Sources say an informal UN Security Council straw poll shows Guyana's Caroline Rodriguez Burkert leading the race for UN secretary-general.

Shanghai municipal government held a press briefing on Aug. 21 to outline the China (Shanghai) Free Trade Zone Lingang New Area 15th Five‑Year Plan. Targets include 100 billion yuan in bonded repair import‑export and US$50 billion in offshore resale trading turnover by the end of the plan. The area will pilot offshore finance measures, iterate and expand the negative list and operational guidance for cross‑border data flows, develop a global shipping hub and build an international green‑energy bunkering center.

Abbas Keshvani, RBC head of Asia macro strategy, said Japan’s inflation data support expectations the Bank of Japan will raise rates in September. He said the BOJ’s July meeting language was more hawkish and markets now expect a faster tightening, pricing roughly a 20bp September hike. He added the BOJ knows disappointing markets could prompt further yen weakness.