Industrial Investment Watch: Penang approved RM4.9B in manufacturing investments in 1Q 2026, led by E&E and machinery, and backed by strong export performance. Data Center Power Supply: KOEL won a major order for 192 MW (96 units) of Optiprime backup power systems for HyperNext’s AI-ready hyperscale data centres. Battery Materials Deal: Himadri Speciality Chemical increased its stake in U.S. battery materials partner IBC to 20.47% via a fresh $0.66M investment, supporting LFP cathode and anode development. Medical Manufacturing Expansion: Lubrizol and Polyhose inaugurated an ISO13485-certified advanced medical tubing plant in Chennai for minimally invasive neurovascular and cardiovascular devices. Semiconductor Workforce Buildout: INOX India and ITM Baroda University launched a Skilling Centre of Excellence to train for orbital welding, UHP gas systems, and semiconductor process utilities. Drug Regulation Shock: India’s health ministry banned 16 fixed-dose combination drugs nationwide over lack of therapeutic justification, affecting categories including pain relief, antibiotics, and dermatology. Logistics Capacity Boost: FAST opened a Davao logistics and crossdock mega hub in the Philippines, expanding warehouse and cold storage capacity for manufacturers and retailers. Energy Transition Push: Reliance says it is moving solar PV cell and module lines into production at its Jamnagar clean power ecosystem. Nuclear Milestone: Valar Atomics’ small modular reactor reached zero-power fueled criticality in Utah, marking a major step toward U.S. commercial small reactors.