Asia Roundup
Sri Lanka Orders Nationwide Blackout Measures to Avert Power Collapse
Sri Lanka ordered streetlights, neon signs and billboard lighting to be switched off as part of measures to cut energy consumption by 25% to tackle supply shortages, AFP reported.
Government spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said all state institutions had been asked to reduce the use of air conditioning as the Middle East war entered its fourth week, driving up oil and gas prices.
Vingroup’s Hospitality Arm Seeks $300 Million in Private Debt
The hospitality unit of Vingroup is seeking a private credit loan of as much as USD 300 million for refinancing, Bloomberg reported.
The proposed four-year debt for Vinpearl is structured as convertible preferred shares that offer dividends, with the potential for upside in returns when certain milestones are achieved.
Vingroup, which has businesses ranging from real estate to private education, has tapped the private credit market previously. In September, the conglomerate’s EV unit VinFast Auto secured a USD 150 million loan for working capital, after raising USD 510 million in private debt two months prior.
Share Buybacks in Singapore Surge 62% in 2025
Share buybacks in Singapore surged 62.3% year on year in 2025 to reach USD 1.5 billion, as global buybacks hit a record high, The Business Times reported, citing a study by US investment management firm Capital Group.
This growth in Singapore was driven mainly by the banking sector, especially United Overseas Bank (UOB), which initiated a large buyback program in early 2025.
Indonesia Roundup
Indonesia Mulling Cuts in Free Meal Distribution, Minister Says
Indonesia is considering cuts in the distribution of free student meals from six days a week to five, in a bid to save the country’s budget amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Reuters reported.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the measure could save IDR 40 trillion (USD 2.37 billion). The proposal came from the head of Indonesia’s national nutrition agency and would need to be approved by President Prabowo Subianto, he added.
Indonesia Financial Regulator Approves Phased Three-Year Implementation of Free Float Rules
Indonesia’s financial regulator has approved the phased three-year implementation of free float requirements drawn up by the Indonesia Stock Exchange, its chief capital market supervisor Hasan Fawzi reportedly said.
Fawzi said that the legally-binding “implementing rule” for the free float plan will be issued by the end of March.
The 15% free float requirement is part of a series of capital market reforms designed to allay concerns raised by index provider MSCI about transparency in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.