HK50

UOB’s Ho Woei Chen notes that Hong Kong’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth slowed to 4.3% year-on-year in 2Q26, with a 0.6% quarterly contraction after a strong start to 2026. Goods exports remain robust, but consumption and investment growth have moderated.

Standard Chartered economists Tommy Wu and Hunter Chan report that the Hong Kong SME Leading Business Index fell to 43.3 in Q2, reflecting weaker sentiment linked to higher Oil prices and Middle East tensions.

Asian equities perform mixed amid uncertainty over US–Iran peace talks. US Vice President JD Vance canceled his visit to Islamabad after Tehran declined talks via Pakistan.

Bitcoin (BTC) extends its decline this week, trading below $110,000 at the time of writing on Friday. The largest cryptocurrency has fallen more than 10% from its August record high, with over $1.8 billion in liquidations rattling crypto markets, mostly from long positions.

China is preparing to launch its first stablecoins as part of a broader effort to reduce reliance on the US Dollar (USD), according to a Financial Times report on Wednesday.

The Hong Kong government issued the “Policy Statement 2.0” on Thursday for the Development of Digital Assets in the country.