News related to
Bank

The forum, themed “Developing the International Maritime Financial Ecosystem within the Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City,” took place at the VIFC-HCMC Building, 08 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1, and drew more than 100 senior delegates. Attendees included leaders from central ministries and agencies, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, representatives from coastal provinces (Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang), domestic and international financial institutions, port and logistics enterprises, and international organisations.

The day’s agenda focused on three headline moments: a strategic industry report by Roland Berger, titled “Vietnam Maritime Industry: A Strategic Opportunity for Breakthrough Growth,” which benchmarked leading global maritime financial hubs and mapped a roadmap to raise Vietnam’s domestic value retention from the current 4–5% to 15% by 2035; the official launch ceremony of the IMFE initiative within VIFC-HCMC; and a memorandum of understanding signed between VIFC-HCMC and Gemadept Corporation, owner and operator of Gemalink International Port in Cai Mep – Thi Vai, formalising Gemadept’s role as a founding lead of the initiative. The forum also saw the introduction of the first maritime financial products and initiatives to be developed within the VIFC-HCMC framework.

A seaport system of growing global weight

The ambition behind IMFE is grounded in the rapid rise of southern Vietnam’s port infrastructure. Ho Chi Minh City is home to Cat Lai Port — ranked among the world’s top 21, handling approximately 7.5 million TEUs annually — and Gemalink International Port in Cai Mep – Thi Vai, capable of receiving ultra-large container vessels. These existing assets are set to be joined by the Can Gio International Transshipment Port, a 571-hectare project with a projected capacity of 17 million TEUs per year, further deepening the city’s integration into global logistics and trade networks.

In 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City port system handled over 24 million TEUs, ranking 8th globally according to Lloyd’s List, and was associated with approximately USD 200 billion in import-export turnover, accounting for around 20% of Vietnam’s total trade value. Surrounding this physical infrastructure, a broad ecosystem of supporting services has expanded significantly, spanning cargo handling, warehousing, freight forwarding, customs clearance, and supply chain management. The total annual trade transaction value flowing through the region — encompassing goods, logistics services, and related financial demand – is estimated at over USD 1 trillion.

The financial gap: billions flowing through offshore centers

However, the scale of this physical activity stands in sharp contrast to the financial value Vietnam currently retains. Despite enormous cargo volumes, most high-value maritime financial services generating the largest profit margin including trade finance, ship financing, marine insurance and reinsurance, international payments, and logistics risk management continue to flow through developed offshore maritime financial centers. Vietnam currently captures only around 4–5% of these financial transaction values domestically, leaving an estimated USD 6–8 billion in potential value accessible but unrealised. To complete the maritime value chain and retain these economic benefits onshore, Vietnam must evolve beyond purely physical cargo transshipment. The gradual development of a comprehensive maritime financial ecosystem is an essential and inevitable strategic step.

IMFE: from vision to institutional launch

Against this backdrop, the IMFE initiative took shape as a core component of VIFC-HCMC, with Gemadept Corporation serving as a founding lead. The initiative was first introduced on September 12, 2025, during the symposium “Ho Chi Minh City – A Modern, High-End, High-Value Service Hub,” where Gemadept presented a strategic vision of integrating Vietnam’s deep-sea port infrastructure with a dedicated maritime financial ecosystem. To materialise that vision, the corporation cooperates with the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, leading to its official designation as a Strategic Member of VIFC-HCMC on February 11, 2026, at the Center’s Launching Ceremony. Today, as the operator of Gemalink — a major deep-sea gateway at Cai Mep – Thi Vai — Gemadept is focused on channeling high-value capital flows and advanced financial services directly into Ho Chi Minh City’s real maritime economy.

With this foundation in place, today’s forum pursues three concrete objectives: to officially launch the IMFE as a strategic platform designed to localise maritime financial capital and services, laying the groundwork for Ho Chi Minh City to emerge as one of the region’s leading maritime hubs; to connect financial institutions, banks, insurance companies, shipping lines, logistics enterprises, and international organisations within an integrated ecosystem, bringing the port-to-finance model to life in Vietnam; and to introduce the first maritime financial products and initiatives, creating mechanisms for Vietnamese enterprises to access financing, insurance, and risk management tools domestically rather than through foreign intermediaries.

“Ports such as Can Gio and Cai Mep-Thi Vai are transshipment hubs for cargo flows — VIFC-HCMC must become the transshipment hub for capital flows serving Vietnam’s maritime economy,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Huan, Vice Chairman of VIFC-HCMC.

Hashtag: #VIFC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The new Manila office, scheduled to open in the second half of 2026, will further strengthen State Street’s global operating model and expand its processing capabilities, complementing the firm’s existing operations across the Asia Pacific region.

“The Asia Pacific region is critical to our longterm growth strategy,” said Ann Fogarty, chief operating officer for Investment Services, State Street. “The expansion into Manila is an important step in the continued evolution of our global operating model as we continue to support significant client growth in the region.”

Manila offers access to a young, diverse and highly educated workforce, drawing talent from the city’s wellestablished University Belt and its strong pipeline of graduates with financial services and operations expertise.

With USD54.5 trillion¹ in assets under custody and/or administration, State Street services more than 12% of the world’s assets². The firm operates in more than 100 geographic markets and employs approximately 51,000 people worldwide. State Street established its presence in Asia Pacific more than 40 years ago and today operates 16 offices across the region.

¹ As of March 31, 2026

² Represents State Street AUC/A of USD$54.5T as of March 31, 2026, divided by Global Financial Assets, including Global Equity, Global Debt Securities and Global Broad Money (M3), as of December 31, 2024. Sources: SIFMA Markets Factbook, 2025; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation (OECD), World Bank.
Hashtag: #StateStreetCorporation #Manila #GlobalOperatingModel

https://www.statestreet.com

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About State Street Corporation

State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is one of the world’s leading providers of financial services to institutional investors including investment servicing, investment management and investment research and trading. With US$54.5 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and US$5.6 trillion* in assets under management as of March 31, 2026, State Street operates globally in more than 100 geographic markets and employs approximately 51,000 worldwide. For more information, visit State Street’s website at www.statestreet.com.

*Assets under management as of March 31, 2026 includes approximately US$184 billion of assets with respect to SPDR® products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Investment Management are affiliated.

© 2026 State Street Corporation
8937957.1.1.GBL.RTL
Exp. May 31, 2027

The event comes amid renewed momentum for New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) Visa, following changes introduced in April 2025 to simplify the program and attract more international capital into the New Zealand economy. As of 5 May 2026, Immigration New Zealand had received 688 applications under the new settings, representing a potential total minimum investment of $4.015 billion.

The growing demand reflects a broader shift in global wealth movement, as high-net-worth individuals increasingly seek jurisdictions that offer political stability, transparent governance, quality of life and long-term optionality for their families and capital. For many investors, New Zealand’s appeal lies not only in residency access, but also in the opportunity to participate in investments that support business growth, innovation and economic resilience.

Mr Scott Wehl, Founder of RAM Group and Director of RAM New Zealand, said the Hong Kong briefing provided an important forum for partners and investors to better understand the investment and migration opportunities available through the AIP programme.

“New Zealand continues to attract strong interest from global investors seeking stability, transparency and long-term opportunity,” said Mr Wehl.

“Our Hong Kong briefing was designed to help partners and investors better understand the opportunities that the AIP program offers, and how RAM’s income-focused strategies can support both investor objectives and the broader New Zealand economy.”

Supporting New Zealand’s real economy through private credit

A key focus of the briefing was the role private credit can play in supporting New Zealand’s real economy. Private credit can help broaden the country’s business funding ecosystem by providing an additional source of secured, non-bank capital for businesses seeking funding for growth, working capital, expansion or other productive business needs.

The RAM New Zealand Credit Fund is an approved managed fund under the AIP Growth category and may also be included as part of a Balanced category investment portfolio. The Fund is designed to provide investors with consistent income and capital stability through exposure to secured, asset-backed credit investments in New Zealand.

Through this strategy, RAM seeks to direct offshore investor capital into productive domestic investment while maintaining a disciplined focus on risk management, downside protection and portfolio diversification.

“The RAM New Zealand Credit Fund provides an AIP-aligned investment pathway focused on secured, asset-backed New Zealand credit,” said Mr Wehl.

“For investors, the Fund is designed to deliver regular income and capital stability, with liquidity aligned to AIP investment timeframes. For New Zealand, the strategy can support the real economy by directing offshore investor capital into domestic private credit and helping provide secured lending to New Zealand businesses.”

RAM’s credit approach is centred on disciplined credit selection and robust portfolio construction. The firm’s New Zealand credit capability is supported by a highly experienced team with more than 200 years of combined credit market experience, guided by leading credit experts and senior leaders with deep knowledge of New Zealand’s financial markets.

“Our approach is grounded in strong governance, prudent credit assessment and a clear focus on capital preservation, which is particularly important for investors seeking stable, income-focused outcomes across market cycles,” said Mr Wehl.

In addition to the RAM New Zealand Credit Fund, RAM also offers the RAM New Zealand Bond Fund, which may be included as part of a Balanced category investment portfolio. The Fund invests in a portfolio of floating-rate, investment-grade bonds issued by established banks and New Zealand entities, and is designed to prioritise capital stability while generating regular income.

With a long-term commitment to New Zealand, RAM will continue to leverage its international presence, investment capability and experience in income-focused strategies to support global investors and contribute to the continued development and diversification of New Zealand’s capital markets.

Hashtag: #RAM

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Real Asset Management

Real Asset Management (RAM) is an alternative asset manager, providing investment solutions in Credit, Real Estate, and Private Equity markets, for institutions and wealthy families globally. RAM was founded in 2010 and has a pan-Asia presence of 7 offices in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila.

RAM provides more than 25 investment strategies and has a team of over 230 finance professionals managing over NZ$9.8bn in assets. RAM is registered as a financial services provider in New Zealand (FSP1011247). We also provide a global set of investment solutions through our group companies licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL 484263), and the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong (CE BGL803).

For more information about RAM New Zealand, please visit https://ramgroup.co.nz/

By Nantoo Banerjee India’s continuous hesitancy to curb the retail oil consumption pattern despite a worldwide surge in fuel prices is inexplicable, if not unacceptable. The government, the biggest benefactor of large domestic fuel use by way of imposition of levies close to 50 percent of the retail oil prices, is not prepared to ration […]

The article India Needs To Curb Oil Consumption appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The sharpest pressure has fallen on long-dated Japanese government bonds, where the 30-year yield has climbed above 4 per cent, reaching a record since the maturity was introduced in 1999. The 10-year yield has also risen to around 2.8 per cent, its highest level in nearly three decades, marking a decisive break from the low-yield era that defined Japan’s markets for much of the post-deflation period.

The selloff has rippled across global debt markets. US Treasury yields have moved higher, with the 30-year yield testing levels above 5 per cent, while Germany’s benchmark bonds and UK gilts have also weakened. Bond prices move inversely to yields, meaning the surge in yields reflects heavy selling by investors who are demanding greater compensation for inflation, fiscal risk and uncertain central bank policy.

Rising oil prices are the immediate catalyst. Brent crude has moved above $100 a barrel as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East disrupt energy flows and heighten concerns over import costs for major economies. For Japan, which relies heavily on imported energy, the oil shock carries a particularly direct inflationary threat. A weaker yen has amplified the impact, increasing the local-currency cost of fuel, food and other imported goods.

Japan’s inflation backdrop has become more difficult for policymakers. Consumer prices have remained above the Bank of Japan’s 2 per cent target for an extended period, while corporate goods prices have shown persistent pressure from energy, raw materials and logistics costs. Investors are now pricing in a greater chance that the central bank will raise interest rates again, possibly as early as its next policy meetings, after years of extraordinary accommodation.

Fiscal concerns are adding to the strain. Tokyo is preparing additional spending to cushion households and businesses from rising fuel and utility costs, but fresh borrowing could worsen concerns over debt sustainability. Japan’s public debt is already among the highest in the developed world, making long-term bond investors more sensitive to any increase in issuance. The prospect of larger supply has hit demand for longer maturities, where insurers, pension funds and banks traditionally played a stabilising role.

The Bank of Japan faces a delicate balance. Raising rates too quickly could unsettle growth and worsen losses in bond portfolios held by financial institutions. Moving too slowly could allow inflation expectations to become entrenched and place further pressure on the yen. The central bank has already scaled back its dominance of the bond market compared with the period of yield-curve control, leaving prices more exposed to market forces.

Global investors are also reassessing the role of government bonds as a safe asset. During earlier market shocks, US Treasuries, German Bunds and Japanese government bonds often rallied as investors sought protection. The current episode is different because the shock is inflationary rather than deflationary. Higher energy prices reduce household purchasing power, raise business costs and complicate the task of central banks that had hoped to cut rates or keep policy steady.

The selloff has implications beyond financial markets. Higher sovereign yields raise funding costs for governments already facing pressure from defence spending, ageing populations, energy subsidies and climate-related investment. They also affect mortgage rates, corporate borrowing and equity valuations. Technology shares and other growth-sensitive assets tend to come under pressure when long-term yields climb, because future earnings are discounted more heavily.

Japan’s shift is especially important because its low yields long encouraged domestic investors to buy overseas bonds. As yields rise at home, insurers and pension funds have less incentive to take currency risk abroad, potentially reducing demand for US and European debt. That repatriation effect could intensify volatility in global markets if Japanese institutions continue to rebalance portfolios.

State Administration for Market Regulation said the agenda would focus on removing market barriers, promoting a unified national market, improving law enforcement practices and curbing destructive price wars that have weighed on corporate margins. The measures form part of a broader policy push to reassure entrepreneurs after years of regulatory tightening, weak domestic demand, a property downturn and intense competition across technology, retail and manufacturing.

Private firms remain central to China’s economic model, accounting for more than half of tax revenue, over 60 per cent of economic output, about 70 per cent of technological innovation, more than 80 per cent of urban employment and the bulk of registered enterprises. Beijing’s latest move signals that policymakers see the sector as essential to stabilising growth, sustaining jobs and advancing innovation under the 2026–2030 development blueprint.

The 34-point programme places particular emphasis on equal treatment for private and state-backed enterprises. Regulators are expected to expand checks on local protectionism, discriminatory procurement rules, hidden entry restrictions and administrative practices that prevent companies from competing across provincial borders. The objective is to make China’s internal market function more like a single national marketplace rather than a patchwork of local systems shaped by regional preferences.

Fair competition has become a sharper policy concern as price wars spread across food delivery, electric vehicles, e-commerce and consumer services. Authorities have described extreme discounting and subsidy battles as “involution-style” competition, a term used in China to describe intense rivalry that consumes resources without producing sustainable gains. Regulators are now seeking to distinguish legitimate competition from practices that damage suppliers, workers and smaller rivals.

The plan also strengthens the legal dimension of private sector support. It follows the Private Economy Promotion Law, which came into force in May 2025 and formally placed protections for private business within the legal system. That law sought to address long-standing complaints over unequal access to finance, arbitrary penalties, delayed government payments, inconsistent enforcement and barriers to participation in infrastructure and public procurement.

Beijing is under pressure to show that those commitments can be enforced beyond policy slogans. Private entrepreneurs have frequently complained that local officials apply rules unevenly, with smaller companies facing heavier compliance burdens than larger state-linked groups. The latest regulatory agenda calls for more standardised enforcement, fewer unnecessary inspections and better coordination among agencies, reducing the risk that overlapping regulatory demands disrupt business operations.

The emphasis on efficient regulation also reflects a change in tone after the sweeping crackdowns that reshaped China’s platform economy from 2020 onwards. Internet groups, education providers, fintech companies and delivery platforms faced tighter controls, large fines and abrupt policy shifts, weakening investor sentiment. Although authorities continue to insist that capital must operate within defined boundaries, the current message is more focused on predictability, confidence and growth.

Financial support remains another pillar of the wider policy framework. China has encouraged banks and financial institutions to increase lending to private firms, particularly in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, green technology, biotechnology and other strategic sectors. Large banks have announced multi-year financing pledges for the private economy, while policymakers have called for broader fundraising channels and lower financing costs for smaller enterprises.

The regulatory agenda fits into China’s 2026 economic strategy, which prioritises stable growth, stronger domestic demand, technological self-reliance and risk control. The government has set a growth target range of 4.5 to 5 per cent for 2026, lower than earlier expansion rates but still demanding at a time of weak household confidence, subdued inflation and pressure from external trade frictions.

Private firms are especially important in technology and advanced manufacturing, where China is seeking to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. Companies such as Huawei, BYD, CATL, Tencent and Alibaba remain closely watched as indicators of the relationship between the state and enterprise sector. Beijing’s message to these firms is twofold: innovation is encouraged, but expansion must align with national priorities and regulatory boundaries.

Foreign investors will watch whether the new priorities translate into measurable changes. China has pledged to widen market access and improve the business environment, but concerns remain over data rules, cross-border flows, procurement access, security reviews and policy transparency. For multinational companies and domestic entrepreneurs alike, the credibility of the 34-point programme will depend on implementation by local authorities as much as central-level messaging.

The market regulator’s plan also gives Beijing a mechanism to address deflationary pressures caused by excessive competition. Food delivery platforms, online retailers and electric vehicle producers have all faced pressure from aggressive pricing campaigns. While consumers may benefit from lower prices, sustained discount battles can weaken profitability, reduce wages across supply chains and discourage investment in quality improvements.