Why Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) matters for the ASEAN market

Thailand Business News - Oct 23, 2026

Consumers in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are increasingly using AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for product and service research.

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Diesel prices poised to climb next week

Oct 23, 2026

Diesel prices poised to climb next week

MANILA, Philippines — Motorists should plan and budget their fuel purchases, as fuel products will experience mixed price adjustments next week. Diesel products will see another round of price hikes next week due to escalating geopolitical conflict. READ: Attack on Saudi’s Dammam airport leaves 1 dead, 8 injured In an advisory on Friday, Jetti Petroleum president

DTI mulls over mandatory certification for e-bikes, batteries

Oct 23, 2026

DTI mulls over mandatory certification for e-bikes, batteries

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is actively studying rules that would require manufacturers to have electric bicycles, other light electric vehicles, and their batteries undergo mandatory safety certification before selling them in the Philippines. Under a draft technical regulation, the agency plans to require that covered vehicles obtain Philippine National Standards

DTI: No price hike for basic necessities, prime commodities until year-end

Oct 23, 2026

DTI: No price hike for basic necessities, prime commodities until year-end

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday assured consumers that prices of some 204 basic necessities and prime commodities will remain unchanged until the end of the year, as agreed upon with manufacturers and retailers.

China party meeting, stocks slump, HSBC leads earnings

Oct 23, 2026

China party meeting, stocks slump, HSBC leads earnings

A key Communist Party meeting next week in Beijing is likely to be dominated by two themes – the renewal of President Xi Jinping’s long-standing anti-corruption drive and the hunt for clues about a looming leadership reshuffle. “Major issues related to advancing full and rigorous party self-governance” will top the agenda at the fifth plenum of the party’s Central Committee, which runs from Monday to Wednesday. Plenums, which usually take place once a year, draw about 300 delegates and...

Former HSBC insurance veteran Edward Moncreiffe joins AIA in latest senior talent move

Oct 23, 2026

Former HSBC insurance veteran Edward Moncreiffe joins AIA in latest senior talent move

Former HSBC Holdings global insurance head Edward Moncreiffe will join rival AIA Group as regional CEO from November 2, following a path taken by former HSBC Group chairman Mark Tucker, who returned to the Asia-Pacific region’s largest insurer as non-executive chairman last year. Moncreiffe will oversee AIA’s businesses in India, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand, while serving on the group’s executive committee, according to a company statement issued on Friday. He will report to group CEO...

Peso sinks to 31st record low in 2026 at P63.615:$1

Oct 23, 2026

Peso sinks to 31st record low in 2026 at P63.615:$1

The local currency shed 9.5 centavos to close Friday at P63.615:$1, surpassing Thursday"s finish of P63.52:$1, the previous record.

Citigroup gets Beijing’s approval for wholly owned securities firm in China

Oct 23, 2026

Citigroup gets Beijing’s approval for wholly owned securities firm in China

US bank Citigroup has received approval to set up a wholly foreign-owned securities firm in mainland China, allowing the lender to pursue more opportunities in one of the world’s largest capital markets. The long-awaited green light was given by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) on Friday, and ahead of an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen next month. The...

Hong Kong life insurance sales up 58% in first half but tax crackdown threatens momentum

Oct 23, 2026

Hong Kong life insurance sales up 58% in first half but tax crackdown threatens momentum

Life insurance sales in Hong Kong rose 58 per cent in the first half of this year to another record high as affluent mainland and overseas customers continued to buy policies in the city for wealth transfer, protection and medical needs. It was the fourth consecutive year in which first half sales hit a record high. The industry wrote HK$275.16 billion (US$35.3 billion) worth of new life insurance policies in the first half, compared with HK$173.7 billion a year earlier, according to data from...

China’s humanoid robots hunt for work in South Korea as Seoul bets on physical AI

Oct 23, 2026

China’s humanoid robots hunt for work in South Korea as Seoul bets on physical AI

This article was first published by The Korea Times in a partnership with the South China Morning Post. Chinese humanoid robot makers are accelerating efforts to gain a foothold in South Korea, moving beyond dance performances and showroom displays to factory trials and commercial deployments, as Seoul ramps up investment in physical artificial intelligence. A growing number of Chinese robotics companies – including Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics, start-up Anyverse Dynamics, Shanghai-based...

BIZ BUZZ: Pagcor bets on app to curb illegal gambling

Oct 23, 2026

BIZ BUZZ: Pagcor bets on app to curb illegal gambling

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is upping the ante against illegal online gambling, giving players a new way to tell which sites are playing a fair hand. In its latest bet on technology, Pagcor said it was developing a mobile app that could be in players’ hands as early as

Market sell-off, tax scrutiny and growth: key figures shaping investor sentiment

Oct 23, 2026

Market sell-off, tax scrutiny and growth: key figures shaping investor sentiment

As regional equities tumbled and hopes for investor stimulus faded, the Hang Seng Index fell to a seven-month low. Attention also remained focused on Beijing’s intensified scrutiny of offshore wealth and tax compliance. Macroeconomic data pointed to steady, if uneven, domestic momentum. Here are the core figures capturing market attention this week. Hong Kong stocks suffer steepest drop in 7 months The Hang Seng Index sank 3.03 per cent in a single session to 22,934.68 points, its worst...

DTI: Price freeze on basic goods until year-end

Oct 23, 2026

DTI: Price freeze on basic goods until year-end

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino consumers can expect no further price increases on basic goods until the end of the year, as manufacturers have agreed to hold off on raising prices despite mounting input costs amid still-elevated oil prices. Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said on Thursday that manufacturers of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) made

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