Bloomberg Names 10 Asian Companies to Watch Right Now

Bloomberg Intelligence has released a list of 10 companies in the Asia-Pacific region whose stocks are worth watching—for positive or negative reasons—in the second half of 2026. For each stock, a key driver or trigger has been identified for the coming months.

A Chinese power producer, whose generation mix is dominated by coal, is facing pressure due to new pricing policies in the industry, a BI analyst noted. The company’s rates are expected to fall by 5% this year, while competition from renewable energy sources is intensifying. Against the backdrop of persistently high borrowing costs following several years of aggressive business expansion, the company’s profits may fall short of forecasts, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Ortiz Fan.

Trigger: Due to the natural climatic phenomenon known as El Niño—in which surface waters in the equatorial Pacific become abnormally warm, causing significant changes in weather—demand for cooling is increasing. This leads to higher coal prices and creates challenges for Datang’s profitability in the second half of the year, according to the study.

The company's stock fell 4.2% during trading on August 18; year-to-date, it is up 76.5%.

The automaker’s profits have been hit by the costs of revising its electric vehicle strategy, but its core business is stronger than experts believe, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The gradual phase-out of incentives for electric cars in the U.S.—a market that accounts for 42% of the company’s auto sales—is making its hybrids more competitive, a BI analyst noted. The motorcycle division, in turn, remains highly profitable and will become more prominent as losses from electric cars decline.

Driver: Trends in electric vehicle costs and hybrid sales should be reflected in both the monthly sales reports and the quarterly results, which will be released in August and November.

Honda shares rose 1.5% in trading on August 18. Since the beginning of the year, they have risen 11.5%.

Thailand’s second-largest creditor is set to face a more challenging year than market forecasts suggest, noted BI analyst Sarah Jane Mahmoud. High household debt and pressure on small businesses threaten growth, as the bank will have to set aside more funds to cover non-performing loans, she added. A series of key rate cuts by the kingdom’s central bank means that interest income is under pressure, while a decline in tourist arrivals and export volumes—which have been hit by U.S. tariffs—create an additional obstacle, the analyst concluded.

Trigger: The impact of U.S. tariffs on Thailand will be crucial. Any increase in these tariffs could exacerbate stress among borrowers and keep costs high.

Kasikornbank's stock price fell 1.2% on August 18. Since the beginning of the year, it has risen 27%.

An Australian asset manager acquired its competitor, Barrenjoey, this summer, which BI analyst Matt Ingram believes will provide a significant boost to shareholder returns. The deal will drive revenue growth, and the company’s plan to allocate 80% of its earnings to shareholder distributions will result in dividends exceeding current market forecasts.

Driver: The quarterly report, which will be released in late August, will include a forecast for 2027 that already factors in Barrenjoey, providing a clearer picture of Magellan’s future dividend potential.

The company's shares lost about 0.4% of their value during trading on August 18, but are up 7.2% so far this year.

Bloomberg Intelligence forecasts that profits for China’s second-largest dairy producer will fall short of analysts’ expectations. Costs for packaging, sugar, and palm oil are rising, as are expenses for sponsoring major sporting events, noted BI analyst Elaine Lai. At the same time, milk prices are falling due to an oversupply in the market.

Trigger: Monthly data on commodity prices should show that costs for non-dairy ingredients and packaging materials remain high.

Mengniu shares fell 0.2% in trading on August 18. Year-to-date, they have risen 22.5%.

Advertising revenue for the company that owns the Shopee e-commerce platform is growing as more and more sellers pay extra for priority placement. Advertising generates much higher profit margins than standard transaction fees and should help Sea’s results exceed analysts’ estimates, according to expert Lea El-Hajj.

Driver: The quarterly results, which will be released in August and November, will show whether Shopee's share of advertising revenue is growing as expected.

Sea's shares, which are traded in the U.S., fell 2.67%; the company's market capitalization has declined by 9.4% since the beginning of the year.

A Singaporean telecommunications operator is experiencing a decline in profits, but unexpected improvements are possible in the new cycle, according to BI analyst Chris McEnsturm. Revenue per subscriber is expected to grow following a period of intense price competition. Cost cuts and aggressive expansion of cybersecurity and other services for corporate clients will boost profitability, leading to a solid recovery next year, the expert predicts.

Driver: Regulatory changes in the second half of the year and pricing trends should indicate whether StarHub’s mobile business is returning to profitability.

StarHub shares fell 0.9% during trading on August 18; prior to that, their price had remained unchanged since the beginning of the year.

A leading Hong Kong developer is expected to exceed its annual housing sales target as the city’s real estate market recovery draws buyers back to new projects, noted analyst Patrick Wong. Prices for existing homes are rising, allowing the company to raise prices for units in its developments. Small apartments are attracting local residents and investors from mainland China who are looking to generate rental income, he added.

Driver: The annual results, expected in September, will show whether Sun Hung Kai's home sales exceeded management's target of 30 billion Hong Kong dollars ($3.8 billion).

Sun Hung Kai shares rose 0.1% in Hong Kong trading; they are up 23.9% year-to-date.

The automaker is pursuing a differentiated strategy across various markets, which could yield unexpectedly strong financial results, according to analyst Tatsuo Esida. The company is focusing on hybrids in Japan, battery-powered electric vehicles in China, and both of these segments in Europe and the U.S., while not neglecting internal combustion engines, he added. In addition, the company is implementing cost-cutting measures to support profitability.

Driver: Plans for Toyota's new products for the Japanese market will be unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show in October, and plans for the U.S. market will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

Toyota's stock price in Tokyo rose 0.3%; since the beginning of the year, it has fallen nearly 10%.

The buzz surrounding this Chinese artificial intelligence company—which The Wall Street Journal has called one of China’s “AI tigers”—can be attributed to its success in developing an open-source AI model. It is nearly on par with leading American models. However, expectations now seem overly optimistic, notes BI analyst Robert Lee. Growing demand is driving up Z.AI’s costs, and due to intense competition, its ability to raise prices is limited, which threatens to lead to further operating losses.

Trigger: The increase in losses will likely be reflected in the quarterly results to be released in August, and a potential stock sale to finance investments in artificial intelligence is possible before the end of the year.

Z.AI shares fell 13% during trading on August 18. The company went public in January, and its shares have since risen 659%.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor