International News 13 January 2026
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Asian Currencies Mixed as Won and Rupiah Weaken
The South Korean won and Indonesian rupiah weakened against the US dollar in Monday morning trading (Jan 12, 2026), while most other Asian currencies posted modest gains. As of 02:02 GMT, the won fell 0.21% to 1,462 per dollar and the rupiah slipped 0.18% to 16,825. In contrast, the Thai baht (+0.27%), Singapore dollar (+0.12%), Japanese yen (+0.10%), and offshore Chinese yuan (+0.03%) edged higher, reflecting selective strength across the region amid ongoing global uncertainty. Since the start of 2026, performance across Asian currencies has diverged. The won (-1.54%) and rupiah (-0.92%) are among the weakest performers, while the baht (+0.59%) and offshore yuan (+0.17%) have gained. The mixed moves suggest investors remain cautious, favoring relatively defensive or stable currencies as global market risks persist.
Copper Prices Rise on Weaker Dollar and China Demand Hopes
Copper prices climbed on Monday (Jan 12, 2026), supported by a weaker US dollar and rising optimism over stronger demand from China, the world’s largest copper consumer. The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange jumped 2.91% to 103,200 yuan (US$14,793) per ton, after hitting a record high earlier this month. Meanwhile, benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 1.22% to US$13,156 per ton, staying near last week’s all-time peak. Sentiment was boosted after China’s cabinet, led by Premier Li Qiang, discussed fiscal and financial policy measures aimed at stimulating domestic demand and household consumption to ensure a strong start to 2026. Copper prices also found support from lower output at Chile’s state-owned miner Codelco and market speculation over a potential Rio Tinto–Glencore deal, which could create the world’s largest mining company. Other base metals followed copper higher, as the softer dollar made dollar-priced commodities more attractive to global buyers.
OmniVision Shares Jump on Hong Kong Debut After US$616 Million Second Listing
Shares of OmniVision Integrated Circuits surged as much as 6.7% in their Hong Kong trading debut on Monday (Jan 12, 2026), after the Chinese semiconductor design firm raised HK$4.8 billion (US$615.9 million) in a secondary listing. The stock opened at HK$108, 3.1% above its offer price of HK$104.80, before climbing to a high of HK$111.80, valuing the company at about HK$131.7 billion (US$16.9 billion). OmniVision is already listed in Shanghai, where its shares rose 0.6% to 132.26 yuan, giving it a market capitalization of around 159 billion yuan (US$22.8 billion). OmniVision is the world’s third-largest digital image sensor provider, with a 13.7% global market share by revenue in 2024, according to Frost & Sullivan. About 70% of the IPO proceeds will be allocated to research and development, with the remainder used for global expansion, investments, and acquisitions. The listing adds momentum to Hong Kong’s IPO revival, which raised US$37.2 billion from 115 new listings last year—the highest since 2021—as regulatory adjustments and renewed investor demand draw mainland Chinese companies back to the market.