Sri Lanka votes, Midea lists in Hong Kong, BOJ policy meeting

Welcome to your Week in Asia.

Sri Lanka is holding its first presidential election since an economic crisis hit the island nation two years ago, while India's Kashmir region is voting in its first local elections in a decade.

Chinese home appliance maker Midea Group is set to float its shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Indonesia's central bank holds its latest policy meeting and Southeast Asian economy ministers meet for talks in Laos.

Get the best of our Asia coverage and more by following us on X, @NikkeiAsia.

Monday

ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting

The economy ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries are gathering in Vientiane, the host of this year's event. The high-level meeting, aimed at boosting economic cooperation and integration, comes as the region continues to grapple with geopolitical tensions and challenges posed by China's slowing economy.

Tuesday

Midea listings in Hong Kong

Chinese home appliance maker Midea is expected to begin trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after a nearly $3.5 billion share offering to create a dual listing alongside Shenzhen shares. The company said the proceeds would be used to improve its manufacturing system, increase overseas distribution channels and other priorities, although the move raised concerns about dilution among investors.

Fed rate decision

All eyes will be on the US Federal Reserve, with expectations that the long-awaited rate cut will begin. The central bank is expected to cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point as stubborn price pressures keep policymakers from taking more aggressive action.

WEDNESDAY

Kashmir votes after a gap of a decade

India's Jammu and Kashmir state is holding local elections on Wednesday, marking the Himalayan region's first polls in a decade and five years after New Delhi revoked its special autonomy status. Voting will be held in several stages and the results are expected early next month.

Monetary policy: Indonesia

THURSDAY evening

Monetary Policy: Turkey

FRIDAY

Bank of Japan meeting

The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its policy rate unchanged at 0.25% at its two-day board meeting, which concludes on Friday. Market focus is on Governor Kazuo Ueda's post-meeting press conference and whether he will stick to his stance that there could be another rate hike before the end of the year.

Monetary Policy: China

SATURDAY

Sri Lankans go to the polls

Sri Lanka is holding its first presidential election since an economic crisis threw the government into disarray two years ago. The island nation's leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who inherited the post from his ousted predecessor, is racing to rein in a shaky economy and continue bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *