Southeast Asia in February 2026: the most important developments in economy
Southeast Asia's economy in February 2026 was marked by a push into digital technology and artificial intelligence. Bank Rakyat Indonesia launched a Sharia-compliant AI platform that gives rulings and guidance based on Islamic jurisprudence. Singapore's 2026 budget includes a National AI Council chaired by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who said the country will not see jobless growth as AI reshapes the economy. Indonesia announced plans for a national data center for AI development, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told parliament that only data centre projects that benefit the country will be approved. TikTok confirmed a planned investment of 270 billion baht in Thailand.
Energy, minerals and trade drew heavy attention. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said tensions in the Middle East will affect energy prices in countries far from the region, including Singapore, and Bali's airport reported canceled flights to the Middle East after war broke out in Iran. Nickel prices surged after Indonesia, the world's largest producer, announced a significant cut to its mining quota, and Indonesia lowered its thermal coal reference prices for the second half of the month. The United States and the Philippines agreed a critical minerals accord, which the Philippine mining sector welcomed. The United States imposed steep import duties on solar products from India and Indonesia, and the European Union proposed sanctions on ports in Georgia and Indonesia over Russian oil.
Company news included the announcement that Deliveroo will end food delivery in Singapore after 4 March. ICTSI secured a 26-year extension of its terminal at the Port of Melbourne, and Sunway Healthcare launched a $736 million initial public offering. Chinese companies overtook US companies as the top source of foreign investment in Singapore. The Yoovidhya family was reported to be considering the sale of Thai Summit Group for about $2 billion.
In Indonesia, lawmakers urged a review of a plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks from India, and the finance minister said state funds will be used to repay debt on the Whoosh high-speed rail project to China.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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