Asia-Pacific
Banking and finance news from China, Japan, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific
Taiwan's FSC approves Bank SinoPac and King's Town Bank merger, creating NT$3.19 trillion lender
Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission has approved the merger, which will give surviving Bank SinoPac NT$3.19 trillion in total assets, with the effective date still to be set.
ICBC, ABC and PICC disclose 1,358 penalties as 275 billion yuan placements clear inquiry
The three central financial enterprises disclosed 1,358 penalties for 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2026 and said none poses a substantive legal obstacle to placements of up to 275 billion yuan.
Japanese Bankers Association picks SMBC's Fukutome as next chair
The Japanese Bankers Association has informally chosen SMBC president Akihiro Fukutome, 63, for a one-year term from April next year, his second as chair, succeeding Mizuho Bank's Katsuhiko Kato.
BSP requires banks to use Basel III approach for operational risk capital
Full implementation of quarterly capital adequacy ratio reports under the new approach begins at the end-December 2027 reporting period, after a monitoring phase in which banks file parallel reports under old and new methods.
MAS pauses tightening and keeps Singapore dollar on appreciating path
The Monetary Authority of Singapore left the width and centre of its S$NEER band unchanged on 14 October, a hold MUFG said surprised markets after a very slight tightening in July.
PBOC approves Visa unit's bid to prepare a bank card clearing institution in China
China's central bank has approved Visa's application to set up a bank card clearing institution, a step that would let the card network clear and issue renminbi cards once it is cleared to operate.
India’s Supreme Court Invalidated ₹84.15 Billion Yes Bank AT1 Write-Off
India’s Supreme Court upheld the invalidation of Yes Bank’s ₹84.15 billion AT1 bond write-off, a ruling that could reshape expectations for bank-resolution instruments and investor remedies.
New Zealand Bank Stress Test Cut Aggregate CET1 Ratio to 8.5%
New Zealand’s four largest banks remained above minimum capital requirements in a severe joint stress test, although their aggregate CET1 ratio fell 4.7 percentage points to 8.5%.
RBI Currency Curbs Pushed India’s One-Year Hedging Cost to 4.6%
India’s one-year implied rupee hedging cost rose more than 90 basis points to 4.6%, as the Reserve Bank’s currency-support measures drained forward-market liquidity and disrupted pricing.
IMF Found Zombie Firms Held 21.4% of Asia’s Corporate Debt
The IMF found that zombie firms accounted for 21.4% of corporate debt across ten Asian economies, more than double the share recorded before the global financial crisis.
IMF Raised Asia’s 2026 Growth Forecast but Warned of Mounting Risks
The IMF raised its Asia-Pacific growth estimate for 2026 to 4.8%, while warning that energy shocks, higher bond yields and a possible AI correction could test the region’s resilience.
India Approved Fairfax’s ₹528.78 Billion Purchase of Majority IDBI Bank Stake
India approved Fairfax Financial’s ₹528.78 billion purchase of a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank, advancing a four-year privatisation process subject to regulatory approvals and completion conditions.