Risk & Compliance

The war in the Middle East is causing market volatility leaving Apac treasurers and finance professionals needing to check a large number of variables.

The US president wrote about talks with Iran on his social media platform after giving Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz. Stock markets in Apac fell heavily on March 23.

An increasing number of Asian companies are holding cryptocurrency on their balance sheets as a treasury asset, however, there is a reluctance to discuss strategy and potential pitfalls. Paul Golden reports.

The Fed is concerned about inflation coming from tariffs and energy prices. An attack on the world's largest gas facility is increasing concerns of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East as the price of oil soars above $110 a barrel. Many Asian countries are taking emergency measures.

Fighting AI with AI is one response for treasurers and finance teams to a growing sophisticated number of cybercrime attacks, such as deepfakes, according to a consultancy.

The private healthcare firm has rebuilt its treasury architecture to prioritise liquidity mobility, policy-driven hedging and system-led control amid rate volatility and fragmented capital markets. CT spoke with Manjiv Dodanwela, the firm's transformation lead for group treasury.

US president Donald Trump has suggested the war in Iran will end soon after the price of a barrel of oil climbed above $100. Countries across Asia have been trying to conserve energy.

The stock exchanges in South Korea and Thailand were temporarily halted on March 4, while Iran has issued a stark warning for the Strait of Hormuz.

Amid multiple attacks from Iran, and continued Israeli and US strikes, there is great uncertainty in the region. Gas and oil prices are rising as QatarEnergy has stopped liquid natural gas production while the Strait of Hormuz is increasingly dangerous.

China, in particular, saw a large number of firms going under. The insurer is expecting a prolonged high level of insolvencies in 2026 and 2027, including in Apac.

India's largest private port operator has appointed Sreedhar Krishna Menon as the company’s next CFO amid group leadership changes.

China's central bank and FX regulator have replaced fragmented pilots with a nationwide, quota-based framework for MNCs. Integration into global cash management structures should become easier for treasurers.