43 h. ago Economist Huang Yiping floats Hong Kong as stablecoin staging ground

Issuing a stablecoin pegged to the offshore yuan in Hong Kong may be more feasible than in mainland China due to the latter’s capital controls, a central bank adviser has said. The comments from Huang Yiping, also dean of Peking University’s National School of Development, came as worries arise in Beijing’s policy circles that Washington could gain an upper hand through the cryptocurrency offshoot as a means of consolidating US dollar dominance. “As China’s capital account is not fully...

Politics

48 h. ago China’s central bank seeks European lenders’ advice on low interest rates

China’s central bank seeks European lenders’ advice on low interest rates  Financial Times

Politics

67 h. ago The world is going all in on stablecoins. Is China’s digital yuan any different?

When South Korea reportedly halted its digital currency pilot programme this week in favour of stablecoins – cryptocurrencies pegged to a reference asset, typically a fiat currency – it sent shock waves through central banks across the world. It also left China – a pioneer in central bank-backed digital currencies with its digital yuan, or e-CNY – with an important question to answer, namely whether it should continue to explore such digital assets or revisit the possibility of adopting the...

Politics

4 d. ago China’s manufacturing activity shrinks for third straight month

China’s manufacturing activity shrinks for third straight month  Financial Times

Politics

7 d. ago China's central bank pledges to speed up policy response to economic conditions

China's central bank pledges to speed up policy response to economic conditions  Reuters

Economics

8 d. ago Hong Kong home prices post tiny gain in April, raising hope of slump’s end

Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices posted a small gain for the second straight month in May, according to official data, fortifying hopes of a sustained recovery in the city’s property market. An official index measuring secondary home prices inched up by 0.03 per cent in May from a month earlier, the Rating and Valuation Department said on Thursday. In April, the gauge rose 0.35 per cent from March. In the first five months of the year, second-hand home prices declined by 0.9 per cent. They are...

Economics

8 d. ago Hong Kong home prices post tiny gain in May, raising hope of slump’s end

Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices posted a small gain for the second straight month in May, according to official data, fortifying hopes of a sustained recovery in the city’s property market. An official index measuring secondary home prices inched up by 0.03 per cent in May from a month earlier, the Rating and Valuation Department said on Thursday. In April, the gauge rose 0.35 per cent from March. In the first five months of the year, second-hand home prices declined by 0.9 per cent. They are...

Economics

9 d. ago China’s central bank doubles down on financing support to boost consumption

China is doubling down on its efforts to encourage domestic consumption, with the central government and the country’s wealthiest province rolling out policies aimed at providing structural financial support and on-the-ground incentives. Continued policy support is crucial to keep China’s domestic consumption afloat as trade uncertainties and unemployment pressures persist, analysts said. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said on Tuesday that a 500 billion yuan (US$69.68 billion) relending quota...

Economics

2 w. ago China’s Central Bank Seeks Bigger Role for Yuan on Global Stage

China’s Central Bank Seeks Bigger Role for Yuan on Global Stage  WSJ

Politics

2 w. ago Mainland China, Hong Kong launching Payment Connect scheme to aid capital flows

China’s central bank is launching a new connect programme with Hong Kong to facilitate cross-border payments – Beijing’s latest move to open up its financial sector and also leverage the southern financial centre to better connect with the rest of the world. The Payment Connect programme will link the mainland’s Internet Banking Payment System and Hong Kong’s Faster Payment System (FPS), allowing users to make payments and wire money faster and more conveniently. The programme will begin on...

Politics

2 w. ago China’s central bank chief expects new global currency order

China’s central bank chief expects new global currency order  Financial Times

Politics

3 w. ago China’s consumer prices fall for fourth month amid weak demand, trade tensions

China’s consumer prices declined for a fourth straight month in May, highlighting persistent deflationary pressures driven by sluggish demand and trade tensions with the United States, which are compounding inventory strains for manufacturers. The national consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of inflation, fell 0.1 per cent year on year last month, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday. The figure beat market expectations after a poll by financial provider...

Events

3 w. ago China's central bank buys gold for seventh straight month in May

China's central bank buys gold for seventh straight month in May  CNBC

Economics