabowo Subianto’s request for Eid bonuses for online drivers, with Gojek and Grab offering incentives, while Maxim has opted out of cash payments, citing legal grounds.