https://www.scmp.com/rss/13/feed Updates on movements in prices for key commodities such as iron ore, oil and gold en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alice Li Alice Li The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new financing facility aimed at strengthening critical mineral supply chains across the Asia-Pacific region, as a global push to loosen China’s chokehold over the sector continues. The initiative is designed to help Asia-Pacific nations move up the critical minerals value chain – moving beyond just mining – by equipping them with the technical capabilities to process and recycle the materials, according to the ADB. “Asia and the Pacific should be... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352352/asia-races-de-risk-critical-minerals-supply-chain-new-financing-tool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352352/asia-races-de-risk-critical-minerals-supply-chain-new-financing-tool?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 08:15:00 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Gold imports and trading have surged in Hong Kong recently as merchants and investors from the Middle East and Russia move their holdings from Dubai to the city amid the regional war, according to the Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX). Since early April, some gold merchants from these regions have been selling physical gold in Hong Kong at a discount of 15 to 20 per cent to the market price, said Haywood Cheung Tak-hay, chairman of HKGX. “The discounted sales were a result of the US-Israel war with... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3352334/gold-rush-hong-kong-sees-sudden-jump-bullion-imports-dubai-amid-us-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3352334/gold-rush-hong-kong-sees-sudden-jump-bullion-imports-dubai-amid-us-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 06:44:44 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), a special economic zone in the Kazakhstan capital, is in discussions with Hong Kong and Shanghai’s equity exchanges about the creation of stock connection schemes, most likely starting with exchange-traded funds (ETFs), to widen investors’ access to each other’s markets. According to AIFC’s governor Renat Bekturov, Kazakh investors’ interest in Chinese companies, from hi-tech behemoths to carmakers, was growing, inspiring organisations in both... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352276/kazakhstans-aifc-discussing-stock-trading-links-shanghai-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352276/kazakhstans-aifc-discussing-stock-trading-links-shanghai-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), operator of Asia’s third-largest stock market, reported a record quarterly profit in the first three months of 2026, buoyed by more new listings and increased turnover. Net profit rose 27 per cent to HK$5.19 billion (US$662 million) – or HK$4.10 per share – from a year earlier, the company said on Wednesday. The result beat the HK$4.6 billion consensus among analysts. It is the highest quarterly profit on record, surpassing the HK$4.9 billion in the third... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351801/hkex-posts-record-quarterly-profit-topping-forecast-listings-and-turnover-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351801/hkex-posts-record-quarterly-profit-topping-forecast-listings-and-turnover-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:50:25 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese oil producers have seen market gains after two of the country’s major players reported stronger first-quarter earnings, buoyed by a surge in crude prices. Shares of China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, also known as Sinopec, rose 2.4 per cent to HK$4.70 in Hong Kong, while its Shanghai-listed stock gained 1.3 per cent to 5.42 yuan. China National Overseas Oil Corporation (CNOOC) climbed 1.4 per cent to HK$29.38 and PetroChina rallied 2.7 per cent to HK$11.98. Oil stocks have been in focus... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351788/china-oil-stocks-rise-crude-rally-lifts-sinopec-cnooc-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351788/china-oil-stocks-rise-crude-rally-lifts-sinopec-cnooc-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:28:37 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Amid geopolitical tensions, China’s Tianqi Lithium has decided to skip Africa and will stick to domestic salt lakes to secure the supply of a battery mineral, according to its president Frank Ha Chun-shing. The move comes as the oil shock stemming from Middle Eastern conflicts is driving up global demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and battery energy storage systems (BESSs). Lithium, which can be extracted from hard rock and salt flat brines, can be processed into lithium carbonate, a raw... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3351363/chinas-tianqi-lithium-favour-domestic-salt-lakes-over-africa-amid-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3351363/chinas-tianqi-lithium-favour-domestic-salt-lakes-over-africa-amid-resource-nationalism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Daniel Ren,Themis Qi Daniel Ren,Themis Qi Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers at the Beijing auto show are shifting their focus to overseas markets, banking on opportunities from the Middle East crisis to boost profitability amid weak sales at home. “Going global has become a top choice for Chinese EV builders as they struggle to break even,” said Phate Zhang, founder of Shanghai-based data provider CnEVPost. “The Middle East crisis is acting as a strong catalyst to bolster their overseas deliveries.” Nearly all major EV assemblers... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351357/chinese-ev-makers-target-global-expansion-auto-china-amid-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3351357/chinese-ev-makers-target-global-expansion-auto-china-amid-energy-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:57:59 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) battery producer, has unveiled its upgraded technologies – including lighter battery packs and faster charging modes – which are expected to accelerate the global automotive industry’s electrification drive. The company, which holds more than a 40 per cent share of the global market, aimed to set a healthy tone for the Chinese EV sector to implement its go-global strategy, focusing on constant technological... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350938/catl-drive-electrification-faster-charging-and-higher-performing-batteries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350938/catl-drive-electrification-faster-charging-and-higher-performing-batteries?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:24:14 +0000 Zhang Shidong,Enoch Yiu Zhang Shidong,Enoch Yiu The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the third of a three-part series, we look at Hong Kong’s position as a stable base where demand for property has held firm despite the global turmoil. The seven-week military conflict in the Middle East will redefine Hong Kong’s role as a global financial centre,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350634/hong-kong-reasserts-role-safe-haven-global-finance-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350634/hong-kong-reasserts-role-safe-haven-global-finance-amid-middle-east-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:30:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s largest producer of lithium metal, has issued a strong profit forecast for the first quarter of this year as soaring demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage system (ESS) batteries lifted earnings. The company, based in China’s central Jiangxi province, said in an exchange filing on Thursday that increasing orders had driven up prices of lithium – a key material for EV and ESS batteries – helping it post an estimated profit of 1.6 billion yuan (US$234... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350364/chinas-lithium-giant-ganfeng-sees-profit-jump-demand-evs-and-ess-batteries-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350364/chinas-lithium-giant-ganfeng-sees-profit-jump-demand-evs-and-ess-batteries-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:40:24 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Geopolitical tensions are expected to further drive fundraising demand in the mining sector amid a commodities “supercycle”, although concerns over national security could complicate dealmaking, according to industry experts. Johnson Chui, head of global issuer services at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), said 2025 had been an inflection point. Mining and metals companies had become a key driver in the capital market as rising commodity prices, triggered by the energy transition and... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3350334/geopolitics-further-fuel-hong-kong-mining-fundraising-amid-supercycle-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3350334/geopolitics-further-fuel-hong-kong-mining-fundraising-amid-supercycle-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), China’s electric vehicle (EV) battery king, plans to earmark 30 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion) to establish a subsidiary to manage and expand mining assets, after the global energy shock paved the way for a quicker entry into the world’s automotive and energy storage system (ESS) markets. The investment arm, in line with CATL’s long-term growth strategy, would integrate existing mining assets, pursue high-quality mineral projects at home and abroad, and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350213/chinas-catl-invest-us44-billion-mining-arm-secure-ev-battery-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350213/chinas-catl-invest-us44-billion-mining-arm-secure-ev-battery-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:50:49 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Three solid-state battery developers across China and the US are moving towards initial public offerings (IPOs), as geopolitical tensions and elevated oil prices fuel demand for more energy-efficient technologies. Qingtao (Kunshan) Energy Development Group became the latest to join the queue, filing for a Hong Kong listing on April 8. Earlier, Beijing WeLion New Energy began the pre-listing tutoring process ahead of a planned application to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, while US-based Factorial... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349560/solid-state-battery-firms-china-and-us-line-ipos-oil-prices-lift-ev-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349560/solid-state-battery-firms-china-and-us-line-ipos-oil-prices-lift-ev-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:17 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s leading battery makers have unveiled plans to add more than 600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new production capacity for the energy storage system (ESS) market in just the first two months of 2026, underscoring surging global demand for renewable energy infrastructure. The planned facilities – spanning major players from Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) to Gotion High-tech – amount to roughly 10 times the 58GWh of total capacity installed across the US in 2025. According to the GGII... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349550/china-throws-switch-battery-buildout-equal-10-times-us-capacity-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349550/china-throws-switch-battery-buildout-equal-10-times-us-capacity-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:40:44 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Zhejiang China Commodities City Group, operator of the marketplace that was once the epicentre of global consumer goods trading, is planning an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong to support overseas expansion, as the wave of mainland Chinese firms looking to raise funds in the city continues. The state-owned company, which runs the Yiwu international trade market in east China’s Zhejiang province, said in a filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Wednesday that a share sale in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349483/operator-yiwu-market-former-mecca-global-consumer-goods-trade-eyes-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349483/operator-yiwu-market-former-mecca-global-consumer-goods-trade-eyes-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:03:52 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Gold is likely to stabilise and resume its record-setting uptrend once Middle East tensions recede and new leadership at the US Federal Reserve adopts a policy of monetary easing, according to global financial institutions. The yellow metal would quickly rebound above US$5,000 an ounce as long as crude oil slipped back to between US$80 and US$85 a barrel, according to a report by William Blair, the US investment banking and wealth-management company. Lombard Odier, the Swiss private banking and... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349028/gold-may-reverse-course-once-iran-war-ends-fed-adopts-policy-easing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349028/gold-may-reverse-course-once-iran-war-ends-fed-adopts-policy-easing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren China’s Ganfeng Lithium, the world’s largest producer of lithium metal, is envisioning an “explosive growth” in the global energy storage system (ESS) market in 2026, spurred by higher prices of the key battery material and buoyant demand for renewable energy infrastructure. Executives including president Wang Xiaoshen told an investors’ conference on Tuesday that the global decarbonisation drive had created a strong and sustainable trajectory for Ganfeng, which swung from loss to profit last... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348628/ganfeng-lithium-forecasts-strong-battery-demand-amid-china-us-rivalry-renewable-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348628/ganfeng-lithium-forecasts-strong-battery-demand-amid-china-us-rivalry-renewable-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:21 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese and Hong Kong shares suffered their worst month since January 2024 as the war on Iran upended global oil markets and spurred economic concerns. The mainland CSI 300 lost 5.5 per cent in March, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 6.9 per cent. Both indexes also fell for the second quarter in a row. The broader MSCI Asia-Pacific Index plunged 12 per cent in US dollar terms in March, its biggest monthly loss in more than three years. Stocks have fallen around the world since Iran shut... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3348529/iran-war-hits-stocks-hong-kong-ipo-boom-falters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3348529/iran-war-hits-stocks-hong-kong-ipo-boom-falters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:10:54 +0000 Themis Qi,Eunice Xu Themis Qi,Eunice Xu South Korea has become a focal point of Asia’s petrochemical crisis, a frontline economy suddenly forced to navigate the fallout from the Middle East turmoil while scrambling for alternatives. Its semiconductor and industrial sectors, already heavily dependent on imported naphtha, are now exposed to geopolitical shocks that are rippling across the region. South Korea relies on imports for about 45 per cent of its naphtha demand. About 77 per cent of those come from the Middle East. On Monday,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348503/asias-chip-industry-faces-naphtha-squeeze-and-south-korea-feels-it-most?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348503/asias-chip-industry-faces-naphtha-squeeze-and-south-korea-feels-it-most?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:30:13 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren EnerVenue – a rechargeable battery start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit – has raised US$300 million in its latest round of financing and appointed a new CEO to accelerate the large-scale industrial deployment of its cutting-edge energy storage technology. The California-based company – which also counts government-backed Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) as an investor – said it would set up a regional headquarters in the city... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348514/enervenue-plugs-us300-million-scale-next-gen-batteries-it-eyes-hong-kong-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348514/enervenue-plugs-us300-million-scale-next-gen-batteries-it-eyes-hong-kong-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:39:41 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Hong Kong stocks dropped on Monday as escalating tensions in the Middle East sent oil prices to recent highs. Over the weekend, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched attacks directly on Israel, which intensified strikes on Tehran. The US has also deployed additional military forces to the Middle East. The escalation pushed up oil prices, with Brent crude jumping as much as 3.7 per cent to US$116.80 a barrel, its highest in more than a week, while West Texas Intermediate rose to US$101 a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348360/hong-kong-stocks-fall-asia-iran-conflict-drives-oil-prices-higher?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348360/hong-kong-stocks-fall-asia-iran-conflict-drives-oil-prices-higher?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:10:13 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Themis Qi Cheryl Arcibal,Themis Qi China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the country’s largest producer of offshore crude oil and natural gas, aims to further boost production this year amid geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices. The plan came after the state-backed company reported an 11.5 per cent drop in net profit to 122.08 billion yuan (US$17.7 billion) in 2025, owing to low oil prices during the year, even though it produced record-high volumes of the commodities. Its revenue in the period also dipped by... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348035/chinas-cnooc-boost-oil-and-gas-output-amid-middle-east-strife?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348035/chinas-cnooc-boost-oil-and-gas-output-amid-middle-east-strife?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:36:39 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is urging companies to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the crucial spring planting season, as the US-Israel war on Iran strains supplies of key raw materials to the world’s largest grain producer. Beijing is also expected to keep export restrictions on some fertiliser ingredients in place beyond the spring, as it strives to ensure Chinese farmers retain uninterrupted access to vital agrichemicals at reasonable prices despite the Middle East conflict. Tehran’s effective... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Last week, the energy shock caused by the war in Iran showed signs of becoming a full-blown financial and economic crisis. The attacks on energy infrastructure across the Middle East, coupled with soaring prices of crucial refined petroleum products such as diesel and jet fuel, forced investors to start pricing in a prolonged disruption to supply and a contraction in demand. Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens sooner than anticipated, the scale of the damage to energy assets in the Persian Gulf... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3347540/war-induced-interest-rate-shocks-unlikely-upset-asias-property-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3347540/war-induced-interest-rate-shocks-unlikely-upset-asias-property-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Zijin Mining, China’s largest gold producer, has expanded its buying spree by acquiring controlling shares in China-based Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining for 18.26 billion yuan (US$2.64 billion), the company said. The acquisition came only two months after Zijin Mining proposed to buy Canadian Allied Gold for 28 billion yuan as part of its global expansion. Through its subsidiary Zijin Gold, the acquisition was structured in two primary tranches, Zijin Mining said in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3347547/chinas-zijin-mining-clinches-us26-billion-chifeng-gold-takeover-expansion-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3347547/chinas-zijin-mining-clinches-us26-billion-chifeng-gold-takeover-expansion-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:17:31 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee Gold prices have continued to weaken despite escalating tensions in the US-Israel conflict with Iran, breaking from the metal’s traditional role as a geopolitical hedge, as fading expectations of interest rate cuts and a stronger US dollar weigh on sentiment, analysts said. The metal has declined about 15 per cent since a brief surge on March 2, when prices climbed to around US$5,300 per ounce following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. A modest rebound driven by technical buying on Friday did... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3347473/gold-slides-hawkish-fed-and-strong-us-dollar-override-geopolitical-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3347473/gold-slides-hawkish-fed-and-strong-us-dollar-override-geopolitical-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:00:27 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro As the war in Iran rages and the consequences of the shock to commodity markets become clearer, the vulnerability of Asia’s economies tops the list of concerns in the research reports of investment banks. The region’s reliance on energy imports from the Gulf has come under scrutiny. The facts speak for themselves. Three-quarters of the oil supplies that passed through the Strait of Hormuz before Iran effectively closed the waterway were destined for China, India, Japan and South Korea. While... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347108/china-weathering-iran-war-oil-shock-better-others-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347108/china-weathering-iran-war-oil-shock-better-others-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has committed more than US$120 billion in direct investment in overseas mining and mineral processing projects since 2023 – covering the likes of lithium and rare earth metals – with that spending boosting clean energy usage in developing countries, a think tank said on Wednesday. It was helping to advance the “zero-emissions world economy” by offering mineral inputs for solar equipment, wind power, electric vehicles and industrial decarbonisation offshore, the Australian think tank... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346979/chinas-multibillion-dollar-minerals-investment-lifts-foreign-economies-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346979/chinas-multibillion-dollar-minerals-investment-lifts-foreign-economies-report?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Muyi Yang,Dinita Setyawati Muyi Yang,Dinita Setyawati The escalating crisis around Iran is doing more than just shaking global energy markets. It is constricting the arteries of Asian growth. A massive share of the oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that powers Asian economies passes through the Strait of Hormuz. When tensions rise around this narrow waterway, economic shock waves travel quickly across the region, exposing a development model whose foundations remain dangerously outside Asia’s strategic control. Japan and South Korea, both heavily... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346169/why-asias-future-depends-breaking-shackles-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346169/why-asias-future-depends-breaking-shackles-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Cao Li,Zhang Shidong Cao Li,Zhang Shidong Slumping oil prices acted as a catalyst for Hong Kong stocks, with the benchmark posting its biggest rebound in two weeks, after US President Donald Trump signalled a possible end to the Iran war and China’s exports grew at the fastest pace in four years. The Hang Seng Index rallied 2.2 per cent to close at 25,959.90, its best single-day performance since February 23. The Hang Seng Tech Index surged 2.4 per cent. On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index rose 1.3 per cent and the Shanghai Composite... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3346031/hong-kong-stocks-rebound-after-oil-falls-trump-says-iran-war-could-end-soon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3346031/hong-kong-stocks-rebound-after-oil-falls-trump-says-iran-war-could-end-soon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 02:27:46 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Crude oil’s surge above US$100 a barrel could last longer than expected, reshaping investors’ outlook for the global economy and injecting fresh volatility into risk assets as military tensions in the Middle East show no sign of easing, according to analysts. Brent crude jumped 23 per cent to US$114.14 a barrel in London on Monday, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 24 per cent to US$113.11. Traders are increasingly pricing in a prolonged supply disruption after Iran closed the Strait of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345952/oil-above-us100-may-persist-goldman-warns-rally-not-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345952/oil-above-us100-may-persist-goldman-warns-rally-not-over?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:30:41 +0000 Matteo Giovannini Matteo Giovannini China’s push to position Hong Kong as a global gold trading hub is not merely a commodities story. It is a strategic play unfolding at a time when the architecture of global finance is fragmenting and questions of monetary sovereignty are returning to the forefront. Recent reporting has highlighted Beijing’s efforts to strengthen Hong Kong’s role in international gold trading as part of a broader bid for market influence. Behind the move lies the ambition to reshape pricing power and the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345284/why-hong-kong-could-be-next-global-hub-gold-trading?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345284/why-hong-kong-could-be-next-global-hub-gold-trading?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi During the Chinese New Year holiday, Katty Mao struggled to find buyers for 500 “investment-grade” copper bars she bought in January, when soaring gold and silver prices made the 1kg chunks of polished metal seem like a promising investment. “I know it was a bet,” said Mao, who paid 160 yuan (US$23) each for the bars. “But the fear of missing out outweighed [any concerns].” Over the past two weeks, the advice Mao heard most often was to sell her bars to a scrap-metal dealer. The resident of... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3344636/chinas-copper-crash-bars-fall-investment-fad-scrap-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3344636/chinas-copper-crash-bars-fall-investment-fad-scrap-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Aileen Chuang,Emily Hung Aileen Chuang,Emily Hung Hong Kong is aiming to sharpen its competitive edge as an offshore yuan hub, an asset and wealth management base, and a digital-asset front runner under Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s budget released on Wednesday. Market participants largely welcomed Hong Kong’s renewed push to strengthen its position as an international financial centre, after Chan highlighted the city’s unique role in driving the yuan’s internationalisation and capital account opening. The initiative comes as Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3344634/hong-kong-seeks-hone-edge-offshore-yuan-hub-digital-asset-front-runner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3344634/hong-kong-seeks-hone-edge-offshore-yuan-hub-digital-asset-front-runner?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:23:24 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China will accelerate investment in alternative nickel supply sources and strengthen its role across the metal’s wider supply chain, analysts said, after the United States finalised a deal with Indonesia on Thursday that will give America unrestricted access to the country’s industrial commodities. While the US Supreme Court’s tariff ruling last week could add some uncertainty to US-Indonesia trade, the agreement has the potential to reshape the global supply chain for nickel – a metal used to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344337/us-indonesia-deal-threatens-chinas-entrenched-position-nickel-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344337/us-indonesia-deal-threatens-chinas-entrenched-position-nickel-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye The surge in gold prices has brought a wave of new investment-focused bullion retailers to Hong Kong’s prime shopping areas, adding a distinct segment alongside traditional jewellery merchants. These retailers – which sell gold coins and bars, rather than ornamental pieces – have taken up ground-floor store spaces that were left vacant during the city’s post-pandemic recovery. Their rapid expansion has been followed by the return of high-end jewellery vendors, a development that has helped... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3344102/investment-gold-retailers-move-vacant-hong-kong-high-street-shops-metals-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3344102/investment-gold-retailers-move-vacant-hong-kong-high-street-shops-metals-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s financial markets on Friday greeted the Year of the Horse with a mixed response, with stocks and gold moving in different directions on the first trading day of the year. Markets reopened on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, with the Hang Seng Index closing 1.1 per cent lower at 26,413.25, and gold advancing 0.6 per cent to end the day at HK$46,685 (US$5,985) a tael (37.9 grams). Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX) chairman Haywood Cheung Tak-hay said the exchange would team up with... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3344067/hong-kong-stocks-and-gold-start-year-horse-mixed-note?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3344067/hong-kong-stocks-and-gold-start-year-horse-mixed-note?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:40:58 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Gold’s volatile run is far from over, with the precious metal increasingly reasserting itself as an alternative form of “risk-free” money alongside the US dollar amid persistent inflation and geopolitical uncertainty, according to Jupiter Asset Management. With physical bullion in short supply, the firm sees mining companies as a more efficient way to gain exposure, offering potentially higher returns from smaller allocations thanks to strong profits and free cash flow. The outlook follows a... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3343907/golds-volatile-run-set-continue-investors-eye-next-breakout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3343907/golds-volatile-run-set-continue-investors-eye-next-breakout?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian In the run-up to Lunar New Year, Chinese consumers were busy choosing gold jewellery, a traditional gift with deep cultural connotations, as strong market sentiment overshadowed sharp fluctuations in gold prices and assessments of the sector’s outlook by investment banks remained upbeat. Jewellers offered small discounts to boost holiday sales. For example, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, China’s largest retailer by store count, launched an 80 yuan (US$12) discount per gram on gold items in its... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3343782/strong-lunar-new-year-demand-fuels-chinas-gold-jewellery-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3343782/strong-lunar-new-year-demand-fuels-chinas-gold-jewellery-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang This Lunar New Year, Hongkongers can gift friends and family digital gold tokens, a new way of blending the city’s tradition of giving gold for good wishes with the convenience of blockchain technology. HSBC added this new transfer feature earlier this month to its retail gold token, which represents fractional ownership of physical gold stored in a secure vault and is the only retail-focused gold token approved by Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission. The bank’s enhancement to its gold... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3343695/what-tokenised-gold-and-why-are-financial-institutions-and-investors-looking-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3343695/what-tokenised-gold-and-why-are-financial-institutions-and-investors-looking-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:00:17 +0000 Julie Zhang,Themis Qi Julie Zhang,Themis Qi Thousands of Chinese retail investors spent the last day of the Year of the Snake on Monday filing complaints against UBS SDIC Fund Management for an overnight valuation change that caused steep losses for holders of its silver fund, even after the firm offered remedies. More than 200,000 people lodged complaints against the operator of the country’s only silver fund after the controversial change on February 2, according to Xiaofei Bao, an online Chinese consumer protection platform. The switch... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3343729/ubs-china-venture-faces-wrath-silver-investors-after-valuation-change-increases-losses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3343729/ubs-china-venture-faces-wrath-silver-investors-after-valuation-change-increases-losses?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s premier has vowed the country will consolidate its advantages in traditional industries like rare earths while also striving to accelerate innovation in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, as Beijing prepares to unveil its latest five-year plan. Premier Li Qiang made the call during a visit earlier this week to Ganzhou in the central Chinese province of Jiangxi – one of the world’s largest production bases for heavy rare earth elements, a strategic resource essential... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343328/chinese-premier-tours-rare-earths-production-hub-amid-rising-us-tech-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343328/chinese-premier-tours-rare-earths-production-hub-amid-rising-us-tech-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Hong Kong and Chinese stocks had their worst week in almost three months, as risk appetite crumbles worldwide. The Hang Seng Index fell 3.3 per cent in Hong Kong and the CSI300 Index lost 1.3 per cent, as both gauges suffered their biggest weekly declines since November. Technology stocks were the biggest fallers in Hong Kong, including chipmaker SMIC, and internet companies Kuaishou, Baidu and Tencent. The sell-off was part of a global rout, with bitcoin slumping to a 15-month low, gold and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3342661/stocks-fall-xi-trump-putin-calls-japan-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/markets/article/3342661/stocks-fall-xi-trump-putin-calls-japan-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:01:36 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For some of the most dramatic swings in financial markets in recent memory, look no further than the plunge in the price of silver on January 30. The precious metal suffered its largest one-day fall since March 1980, losing a staggering 27 per cent. Gold, silver’s more illustrious cousin, also experienced its steepest one-day decline since early 1980, dropping 9 per cent. The ferocity of the sell-off was matched only by the intensity of the surge in the precious metal markets in the past few... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342464/why-trump-not-asian-investors-blame-gold-and-silver-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342464/why-trump-not-asian-investors-blame-gold-and-silver-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:30:37 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s global outbound direct investment surged to a seven-year high in 2025 as Chinese firms pivoted their capital towards strategic raw materials and data centres, according to a report by Rhodium Group released on Wednesday. The latest China Cross-Border Monitor report found that Chinese firms announced US$124 billion of new outbound direct investment last year, an 18 per cent jump from 2024 and the highest level recorded since 2018. Completed deals also saw a robust 14 per cent increase to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342371/chinas-outbound-investment-surges-7-year-high-amid-data-centre-energy-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342371/chinas-outbound-investment-surges-7-year-high-amid-data-centre-energy-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:00:41 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla has spearheaded a new round of low-interest, long-term loans to spur electric vehicle (EV) sales in mainland China, prompting domestic rivals such as Nio and Xpeng to follow suit in a cutthroat market grappling with raw-material inflation. However, fresh competition in car financing – while better than another bruising discount war – may not be enough to shore up deliveries as consumers refrain from buying cars due to reduced government incentives. “All EV makers are facing a dilemma this... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342310/tesla-xiaomi-vie-chinese-ev-buyers-cheaper-longer-loans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342310/tesla-xiaomi-vie-chinese-ev-buyers-cheaper-longer-loans?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:32:52 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Following the sudden demise of a major gold trading platform in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, another retail-focused operator has suffered a run, stoking fears of contagion in China’s private market for the precious metal. The platform, Ydd007, is the latest to face trouble. On Sunday, it told investors that it had experienced three “severe runs” in recent days amid mounting industry panic. It also acknowledged a significant funding shortfall, according to Chengdu.cn, part of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342258/chinas-gold-trading-hub-rattled-second-platform-faces-payment-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342258/chinas-gold-trading-hub-rattled-second-platform-faces-payment-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:02:49 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China suspended trading of five commodity funds on Friday to curb investment mania in gold, silver and oil and reduce underlying risks amid geopolitical tensions. The only public fund investing in silver futures in mainland China, UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund, a listed open-ended fund (LOF), will be suspended for the whole day on Friday, the second such halt since January 22. The trading halt also spread to oil LOFs, four of which were halted for an hour up to 10.30am on Friday. Before the... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3341783/china-halts-trading-5-silver-and-oil-funds-limit-risk-amid-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3341783/china-halts-trading-5-silver-and-oil-funds-limit-risk-amid-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:30:10 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma Gold’s blistering rally to start 2026 – surging past US$5,500 an ounce – has already eclipsed many full-year price targets, forcing analysts to upgrade their outlooks. And for some, the US$6,000 threshold is now in view. The buying spree has prompted some Chinese funds to suspend new purchases, with one warning investors of “the risk of trading at a premium in the secondary market”. As of midday Thursday, spot gold stood at about US$5,540 per ounce, easing from an earlier high of US$5,598... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341653/runaway-gold-why-even-wall-street-cant-keep-metals-record-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341653/runaway-gold-why-even-wall-street-cant-keep-metals-record-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 06:48:57 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The sudden demise of a major gold trading platform has rocked the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, leaving tens of thousands of retail investors with combined losses totalling more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion), according to investors and domestic media reports. Chinese retail investors have rushed to capitalise on the unprecedented rally in global gold prices in recent months, leading many to put their funds into the online metals trading platform JWR. But as the gold spot price... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341633/chinas-gold-fever-sparks-us1-billion-scandal-trading-platform-collapses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341633/chinas-gold-fever-sparks-us1-billion-scandal-trading-platform-collapses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 04:40:07 +0000