https://www.scmp.com/rss/509879/feed Latest news and analysis about investments that align with the principles of environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) investing. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has seen significant improvement in the gender diversity of listed companies but the bourse operator has not made progress in the area of mobility for independent directors, exchange data showed. One in five listed companies in Hong Kong have boards where women comprise 30 per cent of members, HKEX chairman Carlson Tong Ka-shing said on Friday. “Gender diversity makes good business sense,” Tong said in a speech at a special gong-striking ceremony on Friday... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3345664/hkex-sees-more-women-boards-little-progress-tenure-cap-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3345664/hkex-sees-more-women-boards-little-progress-tenure-cap-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Deeper regulatory ties and a shared push for new growth sectors are expected to give fresh impetus to cross-border investment flows between China and the Middle East, according to industry players and a United Arab Emirates (UAE) regulator. Hong Kong would benefit from the increased China-Middle East cooperation as the city develops into “a key hub for Middle Eastern capital to deploy in Asia and an important gateway for Chinese capital to go global to the Middle East,” said Linda Cai, inbound... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3344127/hong-kong-uae-solidify-financial-links-deeper-regulatory-ties-digital-assets-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3344127/hong-kong-uae-solidify-financial-links-deeper-regulatory-ties-digital-assets-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof When Hong Kong-based EcoCeres opened Malaysia’s first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel plant in Johor on Monday, officials pitched it as a new export segment positioned for strong growth, backed by the country’s ports, processing capacity and palm-adjacent supply chains. The problem is that the largest buyers are still not in Asia, EcoCeres says. “The major part of the demand is in Europe,” EcoCeres CEO Matti Lievonen told reporters at a press conference, adding that “absolutely much... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341370/malaysia-aims-be-sustainable-aviation-fuel-hub-what-about-low-asian-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341370/malaysia-aims-be-sustainable-aviation-fuel-hub-what-about-low-asian-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:57:39 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong has established new “partner port” relationships with key maritime centres in mainland China and South America, the city’s leader has said, with shipping experts calling it a strategic move to enlarge market catchment areas and strengthen supply chains amid global trade volatility. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Monday that partnerships had been formed with Guangxi and Dalian ports on the mainland and Port San Antonio in Chile. “These ports are of strategic importance,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3333149/hong-kong-links-3-key-partner-ports-ride-out-trade-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3333149/hong-kong-links-3-key-partner-ports-ride-out-trade-volatility?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:55:24 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong has seen an increasing number of women taking leadership roles in the financial and professional industries, a trend that bodes well for the city’s future talent development and economic growth, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. “Research consistently shows that organisations with diverse leadership, including women at the helm, are more agile, more empathetic, more creative and better equipped to achieve long-term success,” Chan said at the first Women Chief Executives... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331330/hong-kongs-women-leaders-drive-finance-talent-and-economic-growth-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331330/hong-kongs-women-leaders-drive-finance-talent-and-economic-growth-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:59:39 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong is boosting financial ties with the Middle East by signing initial accords with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to enable mutual recognition of funds and cross-listings of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. Hong Kong’s market regulator, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), and the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to facilitate the mutual recognition of funds. This would allow public... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3325954/hong-kong-and-uae-strengthen-financial-ties-etf-and-fund-accords?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3325954/hong-kong-and-uae-strengthen-financial-ties-etf-and-fund-accords?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong can take a more active role in the multibillion-dollar impact investment sector by developing a thriving ecosystem that includes more start-ups, offers innovative financial products and upholds world-class standards, the finance chief has pledged. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday that the initiative was part of the city’s commitment to making the world more sustainable. He noted that last year, the capital involved in impact investment had reached US$1.6 trillion and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3325483/hong-kong-boost-impact-investment-sector-start-and-innovation-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3325483/hong-kong-boost-impact-investment-sector-start-and-innovation-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 08:10:02 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong stands to benefit as a family office hub and impact investment centre, according to industry observers, after a survey showed ESG investments account for a growing share of the portfolios of nine out of 10 family offices globally. According to a study released on Wednesday by the Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFI), ESG investments – which seek to improve society, reduce pollution and address climate change risks – accounted for at least half of the portfolio for nearly 20 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/article/3324205/hong-kong-emerges-hub-impact-investments-90-family-offices-embrace-esg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/article/3324205/hong-kong-emerges-hub-impact-investments-90-family-offices-embrace-esg?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 10:45:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The sustainable debt market in Hong Kong recorded solid growth in the first half of the year, with estimated issuances rising 15 per cent to US$34.3 billion from a year earlier, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said on Wednesday as the city prepared to host the second annual Green Week event. Kenneth Hui, the authority’s executive director (external), said he hoped the momentum would extend to the second half, noting strong demand from international investors, particularly in Europe and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3324186/hong-kongs-sustainable-debt-market-grows-15-city-prepares-host-green-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3324186/hong-kongs-sustainable-debt-market-grows-15-city-prepares-host-green-week?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 09:45:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong was responsible for nearly half of the green bonds issued in Asia in 2024 and saw a surge in sustainability-related funds, as strong demand from regional mainland governments and start-ups raised the city’s stature as a finance hub for climate-friendly projects, according to a minister. Green bond issuance in Hong Kong last year reached US$43 billion, representing 45 per cent of the region’s total and keeping the city atop the league table in Asia for the seventh consecutive year, said... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3323896/hong-kongs-crop-green-bonds-esg-funds-flourishes-under-mainland-chinas-climate-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3323896/hong-kongs-crop-green-bonds-esg-funds-flourishes-under-mainland-chinas-climate-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 08:00:07 +0000 John Cremer John Cremer It is clear that a priority for many family offices and wealth managers worldwide is to invest in companies with a strong commitment to ESG (environmental, social and governance) principles. A 2024 PwC global study on family office deals found that in early 2022, “impact” investments surpassed more traditional choices for the first time, and have stayed above the 50 per cent mark since. For the year to June 2024, the number of deals in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture combined was... https://www.scmp.com/specialist-publications/special-reports/topics/wealth-family-offices/article/3322806/rise-esg-investing-hong-kong-prompts-improved-reporting-standards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/specialist-publications/special-reports/topics/wealth-family-offices/article/3322806/rise-esg-investing-hong-kong-prompts-improved-reporting-standards?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Companies will soon be expected to reflect climate risk in their profit and loss (P&L) accounts, revealing to investors how floods, storms and droughts affect bottom lines. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), whose rules are used in some 169 jurisdictions across the globe, is due to have a finalised set of examples by October to show companies how to disclose the impact of a hotter planet on P&L items, including impairments and provisions. It’s technical and may make “people’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3321687/new-accounting-rules-force-firms-show-climate-impact-bottom-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3321687/new-accounting-rules-force-firms-show-climate-impact-bottom-line?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:41:14 +0000 Hannah Wang,Julie Zhang Hannah Wang,Julie Zhang UK-based start-up Barocal, which specialises in energy storage and conversion, won the US$1 million top prize at this year’s TERA-Award, created by Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit. Lee is on a mission to discover unicorns in green energy development and innovation through his platform, aiming to tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges: climate change. Now in its fourth year, the TERA-Award, established by Lee’s family office, Full Vision Capital, received a record 785... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3318750/uk-start-barocal-wins-us1-million-tera-award-green-energy-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3318750/uk-start-barocal-wins-us1-million-tera-award-green-energy-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s bourse operator has declared victory in its quest to eliminate all-male boards from companies listed on the region’s third-largest stock exchange, an improvement in corporate governance that analysts said would help attract international investors. Fewer than 10 of Hong Kong’s around 2,600 listed companies had all-male boards as of the end of June, according to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). A spokesman said these exceptions were companies that had long been suspended from... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3316530/hong-kongs-all-male-boardrooms-are-all-gone-most-companies-embrace-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3316530/hong-kongs-all-male-boardrooms-are-all-gone-most-companies-embrace-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong can become a regional trading hub for green marine fuel and help augment China’s influence on supply and pricing, according to an industry player. “Hong Kong’s advantages lie in its roles as an international free port, shipping and financial hub, and the government’s willingness to support energy transition and green finance,” said Leo Yang Xiaohu, president of CIMC Enric Holdings, which built the city’s first hydrogen refuelling station and related infrastructure in 2023. By boosting... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3315926/hong-kong-has-potential-become-green-marine-fuel-hub-beijings-backing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3315926/hong-kong-has-potential-become-green-marine-fuel-hub-beijings-backing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 03:32:48 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The European Union’s (EU) tariffs on biodiesel and renewable diesel from China present Hong Kong with an opportunity to promote the use of low-carbon fuels, according to a business group, which called for more measures to support its adoption. A dearth of financial incentives and infrastructure has also resulted in limited use by the public and private sector to meet climate goals, according to the Business Environment Council (BEC). “The EU’s anti-dumping tariffs have forced Chinese producers... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3313299/eu-biodiesel-tariffs-offer-hong-kong-chance-boost-adoption-green-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3313299/eu-biodiesel-tariffs-offer-hong-kong-chance-boost-adoption-green-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 03:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) say they have been generating new business by leveraging their carbon-tracking technologies, despite some financial uncertainties facing the broader sector. For Hong Kong start-ups like Urban Spring, which supplies smart water refilling stations, and EzyGreenPak, which makes sustainable packaging, using technologies that measure climate-related data throughout their production chains has created new business opportunities. Both firms operate... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3312963/hong-kong-smes-generate-new-business-making-use-their-carbon-tracking-technologies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3312963/hong-kong-smes-generate-new-business-making-use-their-carbon-tracking-technologies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 02:25:01 +0000 China recently issued its first sovereign green bonds on the London Stock Exchange, a landmark moment that projected Beijing as a leader in sustainable finance. The move was welcomed: it promised to channel international capital into China’s vast green economy and could deepen climate cooperation with Britain and the European Union. But China also continues to approve new coal power plants and last year launched construction on 94.5 gigawatts of capacity, the most since 2015. Therein lies a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3307482/china-must-resist-greenwashing-its-dirty-coal-habit-green-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3307482/china-must-resist-greenwashing-its-dirty-coal-habit-green-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Apr 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang David Webb, a Hong Kong corporate-governance activist battling terminal cancer, said he would make the online database he built up over decades freely available after his death as “a gift to the public interest”. The British citizen said he received more than 100 offers to carry forward his Webb-site platform, database and mission of enhancing corporate governance and public transparency, after he announced last month that he would shut down the site as he had only months to live. “I won’t allow... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3302717/hong-kong-activist-investor-leave-webb-site-data-github-gift-public-interest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3302717/hong-kong-activist-investor-leave-webb-site-data-github-gift-public-interest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:59:58 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Barclays plans to leverage its strength in investment banking and technology to prepare for a turbulent year ahead in the region amid trade wars and recession risks, after the UK banking group produced its best returns on equity since 2021 last year. “There’s a lot of risk in the market at the moment, with geopolitical instability, trade wars, trade tariffs and controls, cyber threats, inflation and interest-rate uncertainty creating an increasingly dynamic environment for financial institutions... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3301909/barclays-leverage-investment-banking-tech-strengths-grow-asia-pacific-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3301909/barclays-leverage-investment-banking-tech-strengths-grow-asia-pacific-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:37:53 +0000 Great minds blazing a trail: five women are leading the way in the realm of science. See our other features on Megan Lam, Gina Jiang and Florence Chan. Wendy Lam is a determined 32-year-old, bringing environmental savvy into what has long been the workhorse of China’s economic boom. Growing up in the 2000s, she witnessed first-hand the environmental impact of traditional manufacturing through her father’s garment factory in the Pearl River Delta, which sparked her interest in eco-friendly... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3301250/wendy-lam-didnt-current-sustainable-packaging-so-she-made-her-own?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3301250/wendy-lam-didnt-current-sustainable-packaging-so-she-made-her-own?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:00:08 +0000 Over the past few decades, there has been significant progress in gender equality globally, with more women holding parliamentary seats, fewer women living in extreme poverty and more legal reforms enacted to close the gender gap. But, despite the progress in some areas, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index predicts it will take the world 134 years to reach gender parity. Clearly, there is still much work to be done. At the same time, we are seeing some markets and companies in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3301049/having-more-women-boards-makes-business-sense-hong-kong-gets-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3301049/having-more-women-boards-makes-business-sense-hong-kong-gets-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Asia has potential to become a global leader in transition finance, driven by the region’s demand for decarbonising its high-pollution economic sectors, according to money manager Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI). Transition finance allocates capital to companies and activities that are reaching for environmentally friendly or sustainability standards, unlike “green finance” which focuses exclusively on assets that have fully achieved that status. While Europe had prioritised establishing... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3301135/asia-drivers-seat-lead-transition-finance-allianzgi-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3301135/asia-drivers-seat-lead-transition-finance-allianzgi-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 07:04:02 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong One-third of women in Hong Kong have been sexually harassed in the workplace over the past three years but most of them do nothing about it fearing it will affect their job or because they have accepted it as the norm, a survey has found. Lawmaker Elizabeth Quat Pei-fan, whose party jointly carried out the survey, said on Sunday that the issue of workplace harassment in Hong Kong appeared not to have improved in decades. “We’ve been discussing this issue of workplace sexual harassment for more... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3300730/34-women-sexually-harassed-work-hong-kong-few-take-action-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3300730/34-women-sexually-harassed-work-hong-kong-few-take-action-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Mar 2025 09:17:53 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s pension regulator said money managers would need to raise their disclosure standards on environment, social and governance (ESG) funds to help contributors understand their risk management and investment strategies The 12 participating fund managers, or trustees, including HSBC and Manulife, should improve the transparency levels on ESG-related reporting in their pension schemes, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) said on Monday. The trustees must clearly state ESG... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3299877/hong-kong-raises-esg-disclosure-standards-mpf-managers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3299877/hong-kong-raises-esg-disclosure-standards-mpf-managers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Feb 2025 07:00:20 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Corporate governance activist David Webb will shut down his information services platform Webb-site.com after almost three decades, saying he only has months to live after a long battle with prostate cancer. The British citizen would close his pro-bono and unprofitable service from next month in an orderly manner in stages, the 59-year old former investment banker said in a post on Wednesday. When its server in New York shut down, Webb-site and all its editorial content would disappear, he... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3298427/hong-kong-activist-investor-shut-webb-site-data-platform-amid-battle-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3298427/hong-kong-activist-investor-shut-webb-site-data-platform-amid-battle-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:02:45 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng China’s power-equipment industry needs to shift its investment focus to storage and distribution infrastructure from renewable generation to stay viable amid excess capacity and rising protectionism overseas, according to Natixis, a French investment bank. “China’s investment in green energy technology is so massive that even in the worst scenario of energy transition, it will be enough to meet its own needs and maintain its [dominant] share in the global renewable equipment market for a long... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3297508/china-must-refocus-renewable-energy-investment-distribution-generation-natixis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3297508/china-must-refocus-renewable-energy-investment-distribution-generation-natixis?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Asian investors should view nature investments favourably despite volatility in returns and longer investment horizons, as they offer diversification benefits and tackle climate change, according to an asset manager. There is an “early mover advantage” for investors in nature assets before it becomes mainstream, said Ben O’Donnell, chief investment officer of Climate Asset Management (CAM). The London-based fund manager is a joint venture formed in 2020 between HSBC Asset Management and climate... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3296717/asian-investors-can-benefit-early-mover-advantage-nature-investments-fund-manager?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3296717/asian-investors-can-benefit-early-mover-advantage-nature-investments-fund-manager?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2025 02:30:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen More than half of Hang Seng Index’s constituent firms have voluntarily published their reports on sustainability performance last year, according to Hong Kong’s accounting regulatory body, which called on companies to hone their expertise in the field. Some 21 per cent of them obtained a “reasonable” grade from sustainability assurance auditors, while 53 per cent received a “limited” rating, the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council said in a report on Monday. The rest of them scored “mixed... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3296590/hong-kong-accounting-body-calls-more-expertise-sustainability-practices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3296590/hong-kong-accounting-body-calls-more-expertise-sustainability-practices?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:34:00 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Chinese power companies installed a record amount of generation capacity in overseas markets covered by Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, with nearly half of them using fossil fuels. They completed 24 gigawatts (GW) of projects in more than 150 countries with which China has signed cooperation agreements, the highest level since the initiative was launched in 2013, UK-based consultancy Wood Mackenzie said in a report on Monday. That compared with 10GW installed in 2023 and 22GW in 2022. Some... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3296451/belt-and-road-chinese-power-firms-install-record-capacity-reliance-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3296451/belt-and-road-chinese-power-firms-install-record-capacity-reliance-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2025 09:15:13 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong should be able to find sufficient sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the region to meet its short-term needs, but the government must exercise care in setting usage targets and regulating infrastructure facilities, according to speakers at a sustainable aviation forum. The city, which has committed to setting an SAF usage target for flights departing from Hong Kong’s airport within this year, can learn from the experiences of other markets that have already implemented such mandates,... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3296220/hong-kong-should-learn-eu-missteps-sustainable-jet-fuel-cathay-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3296220/hong-kong-should-learn-eu-missteps-sustainable-jet-fuel-cathay-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2025 01:00:16 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Tianqi Lithium, one of the world’s largest producers of lithium-ion battery materials, warned of a worse-than-expected loss because of a prolonged slump in prices and impairments to cease expansion in Australia. The Chengdu, Sichuan province-based company said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Friday that it expected to post a net loss of 7.1 billion yuan (US$978.3 billion) to 8.2 billion yuan for last year. The company made a profit of 7.29 billion yuan in 2023. Tianqi’s shares... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3296093/tianqi-lithium-warns-us1-billion-loss-price-slump-halt-australian-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3296093/tianqi-lithium-warns-us1-billion-loss-price-slump-halt-australian-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2025 04:59:25 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong and China Gas (Towngas), the city’s sole gas provider, has teamed up with a Singapore marine fuel and logistics provider to develop a green methanol supply chain, the company’s latest initiative to meet the region’s energy transition needs. Towngas signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Global Energy Trading to develop green methanol supply chains across Asia, the Hong Kong-listed company said in a statement on Monday. “This partnership represents a significant milestone in... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3295605/hong-kongs-towngas-and-singapores-global-energy-develop-green-methanol-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3295605/hong-kongs-towngas-and-singapores-global-energy-develop-green-methanol-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng A new report from Fidelity International (FIL) showed that growth in attendance at the general meetings of mainland-listed companies has slowed, though minority investors have become more forceful in expressing their opinions on controversial proposals. A top-down regulatory push, including the implementation of a stewardship code, could improve the situation, according to the report, which was published last month with Beijing-based proxy advisory firm ZD Proxy Shareholders Services. “We may... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295375/fidelity-report-pulls-back-curtain-minority-shareholder-participation-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295375/fidelity-report-pulls-back-curtain-minority-shareholder-participation-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jan 2025 23:30:19 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Shares of Longi Green Energy Technology fell by the most in a week after the Chinese solar-panel components producer warned of bigger than expected losses amid a prolonged domestic price war and chronic oversupply in the industry. The world’s largest maker of solar silicon wafers expects to report a loss of 8.2 billion yuan (US$1.1 billion) to 8.9 billion yuan for 2024, according to a Shanghai Stock Exchange filing on Friday. The firm was expected to lose 7.1 billion yuan, according to forecasts... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295140/shares-solar-panel-maker-longi-tumble-price-war-glut-stoke-losses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295140/shares-solar-panel-maker-longi-tumble-price-war-glut-stoke-losses?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jan 2025 04:46:23 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang The chief investment officers (CIOs) of some of the world’s largest asset managers remain cautious about the macroeconomic outlook after last year’s market gains, as they navigate potential minefields this year. Top executives’ confidence in global growth prospects is at one of its lowest points in recent years, with US president-elect Donald Trump set to take over the reins next week and a clear picture yet to emerge on China’s policies for rejuvenating its economy. “We’ve had a very good... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3294665/top-cios-cautious-global-growth-amid-trump-and-china-policy-uncertainties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3294665/top-cios-cautious-global-growth-amid-trump-and-china-policy-uncertainties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2025 06:37:40 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong-based private equity firm Templewater is teaming up with countries in the Middle East to unlock investment opportunities arising from the region’s energy transition programmes, while delivering returns for its investors. It is working with the Future Fund Oman, a 2 billion Omani rial (US$5.2 billion) investment fund established by the sultanate’s sovereign wealth fund, Oman Investment Authority (OIA), to “focus on energy transition and localisation opportunities”, according to Yufeng... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3293016/hong-kongs-templewater-builds-middle-east-ties-unlock-energy-transition-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3293016/hong-kongs-templewater-builds-middle-east-ties-unlock-energy-transition-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Citigroup and Bank of America (BofA) said they are leaving a global climate-banking group, becoming the latest Wall Street lenders to exit the coalition in the past month. In a statement, Citigroup said while it remains committed to achieving net zero emissions, it’s exiting the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA). Bank of America said separately on Tuesday that it was also leaving NZBA, adding that it will continue to work with clients on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The banks’ departure... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3292998/citigroup-bofa-join-wall-street-lenders-leaving-global-climate-banking-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3292998/citigroup-bofa-join-wall-street-lenders-leaving-global-climate-banking-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jan 2025 04:06:13 +0000 This year has been tough for corporate sustainability, especially in the United States. Despite some promising developments, the journey towards a fairer and more sustainable world has grown more challenging. After decades of sustainability awareness, some companies are openly stepping back from social and climate commitments. The challenges are immense. Climate change, biodiversity loss and inequality are accelerating. In 2024, we witnessed the hottest day ever recorded, a staggering 73 per... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3292367/after-mixed-bag-climate-action-2024-businesses-must-take-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3292367/after-mixed-bag-climate-action-2024-businesses-must-take-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Dec 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Cracks in the economy in recent years have affected donations to the Community Chest of Hong Kong, which collects funds to support various social welfare causes in the city. The non-profit corporation received HK$220.3 million (US$28 million) in contributions for the year to March 31, a 23 per cent drop from a year earlier, according to its annual report. That is also a 43 per cent slide from before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019. The Chest had to dip into its reserves to cover a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3292241/hong-kongs-community-chest-feels-pinch-cracks-economy-markets-hit-donations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3292241/hong-kongs-community-chest-feels-pinch-cracks-economy-markets-hit-donations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong will play host to global insurance regulators and supervisors for the first time in 2026, according to the government, adding another feather in the cap to the city’s status as a venue for business events. The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) will hold its annual general meeting in the city, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said at an industry conference on Tuesday, showing Hong Kong has the potential to become a hub for risk management, backed by robust... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3290116/hong-kong-host-annual-meeting-global-insurance-regulators-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3290116/hong-kong-host-annual-meeting-global-insurance-regulators-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2024 06:01:59 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The Hong Kong government must quickly come up with a new business model for the city’s two franchised bus companies, which face nearly HK$6 billion (US$771 million) in investments to overhaul their fleets to reach zero-emissions targets, according to a think tank. The clock is ticking because the companies have less than eight years to stop buying diesel-powered buses, and the bulk of their diesel models are slated for retirement between 2028 and 2036. “There is an urgency to devise a new... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289468/hong-kong-bus-firms-need-urgent-help-buy-zero-emission-fleets-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289468/hong-kong-bus-firms-need-urgent-help-buy-zero-emission-fleets-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 09:00:08 +0000 What can you do with US$300 billion? For Southeast Asian nations trying to build solar plants or wind farms, not that much. The conclusion of UN climate change conference Cop29 tells us the region cannot wait for developed nations to raise the bar. Solutions need to come from within, and one possibility is in policy. At Cop29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, developed nations agreed to provide at least US$300 billion annually by 2035 to help developing nations. Southeast Asia alone needs US$210 billion... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3288756/southeast-asias-energy-transition-lacking-both-finance-and-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3288756/southeast-asias-energy-transition-lacking-both-finance-and-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Jane Goodall, the world-renowned ethologist and primatologist, told business leaders gathered in Hong Kong that they need to partner with the government and civil society to promote biodiversity in the Asian business hub. In her first appearance in Hong Kong in six years, Goodall said corporate support is urgently needed to drive “positive changes to our planet”. “We cannot do things alone,” she said at an event at the University of Hong Kong on Tuesday. “We need to collaborate. We need to have... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3288220/jane-goodall-hongkongers-all-stripes-need-work-together-promote-biodiversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3288220/jane-goodall-hongkongers-all-stripes-need-work-together-promote-biodiversity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 23:30:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng EcoCeres, a unit of Hong Kong and China Gas – also known as Towngas – would invest in a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in the Greater Bay Area if the right supportive policies are in place, according to top executives. EcoCeres’ plant in Zhangjiagang in China’s Jiangsu province can convert waste cooking oil to biofuel at a rate of 350,000 tonnes a year. It came online in 2021 and is operating at full capacity, executive chairman Matti Lievonen said in an interview. Its output, which has a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3287584/towngas-unit-ready-build-sustainable-jet-fuel-plant-near-hong-kong-if-policy-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3287584/towngas-unit-ready-build-sustainable-jet-fuel-plant-near-hong-kong-if-policy-place?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:30:13 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Investors should get cash in motion and position themselves for the long term as the world experiences structural changes from falling interest rates, emerging technologies and changing demographics, top money managers said at a forum. Meanwhile, the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit will be back for a fourth year next November, Eddie Yue Wai-man, the CEO of Hong Kong Monetary Authority, said on Wednesday. “We’re going to do it again next year,” he said in his closing remarks to the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3287329/money-motion-top-bankers-discuss-diversification-hong-kong-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3287329/money-motion-top-bankers-discuss-diversification-hong-kong-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Nov 2024 04:54:44 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng HSBC has signed Hong Kong’s first deal for the direct corporate purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to cut its travel-related carbon emissions, ahead of government policies aimed at driving the use of the fuel to help the city meet its climate goals. In a three-party agreement announced on Tuesday, the city’s largest bank agreed to a one-time deal to buy 3,400 tonnes of SAF from EcoCeres, a biofuel maker spun off in 2021 from the city’s dominant piped gas supplier, Hong Kong and China... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3287260/hsbc-cathay-pacific-ecoceres-join-forces-hong-kong-sustainable-aviation-fuel-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3287260/hsbc-cathay-pacific-ecoceres-join-forces-hong-kong-sustainable-aviation-fuel-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:15:36 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Green AI Technology, one of the first companies in Hong Kong to develop an artificial intelligence-driven waste sorting system, will launch a smart collection bin early next year that could help boost recycling in the city. The Hong Kong Productivity Council-backed start-up said the smart bins would be initially targeted at owners and tenants of shopping centres, hotels and commercial buildings, many of which are owned by listed companies. Hong Kong stock exchange rules require companies to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3286725/how-hong-kong-start-ups-ai-powered-smart-bin-plans-tackle-recycling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3286725/how-hong-kong-start-ups-ai-powered-smart-bin-plans-tackle-recycling?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 04:30:07 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Insurance premiums for electric vehicles (EVs) in Hong Kong will fall as their costs decline, but that may not lower the cost of protection against third-party liability, according to an industry executive. EV owners on both sides of the border would do well to buy additional coverage beyond the minimum legal requirement in mainland China to bring it on par with Hong Kong, said Eric Hui, CEO of Zurich Insurance in Hong Kong. “Falling EV prices should generally mean lower premiums for... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3286436/hong-kong-ev-insurance-costs-fall-third-party-liability-may-remain-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3286436/hong-kong-ev-insurance-costs-fall-third-party-liability-may-remain-high?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Chinese companies are likely to increase their production of solar panels in the US to mitigate any fallout from possible higher tariffs on their exports from Southeast Asia next year after Donald Trump begins his second term in the White House in January, according to industry observers. Demand in the US is expected to increase even if Trump acts on his plan to cancel President Joe Biden’s US$400 billion incentives for clean energy projects under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) enacted in... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3286315/trump-tariffs-solar-panels-spur-chinese-investment-us-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3286315/trump-tariffs-solar-panels-spur-chinese-investment-us-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 23:30:08 +0000