Bloomberg The standing of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is set to receive another boost after 13 further applicants were granted membership. The accessions will bring the total roster of member countries to 70, and leave Japan and the US as the only Group of Seven states without a stake in the lender. Memberships for Afghanistan, Armenia, …

  Bloomberg Malaysia’s central bank said this year will be another challenging one for monetary policy as inflation pressure builds and risks loom over the economy. Gross domestic product is forecast to expand 4.3 percent to 4.8 percent this year, Bank Negara Malaysia said in its annual report in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. That compares with the government’s earlier forecast …

  Reuters Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ) is in talks with banks about a potential international bond issue that will most likely be denominated in US dollars, sources familiar with the matter said. If the deal goes ahead, CBQ would join a growing number of banks from the region tapping the international debt markets this year with the aim of …