Insight 2026

• European stocks are currently facing downward pressure due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, though structural tailwinds continue to offer investment opportunities. • The European Central Bank is maintaining a hawkish monetary stance despite significant risks to regional economic growth. • National governments are subsidizing high energy costs to ease immediate economic pressure, though this creates a long-term fiscal burden for member states.

• RBC Wealth Management released its Global Insight 2026 Midyear Outlook for the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting divergent economic trends. • The report notes that China's strong export figures are currently masking underlying soft domestic demand, while Japanese equities are benefiting from a rotation of investor interest. • Analysts warn that Asian credit spreads have become tight, necessitating a more selective investment approach to manage risk.

• Fortune magazine has released its 2026 Southeast Asia 500 list, which ranks the region's top companies based on their annual revenue. • Five firms from the casino and gambling sector earned spots on the list, with DigiPlus Interactive Corp and NagaCorp Ltd highlighted for their significant year-over-year growth. • The inclusion of these gaming-linked firms underscores the expanding economic influence and financial scale of the gambling industry within Southeast Asia.