Treasury

The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to the highest level since 1995 and and said it will stop paring back its bond purchases from April 2027, amid rising energy costs and firming inflation expectations. The US Fed has held rates steady at the new chair’s first meeting.

Asian corporates are looking beyond preconceptions about the role of fractional chief financial officers amid a global talent shortage and, in particular, among smaller firms with a close eye on costs. Paul Golden reports.

The US consumer price index hit 4.2% in in May, up from 3.8% in April, and the highest in three years. Bank Indonesia has increased interest rates by a further 0.25% to stabilise the rupiah.

Amid a strong bond market, the government is prioritising taxes, tax agreements and talent, to encourage more firms, including from Belt and Road countries, to set-up treasury centres in the SAR; proposals will be sent to LegCo in 2027.

The Singapore telecoms firm is set to spend S$1.2bn on data centres, equipment and fit-outs for GPU-as-a-service facilities and AI; in February it invested in a data centre firm with KKR.

Many larger companies across the region are creating shareholder value and sustaining their dividends amid growth in the region, making it a go-to destination for investors; however experts expect some moderation in 2026.

The central bank has tightened rules on cash purchases of foreign currency to help stabilise the rupiah; government spending in Q1 helped spur the country's strongest GDP in several years.

The bonds will be used to stockpile bauxite, refinance debt, to invest in overseas projects, share repurchases and for general corporate purposes; the aluminium giant also issued a concurrent share repurchase.

As geopolitical shocks compress planning horizons and AI reshapes finance, Asia's finance professionals are rebuilding and reassessing their functions, said an expert panel from Henderson Land, Chai Tai Fook Enterprises and SF Supply Chain.

The offering, which will go towards railway projects and sustainability goals, included a record HK$3bn 30-year tranche.

From supply chain disruptions, shifting assumptions around rates and tenant fragility, CFOs and treasurers are dealing with the ripple effects of uncertainty across balance sheets, according to a panel at CTWeek.

Global fintech Choco Up has teamed up with digital credit firm CHUAN; the annual financing gap for SMEs is estimated at $2.5 trillion.