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Fitch Ratings

Fitch Ratings: A prominent entity in the financial services sector, Fitch Ratings is one of the "Big Three" global credit rating agencies. Dual-headquartered in London and New York, with operations in over 30 countries, it specialises in providing credit ratings, commentary, and research. Fitch assesses the creditworthiness of financial instruments, corporations, sovereign entities, and structured finance deals, serving investors, debt issuers, and financial institutions. Its overall business focus is to deliver independent, forward-looking credit opinions to facilitate informed financial decisions.

A worker at Henan Pude New Energy Technology assembling lithium-ion batteries in Sanmenxia city, Henan province, China, on March 12. Photo: Getty Images

China exports

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Manufacturers are expected to see stronger overseas orders even as price wars hurt profits at home.

22 Apr 2026 - 10:00PM

China property

Will AI job fears hurt China’s housing market as they have in the US and India?

19 Apr 2026 - 11:00AM

China property

New home prices in China’s biggest cities record first rise in 10 months

16 Apr 2026 - 3:00PM

China property

Shanghai home sales hit 5-year high in spring surge, outlook stays fragile

Geopolitical tensions weigh on ‘durability of the recovery’, analyst says, as gains expected to diverge across cities and segments.

13 Apr 2026 - 5:39PM

Analysts have expressed caution about how long the rebound in the Shanghai secondary housing market could last. Photo: Getty Images

United States

Popeyes returns to Beijing after 24 years, as global chains eye China growth

Brand aims to open up to 20 stores in Beijing this year after ‘two years of exploration’, mostly in Shanghai, to perfect its model, CEO says.

10 Apr 2026 - 7:00PM

China trade

From chips to MRIs, Iran war puts helium users on edge

Fitch Ratings says helium prices have roughly doubled since conflict began.

27 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

Semiconductors

Korea, Taiwan chip sectors most exposed to helium shortage amid Middle East war

South Korea and Taiwan face the highest risk as they source most of their helium from Qatar, while Japan is seen as relatively stable, Fitch says.

18 Mar 2026 - 4:15PM

An LPG gas tanker is seen in Shinas, Oman, on March 11, as traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Photo: Reuters

Energy

Iran war threatens prolonged energy shock, slower growth for Asia

Observers say an extended disruption of energy flows could mean persistently higher fuel costs and widening trade deficits for Asian importers.

11 Mar 2026 - 9:45PMvideocam

Indonesia

Is Indonesia’s fuel subsidy sustainable as Iran war continues?

Higher oil prices would mean bigger fuel subsidies, piling on the pressure on a budget that is already under investor scrutiny.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:55PMvideocam

China's economic recovery

As Chinese provinces slash revenue outlook, analysts warn of debt control

Local governments seen curbing infrastructure spending as Beijing’s fiscal discipline pushes regions to prioritise social services and tech over large projects.

13 Feb 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

An unfinished construction project is seen in China’s Anhui province. A number of local-level governments that lent to certain real estate and infrastructure projects have had trouble getting paid back amid a property slowdown. Photo: Getty Images

Thailand

Vote recount calls grow in Thailand amid claims of election irregularities

The People’s Party, among others, cites ‘clear evidence of irregularities during the tallying process’, including vote-buying and tampering.

11 Feb 2026 - 5:30PM

A Thai demonstrator holding a banner reading “nationwide vote recount” shouts slogans during a protest at the Office of The Election Commission of Thailand in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

China travel

As diplomatic row drags on, how is Japan coping with a fall in Chinese tourists?

Chinese tourism to Japan has plunged amid a diplomatic feud. But Japan’s travel sector is holding up – and its airlines have even made some gains.

1 Feb 2026 - 11:00AMvideocam

Insurance

China Taiping expects higher profit but Tai Po fire could weigh in 2026

State-owned insurer expects 215 to 225 per cent jump in 2025 net profit due to a gain in investment income, one-off tax impact.

19 Jan 2026 - 8:42PM

Artificial intelligence

Video-generation boom sees China’s Kling AI post US$240 million revenue run rate

Kling AI is widely adopted in the fields of marketing and e-commerce, as well as in films, television and animation, owner Kuaishou says.

14 Jan 2026 - 6:41PM

Kling AI adoption has expanded amid the growing use worldwide of artificial intelligence video tools. Photo: Shutterstock

China property

Property industry an enemy within for Beijing’s economic targets

Ripple effect from further downturn would threaten economic growth and put more developers, workers and even banks at risk, analysts warn.

4 Jan 2026 - 3:30PM

A man walks in front of residential buildings in Beijing on December 15, 2025. Photo: EPA

China property

China Vanke’s managers have no plans to sell shares as firm fights for survival

Vanke, responding to queries from investors, says top managers have not notified it about their intentions so far.

19 Dec 2025 - 7:15PMvideocam

Banking & finance

China’s risky shadow banks back in spotlight after debt crackdown

Entities owned by local governments are borrowing billions from trust companies and leasing firms at rates of 8 per cent or higher, sources say.

5 Dec 2025 - 3:03PM

China property

UBS’ China property optimist retreats from bullish calls, foresees deeper slump

Home prices in mainland China are expected to fall for at least another two years as more people prefer renting over buying, John Lam says.

24 Nov 2025 - 4:34PM

Unfinished buildings in Beijing. Most global banks have dim outlooks for China’s real estate sector, which has been experiencing a renewed sales slump since the second quarter. Photo: EPA

China property

Developer China Vanke reports US$2.3 billion loss amid sales slowdown

Persistent property-market weakness ratchets up pressure on the developer despite increased support from its largest state-owned shareholder.

31 Oct 2025 - 9:47AM

Bonds

China’s Meituan eyes US$3 billion from bond issue as competition heats up

Meituan’s dual-currency bond offering consists of US$1.99 billion in greenback-denominated notes and US$1 billion in yuan-based securities.

30 Oct 2025 - 4:56PM

China property

Embattled Chinese property developer replaces chairman as debt pressures mount

News of a leadership change boosts bonds of China Vanke, which had nearly US$90 billion in liabilities as of September.

13 Oct 2025 - 4:37PM

Xin Jie has resigned as chairman and non-executive director of China Vanke. Photo: Handout

Thailand

Can Thailand’s new PM fix the economy and political woes by January?

Thailand’s PM Anutin Charnvirakul targets cost of living, tourism recovery and border stability in a four-month plan to revive the economy.

29 Sep 2025 - 10:33PMvideocam

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivers the policy statements to the parliament in Bangkok on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Banking & finance

HSBC asks Hang Seng Bank to clean up bad Hong Kong property debt

Move comes after the lender saw an 85 per cent year-on-year jump in impaired Hong Kong real estate loans.

25 Sep 2025 - 2:29PM

Thailand

Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul to dissolve parliament by end of January

A general election will be held in March or early April.

25 Sep 2025 - 12:41PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Li Ka-shing-controlled CK Hutchison’s bond sale gets high rating from Fitch, S&P

The planned notes, the proceeds of which will be used for general corporate purposes, have been rated A- by Fitch and A by S&P Global Ratings.

23 Sep 2025 - 6:25PM

CK Hutchison Holdings’ annual general meeting at the Harbour Grand Kowloon in Hung Hom on May 22, 2025. Photo: Dickson Lee

France

Macron scrambles to find new French PM after government is ousted

President Macron is seeking a fifth prime minister in less than two years after the French government collapsed in a confidence vote.

9 Sep 2025 - 11:26AM

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou before a speech and a confidence vote in Paris on Monday. Photo: TNS

United States

Hiring stalls as US firms hold back expansion amid economic uncertainty

US employers added just 22,000 jobs in August, slowing from July and coming in below economists’ expectations.

5 Sep 2025 - 9:40PMvideocam

China property

Shanghai eases property rules to revive sluggish housing market

Local residents can now own as many flats as they wish outside the city’s outer ring road.

25 Aug 2025 - 1:37PM

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