26 h. ago HSBC to occupy over 40,000 sq ft at Hong Kong’s Capitol Centre in 2026

HSBC is set to occupy more than 40,000 sq ft of space in Capitol Centre in Causeway Bay, as Hong Kong’s largest bank joins a growing list of finance and banking firms snapping up commercial space in the city. The London-headquartered lender signed a five-year lease, which starts May 18, 2026, for five levels – ground plus four floors of the building, according to Land Registry records. The deal was registered in late November. The records did not show the size or rent for the leased space, but...

Events

3 d. ago Hong Kong insurers face profit pressure in aftermath of deadly Tai Po fire

The devastating fire in Tai Po is likely to hurt profitability at Hong Kong’s property insurers and could prompt them to review pricing strategies that have led to lower premiums amid fierce competition, according to S&P Global Ratings. “Claim losses from last week’s fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will further erode the sector’s underwriting margins,” said Emily Yi Chang Yoon, credit analyst at S&P, in a report. The city’s property and casualty insurance companies already faced thinner...

Events

3 d. ago China’s 3SBio seeks US$400 million in Hong Kong to boost drug pipeline

Chinese drug maker 3SBio plans to raise HK$3.12 billion (US$401 million) by selling a 4.14 per cent stake in the company to fund clinical research in China and the US and expand the global reach of its drug portfolio. The Shenyang-based biopharmaceutical firm has agreed to sell 105.1 million new shares at HK$29.62 each. The placing price represents a 6.5 per cent discount compared with Monday’s closing price of HK$31.68, according to its filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. The...

Economics

6 d. ago China central bank facilitates RMB donations to support Hong Kong residential complex fire relief efforts

China central bank facilitates RMB donations to support Hong Kong residential complex fire relief efforts  China Daily - Global Edition

Events

6 d. ago China guides banks, insurers to fully provide financial services after Hong Kong fire

China guides banks, insurers to fully provide financial services after Hong Kong fire  Reuters

Economics

7 d. ago Hong Kong reaps the fruits of fintech seeds sown nearly 10 years ago

When Alvin Kwock, co-founder of digital insurer OneDegree, took part in the inaugural Hong Kong FinTech Week in November 2016, it was held at a venue suitable for only a few hundred people. “As it was the first ever fintech event in Hong Kong, only fintech start-ups were interested, no big financial institutions paid attention,” Kwock said. “People did not have a clear idea of fintech as it was still in an exploratory stage.” In the years since, fintech in Hong Kong has gone through a sea...

Politics

7 d. ago Hong Kong dollar bonds to continue surge after record US$42 billion year

Hong Kong dollar bond issuance is poised to expand, following a record run of offerings, as easing local interest rates attract more issuers while a global diversification trend persists, according to analysts. Total issuance in the city’s currency reached a record HK$331 billion (US$42.6 billion) so far this year, nearly 37 per cent higher than 2024’s full-year total of HK$242 billion. “The Hong Kong dollar bond market will continue to grow over the long term, supported by structural shifts,”...

Economics

8 d. ago Hong Kong insurers liable for payouts of US$334 million related to Tai Po fire

Hong Kong’s insurance sector is expected to face record claims of HK$2.6 billion (US$334 million) related to the deadly fire in Tai Po, the worst in seven decades that claimed 55 lives and seriously damaged seven buildings, according to industry insiders. The fire would lead to a surge in insurance payments for personal and property coverage in the coming year, they said. The Insurance Authority on Thursday set up a special task force led by senior executives to ensure all insurance companies...

Economics

1 week ago Hong Kong pushes local currency use to shield Asia from global uncertainties

Hong Kong is ramping up efforts to expand the use of local currencies across the Asia-Pacific region, including developing a local currency debt market, as part of a push to hedge against rising geopolitical risks, according to Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) CEO Eddie Yue Wai-man. Speaking at the fourth edition of the Asean+3 Economic Cooperation and Financial Stability Forum in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Yue underlined the need to strengthen regional financial ties as Hong Kong and its...

Politics

1 week ago Overheated power bank catches fire on Scoot flight from Hong Kong to Singapore

A small fire triggered by an overheated power bank broke out on a Singapore-bound Scoot flight from Hong Kong over the weekend, but was quickly extinguished by the cabin crew, with no injuries reported. Singapore Airlines’ budget arm Scoot on Sunday confirmed the incident took place on flight TR939, which departed from Hong Kong International Airport for the city state at 5.49pm the day before. A spokesman said that an overheated power bank had caused a small flame in the cabin, which was...

Events

1 week ago Hong Kong’s HK$19 trillion in bank deposits proves safe haven status: Paul Chan

Hong Kong has become a “safe haven for capital” with bank deposits reaching over HK$19 trillion (US$2.4 trillion) this year, while the city’s goods exports have remained resilient despite the tariff war, according to the financial chief. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Sunday highlighted Hong Kong’s financial market performance, noting that the city’s bank deposits rose by 7 per cent last year and another 10 per cent in 2025. “Influenced by the geopolitical landscape, global investors are...

Economics

2 w. ago Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs meets HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has met a delegation led by HSBC Group CEO Georges Elhedery, marking his second meeting with the bank’s leadership in eight months. But the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office did not reveal what was discussed in the meeting between its director, Xia Baolong, and Elhedery in Beijing on Thursday. Xu Qifang, the executive deputy director of the office and veteran HSBC banker Peter Wong Tung-shun had also attended the meeting. During his meeting with group...

Politics

2 w. ago China's central bank to sell bills worth 45 billion yuan in Hong Kong

China's central bank to sell bills worth 45 billion yuan in Hong Kong  Reuters

Economics

2 w. ago Hong Kong lenders tread carefully amid mixed recovery signs: TransUnion

Following the recent rate cut, Hong Kong lenders are cautiously easing household lending as they navigate a recovery that remains uneven and filled with mixed signals, according to credit reference agency TransUnion. In response to the US Federal Reserve’s latest cut, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority – the city’s de facto central bank – reduced its base rate to 4.25 per cent in October, its second decrease this year. That has prompted major banks to lower their prime rates and reduce borrowing...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong banks on influencer Khaby Lame’s global fame to boost tourist numbers

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has leveraged the fame of hundreds of influencers, including Khaby Lame or “Speechless Brother”, the most-followed creator on short-video platform TikTok, to attract more tourists to the city. The board announced on Tuesday that the visit of the Senegalese-Italian had “allowed his global fans to see a different side of Hong Kong”. Lame’s visit formed part of a wider campaign aimed at boosting the city’s appeal to international travellers. According to the HKTB, more...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia set to launch US$1 billion fund, Paul Chan says

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia will launch a US$1 billion fund to help companies from Hong Kong and other cities in the Greater Bay Area expand into the Middle Eastern country, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Tuesday. The move was expected to contribute to the development of non-oil economic sectors in Saudi Arabia, he said. “Next month, a major Saudi development company will be hosting a roadshow in Hong Kong to seek strategic...

Economics

3 w. ago Banker’s family sues clinic of Hong Kong plastic surgeon, 93, over deadly jabs

The family of a top banker who died after receiving botox injections seven years ago has sued the Hong Kong clinic that offered the treatment, extending its founder’s legal woes just as a court earlier discharged him from a manslaughter trial. Franklin WP Li’s Surgery Limited, which operates the Tsim Sha Tsui clinic, has been accused of negligence and breach of duty of care over the use of a combination of sedatives and anaesthetics on Zoe Cheung Shuk-ling on November 11, 2018, according to a...

Events

3 w. ago China’s US$8 billion power bank giant Anker seeks Hong Kong listing

Chinese maker of portable charging devices Anker Innovations, which went viral last year as the preferred power bank of US President Donald Trump, plans to list in Hong Kong amid US scrutiny and recent product recalls. Based in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province, Shenzhen-listed Anker will apply to offer its shares on the main board of the Hong Kong stock exchange, it said in a filing with the Shenzhen bourse, on Wednesday. The move aimed to “further advance the company’s...

Economics

3 w. ago Heidi sets sights on Hong Kong to expand North Asia healthcare footprint

Australian healthcare start-up Heidi plans to open its first North Asia office in Hong Kong this year, aiming to tap opportunities created by the city’s acute doctor shortage and ageing population through its proprietary artificial intelligence platform. Heidi co-founder and CEO Thomas Kelly said Hong Kong would serve as “an important market for us to unlock North Asia”. “We think of China more broadly, but also surrounding countries in the region,” he said. “It will be one of our main areas of...

Politics

3 w. ago Australian biotech firm Heidi joins overseas peers in setting up Hong Kong base

Australian healthcare start-up Heidi plans to open its first North Asia office in Hong Kong this year, aiming to tap opportunities created by the city’s acute doctor shortage and ageing population through its proprietary artificial intelligence platform. Heidi co-founder and CEO Thomas Kelly said Hong Kong would serve as “an important market for us to unlock North Asia”. “We think of China more broadly, but also surrounding countries in the region,” he said. “It will be one of our main areas of...

Politics