Bahrain is in talks with banks about potentially issuing an international bond this year, two sources aware of the matter said, as the Gulf country seeks to raise funds to cover a budget deficit created by cheap oil.

The United Arab Emirates is investing $35 billion to diversify its energy resources and reduce its dependence on natural gas imports for power generation, the country's energy minister said.

U.S. investment bank JPMorgan Chase warned that new global gas price lows will demolish producer profits as top Asian consumers freeze big purchases and rework or ditch existing import deals.

Monopoly utility Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA) is in talks with banks about issuing a project bond as early as this year to refinance debt used to construct a power and water plant, two sources aware of the matter said.

Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil producer, is in talks to acquire a stake in a China National Petroleum Corp refinery as well as retail assets, people familiar with the matter said - a deal that would help it sell more of its output to China amid growing competition.

Malaysia's royal rulers have called for a quick, transparent investigation into troubled state-fund 1MDB, in rare comments from the monarchy that presents a new challenge to Prime Minister Najib Razak as he fends off corruption allegations.

Thailand's military government, which took power in May last year, appointed a committee to draft the country's 20th constitution after a previous draft was rejected, delaying promised elections until at least 2017.

Mauritius is in talks to review a tax treaty that has made this island of just 1.3 million people the biggest single source of foreign direct investment in India, a nation of 1.3 billion people, the finance minister said.

Malaysian state fund Khazanah Nasional and state energy firm Petronas will be largely exempted from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) regulations, as Malaysia is ready to allow some exceptions, the trade minister said.

AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes may find it tough to take the budget airline private due to large funding needs as potential partners worry about a floundering Malaysian economy and a weak regional aviation market.