Financial News

Singapore to establish national space agency NSAS under MTI

The National Space Agency of Singapore will front the Republic’s ambitions to be a leader in space technologies

Wonder Raises USD 12 Million Venture Debt from HSBC Innovation Banking to Drive Growth and Expansion

HONG KONG, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wonder, a leading fintech and payments platform for merchants in Hong Kong and Asia Pacific, today announced it has raised a USD 12 million venture debt from HSBC Innovation Banking in Hong Kong. This multi-year debt capital commitment will support...

Arctic Vision Announces Deal to Integrate MDCO Technology's Ophthalmic Device Business to Form a Global Drug–Device Innovation Platform

SHANGHAI, Feb. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Headquartered in Shanghai, Arctic Vision (Cayman) Limited ("Arctic Vision"), a global ophthalmic company, announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the innovative ophthalmic device business of MDCO Technology, a Hangzhou-based ophthalmic medical-device company.The proposed transaction will bring MDCO's premium intraocular lens (IOL), implantable contact lens (Phakic Lens), and refractive-device platforms into Arctic Vision's global ophthalmic innovation framework. It strengthens Arctic Vision's global ophthalmic business by integrating advanced device engineering and intelligent manufacturing with its existing innovation capabilities.Accelerating Ophthalmic Innovation Globally across Drug & DeviceThe proposed transaction aligns with the long-term strategy of Arctic Vision, expanding the company's pipeline with innovative therapeutics with high unmet need.The transaction is expected to create an industry-leading pipeline, building on Arctic Vision's deep R&D capabilities in retinal, ocular surface, and neuro-ophthalmic areas, together with MDCO's design and manufacturing expertise in IOL and Phakic Lens.Under the terms of the transactions, MDCO will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Arctic Vision. The group will maintain key operations in Shanghai (biopharmaceutical R&D ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Singapore Launches World's First Agentic AI Governance Framework; Armor Convenes ASEAN Leaders to Help Enterprises Operationalize New Requirements

Five-country initiative addresses emerging compliance challenges as ASEAN tightens AI oversight SINGAPORE, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore has become the first country to release a governance framework for agentic AI. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo announced the Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI at the World Economic Forum. The framework requires organizations to maintain human accountability for AI agents, implement technical controls, and ensure transparency. Armor and Microsoft Security leaders at the Microsoft Digital Trust & Global Regulation Roadshow in Singapore, January 2026. Armor Initiative Helps Enterprises Respond Armor, a global leader in cloud-native managed detection and response and Microsoft Solutions Partner for Security, today announced an initiative spanning Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to help enterprises operationalize these new requirements. Armor brings direct experience securing AI-driven enterprises. A healthcare technology company using GenAI tools to serve 800+ health systems achieved a 29x reduction in mean time to respond (MTTR) after partnering with Armor for 24/7 managed detection and response. "Singapore's Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI (MGF) recognizes what we've been telling clients: AI agents that can act autonomously need the same security rigor as any privileged user," said Chris Drake, Founder and CEO of Armor. "You wouldn't give an employee access to sensitive systems without visibility and controls. The same logic applies to AI." Armor Nexus: Security Operations Reimagined Central to Armor's approach is Nexus, its unified security operations platform built for teams who run their own SOCs. Unlike traditional SOCs that rely on manual processes and fragmented ticketing systems, Nexus was built by practitioners who defend organizations from the inside. Nexus unifies operations and technology on a single platform because real incidents always involve both. The platform demystifies Microsoft security environments, giving organizations full visibility into their data. Customers can jump into the underlying intelligence and maintain the transparency that governance frameworks demand. Organizations interested in participating can contact Armor's team at armor.com. About Armor Armor is a global leader in cloud-native managed detection and response. Trusted by over 1,700 organizations across 40 countries, Armor delivers cybersecurity, compliance consulting, and 24/7 managed defense built for transparency, speed, and results. By combining human expertise with AI-driven precision, Armor safeguards critical environments to outpace evolving threats and build lasting resilience. For more information, visit armor.com or request a free Cyber Resilience Assessment. Follow us on LinkedIn, X. Media Contact:Michele GlassmanMarketing Director, ArmorEmail: michele.glassman@armor.comWebsite: www.armor.com Armor team members join Microsoft partners at Microsoft's ASEAN offices as part of Armor's five-country initiative to help enterprises operationalize Singapore's new Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI.

Central Bank sees Cypriot growth at 3%

The Central Bank of Cyprus projects gross domestic product growth to average 3% annually in the period from 2026 to 2028.

STT hike jolts traders; Boost for electronics components manufacturing

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced significant increases to securities transaction tax rates. The Budget increased the outlay for the electronics components manufacturing scheme to Rs 40,000. The finance minister unveiled a new Rs 10,000-crore “Biopharma Shakti” programme.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP Decline, While Dogecoin Trades Flat; Analyst Says BTC's Underperformance Against Gold 'Tremendous Opportunity' To Scale In

Risk-off sentiment strengthened Sunday, triggered by a massive sell-off in leading cryptocurrencies and precious metals.Cryptocurrency24-Hour Gains +/-Price (Recorded at 8:20 p.m. ET)Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC)-1.54%$77,147.38Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) -6.35%$2,275.90XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) -3.17%$1.59Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) -3.11%$101.47Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) +0.63%$0.1044Crypto BloodbathBitcoin dived below $76,000, marking its worst sell-off since early April, when President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff measures sent the market into a tailspin. The apex cryptocurrency is down 11.42% year-to-date.Ethereum crashed below $2,300, hitting levels last seen more than 7 months ago. The second-largest cryptocurrency has cratered 23% since the year began.Meanwhile, Bitcoin's market share stood at 59.3%, while Ethereum's dominance fell below 11%.Over $500 billion was liquidated from the market in the last 24 hours, according to Coinglass, with $373 million in levered longs wiped out.Bitcoin's open interest fell more than 10% last week, reaching $52.43 billion, as market sentiment plunged into "Extreme Fear."Top Gainers ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Budget 2026: FM marches on Kartavya Path, balances 'poll'itics & economics

Budget 2026: FM marches on Kartavya Path, balances 'poll'itics & economics

Binance founder Zhao denies crypto market crash accusations

A record $19 billion in leveraged crypto positions were erased on Oct. 10, the biggest single-day liquidation event in the sector’s roughly 16-year history.

Afghanistan Rural Development Projects Essential for Economic Recovery

As a large majority of the Afghanistan population resides in rural areas and relies on agriculture, the Islamic Emirate has prioritized the implementation of more development projects in rural areas, where the projects are crucial for fostering self-sufficiency, reducing poverty, and promoting stability in the country. The rural development projects,...

It’s a Humpty Dumpty Budget with nothing for Bengal: Didi

Yen drops after Takaichi comment cools intervention speculation

The currency dropped as much as 0.5% to 155.51 against the dollar on Monday.