CNBC Asia
CNBC Asia is CNBC's Singapore-based pan-Asian business-news television service.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
CNBC Asia is the Asia-Pacific regional service of CNBC, the business-news television network that originated in the United States. It launched on 20 June 1995 from Hong Kong as a localized service intended to combine regional financial reporting with selected programming from CNBC's American and European operations. The channel was designed for viewers across a fast-growing Asia-Pacific media market and initially planned to produce substantial daily output from Hong Kong, supported by bureaus in Bombay, Singapore, and Tokyo. The service entered a market already served by Asia Business News, a Singapore-based channel backed by Dow Jones and other investors. The two operations ultimately became partners rather than long-term independent rivals. In December 1997, NBC and Dow Jones announced a strategic agreement under which Asia Business News would merge with CNBC Asia and European Business News would merge with CNBC Europe. The Asian merger took effect on 2 February 1998. The combined channel briefly used the CNBC–Asia Business News name and moved its main operation from Hong Kong to Singapore, using the former Asia Business News facilities. This consolidation also connected CNBC more closely with Dow Jones editorial resources and helped create the basis for later cooperation involving The Wall Street Journal and other Dow Jones publications. The post-merger service adjusted its schedule several times. An early attempt to emphasize locally produced Asian business coverage and reduce overnight CNBC U.S. programming was reversed after negative viewer feedback. Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, CNBC Asia expanded and refined live market programming, including Asia Squawk Box, Asia Market Watch, Power Lunch Asia, and other regionally oriented shows. It introduced localized financial tickers for audiences in Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, while continuing to use programming and feeds from CNBC's U.S. and European services. Dow Jones withdrew from its CNBC joint ventures in 2005, leaving the Asian operation under NBC Universal ownership at that time. CNBC Asia subsequently expanded its Australian presence, opened a Sydney bureau and studio, and introduced programs focused on the Australian market. It also participated in international CNBC productions such as Worldwide Exchange and Capital Connection. In 2010, the channel relocated to a studio at the Singapore Exchange, reinforcing its positioning as a market-focused service closely connected to the region's financial centers. A Hong Kong studio was later used for Asia Squawk Box before the program returned to Singapore in 2019. CNBC Asia's output combines live market coverage, interviews, analysis, documentaries, personal-finance content, and selected lifestyle and sports programming. Its regional newsroom maintains or has maintained reporting capabilities in Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing, Sydney, Dubai, and other Asia-Pacific locations. The service is also distributed outside the region through CNBC's international network, including CNBC World in the United States and CNBC Europe. In June 2023, CNBC Asia established a new office at Mapletree Business City in Singapore. The facilities include a master control room, a production-control room for social-media output, and a small studio. The channel adopted a refreshed on-air design aligned with CNBC U.S. branding in July 2024. In April 2025, it revised its weekday schedule with programs including US Markets Edition, The China Connection, Inside India, and Access Middle East. CNBC Asia remains an active regional business-news brand, with Singapore as its principal operating base and a schedule designed around Asian trading hours and international market connections.
History
CNBC Asia was developed as CNBC's regional answer to the expansion of financial television in the Asia-Pacific region. A preliminary feed known as ANBC appeared in January 1995 on selected Australian and Hong Kong cable systems, carrying material from CNBC U.S. and CNBC Europe. The full service launched from Hong Kong on 20 June 1995. Its original plan called for approximately ten hours of locally produced programming each day, supported by bureaus in Bombay, Singapore, and Tokyo, with additional content supplied by CNBC's existing international services. The launch placed CNBC Asia in direct competition with Asia Business News, a Singapore-based financial channel established in 1993 with Dow Jones and other partners. Both services faced the challenge of building a sufficiently large audience for specialized business television. NBC and Dow Jones began discussing cooperation in 1995, and renewed negotiations in 1997 as both companies' Asian and European operations experienced financial pressure. Their December 1997 agreement created a fifteen-year strategic partnership and provided for the merger of Asia Business News into CNBC Asia and European Business News into CNBC Europe. The Asian transaction went on-air on 2 February 1998. The service temporarily carried the CNBC–Asia Business News identity but retained CNBC as its principal consumer brand. Operations moved from Hong Kong to the former Asia Business News facilities in Singapore. The consolidation produced substantial staffing changes in Hong Kong, while some displaced personnel later joined Bloomberg's Asia-Pacific television operation. Programming also changed: CNBC initially reduced overnight simulcasts from the United States to concentrate on Asian business news, but restored U.S. business-day programming after viewers reacted negatively. The merger had consequences in India as well. CNBC reached an arrangement with TV18 to serve as its Indian partner, leading to the launch of CNBC India in 1999, now known as CNBC TV18. This relationship became one of the most important examples of CNBC's regional model, in which a central brand combines international resources with locally operated or locally focused services. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, CNBC Asia expanded its live market schedule. Asia Squawk Box, Asia Market Watch, Power Lunch Asia, and successor programs were adjusted repeatedly to match trading hours and audience demand. The channel also introduced localized stock tickers for Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore and added more programming from CNBC U.S. and CNBC Europe. In 1999 it partnered with the Australian Financial Review on a daily market program, further strengthening its Australian coverage. Dow Jones left the CNBC joint ventures in 2005, after which the operation came fully under NBC Universal ownership at that time. CNBC Asia then invested in regional expansion, particularly in Australia. A Sydney bureau and studio opened in 2007, supporting Squawk Australia, Trading Matters, Australia This Week, and other opt-out programming. The network also participated in international productions including Worldwide Exchange and Capital Connection, linking Asian trading coverage with the London and U.S. markets. In June 2010, CNBC Asia moved to a studio at the Singapore Exchange. The move coincided with schedule changes, including the cancellation of Squawk Australia and the restructuring of morning and daytime programs. A Hong Kong studio later became associated with Asia Squawk Box, while the program returned to Singapore with a new presenting lineup in 2019. The service continued to use regional correspondents and bureaus in major financial centers, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing, Sydney, and Dubai. The network expanded its production infrastructure again in June 2023 when it established a new Mapletree Business City office in Singapore. The site includes master-control and social-media production facilities as well as a compact studio. In July 2024, CNBC Asia adopted an updated on-air design corresponding to CNBC U.S.'s refreshed presentation. In April 2025, it reorganized its weekday output with US Markets Edition, The China Connection, Inside India, and Access Middle East. Its current identity is that of a Singapore-centered, English-language pan-Asian business-news service that combines locally produced market coverage with programming shared across the wider CNBC network.
- 2025
Weekday schedule reorganized
[1]New programs launch to cover U.S. markets, China, India, and the Middle East.
- 2024
On-air presentation refreshed
[1]CNBC Asia aligns its visual presentation with the updated CNBC U.S. design system.
- 2023
Mapletree Business City office opens
[1]New Singapore facilities add control rooms, social-media production capacity, and a small studio.
- 2019
Asia Squawk Box returns to Singapore
[1]The flagship regional morning program returns to Singapore with a new anchor lineup.
- 2010
Move to Singapore Exchange studio
[1]The channel relocates to a new Singapore Exchange studio as part of a broader programming revision.
- 2007
Sydney studio opens
[1]CNBC Asia expands its Australian presence with a Sydney bureau, studio, and additional Australia-focused programming.
- 2005
Dow Jones exits joint ventures
[1]Dow Jones withdraws from its CNBC joint ventures, leaving CNBC Asia under NBC Universal ownership at the time.
- 2001
Localized market tickers introduced
[1]CNBC Asia introduces localized ticker information for viewers in Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
- 1999
Indian partnership develops
[1]CNBC works with TV18 as its Indian partner, leading to CNBC India, later CNBC TV18.
- 1998
Asia Business News merger takes effect
[1]The merged operation begins broadcasting, relocates its principal base to Singapore, and temporarily uses the CNBC–Asia Business News name.
Products and positioning
A pan-Asian, English-language business-news service combining local reporting from major regional financial centers with global CNBC programming and market coverage.
Live business-news program · 2003
Squawk Box Asia
CNBC Asia's flagship regional morning market program. It provides live coverage of Asian market openings, interviews with executives and policymakers, and analysis of overnight developments from the United States and Europe. The program has been expanded, shortened, relocated, and re-anchored at different points in the channel's history, reflecting changes in the regional trading day and production strategy.
Business interview program
Managing Asia
A weekly interview program centered on senior business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and other influential figures in Asian commerce. Presented by Christine Tan, it supports CNBC Asia's focus on management, corporate strategy, regional economies, and the decisions shaping companies operating across Asia.
Market recap program · 2025
US Markets Edition
A program introduced in the 2025 schedule revision that summarizes and contextualizes the preceding U.S. trading session for audiences beginning the Asian business day. It connects American market performance, corporate news, and economic developments with the agenda facing Asian investors.
Regional business-news program · 2025
The China Connection
A 2025 program focused on China's economy, companies, markets, and links with the wider global business environment. Its introduction reflects the importance of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan coverage within CNBC Asia's regional editorial proposition.
Regional business-news program · 2025
Inside India
A 2025 program dedicated to India's markets, economy, businesses, and investment themes. It extends CNBC Asia's coverage of one of the region's largest and fastest-changing financial markets.
Regional business-news program · 2025
Access: Middle East
A program launched in 2025 to provide business and market coverage from the Middle East, presented from Dubai. Its placement in CNBC Asia's schedule broadens the service's coverage of markets connecting Asia with the Gulf and surrounding regions.
International market program · 2007
Capital Connection
A CNBC Asia-produced program linking the Asian and European trading sessions through market updates, interviews, and analysis. It ran from 2007 until its replacement by Access Middle East in April 2025.
Australian market program · 2007
Squawk Australia
An Australia-focused market-opening program created as part of CNBC Asia's Sydney expansion. It provided coverage of Australian equities, companies, commodities, and economic news before being cancelled during the 2010 schedule changes.
Brand decisions
2025
Reorganize weekday programmingProduct launchBackground
CNBC Asia updated its schedule to provide more explicitly segmented coverage of the U.S. session, China, India, and the Middle East.
Action taken
The channel introduced US Markets Edition, The China Connection, Inside India, and Access Middle East.
Aftermath
The revised lineup reinforced CNBC Asia's role as a regional market service while extending its geographic coverage beyond the traditional Asia-Pacific core.
2010
Relocate to Singapore Exchange studioStrategyBackground
CNBC Asia sought to align its production infrastructure more closely with Singapore's financial markets and revise its regional schedule.
Action taken
The channel moved to a studio at the Singapore Exchange and adjusted its lineup, including cancelling Squawk Australia and expanding Asia Squawk Box.
Aftermath
Singapore remained the principal production center while the channel continued to use bureaus and studios in other regional markets.
2007
Expand Australian productionStrategyBackground
Australia was an important regional financial market and a significant audience market for CNBC's Asia-Pacific service.
Action taken
CNBC Asia opened a Sydney bureau and studio and introduced Australia-focused programs including Squawk Australia, Trading Matters, and Australia This Week.
Aftermath
The move increased local Australian coverage and enabled opt-outs from the pan-Asian feed, although some Australian programs were later cancelled or restructured.
1998
Merge with Asia Business NewsM&ABackground
NBC and Dow Jones sought to consolidate financially pressured Asian and European business-news operations and combine their editorial and distribution resources.
Action taken
Asia Business News was merged into CNBC Asia, with the combined operation relocating to Singapore and retaining the CNBC identity after a transitional period.
Aftermath
The merger established Singapore as CNBC Asia's main base, changed its staffing and schedule, and created a platform for later partnerships in India and across the region.
- Bloomberg Television Asia-Pacific — Bloomberg later took over channel space associated with the former Asia Business News operation and hired some staff affected by the consolidation.
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