U.S.-Iran ripple effects on Asia’s trade and markets: Even as negotiations continue, fresh US-Iran strikes risk renewed disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, keeping crude and sentiment volatile across Asia. Philippines FX pressure: ANZ says oil-price relief hasn’t helped the peso, with external imbalances and a stronger dollar driving weakness despite BSP intervention. Cost squeeze for food vendors: Across Asia, plastics prices are jumping as energy-linked supply tightens, hitting everything from bags to trays for street and market sellers. Banking rates ease in Nepal: Nepal’s average commercial bank base rate slipped below 5% as deposit growth outpaced credit demand, signaling potential lending-rate pressure relief. South China Sea diplomacy heats up: The Philippines accuses China of “insincerity and hypocrisy” after Beijing rejects Manila’s push to honor the 2016 arbitral ruling. Policy and governance tech in India: India launched an AI-enabled Rural Internal Audit Portal to replace paper-heavy internal audits and improve oversight of rural spending. Trade ties in focus: UAE and Panama discussed boosting trade, investment and supply-chain resilience under “UAE Trade Days,” while Pakistan is set to lead the SCO Business Council in 2027. Logistics award: Ethiopian Cargo won AFLAS “Best Air Cargo Carrier – Africa,” underscoring its push to connect trade routes across regions. Corporate/market watch (India): Analysts flag FY27 IT demand risk as GenAI-driven spending shifts and geopolitics cloud deal conversions and guidance.