Welcome to Your Week in Asia.
Sri Lanka holds its first presidential election since an economic crisis pounded the island nation two years ago, while India’s Kashmir region votes in its first local elections in a decade.
Chinese appliance maker Midea Group is set to list its shares on Hong Kong’s stock exchange, Indonesia’s central bank holds its latest policy meeting and Southeast Asian economic ministers will meet for talks in Laos.
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MONDAY
ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting
Economic ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states converge in Vientiane, this year’s host. The high-level gathering, meant to foster economic cooperation and integration, comes as the region continues to navigate challenges brought by geopolitical tensions and China’s slowing economy.
TUESDAY
Midea lists in Hong Kong
Chinese home appliance maker Midea is expected to start trading on the Hong Kong Exchange after its roughly $3.5 billion share offering to establish a dual listing, alongside its Shenzhen shares. The company has said the proceeds will go toward upgrading its manufacturing system, enhancing overseas distribution channels and other priorities, although the move has raised concerns among investors about dilution.
Fed rate decision
All eyes will be on the U.S. Federal Reserve, with expectations running high for a start to long-awaited interest rate cuts. The central bank is widely expected to cut rates by a quarter-of-a-percentage point as stubborn price pressures put policymakers off more aggressive action.
WEDNESDAY
Kashmir votes after decade-long hiatus
India’s Jammu and Kashmir holds local elections from Wednesday, marking the Himalayan region’s first polls in a decade and five years after New Delhi yanked its special autonomy status. The vote will be held over several phases with results expected early next month.
Monetary Policy: Indonesia
THURSDAY
Monetary Policy: Turkey
FRIDAY
Bank of Japan meeting
The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its monetary policy unchanged at a two-day board meeting that wraps up Friday, leaving the policy rate at 0.25%. Market attention is focused on the post-meeting press conference by Gov. Kazuo Ueda and on whether he will stick to his position that there could be another rate increase by the end of the year.
Monetary policy: China
SATURDAY
Sri Lankans go to polls
Sri Lanka holds its first presidential vote since an economic crisis tipped the government into turmoil two years ago. The island nation’s leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who inherited the post from his ousted predecessor, is vying to keep his job overseeing a shaky economy and bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.
