Asia Banking
Indonesian rupiah drops to historic low of IDR18,000 per US dollar
The Indonesian Rupiah has entered highly volatile territory, dropping to its weakest historical valuation on record as the currency broke through its psychological support wall to cross the IDR18,000 per US dollar mark.
Kazakhstan taking on lots of debt to China
China-Central Asia Monitor: May 22-28, 2026
SMBC Indonesia offloads $1.13bn pensioner loan portfolio to BTN
In one of the largest domestic banking asset reallocations of the year, PT Bank SMBC Indonesia, recently rebranded to reflect its parent Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, has agreed to sell its pensioner and pre-pensioner retail loan portfolio.
Surprise 50 bps Bank Indonesia hike signals hawkish tilt toward currency defence
The move caught the broader market off guard. A majority of 29 analysts predicted a milder 25 bps increase, while the remaining 13 expected the central bank to maintain its pause.
Indonesia seeks yuan lifeline with Panda bond debut
Once the physical and digital supply of yuan enters Indonesia’s domestic banking ecosystem, the government can make it easier for real-world import-export businesses to bypass the US dollar entirely.
Astana finally has its light rail metro system
Corruption, cost overruns and fires dogged the project for much of the 20 years it took to construct. Chinese-built automated service is driverless.
USD syndicated Islamic murabaha loans beat sukuk sales amid war stress in bond markets
1Q shows the loans increasingly prominent in funding mix, driven by private nature, lower requirements and accommodating Gulf Cooperation Council banking systems.
China to list sovereign bonds in Indonesia in reciprocal deal
The deal permits China to issue yuan-denominated sovereign bonds directly on the Indonesian stock exchange for the first time. In return, Indonesia gains equivalent rights to issue Indonesian sovereign debt in China’s domestic market.
South Korean finance giants hit record $4.2bn profit
The record-breaking performance masks a deepening fracture in the Korean financial landscape: while parent groups are thriving, core banking units are hitting a wall.
Currency strain forces Bank Indonesia to delay rate cuts
Indonesia’s resilience is being tested. While the country has successfully decoupled its inflation rate from the global energy spike through subsidies, it cannot decouple its currency from global risk sentiment.
India’s bank credit growth seen at 13% in FY27
India’s bank credit growth is expected to be around 13% this fiscal year, driven by robust growth in the micro, small and medium enterprise and retail sectors.
Climate group files complaint against OCBC over coal exposure in Indonesia
Under the complaint, OCBC is said to have failed to disclose its exposure to high-carbon assets fully. This put them in a position of potentially breaching disclosure rules set by the Singapore Exchange.
Central Asia: Chinese-led development bank locked in competition with Western rival
Eurasianet China-Central Asia Monitor: Feb. 27- March 5, 2026.