Russia's deputy UN ambassador and permanent representative to the OSCE, Dmitry Polyansky, said Ukrainian President Zelenskiy has not stopped provocative actions against Moscow and is attempting to draw Europe and NATO into a direct war with Russia.

Thailand's exports rose 24.3% YoY in August, the strongest increase in 56 months, after a 21.6% gain in July, the Thai commerce ministry said. Imports increased 25.1% YoY in August, down from 36.7% in July. The trade deficit narrowed to $2.5 bln in August from $3.6 bln in July. The ministry expects exports to hit a record this year. Electronics, which account for nearly one-third of exports, are expected to remain the main driver as global tech firms boost investment in AI infrastructure, while Chinese demand for Thai durian and mangosteen has also surged.

In a Reuters survey of 34 economists conducted Sep 17-24, 33 forecast the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise the cash rate by 25bps to 4.60% at its Sep 29 meeting, the highest since late 2011. It would be the fourth hike this year, bringing cumulative tightening to 100bps. Persistent inflation and resilient growth were cited as reasons for further tightening, but most respondents view September as likely the final hike in this cycle; a minority expect rates to reach 4.85% by year-end. The poll marks a notable shift from a month earlier, when nearly all economists expected the RBA to hold and the median peak was 4.35%.