34 h. ago A rising stock tide lifts sales of all financial products in Hong Kong

Sales of non-listed investment products soared to a record last year in Hong Kong, as capital poured into mutual funds, debt and equity-lined financial products amid improving market sentiments, underscoring the city’s growth as a financial hub. Sales increased by 40 per cent from 2023 to a record HK$6.07 trillion (US$778.3 billion), according to a survey released on Thursday by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). As many as 1.2 million...

Economics

4 d. ago Hong Kong, 2 mainland Chinese cities named UN body’s top innovation cluster

A cluster of cities comprising Hong Kong and two others from mainland China has been named the world’s top innovation hub, a feat attributed to a new ranking metric that involves venture capital deals, a United Nations body has said. For the first time in five years, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster surpassed Tokyo-Yokohama, Japan, to claim the number one spot in the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) 2025 Global Innovation Index. The result was announced on Monday at the...

Politics

5 d. ago Japan’s property market booms with US$22.8 billion investment surge

Japan’s renewed economic vigour is spurring more investment in its property market, especially the multifamily segment, but the environment presents challenges for investors, according to Hong Kong-based Avatar Capital Partners. The world’s fifth-largest economy was attracting more property investment from both domestic and foreign capital, which required the asset-management firm to be savvy in its investment choices to secure assets, said Angel Li, a founding partner. Avatar said in July that...

Economics

6 d. ago Stock prices are at bubble heights. Who’s sounding the alarm?

How do we know when a stock market boom is about to end in a bust, or when an asset bubble is about to burst? There is little point in looking to market practitioners or analysts for objective answers as they are generally too anxious to preserve their market-linked bonuses. But what about economists – at least those who either still work in academia or for multilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, rather than investment banks? Surely those who have no vested interest in...

Events

7 d. ago Alibaba’s quarterly profit surges 78% on equity investments, disposals

Alibaba Group Holding, China’s e-commerce and cloud computing services giant, on Friday reported a 78 per cent surge in profit for the June quarter, while “robust AI demand” led to 26 per cent revenue growth for its cloud business. Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders advanced 78 per cent to 43.1 billion yuan (US$6 billion) in the period, up from 24.3 billion yuan a year earlier, primarily due to “mark-to-market changes from our equity investments and gains from the disposal of the...

Economics

7 d. ago Alibaba claims win in China’s instant commerce war as quarterly profit rises

Alibaba Group Holding, China’s e-commerce and cloud computing services giant, on Friday reported a 78 per cent surge in profit for the June quarter, while “robust AI demand” led to a 26 per cent revenue growth for its cloud business. Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders advanced 78 per cent to 43.1 billion yuan (US$6 billion) in the period, up from 24.3 billion yuan a year earlier, primarily due to “mark-to-market changes from our equity investments and gains from the disposal of the...

Events

7 d. ago Alibaba confident of winning instant commerce war as quarterly profit rises

Alibaba Group Holding, China’s e-commerce and cloud computing services giant, on Friday reported a 78 per cent surge in profit for the June quarter, while “robust AI demand” led to a 26 per cent revenue growth for its cloud business. Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders advanced 78 per cent to 43.1 billion yuan (US$6 billion) in the period, up from 24.3 billion yuan a year earlier, primarily due to “mark-to-market changes from our equity investments and gains from the disposal of the...

Events

9 d. ago China steps up Belt and Road Initiative funding with focus on Central Asia

Investments under China’s Belt and Road Initiative surged in the first half of the year – particularly for projects in Central Asia related to metals and mining – leading some analysts to conclude Beijing is seeking access to critical natural resources as a precaution against escalatory trade restrictions from the United States. The 150 countries taking part in the global infrastructure initiative received a combined US$124 billion in investments and construction contracts from January to June,...

Politics

9 d. ago From India to Vietnam, Lego bets on Asia’s booming toy market

After posting record half-year sales figures on Wednesday, Lego said it would sustain its momentum by doubling down on the market in Asia. The Danish toymaker announced 34.6 billion kroner (US$5.4 billion) in revenue for the first half of 2025 – higher than those of rivals Mattel and Hasbro, and up from US$4.8 billion for the first half of last year. Consumer sales also increased by 13 per cent. While the toymaker expanded its market share in every major geography, Chief Executive Officer Niels...

Politics

1 week ago Chinese households have amassed record savings. That's now fueling a stock market boom

Chinese households have amassed record savings. That's now fueling a stock market boom  CNBC

Economics

1 week ago How China’s Gen Z sparked a doll fashion craze – and its impact on the economy

A booming market for miniature clothing has become the latest growth driver in China’s “doll economy” – fuelled by Gen Z’s passion for the toys and the emotional comfort they provide. “Loving ball-jointed dolls is as natural as breathing,” said 21-year-old Clementine Cai from Zhejiang. Two years after falling in love with the toys, she had spent over 3,000 yuan (US$417) on outfits alone – a sizeable amount given her roughly 2,000 yuan in monthly expenses. Unlike the wildly popular Labubu vinyl...

Politics

2 w. ago China Gen Z Stocks Surge Anew as Earnings Reignite Investor Buzz

China Gen Z Stocks Surge Anew as Earnings Reignite Investor Buzz  Bloomberg.com

Economics

2 w. ago China’s exports, investments to Global South surge in ‘age of tariffs’: report

China is accelerating its pivot to the Global South to reduce reliance on the United States, potentially creating “a new order of global commerce”, according to a new report. Chinese exports to the Global South – covering most of the developing world – have doubled since 2015, with growth seeing a notable uptick after the US-China trade war during US President Donald Trump’s first term, S&P analysts said on Tuesday. In the past five years, these exports have risen by 65 per cent – tripling the...

Economics

3 w. ago China's Electrification Surge: Reshaping Global Auto Investments and Market Dynamics

China's Electrification Surge: Reshaping Global Auto Investments and Market Dynamics  AInvest

Economics