https://www.scmp.com/rss/318750/feed News about the global financial industry with a focus on developments in Hong Kong and China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Mainland China’s insurance companies have emerged as major cornerstone investors in Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs) as they seek higher returns and benefit from Beijing’s policy support for insurers to invest in equity markets. Ping An Insurance (Group), Taikang Life Insurance, New China Life Insurance, Dajia Life Insurance and China Post Life Insurance were among the key players that invested more than US$250 million across about 11 IPOs so far this year, according to UBS data. Their... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350821/hong-kong-ipos-lure-mainland-china-insurers-seeking-higher-returns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350821/hong-kong-ipos-lure-mainland-china-insurers-seeking-higher-returns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Greater China’s private equity market continued to recover last year amid expectations of a market improvement, but looking ahead, fundraising will remain selective and performance-driven, while geopolitical uncertainties are the largest variable for the markets this year, according to Bain & Co. Improving exit conditions and continued capital supply could offer attractive opportunities for well-positioned investors despite intensifying capital competition and a widening gap between top-tier and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350901/greater-china-private-equity-set-patchy-recovery-modest-fundraising-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350901/greater-china-private-equity-set-patchy-recovery-modest-fundraising-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Federal Reserve chief nominee Kevin Warsh ⁠called for “regime change” at the US central bank, including a new approach for controlling inflation and a communications ⁠overhaul that may discourage his colleagues from saying too much about the direction of monetary policy. Warsh’s comments during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee left key questions about his nomination unresolved. Republican Senator Thom Tillis used his full time to explain why he would not vote for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350927/kevin-warsh-trumps-pick-fed-chief-calls-regime-change-us-central-bank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350927/kevin-warsh-trumps-pick-fed-chief-calls-regime-change-us-central-bank?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:46:27 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC Holdings has rejected allegations linking it to a money laundering case involving Iran, with chairman Brendan Nelson saying the bank was not a party to the matter and had only been asked to provide information. Responding to a shareholder at an informal meeting in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Nelson said HSBC had no records related to the transactions in question. “This is a case where HSBC is not a party, but in fact has only been asked to provide information relating to transactions that... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350911/no-records-no-role-hsbc-rejects-iran-linked-money-laundering-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350911/no-records-no-role-hsbc-rejects-iran-linked-money-laundering-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:36:35 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter The South China Morning Post received six honours at the State Street Institutional Press Awards Asia-Pacific 2025 on Tuesday. The awards, which recognise outstanding news reporting on institutional finance across Asia-Pacific (APAC), drew a record 246 submissions this year from eight economies – mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and France. Most notably, SCMP veteran Enoch Yiu received the Outstanding Contribution to Institutional Journalism Award. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350897/scmps-original-finance-reporting-honoured-state-street-institutional-press-awards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350897/scmps-original-finance-reporting-honoured-state-street-institutional-press-awards?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:00:18 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao A long-standing pricing gap between the mainland China-listed and Hong Kong shares of dual-listed companies has narrowed – and in some cases reversed – as global investors re-rate China’s technology companies. The Hang Seng AH Premium Index, a widely watched gauge of the valuation gap between dual-listed companies’ A shares trading on mainland exchanges and their H shares in Hong Kong, has remained below 120 in recent sessions, down sharply from a high of 157.89 in February 2024. The shift has... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350886/premium-mainland-china-shares-erodes-or-flips-capital-flows-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350886/premium-mainland-china-shares-erodes-or-flips-capital-flows-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:30:07 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Nvidia supplier Victory Giant surged 50 per cent on its first day of trading following the biggest Hong Kong initial public offering this year, as investor appetite for artificial intelligence stocks weathers uncertainty in the Middle East. The printed-circuit board maker closed at HK$315.00 compared with the HK$209.88 price of shares in its HK$20 billion (US$2.6 billion) IPO. The Guangdong-based company has also jumped fourfold in a year in Shenzhen trading. Victory Giant is the latest in a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3350873/victory-giant-skyrockets-after-biggest-hong-kong-ipo-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3350873/victory-giant-skyrockets-after-biggest-hong-kong-ipo-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:12:30 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese stocks are likely to continue the resilience they have shown since the war in the Middle East began, thanks to haven demand for yuan-linked assets, the green shoots of the property market and the inclusion of tech start-ups in key equity gauges, according to fund managers and investment banks. Optimism about Chinese equities was building after official data showed that home prices in the biggest mainland cities reversed declines and an inflationary trend took hold in March, said money... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350830/outlook-china-stocks-brightens-capital-flows-rebounding-home-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350830/outlook-china-stocks-brightens-capital-flows-rebounding-home-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:15:28 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Victory Giant, a Chinese manufacturer of printed circuit boards (PCBs) for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, rose by 57.23 per cent in its trading debut in Hong Kong on Tuesday, as investors rushed to tap into surging global demand for the hardware powering the AI infrastructure boom. Shares in the Guangdong-based company, a supplier to US chip leader Nvidia, opened at HK$330, versus the offer price of HK$209.88 – the maximum offer price. The firm raised HK$20 billion... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350801/chinese-circuit-board-supplier-victory-giant-jumps-hong-kong-share-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350801/chinese-circuit-board-supplier-victory-giant-jumps-hong-kong-share-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:43:39 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s central bank chief has urged the IMF to serve as a bulwark against “rising unilateralism”, at a time when escalating trade restrictions and an intensified Middle East conflict threaten energy and food security. The International Monetary Fund should “take a clear stand against protectionism and defend multilateralism”, People’s Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng said in a statement to the fund’s International Monetary and Financial Committee, for its 53rd meeting, held on Thursday and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350718/china-presses-imf-quota-reform-better-surveillance-advanced-economies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350718/china-presses-imf-quota-reform-better-surveillance-advanced-economies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:05:04 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Hong Kong stands to benefit from a potential reallocation of global capital as geopolitical tensions push investors to seek safer and more resilient markets, according to the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC), a government think tank. Speaking at a media round table on Tuesday, FSDC chairman Benjamin Hung Pi-cheng said the prolonged conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran had reinforced a global environment of “turbulence and volatility”, prompting investors to reassess where to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350706/hong-kong-well-positioned-attract-global-capital-amid-geopolitical-shifts-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350706/hong-kong-well-positioned-attract-global-capital-amid-geopolitical-shifts-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:50:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Regulators across Asia are stepping up scrutiny of cybersecurity risks in their financial systems, as concerns over Anthropic’s latest AI model Mythos spread. Singapore’s financial regulator is urging banks to plug holes, while South Korea’s government agencies have met to review and discuss how to respond to the risks. In Australia, authorities expect lenders to be vigilant to ensure clients are not put at risk by inadequate controls. The actions around the region reflect rising global concern... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350701/asian-financial-bodies-sound-alert-anthropics-mythos-ai-hacker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350701/asian-financial-bodies-sound-alert-anthropics-mythos-ai-hacker?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:47:35 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A Hong Kong whisky investment firm is seeking to raise up to US$50 million for its second private equity-style fund, pitching the spirit as a hedge in volatile markets despite a slump in prices across the industry. Rickesh Kishnani, co-founder and chairman of Rare Whisky Holdings, said whisky had been gaining traction among wealthy investors seeking alternatives to traditional safe havens. “This is the market where people turn to gold, but we’ve seen even gold not hold up in terms of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350690/liquid-gold-hong-kong-fund-pitches-whisky-alternative-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350690/liquid-gold-hong-kong-fund-pitches-whisky-alternative-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Orient Securities’ buyout of a smaller rival to create a new entity with at least 580 billion yuan (US$85 billion) in assets is a sign that the government-led consolidation of the brokerage industry is deepening, underscoring Beijing’s determination to cultivate bigger investment banks to take on global rivals. In an exchange statement on Sunday night, Orient Securities said it planned to acquire 100 per cent of Shanghai Securities through the sale of new shares and cash, without disclosing the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350685/orient-securities-buyout-create-us85b-brokerage-beijing-pushes-consolidation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350685/orient-securities-buyout-create-us85b-brokerage-beijing-pushes-consolidation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:41:12 +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 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Global retail investors have pulled back into cash amid uncertainties from Middle East conflicts, while high-net-worth clients have continued to pursue investment opportunities in Asia and alternative assets, according to the CEO of Schroders. “What we saw in March was a reversal of the trend that we had seen at the end of 2025 and in January and February, when people increased their interest in investing in stocks,” said Richard Oldfield, global CEO of Schroders. “What really happened in March... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350531/global-retail-investors-shift-cash-asia-still-draws-wealthy-clients-schroders-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350531/global-retail-investors-shift-cash-asia-still-draws-wealthy-clients-schroders-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:30:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The yuan is rapidly expanding as a global financing source. Just this month, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, became the first financial institution from Central Asia to issue yuan-denominated debt – worth 3 billion yuan (US$440 million) – in China’s onshore market. Meanwhile, in a first for a euro-zone country, Portugal sold 1.99 billion yuan of eight-year debt in the offshore yuan bond market. The country’s debt agency said the securities, nicknamed dim sum bonds, aim to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350441/chinese-yuan-slowly-surely-cutting-us-dollar-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350441/chinese-yuan-slowly-surely-cutting-us-dollar-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip For the first time in its history – and in a striking departure from its long-standing doctrine of minimal economic intervention – Hong Kong is preparing to draw up a five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has asked all policy bureaus to help draft proposals by the end of the year. To lead the exercise, veteran civil servant Janice Tse Siu-wah has come out of retirement. The Legislative Council, not to be left out, has formed a committee supported by six coordinating groups spanning... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Wenhui Jia Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Wenhui Jia For a Chinese enterprise venturing overseas, the first decision is often not which market to enter, but which city to launch from. And that choice increasingly narrows to Hong Kong or Singapore. Both offer deep capital markets, common law systems and Chinese-speaking talent. Both want to be the trusted first stop. But a gap has emerged – not in what the two cities offer on paper, but in how they treat the enterprises they both want. What does a “launch pad” deliver? It is where a Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350196/how-hong-kong-can-beat-singapore-launch-pad-chinese-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350196/how-hong-kong-can-beat-singapore-launch-pad-chinese-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Homebuyers continued to signal confidence in Hong Kong’s residential market on Saturday, with about three quarters of 248 new flats put up for sale snapped up by late afternoon. A total of 53 out of 88 units were sold at The Pavilia Farm III, while 129 of 160 units at KT Marina II in Kai Tak were taken as of 4.30pm, according to Midland Realty. The Pavilia Farm III, a project jointly developed by New World Development (NWD) and MTR Corp atop Tai Wai Station in Sha Tin, saw buyers throng the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350573/hong-kong-buyers-snap-more-180-new-homes-market-confidence-returns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350573/hong-kong-buyers-snap-more-180-new-homes-market-confidence-returns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:39:43 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley East Asia’s “economic miracle” in the post-World War II period was predicated upon a number of factors, such as the region’s export-led growth model, but critically it also depended on an assured supply of capital to finance business investment. One source of such finance was bank loans, the supply and direction of which can be officially influenced by various means rather than being chiefly market-determined. Even today, bank loans account for most of the business financing in Japan, the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350329/why-japans-bond-moves-could-see-shift-east-asias-financing-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350329/why-japans-bond-moves-could-see-shift-east-asias-financing-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma 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 first of a three-part series, we examine Hong Kong’s bid to position itself as Asia’s bullion hub. War in the Middle East has intensified global demand to diversify gold storage, creating a strategic window for Hong Kong to tap its unique status and evolve from... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350511/hong-kong-wants-become-global-gold-vault-does-iran-war-create-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350511/hong-kong-wants-become-global-gold-vault-does-iran-war-create-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:00:16 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee Hong Kong is better placed than many of its Asian peers to turn stablecoins into commercially viable products at scale, underpinned by its early lead in tokenisation and growing experience in moving financial infrastructure on-chain, according to HSBC’s head of digital assets research. “Hong Kong already has examples of deploying the technology and can now look towards commercial applications and scaling,” said Daragh Maher, HSBC’s head of digital assets research, in an interview on the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3350498/hong-kong-seen-leading-asia-push-scale-stablecoins-hsbc-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3350498/hong-kong-seen-leading-asia-push-scale-stablecoins-hsbc-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:30:11 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has proposed halving the cash settlement cycle for share trading as part of efforts to enhance market efficiency and liquidity. The city’s bourse operator said in a consultation paper on Friday that it aimed to implement a “T+1” system – under which trades are settled one day after the transaction – in the fourth quarter of 2027, replacing the existing “T+2” cycle. If adopted, the shortened cycle would apply to equities, exchange-traded products,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350526/hkex-proposes-halving-share-settlement-cycle-bid-boost-hong-kongs-financial-profile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350526/hkex-proposes-halving-share-settlement-cycle-bid-boost-hong-kongs-financial-profile?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:51:01 +0000 Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Manycore Tech, a design software developer hailed as one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons”, made its trading debut in Hong Kong on Friday, with shares rising 172 per cent at the open, as the company positions itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the physical world. The stock opened at HK$20.70, surging 172 per cent from its HK$7.62 offer price before ending the day at HK$18.60, up 144 per cent. The firm raised HK$1.09 billion (US$160 million) from its initial public... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350387/manycore-one-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-surges-hong-kong-ipo-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350387/manycore-one-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-surges-hong-kong-ipo-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:32:52 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier China has crafted markets, mechanisms and incentives as the world’s largest buyer of commodities in a bid to free itself from its dependence on the US dollar, but the biggest threat to Washington’s global dollar dominance may well be Washington itself, witnesses said in testimony on Thursday before a key advisory committee to the US Congress. Economic sanctions and access to US-led global banking systems are a powerful US tool that can be used to great effect, said experts before the US-China... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3350382/why-biggest-threat-us-global-dollar-dominance-may-well-be-washington-itself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3350382/why-biggest-threat-us-global-dollar-dominance-may-well-be-washington-itself?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 23:42:50 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Pandemic-related economic headwinds are easing in Hong Kong, but a blast from the past arrived this week with word that taxpayers could be on the hook for bad loans under a special scheme to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the Covid-19 pandemic. A full accounting is needed to understand what happened and help prepare for the future. Official data released to legislators showed that of the 67,189 loan applications approved under the now-defunct, fully government-backed... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350261/hong-kong-taxpayers-deserve-clarity-covid-era-sme-loan-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350261/hong-kong-taxpayers-deserve-clarity-covid-era-sme-loan-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Beijing has raised the limit on banks’ overseas lending – a move that analysts say will support Chinese firms in outbound investment expansions while helping to stabilise the yuan. Regulators raised the overseas-loan leverage ratio for foreign banks in China and their joint ventures with Chinese lenders from 0.5 to 1.5 on Wednesday, according to a statement published by the central bank and the foreign exchange regulator. In a separate statement, the regulators said that the new rules would... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350350/chinas-pboc-raises-leverage-ratios-foreign-lenders-support-outbound-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350350/chinas-pboc-raises-leverage-ratios-foreign-lenders-support-outbound-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:30:13 +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 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China continued to diversify its foreign exchange reserves in February, trimming its US Treasury stockpile even as overall overseas holdings of sovereign American debt rose to a record high. China’s stockpile of United States Treasuries fell to US$693.3 billion in February, down from US$694.4 billion in January, according to US Treasury Department data released on Wednesday. Although China slightly increased its US Treasury holdings in January, the uptick did little to alter a broader downward... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350275/china-trims-us-treasury-holdings-amid-rising-debt-supply-global-ownership-hits-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350275/china-trims-us-treasury-holdings-amid-rising-debt-supply-global-ownership-hits-record?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:13 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Mark Mobius, who was known as the father of emerging markets and was among the first fund managers to invest in Hong Kong and mainland China, died on Wednesday at the age of 89, according to a statement on his LinkedIn account. The statement did not give the cause. Mobius was based in Dubai in recent years and remained active in investment via his own firm. He was managing director of Mobius Emerging Opportunities Fund. Mobius remained bullish on China throughout his career. In his last... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3350250/mark-mobius-pioneering-emerging-market-investor-and-china-bull-dies-89?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3350250/mark-mobius-pioneering-emerging-market-investor-and-china-bull-dies-89?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:30:22 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Silicon photonic computing chips – long overlooked in the artificial intelligence hardware stack – are emerging as a new focal point in mainland China’s semiconductor push, as domestic companies move towards public listings amid intensifying US-China competition and surging demand for next-generation computing infrastructure. Shanghai-based Lightelligence, the first company globally to achieve large-scale deployment of hybrid optical-electronic computing, passed its Hong Kong listing hearing on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350183/lightelligence-track-ipo-plans-chinas-ai-photonics-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350183/lightelligence-track-ipo-plans-chinas-ai-photonics-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:31 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs) are attracting strong international demand as global funds rebuild their exposure to China after years of underinvestment, according to Bonnie Chan Yiting, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing. The Hong Kong stock exchange was seeing “very good momentum on both the supply and demand sides” for IPOs, Chan told a panel discussion at the HSBC Global Investment Summit on Wednesday. On the “cornerstone front”, last year saw “a very strong pickup by... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350162/global-funds-fuel-hong-kong-ipo-rebound-investors-rebalance-china-portfolios-hkex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350162/global-funds-fuel-hong-kong-ipo-rebound-investors-rebalance-china-portfolios-hkex?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s finance chief has expressed confidence that the city will climb to at least second place in the global ranking of international financial centres within 10 to 15 years. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Wednesday at the HSBC Global Investment Summit that the city offered stability and prosperity in uncertain times, citing its strong gross domestic product growth of 3.5 per cent last year, as well as robust export performance and rising private investments. “We went through... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350155/hong-kong-set-rise-no-2-global-financial-hub-within-15-years-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350155/hong-kong-set-rise-no-2-global-financial-hub-within-15-years-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:58:36 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong China is set to raise about 15.5 billion yuan (US$2.3 billion) from a sovereign bond sale in Hong Kong next week, the largest such issuance since 2023, as global investors seek refuge in Chinese assets amid the US-Iran conflict. The Ministry of Finance said in a statement on Wednesday it would offer the yuan-denominated bonds – its second offshore issuance this year – on April 22. Further details will be released through the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Central Moneymarkets Unit. The planned... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350130/china-sell-us23-billion-bonds-hong-kong-biggest-deal-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350130/china-sell-us23-billion-bonds-hong-kong-biggest-deal-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:29:54 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu For Hong Kong’s 3.3 million PayMe users, everyday transactions such as buying coffee or splitting bills with friends could soon involve stablecoins, with HSBC preparing to introduce the digital currency in the second half of this year. That comes after HSBC Holdings, together with a Standard Chartered-led joint venture, became the first to obtain a stablecoin issuer licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority on Friday, marking a breakthrough in the city’s digital finance development. HSBC,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350089/how-paymes-33-million-users-and-hong-kong-firms-could-start-using-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350089/how-paymes-33-million-users-and-hong-kong-firms-could-start-using-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:37 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Gold has become a safe haven for many investors amid global turmoil, including the recent Middle East war. At the same time, volatile US policy has tarnished the appeal of the US Federal Reserve as a secure place for central banks to store reserves, creating a golden opportunity for China and especially Hong Kong. The biggest sign of shifting confidence came from the Bank of France. Radio France Internationale reported on April 4 that the central bank had replaced its remaining gold reserves... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349999/hong-kong-has-gilt-edged-opportunity-shine-gold-trading-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349999/hong-kong-has-gilt-edged-opportunity-shine-gold-trading-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang A leading sovereign wealth fund from Central Asia has cast a vote of confidence in Chinese debt and the country’s currency by becoming the first institution from the region to sell yuan-denominated debt, known as panda bonds, in China’s onshore market. The decision by Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, to sell 3 billion yuan (US$440 million) in China’s interbank market comes as global investors are looking for safe havens amid geopolitical uncertainties such as the Iran war. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350040/kazakh-sovereign-fund-issues-central-asias-first-panda-bond-milestone-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350040/kazakh-sovereign-fund-issues-central-asias-first-panda-bond-milestone-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:00:24 +0000 Francis Neoton Cheung Francis Neoton Cheung The world is undergoing a transformation of historic proportions. Geopolitical rivalry, economic restructuring and technological acceleration are converging to reshape the global order. These changes transcend the logic of any single nation, industry or moment in time, exerting profound influence on international politics, geoeconomics, industrial structures, capital flows and investment strategies. For Hong Kong, this “great change unseen in a century” is not an abstraction. It is a pressing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349883/hong-kong-must-go-beyond-its-intermediary-role-become-global-anchor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349883/hong-kong-must-go-beyond-its-intermediary-role-become-global-anchor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Artificial intelligence, the expansion of Asia’s middle class and continued trade growth are set to underpin global economic expansion despite prolonged conflict involving Iran, according to the chairman of HSBC Holdings. Hong Kong was expected to play a central role in that trajectory, given its status as a wealth management hub, trading centre and key connector between mainland China and global markets, Brendan Nelson said at the bank’s Global Investment Summit on Tuesday. The lender’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349987/ai-middle-class-and-trade-drive-global-growth-despite-iran-conflict-hsbc-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349987/ai-middle-class-and-trade-drive-global-growth-despite-iran-conflict-hsbc-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:04:09 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC Holdings, the biggest lender in Hong Kong and Europe by assets, is committed to the Middle East and plans to plough ahead with investments despite uncertainty in the region, according to a senior executive. Surendra Rosha, co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East, said HSBC would continue to invest in the wealth business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the coming years. Rosha is heading to Saudi Arabia, where HSBC is the biggest overseas investment bank, next week to meet clients and staff... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349866/hsbc-will-continue-invest-middle-east-long-term-even-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349866/hsbc-will-continue-invest-middle-east-long-term-even-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Faltering confidence in the US dollar has handed China a “golden window of opportunity” to promote the global use of its currency, according to a former head of the Chinese central bank. “The core driving force behind the current changes in the international monetary system is the United States’ own policy choices,” Zhou Xiaochuan was quoted as saying in a report published on Sunday by the New Economist, a Chinese think tank. He cited the broad application of American tariffs, the frequent use... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349868/yuans-golden-window-open-former-pboc-governor-says-us-dollar-credibility-teeters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349868/yuans-golden-window-open-former-pboc-governor-says-us-dollar-credibility-teeters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:59:34 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong authorities have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with mainland China’s top internet regulator to promote the digital economy, with the city’s leader pledging to contribute to building a strong technological nation. The MOU was signed on Sunday by Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong and Wang Jingtao, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), and covers topics including artificial intelligence (AI) promotion, cross-boundary data... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349815/hong-kong-mainland-china-sign-milestone-mou-promoting-digital-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349815/hong-kong-mainland-china-sign-milestone-mou-promoting-digital-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:18:43 +0000 Daniel Ren,Enoch Yiu Daniel Ren,Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is being urged to go further in loosening restrictions on stablecoins, after granting the city’s first two licences to banks to issue the digital currency. Bankers, venture capitalists and analysts said the long-awaited approvals – awarded to HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered – fell short of market expectations, underscoring the regulator’s cautious stance amid lingering risk concerns. “It came as a surprise that only two licences were... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349742/hong-kong-regulator-urged-expand-stablecoin-rules-after-cautious-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349742/hong-kong-regulator-urged-expand-stablecoin-rules-after-cautious-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:21 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Can the collective wisdom or clout of the almost 200 countries that make up the membership of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) prevail against the United States and Israel, whose rash actions of declaring war on Iran have effectively declared economic war on the whole world? We may get the answers to this critical question when the two so-called Bretton Woods institutions begin their annual meetings in Washington on April 13. The week-long gatherings provide an opportunity... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349524/can-world-bank-and-imf-leaders-rescue-global-economy-brink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349524/can-world-bank-and-imf-leaders-rescue-global-economy-brink?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s red-chip structure – long used by internet companies to attract foreign capital while navigating domestic restrictions – is facing renewed scrutiny as regulators tighten oversight of offshore listings. The shift is already reshaping the pipeline for Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs), with companies increasingly being encouraged to unwind these structures or justify why they remain necessary. This explainer outlines the reasons behind the policy shift, what it means for tech IPOs,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349735/what-does-chinas-tightening-grip-red-chip-structures-mean-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349735/what-does-chinas-tightening-grip-red-chip-structures-mean-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:37:35 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Fang Liu, a partner at global law firm Clifford Chance, counts among his clients many technology companies that are keen to list in Hong Kong, but find the current requirements cumbersome. Clifford Chance has helped more than a dozen innovative companies raise funds under the new listing regime since 2018, when Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) introduced reforms for pre-revenue biotech firms and companies with weighted voting rights (WVR), where one class of shareholders carries more... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng Have you wondered why most small start-ups have to fight to survive, whereas the rich or those at the top tend to get richer? Capitalism is in trouble because the social divide is widening in terms of both income and wealth. Furthermore, the planet is being eaten alive by excessive consumption financed by huge amounts of debt. At the same time, aspirations such as dealing with climate change appear to be going nowhere. Who cares about net zero when you can bomb your way to more oil and gas? Why... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349484/despite-its-hype-ai-just-means-economic-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349484/despite-its-hype-ai-just-means-economic-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered have been awarded Hong Kong’s first stablecoin issuer licences, marking the city’s latest step towards embracing cryptocurrency’s most-traded cash substitute in its bid to become a global digital asset hub. Eight months after Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Ordinance, one of the world’s first such laws, took effect, HSBC and Anchorpoint Financial, the Standard Chartered-led group, received the green light from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3349644/hong-kong-awards-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-stanchart-led-group-long-awaited-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3349644/hong-kong-awards-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-stanchart-led-group-long-awaited-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:09:55 +0000 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