https://www.scmp.com/rss/16611/feed Latest developments in personal finance, with a focus on investing and markets en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s healthcare sector has been drawing offshore capital to Hong Kong-listed stocks as investors look for safe havens amid global volatility in commodities. The Hang Seng Healthcare Index, tracking some of China’s most innovative pharmaceutical companies including Akeso and Innovent Biologics, has surged about 13 per cent since March 23, outpacing the benchmark Hang Seng Index’s about 6 per cent gain over the same period. “Although the Middle East conflict has created a lot of uncertainty and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital have agreed to invest in Vietnam’s cryptocurrency trading platform CAEX, a move the exchange said would give it enough capital to join the country’s regulated pilot scheme for digital asset trading. The combined capital injection from OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital, which would be deployed in April, aimed to help CAEX – officially known as Vietnam Prosperity Cryptocurrency Asset Exchange Joint Stock Company – reach the minimum charter capital threshold of 10... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Investment banking fees across Asia-Pacific excluding Japan reached US$5.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, with China’s Citic Securities ranking as the region’s top earner. The total in the first three months fell 5 per cent from a year earlier, as growth in equity capital markets underwriting was offset by weaker debt capital market and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, according to an LSEG Data and Analytics report on Thursday. Helped by strong fees from its bond underwriting... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349487/citic-tops-asia-pacific-banking-fees-mainland-china-and-hong-kong-ipos-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349487/citic-tops-asia-pacific-banking-fees-mainland-china-and-hong-kong-ipos-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US dollar-denominated funds could face more hurdles when investing in Chinese tech and biotech companies as Beijing adopts a stricter approach to companies seeking listings via offshore incorporated vehicles. Indicative of Chinese regulators’ caution in overseeing sensitive industries, industry sources say the move ensures that any sale of assets does not escape regulatory scrutiny. And for any offshore incorporated structures that are approved, the stock regulator requires listing applicants to... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences agreed to buy Ouro Medicines, which is developing an antibody-based medicine for autoimmune diseases licensed from China’s Keymed Biosciences, in a deal worth up to US$2.18 billion. Gilead Sciences is among a group of global drug makers facing patent expirations and turning to mergers, acquisitions and licensing deals to refill their drug pipelines. Under the agreement, Gilead Sciences would pay shareholders of US-based Ouro Medicines US$1.675 billion... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347693/rights-antibody-drug-chinas-keymed-change-hands-gilead-acquisition-ouro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347693/rights-antibody-drug-chinas-keymed-change-hands-gilead-acquisition-ouro?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:51:07 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao The US-Israel war with Iran is rapidly reshaping global investment strategies, with fund managers slashing risk exposure and hoarding cash at the fastest pace since the Covid-19 pandemic, as rising geopolitical tensions and inflation fears replace artificial intelligence trade as the market’s top concerns, according to Bank of America (BofA). Investor sentiment fell to a six-month low in March, while average cash allocations jumped to 4.3 per cent from 3.4 per cent a month earlier – the biggest... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347009/iran-conflict-drives-fund-managers-slash-risk-and-hoard-cash-bofa-survey-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347009/iran-conflict-drives-fund-managers-slash-risk-and-hoard-cash-bofa-survey-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:35:36 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The wealth management businesses of Chinese investment banks in Hong Kong are growing faster than those of international rivals, as a buoyant initial public offering (IPO) market and rising cross-border flows strengthen their competitive edge. “Chinese investment banks are seeing accelerated growth … because [their] base is smaller and the current market environment favours them,” said Wang Lei, CEO of Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong), in an interview with the South China Morning Post,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346865/chinese-banks-outpace-rivals-hong-kong-wealth-growth-ipo-boom-capital-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346865/chinese-banks-outpace-rivals-hong-kong-wealth-growth-ipo-boom-capital-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese contract drug makers – including WuXi AppTec, WuXi Biologics and WuXi XDC – face a less certain long-term revenue outlook as US pharmaceutical companies bring production in-house and reconfigure supply chains amid rising US-China tensions. While near-term earnings remained largely locked in, visibility beyond that was limited, according to Cui Cui, head of healthcare research for Asia at Jefferies. “Earnings visibility for 2026 and 2027 is still very strong – revenue momentum is largely... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346911/us-reshoring-drive-casts-shadow-over-chinas-contract-drug-makers-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346911/us-reshoring-drive-casts-shadow-over-chinas-contract-drug-makers-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:48:41 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang More than 10 loss-making biotechnology companies have filed for Hong Kong stock exchange listings this year, bringing cutting-edge drugs and artificial intelligence-powered drug discovery platforms to market, as the city’s bourse presses ahead with reforms aimed at supporting the real economy. The latest applications came as healthcare and biotechnology equity capital market activity – stock sales by companies and their shareholders – in Hong Kong reached US$15.6 billion last year, the second... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346710/hong-kong-attracts-wave-biotech-ipo-filings-amid-ai-drug-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346710/hong-kong-attracts-wave-biotech-ipo-filings-amid-ai-drug-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:07:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang In a landmark development, Neuracle Medical Technology has secured the country’s first-ever approval for an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) system designed to restore hand motor function in patients with spinal cord injuries, in a regulatory milestone that underscores China’s accelerating push in neurotechnology. China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, are gaining momentum as regulatory support and fresh capital fuel growth. Shares of BCI companies... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:30:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong family offices are showing rising demand for risk-management products, services and advisory support amid growing geopolitical and market uncertainty, according to an affiliate of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). “We see a general trend that demand for risk-management products and services has been rising, and family offices are strengthening these functions year after year,” said Enoch Fung, CEO of the Hong Kong Academy of Finance and executive director of the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346124/hong-kong-family-offices-take-long-view-despite-iran-tensions-hkma-affiliate-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346124/hong-kong-family-offices-take-long-view-despite-iran-tensions-hkma-affiliate-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:45:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland Chinese investors can now buy shares in more than a dozen newly added Hong Kong-listed biotech and pharmaceutical companies after a reshuffle of the Stock Connect southbound trading list took effect on Monday, reflecting the sector’s growing role on the international stage. Foreign capital, however, remained cautious, analysts said. “Mainland buyers have been the main force behind the latest healthcare rally. They tend to chase smaller-cap names where a tight free float makes it easier... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346016/china-investors-energise-hong-kong-biotech-stocks-foreign-money-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346016/china-investors-energise-hong-kong-biotech-stocks-foreign-money-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The pace and size of outlicensing deals between Chinese drug makers and global partners have accelerated this year, highlighted by two agreements announced this week, each worth more than US$1 billion. The string of deals shows how China is becoming a sought-after source of drug candidates for multinational pharmaceutical companies, which are increasingly looking for long-term partnerships rather than one-off arrangements, analysts said. The latest deals, Sino Biopharmaceutical’s agreement with... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345404/china-outlicensing-tops-us52-billion-first-two-months-rise-global-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345404/china-outlicensing-tops-us52-billion-first-two-months-rise-global-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:30:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the eighth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. Investors are watching Beijing’s annual “two sessions” this week for signs that the country will address drug pricing and shore up its drug payment system, as a new form of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345310/healthcare-investors-keeping-eye-two-sessions-clarity-drug-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345310/healthcare-investors-keeping-eye-two-sessions-clarity-drug-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:44:27 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed mainland Chinese pharmaceutical companies are on track to deliver full-year profits, as surging drug sales and lucrative out-licensing deals with global partners start to pay off after years of research and development outlay. “Despite domestic challenges, particularly drug pricing pressure, the earnings performance of innovative drugs should still fare well in China in 2025,” said Tony Ren, head of Asia Healthcare Research at Macquarie Capital. Innovent Biologics, the first... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344928/hong-kong-listed-chinese-drug-firms-set-turn-corner-rising-sales-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344928/hong-kong-listed-chinese-drug-firms-set-turn-corner-rising-sales-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 04:00:22 +0000 Julie Zhang,Yulu Ao Julie Zhang,Yulu Ao Until last year, Fidelity International’s most significant cornerstone commitments on the Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) market dated back to 2021, when Chinese short-video platform Kuaishou Technology raised US$5.4 billion and healthcare firm Medlive Technology completed a US$543.4 million listing. Then for the next four years, the asset manager went quiet. Late last year it returned to Chinese assets in force. It backed gold miner Zijin Gold International’s US$3.2 billion listing in... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3344890/big-cornerstone-comeback-whats-driving-investors-back-hong-kong-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3344890/big-cornerstone-comeback-whats-driving-investors-back-hong-kong-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 02:00:57 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang When an ibuprofen dance challenge went viral on the Chinese social media platform Douyin in late 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic, shares of the country’s leading ibuprofen maker surged more than 200 per cent in two weeks. Now profits at Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical are plunging, and it is not alone, as drug makers are hit by oversupply and weakening demand. The net profit at Shandong Xinhua, a leading manufacturer and exporter of fever and pain medicines, including ibuprofen, fell 26 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344097/viral-dance-challenge-lifted-chinese-ibuprofen-makers-shares-now-they-are-languishing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344097/viral-dance-challenge-lifted-chinese-ibuprofen-makers-shares-now-they-are-languishing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Unisplendour Corporation, a subsidiary of state-backed Tsinghua Holdings, has scrapped its Hong Kong listing plan that had been in the works for nearly a year. The Shenzhen-listed company said in an exchange filing on Wednesday that its board had voted to terminate the proposed share issuance on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The termination would not have any “significant impact” on its business operations, the statement added. Simultaneously, Unisplendour announced plans to raise up to 5.57... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343228/shenzhen-listed-unisplendour-abandons-year-long-effort-raise-funds-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343228/shenzhen-listed-unisplendour-abandons-year-long-effort-raise-funds-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:37 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s state-backed investors are stepping up funding for artificial intelligence-driven drug developers as Beijing pushes for technological self-reliance, with at least one company already advancing an AI-designed therapy into late-stage clinical trials. Hangzhou-based METiS TechBio, founded in 2020, raised 400 million yuan (US$57.9 million) in series D financing in August last year, led by the Beijing Medical and Health Industry Investment Fund and the Daxing Industrial Investment Fund – both... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343151/capital-injection-china-backs-ai-drug-makers-self-reliance-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343151/capital-injection-china-backs-ai-drug-makers-self-reliance-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese healthcare companies are looking to expand overseas to serve Chinese communities in regions such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where many mainland companies are setting up operations across sectors. “A wide range of Chinese companies are expanding overseas,” setting up local operations and bringing Chinese employees with them, said Philip Wang, CEO of Distinct Healthcare Holdings, in an interview on Monday. “Chinese expatriate workers are often not familiar with the local... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343106/chinese-healthcare-firms-expand-overseas-support-growing-expat-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343106/chinese-healthcare-firms-expand-overseas-support-growing-expat-community?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 01:00:34 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Investors in mainland China raised their stakes in Hong Kong-listed drug makers through the cross-border trading link over the past week, as a wave of out-licensing deals between the country’s pharmaceutical firms and global partners rolls on. The Hang Seng Southbound Connect Hong Kong Innovative Drug Index, which tracks around 40 of the largest Hong Kong-listed Chinese drug manufacturers, biotech researchers and AI-driven drug developers by market capitalisation, rose about 8 per cent between... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343011/chinese-investors-pour-hong-kong-listed-drug-stocks-international-deals-multiply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343011/chinese-investors-pour-hong-kong-listed-drug-stocks-international-deals-multiply?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:18 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Stock exchanges in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing – the three major bourses in mainland China – announced a package of measures on Monday to fast-track fundraising for cutting-edge firms amid the country’s self-reliance push in tech. The three operators said they would shorten waiting periods for listed technology firms filing for refinancing or post-initial-public-offering (IPO) fundraising activities, cutting the refinancing interval to as little as six months, according to state news agency... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343000/china-slashes-wait-times-loss-making-tech-firms-seeking-refinancing-fundraising?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343000/china-slashes-wait-times-loss-making-tech-firms-seeking-refinancing-fundraising?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:26:47 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A unit of Fosun Pharma has struck a US$1.55 billion deal to license its home-grown cancer drug to Japan’s Eisai, adding to a wave of out-licensing agreements that are channelling billions of dollars into Chinese novel drug development. The deal comes as Chinese novel drug makers are having more say in how their new medicines are developed with global partners, shifting from simple one-off licensing fees, where a company is paid for granting rights to its drug, to long-term collaborations. Under... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342652/fosun-pharmas-us155-billion-eisai-deal-signals-shift-long-term-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342652/fosun-pharmas-us155-billion-eisai-deal-signals-shift-long-term-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:00:15 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Cathy Zhang, head of Asia-Pacific equity capital markets at Morgan Stanley, sounded hoarse after a day of back-to-back meetings with companies keen to go public in Hong Kong. “It’s very possible that the value and number may exceed last year’s IPO figures, given the momentum we have seen in January,” Zhang said in an interview on January 30. Nearly 100 companies filed for stock offerings in the city last month, more than triple the same period in 2025, a year which saw Hong Kong crowned as the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342365/morgan-stanley-sees-another-record-year-hong-kong-ipos-pipeline-hits-450?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342365/morgan-stanley-sees-another-record-year-hong-kong-ipos-pipeline-hits-450?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:30:38 +0000 Julie Zhang,Themis Qi Julie Zhang,Themis Qi Another gold fund in mainland China suspended new investments as precious metals extended a plunge on Monday, heightening dilemmas for investors. The Harvest Gold Securities Investment Fund, a listed open-ended fund (LOF) investing in gold-related products, said it would suspend new investments from Tuesday until further notice. The fund manager said it aimed to ensure stable operation and protect the interests of unit holders. On Wednesday, E Fund Management’s E Fund Gold Theme LOF also closed... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342079/gut-check-time-how-chinese-gold-and-silver-investors-assess-metals-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342079/gut-check-time-how-chinese-gold-and-silver-investors-assess-metals-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:30:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang As Chinese biotech and pharmaceutical firms gain importance on the global stage, foreign investors from sovereign wealth funds to industry players are securing strategic stakes in their future success. International institutional investors have built up significant positions in Chinese biotech firms over the past decade. These positions often approach, and in some cases exceed, the 5 per cent disclosure threshold for substantial shareholders in Hong Kong. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340801/revealed-global-funds-blackrock-temasek-back-chinas-largest-biotech-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340801/revealed-global-funds-blackrock-temasek-back-chinas-largest-biotech-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Shanghai-based Harbour BioMed’s acquisition of a stake in US-based Spruce Biosciences is the latest example of China’s novel drug developers progressing from one-time licensing deals into long-lasting equity partnerships with overseas partners. The deal, detailed in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Monday, also showed Chinese firms’ growing clout on the global pharmaceutical stage, analysts said. “The coming years will see more Chinese biotech firms engaging in equity investments and joint... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340489/harbour-biomed-stake-us-drug-firm-spruce-shows-chinese-firms-growing-clout-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340489/harbour-biomed-stake-us-drug-firm-spruce-shows-chinese-firms-growing-clout-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:30:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China has emerged as a credible challenger to the US in artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery, where advantage depends not only on computing prowess but also on the ability to effectively mine data, from genomes to clinical trial results, according to Leung Chuen-yan, a private equity investor and life sciences scientist. “Globally, the way companies develop and use AI to discover drugs is similar, from finding the drug target and designing the molecule to planning clinical trials,” said... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340403/china-challenges-us-ai-drug-race-rivals-still-reliant-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340403/china-challenges-us-ai-drug-race-rivals-still-reliant-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed logistics giant SF Holding and J&T Global Express announced a cross-shareholding agreement worth HK$8.3 billion (US$1.06 billion) on Thursday, as Chinese companies accelerate overseas expansion amid growing cross-border e-commerce demand across Asia. The deal will see SF Holding, Asia’s largest integrated logistics provider, acquire an 8.45 per cent stake in J&T for about HK$8.3 billion, while J&T will buy 4.29 per cent of SF Holding’s enlarged share capital for the same amount,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3339972/logistics-giants-sf-holding-jt-strike-us1-billion-deal-asian-e-commerce-booms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3339972/logistics-giants-sf-holding-jt-strike-us1-billion-deal-asian-e-commerce-booms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:45:36 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A partnership between China’s SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals and Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis on Monday has revived hopes for treating Alzheimer’s disease, which affects some 55 million people worldwide and could cost the global economy US$2.8 trillion by 2030. The deal, worth nearly US$1.7 billion, grants Novartis exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise SciNeuro’s antibody candidates to develop drugs for the progressive brain disease. SciNeuro’s novel amyloid beta targeted... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339691/chinas-scineuro-novartis-sign-us17-billion-licensing-deal-develop-alzheimers-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339691/chinas-scineuro-novartis-sign-us17-billion-licensing-deal-develop-alzheimers-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:11:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Foreign and mainland Chinese drug makers are fighting for a multibillion-dollar slice of the domestic weight-loss market by slashing prices by as much as 80 per cent, as China faces a worsening obesity crisis. Competition in the sector, dominated by global pharmaceutical giants Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, intensified after both secured obesity-drug approvals in China in 2024. The landscape is set to shift further when the patent on Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide expires in March in China, opening... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339544/chinas-weight-loss-drug-war-prices-slashed-80-obesity-crisis-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339544/chinas-weight-loss-drug-war-prices-slashed-80-obesity-crisis-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 23:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) manufacturers are gearing up to go public in Hong Kong, aiming to tap the market for international expansion. TCM firms have joined the queue for initial public offerings (IPOs) in the city to test foreign investors’ appetite for their shares. The latest to join the queue are Sichuan Neautus Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hong Kong-based Herb Standard. “Hong Kong will serve as our hub for capital, research and development, as well as international... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3339194/mainland-chinese-medicine-firms-tap-hong-kong-capital-fuel-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3339194/mainland-chinese-medicine-firms-tap-hong-kong-capital-fuel-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:40:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese drug makers’ licensing deals more than doubled in 2025 from a year earlier to a record high, propelled by dozens of multibillion-dollar agreements between Hong Kong and mainland China-listed firms and global pharmaceutical giants. Last year, 157 out-licensing deals worth US$135.7 billion were signed, compared with 94 transactions worth US$51.9 billion in 2024, state media reported, citing data released by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), China’s drugs regulator, last... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339011/chinese-drug-makers-strike-record-us136-billion-out-licensing-deals-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339011/chinese-drug-makers-strike-record-us136-billion-out-licensing-deals-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Irina Zhou’s five-year-old cat has gained about a kilogram every year for the past three years. She knows the extra weight puts her pet at risk of obesity-related diseases and could even shorten his life. “My parents just can’t bear to see the cat go hungry,” the 29-year-old Zhou said. “If the weight starts to affect his health, I might consider trying weight-loss medicines for him.” The idea of using obesity drugs for pets drew public attention after Fosun Pharma’s unit Yao Pharma signed a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338820/meow-or-never-chinas-pudgy-pets-spark-race-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338820/meow-or-never-chinas-pudgy-pets-spark-race-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese investment bank Citic Securities took the top position for overall investment banking fees in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, in 2025, driven by its strong business performance in bond and initial public offering (IPO) underwriting, according to a report released on Tuesday by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). The Beijing-based brokerage generated US$1.45 billion in investment banking fees during the last year, accounting for 5.8 per cent of the total Asia-Pacific investment banking... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338888/citic-securities-tops-asia-pacific-investment-banking-ranks-us145-billion-fees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338888/citic-securities-tops-asia-pacific-investment-banking-ranks-us145-billion-fees?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:01:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong’s biotech fundraising momentum is expected to extend into 2026, as licensing deals and strong post-initial public offering (IPO) trading last year persuaded investors that China’s drug developers are worth backing again – even before they generate revenue. “Chinese innovation drugs expanding into overseas markets have become the industry mainstream, indicating the domestic innovation sector has entered its harvest phase,” said Felix Huang, head of equity at Oakwise Capital. “New trends... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338714/biology-winter-thaws-why-investors-are-piling-hong-kongs-biotech-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338714/biology-winter-thaws-why-investors-are-piling-hong-kongs-biotech-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:00:22 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Biotech firm Insilico Medicine, backed by the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), is building a “digital Einstein” to revolutionise how scientists discover new medicines, and plans to continue expanding its research base in China to stay ahead of global rivals after its Hong Kong listing on Tuesday. “Biotechnology is a high-risk field like a ‘molecular casino’,” said founder Alex Zhavoronkov. “Even with artificial intelligence, you can lose 90 per cent of the time.” The 11-year-old company... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337942/china-vital-insilicos-plan-build-biotechs-ai-einstein-drug-discovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337942/china-vital-insilicos-plan-build-biotechs-ai-einstein-drug-discovery?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 02:13:46 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese drugmakers have signed a late-year burst of out-licensing agreements with overseas partners, underlining China’s growing role as a source of novel medicines as multinational pharma groups hunt for new assets. Jacobio Pharmaceuticals said it expected to receive an upfront payment of US$100 million from AstraZeneca, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on December 21. The British-Swedish drugmaker was paying for exclusive rights to research, develop, register, manufacture... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337756/chinas-rising-biotech-clout-show-flurry-billion-dollar-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337756/chinas-rising-biotech-clout-show-flurry-billion-dollar-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 02:47:50 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Guy Bradley will take the helm at Cathay Pacific Airways and Swire Coca-Cola – two of Swire Pacific’s flagship operations in Hong Kong – in May next year, succeeding Patrick Healy who will retire from the group after more than three decades of service. Currently serving as chairman of Swire Pacific, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) and Swire Properties, Bradley will expand his leadership portfolio to encompass the conglomerate’s airline and bottling operations, according to a Swire Pacific announcement... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337540/swire-pacifics-guy-bradley-take-reins-hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-swire-coca-cola?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337540/swire-pacifics-guy-bradley-take-reins-hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-swire-coca-cola?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:12:45 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Three in four multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in mainland China have maintained or increased their investments in 2025, according to a recent KPMG survey, despite Washington stepping up efforts to decouple from Beijing and its allies following suit. The survey published on Monday, polling 137 senior executives from global companies operating in the world’s second-largest economy between June and September, revealed that only 1 per cent reported preparing to exit the market. About 20... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337381/global-firms-turn-ma-evs-and-biotech-deepen-china-investment-kpmg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337381/global-firms-turn-ma-evs-and-biotech-deepen-china-investment-kpmg?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:30:22 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong is putting gold at the centre of its push to become a global commodities trading hub, with officials prioritising plans for an international gold trading centre alongside a broader strategy to expand the city’s role in physical trade, derivatives and logistics. The government’s newly formed Commodity Strategy Committee held its first meeting on Monday under Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, as Hong Kong looked to build out a commodities ecosystem that would generate new growth... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337366/gold-takes-centre-stage-hong-kong-launches-committee-build-commodities-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337366/gold-takes-centre-stage-hong-kong-launches-committee-build-commodities-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 11:11:01 +0000 Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu If pharmaceutical drug patents are an hourglass turned over on the day of approval – with the approaching loss of exclusivity known in the industry as the “patent cliff” – then Big Pharma is currently watching the final grains of sand slipping through the neck of the glass. At the bottom of the hourglass awaits an unforgiving world of generic and biosimilar competition. Between 2025 and 2030, the patent cliff is set to be one of the biggest since 2010 by revenue at risk, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang More Chinese artificial intelligence firms and chipmakers are turning to Hong Kong for fundraising, testing the appetite of global investors following stellar onshore debuts of graphics processing unit (GPU) developers Moore Threads Technology and MetaX Integrated Circuits. GigaDevice Semiconductor is a step closer to its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) after passing a listing hearing, according to bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). The company is expected to... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337055/tech-pivot-chinese-ai-chip-start-ups-court-global-investors-hong-kong-listing-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337055/tech-pivot-chinese-ai-chip-start-ups-court-global-investors-hong-kong-listing-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China International Capital Corporation (CICC) has unveiled details of its merger with two smaller state-owned rivals that will create an entity with combined assets of more than 900 billion yuan (US$127.8 billion). The Beijing-based investment bank will issue some 3.1 billion new A shares at 36.91 yuan to acquire all outstanding shares in Dongxing Securities and Cinda Securities to facilitate the merger, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday. Shares of CICC rose 3.7... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3336915/chinese-brokerage-cicc-announces-share-swap-merger-details-dongxing-and-cinda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3336915/chinese-brokerage-cicc-announces-share-swap-merger-details-dongxing-and-cinda?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:30:14 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong MetaX Integrated Circuits soared on its trading debut in Shanghai as investors piled into the second Chinese producer of graphics processing units (GPUs) to go public this month amid optimism about China’s push for self-sufficiency in semiconductors and artificial intelligence. The shares of the Shanghai-based company surged 693 per cent from the offer price to 829.90 yuan at the close on Wednesday on the technology-heavy Star Market, making the five-year-old company the third-best performing... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336690/metax-soars-frenzied-debut-traders-snap-second-chinese-gpu-maker-go-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336690/metax-soars-frenzied-debut-traders-snap-second-chinese-gpu-maker-go-public?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:28:14 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland China’s 17 million Alzheimer’s patients can, for the first time, pay less out of pocket for a costly drug touted as “historic” and “the beginning of the end” for the memory-robbing disease after Beijing launched a commercial insurance innovative drug list in an effort to make medicines more accessible and affordable. Leqembi, developed by Japan’s Eisai and costing a mainland Chinese patient about US$28,400 a year, could see its price cut by half after it was added to the inaugural... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336397/chinas-new-drug-insurance-lifeline-patients-or-squeeze-big-pharmaceutical-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336397/chinas-new-drug-insurance-lifeline-patients-or-squeeze-big-pharmaceutical-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A Chinese biopharmaceutical firm has sealed a global licensing deal valued at up to US$1.44 billion, the second in a week, as a wave of cross-border tie-ups shows no sign of abating despite headwinds from the US Biosecure Act. Shanghai Scizeng Medical Technology, a unit of Changchun High-Tech Industry, has agreed to grant US-based Yarrow Bioscience exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise GenSci098, an injectable therapy for thyroid eye disease and Graves’ disease, both... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336609/chinese-biotech-scizengs-global-licensing-deal-yield-us144-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3336609/chinese-biotech-scizengs-global-licensing-deal-yield-us144-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:47:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Six major lenders in Hong Kong, including three note-issuing banks – HSBC, Standard Chartered and Bank of China (Hong Kong) – have kept their prime lending and savings rates unchanged, even though the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) lowered the base rate on Thursday. Analysts said commercial banks found it difficult to reduce lending rates further because savings rates were already close to zero, meaning any cut in prime lending rates alone would erode profitability. Hong Kong banks set... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3335973/hong-kong-pares-base-rate-salve-borrowers-split-fed-signals-fewer-cuts-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3335973/hong-kong-pares-base-rate-salve-borrowers-split-fed-signals-fewer-cuts-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:30:27 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer has agreed to pay up to US$2.1 billion to Shanghai-based Fosun Pharma’s unit Yao Pharma for an experimental oral obesity drug, underscoring the growing trend of Chinese drug makers selling early-stage assets to global multinationals. Under the licensing agreement, Yao Pharma would grant Pfizer an exclusive worldwide licence for the development, use, manufacturing and commercialisation of oral small-molecule drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, including... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3335836/chinas-fosun-pharma-unit-strikes-us21-billion-obesity-drug-deal-pfizer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3335836/chinas-fosun-pharma-unit-strikes-us21-billion-obesity-drug-deal-pfizer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:15:14 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has launched its first equity index tracking Hong Kong-listed technology companies, underscoring the city’s ongoing shift from a market long dominated by property and finance towards innovation-driven growth. Unveiled on Tuesday, the HKEX Tech 100 Index tracks 100 large-cap and mid-cap companies spanning artificial intelligence, biotech and pharmaceuticals, electric vehicles and smart driving, information technology, internet, and robotics. Biotech... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3335684/hong-kong-launches-hkex-tech-100-index-pivot-towards-innovation-driven-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3335684/hong-kong-launches-hkex-tech-100-index-pivot-towards-innovation-driven-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 03:33:10 +0000