Asia-Pacific
Banking and finance news from China, Japan, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific
UAE's International Holding Company to invest $1 billion in India's Sammaan Capital
IHC affiliate Avenir Investment RSC agreed to subscribe for Rs 8,850 crore of shares and warrants in the Indian mortgage lender for a controlling stake, triggering an open offer for a further 26%.
India Appoints Asheesh Pandey as MD and CEO of Union Bank, Succeeding A. Manimekhalai
India's Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Asheesh Pandey as Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank of India for three years from the date he assumes office or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
India's Central Bank of India Appoints Kalyan Kumar as MD and CEO
The Indian government has approved Kalyan Kumar, formerly Executive Director of Punjab National Bank, as MD and CEO of Central Bank of India for a three-year term.
Reserve Bank of India Holds Repo Rate at 5.50% for Second Consecutive Meeting
The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to hold the repo rate at 5.50% and revised its FY2026 GDP growth forecast upward to 6.8%.
Thailand's Vitai Ratanakorn Assumes Five-Year Tenure as Bank of Thailand Governor
Vitai Ratanakorn, former head of the Government Savings Bank, took charge as Bank of Thailand governor on 1 October 2025 following cabinet approval in July.
ICBC Names Senior Executive Vice President Yao Mingde as Chief Financial Officer
ICBC formally appointed Senior Executive Vice President Yao Mingde as concurrent CFO on 30 September 2025, after the NFRA approved his qualification.
Reserve Bank of Australia holds cash rate at 3.60% as decline in underlying inflation slows
The RBA kept the cash rate at 3.60%, saying the decline in underlying inflation had slowed and September-quarter inflation may be higher than it expected in August.
Kakao Pay and PayPay Enable Cross-Border QR Payments in South Korea for 70 Million Japanese Users
Kakao Pay and PayPay launched cross-border QR payment acceptance at over two million Korean merchants on 25 September 2025, marking PayPay's first international expansion beyond Japan.
PhonePe Files Confidential DRHP With SEBI for $1.5 Billion IPO as FY2025 Revenue Surges 40%
Walmart-backed PhonePe filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus with SEBI via the confidential route in late September 2025, targeting a $1.5bn IPO at an approximate $15bn valuation.
Bank of Japan Holds Policy Rate at 0.50% and Approves ETF and J-REIT Disposal Plan
The BoJ left its policy rate unchanged at 0.50% and formally approved a framework for disposing of exchange-traded funds and J-REITs acquired during its quantitative easing era.
SMBC Completes 20% Stake in Yes Bank and Agrees to Buy Additional 4.2% from Carlyle Affiliate in India
SMBC completed its 20% acquisition of Yes Bank on 17 September 2025 and agreed to buy a further 4.2% from Carlyle affiliate CA Basque Investments for roughly Rs 28.5 billion.
Hong Kong Monetary Authority Cuts Base Rate to 4.50% in Line with Federal Reserve
The HKMA reduced its Base Rate by 25 basis points to 4.50%, automatically following the Federal Reserve's September cut under the Linked Exchange Rate System.