Luzon Economic Corridor Push: The Philippines, US and Japan will cohost the inaugural LEC Investment Forum in Manila on Sept. 10-11, with USTDA support, to court investors for advanced manufacturing, digital connectivity, energy, transport and logistics. Blue Economy Funding: Manila secured €200m ($230m) from France’s AFD for a marine ecosystem and blue-economy program expected to support over 3 million coastal livelihoods, including fisherfolk and tourism workers. AI Gap Warning: Capital Economics says the Philippines risks falling behind the AI boom—its electronics exports are rising slower than peers and it ranks near the bottom in AI adoption and impact. Bangladesh-US Jobs Talks: A US business delegation discussed expanding investment and job creation in Bangladesh, with focus on private-sector support for policy priorities. Bangladesh Trade Strategy: Bangladesh sought Australia’s backing for RCEP accession and an extended LDC transition period, while also exploring an Australia-FTA. ASEAN MSME Linkages: San Miguel and ASEAN-BAC Philippines signed an MoU to plug micro, small and medium firms into regional value chains ahead of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairship. India Inflation Update: India’s retail inflation accelerated to 4.45% in July, keeping the RBI in a wait-and-see mode. Crypto Wealth Management: Centricity raised Rs 280 crore led by SMBC Asia Rising Fund to scale its tech-led wealth platform across India and overseas. Autonomous Expansion: WeRide is weighing Australia, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia for robotaxi growth, with deployments already planned for Singapore and Hong Kong.