Trade & Finance: Hong Kong’s carried-interest tax break for hedge funds, private credit and digital-asset funds is set to reshape hiring and deal structures, with the bill already triggering a hiring surge and contract rewrites as managers position for retroactive benefits. Cross-border Trade Tech: Vietnam and Singapore are advancing Verifiable Credentials for cross-border trade, with a Proof of Concept applying them to letters of credit to cut verification costs and speed up bank-to-bank checks. Energy & Industry: Bangladesh ordered shops and markets to shut by 8pm to curb electricity use amid a severe gas shortage and blackouts; separately, the government approved two LNG cargo purchases from BP Singapore to protect gas supply. Markets Watch (SG): Koh Brothers Eco Engineering flagged up to S$57.6m in potential liabilities from three legal disputes ahead of a proposed SGX mainboard move; Singapore Airlines reported July passenger traffic up 2.6% y/y. AI & Infrastructure: Data centre growth in Southeast Asia is increasingly constrained by power availability and quality, with site selection now starting from grid capacity and resilience. Regional Business: Lenskart’s IPO momentum continues as the eyewear retailer posts a sharp profit jump and expands store footprint, including in Singapore. Remittances: Philippines cash remittances rose to US$3.04b in June, but growth slowed to a four-year low as Middle East-linked price pressures squeeze migrant sending capacity.