Boston Federal Reserve president Eric Rosengren says observers should understand that central banks must use their balance sheets to confront potential recession.

Asian stock markets plunged on Monday, with benchmark indices declining from Seoul to Sydney, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged on Friday.

An explosion in eastern China rocked chemical sector stocks on Friday, with shares of companies where employees were killed and production shut down sinking. Major dye producers soared on expectations that dye prices could spike because of tightened supply of a chemical compound.

Candidates for the consultative panel include Neil Shen Nanpeng, founder and managing partner of Sequoia Capital China. CEOs Zhang Lei of Hillhouse Capital and Bao Fan of China Renaissance also are on the list.

Company forecasts a challenging year ahead in Hong Kong, but expects a boost from its mainland China expansion.

The four new reactors will adopt China’s domestically developed Hualong third generation nuclear reactor design, an official statement says.

China is facing a widening shortfall in pensions schemes as the population ages and debt pressure rises.

Explosive growth in China’s food delivery business will slow as companies like Meituan focus on user experience and operational efficiency instead of subsidies to gain share

In its three-year strategic plan, the HKEX is tapping a wider range of financial products to widen its lead over rival exchanges, and to transform from a regional course into a global financial market place.

China has become the world’s second largest venture capital market, with over 3,500 firms managing total assets worth nearly 2 trillion yuan.

Asia-Pacific leads the global market in both fundraising size and deal numbers, with 54 listings for a total value of US$3 billion.

The prospect of the US-China trade negotiators ‘walking away from the table’ would seriously stifle cross-border deals, said senior analysts with accounting giant PwC

Jilin is expected to become the second northeastern province to legalise hemp cultivation, as the country tries to revitalise the old rust-belt area amid its long-standing economic struggles.

The move would expand the investment scope for foreign institutions to include financial futures, commodities futures, options and start-up stocks traded on the country’s over-the-counter market.

2018 was a nightmare for mainland and Hong Kong investors. But in the first month of the new year, the main benchmarks gave investors plenty of love.

• Sentiment in the mainland’s markets continues to be downbeat over worsening corporate earnings

Rumours swirled, a bunch of small caps adjusted earnings from gains to losses, and the US pressed on with its Huawei charges. Traders had a lot to digest.

Shun Tak Holdings has deepened ties with one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest families to strengthen its control of the largest holder of casino licences in Macau, giving managing director Pansy Ho Chiu-king the upper hand in a family tussle for magnate Stanley Ho’s gambling empire.

Hsin Chong, which built Ocean Park and Kai Tak Airport, has filed for provisional liquidation and could be delisted in July

The authorities have approached a ‘handful’ of potential IPO candidates for the eagerly anticipated new board in Shanghai and will soon release draft rules for listings.

• ●Maoyan names three new cornerstone investors, including Xiaomi

Wing Tai Properties sold more than 90 per cent of 118 flats on offer at Tuen Mun on Sunday

Midway into January five Chinese companies are already likely to default on 3.5 billion yuan (US$446.25 million) worth of debt

The 27 main listed brokerages see combined net profit plunge 43 per cent as stock market slump, sluggish trading, and shrinking IPO business take a toll.

Succession might seem like a no-brainer for Chinese family empires. But many adult children – wanting to prove themselves in their own ventures – are reluctant to take over.

Apple’s Taiwan-based suppliers could be hit the hardest by a recent slump in its stock. About 15 per cent of the 195 globally listed companies that supply Apple are based in Taiwan – including five of the iPhone maker’s biggest suppliers.