https://www.scmp.com/rss/517939/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Costco. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Weee, an online grocer specialising in Asian and Latino goods, is betting that America’s appetite for ethnic food and grocery delivery will outlast a sharp drop in immigration, with its founder forecasting years of double-digit growth even as the Trump administration tightens border controls. The San Francisco-based company has seen its annual revenue grow at about 30 to 40 per cent from 2023 to 2025, and is expecting to expand at the same pace in the next five to 10 years, founder and CEO Larry... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3344657/immigration-slows-americas-appetite-ethnic-groceries-keeps-growing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3344657/immigration-slows-americas-appetite-ethnic-groceries-keeps-growing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:52:06 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Bochen Han,Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Bochen Han,Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Mark Magnier In a consequential decision with billions of dollars on the line, the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower-court ruling striking down President Donald Trump’s tariffs, coming just as the White House confirmed his visit to Beijing from March 31 to April 2. The South China Morning Post had exclusively reported the trip dates last week. By invalidating tariffs imposed under emergency presidential powers, the decision removes a powerful tool the White House had used to pressure Beijing,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344180/us-supreme-court-rules-trumps-tariffs-unlawful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344180/us-supreme-court-rules-trumps-tariffs-unlawful?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:06:49 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian US warehouse retailer Sam’s Club has gained traction among Chinese shoppers by strengthening localisation and launching more China-tailored products, continuing to expand even as many foreign retailers have scaled back their mainland operations or exited the market. Instead of replicating its US model, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club has introduced products catering to local tastes, including copper gourd ornaments, ginseng and some traditional food items in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343683/walmarts-sams-club-cracks-china-market-formula-even-foreign-retailers-shut-shop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343683/walmarts-sams-club-cracks-china-market-formula-even-foreign-retailers-shut-shop?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Only a few years ago, the notion that Beyond Meat – the former poster child of the plant-based meat industry – would shut down its operations in China seemed unthinkable. At the height of the brand’s popularity, its label could be found adorning heavily promoted products at restaurants and grocery stores across major cities. Many observers speculated that the alternative meat company and others like it had found the next great success story in the country’s rapidly evolving consumer market. But... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335365/why-chinas-consumers-found-hype-around-plant-based-meat-hard-swallow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335365/why-chinas-consumers-found-hype-around-plant-based-meat-hard-swallow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Some flavour crazes flirt with us and fade. Others stay and make themselves at home. It is too soon to tell for sure, but the Dubai chocolate movement seems to have put down roots and is spreading at a brisk clip. The sweet flavours and thick texture that have made Dubai chocolate bars a hit are morphing into other kinds of confections, too. The original and now-classic Dubai chocolate bar was created by Fix Chocolatier in the United Arab Emirates in 2021, and by 2023, it had exploded on social... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328220/how-dubai-chocolate-craze-took-over-world-and-now-going-beyond-bars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328220/how-dubai-chocolate-craze-took-over-world-and-now-going-beyond-bars?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Trump administration has barred Iranian diplomats based in or visiting New York from shopping at wholesale club shops such as Costco and buying luxury goods in the United States without specific permission from the State Department. In notices to be published this week in the Federal Register, the department’s Office of Foreign Missions determined that diplomatic memberships in wholesale club shops, as well as diplomats’ ability to buy items such as watches, furs, jewellery, handbags,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326444/us-bars-irans-diplomats-shopping-costco-without-government-permission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326444/us-bars-irans-diplomats-shopping-costco-without-government-permission?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:41:30 +0000 Cannix Yau,Jiang Chuqin Cannix Yau,Jiang Chuqin Hong Kong grocery chain Dah Chong Hong (DCH) Food Mart will close down its stores after 39 years in business, with customers expressing sadness at the move. “After careful consideration, DCH has made the decision to cease operations at its 28 DCH Foods retail stores,” a company spokeswoman told the Post on Friday. “As the largest food and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) distributor in Hong Kong, Dah Chong Hong will continue to serve the local community through its sourcing, distribution and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3255506/hong-kongs-dah-chong-hong-food-mart-close-down-stores-after-39-years-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3255506/hong-kongs-dah-chong-hong-food-mart-close-down-stores-after-39-years-business?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:04:32 +0000 People always fret about Hong Kong’s eroding competitiveness compared to other leading Asian cities. But the clear and present danger may be its lack of competitiveness against other major mainland cities, especially those in the Greater Bay Area. It’s not that it is in danger of becoming “just another mainland city”; if only that were so. Rather, it’s already subpar to its urban cousins across the border. Witness the exodus of local people travelling en masse to shop and dine in Shenzhen and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3255125/hong-kong-losing-competitiveness-cities-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3255125/hong-kong-losing-competitiveness-cities-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2024 13:00:13 +0000 Sydney resident Don* has been stealing milk, vegetables and the nation’s favourite chocolate biscuits, Tim Tams, from supermarkets over the past three years. The Australian marketing employee, who used a pseudonym to avoid being identified, says he doesn’t set out with an intention to steal, but when there is an opportunity, he pops things into the recycled shopping bag he carries. The habit started towards the end of the pandemic, when Australian grocery prices rose sharply, hitting a high of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3251568/more-australians-shoplift-groceries-amid-discontent-rip-supermarket-chains-food-inflation-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3251568/more-australians-shoplift-groceries-amid-discontent-rip-supermarket-chains-food-inflation-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:06:06 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. During the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers went north of the border, including to Shenzhen, to eat, drink and play at relatively low cost. Shop owners in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3250951/what-hong-kong-can-learn-child-friendly-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3250951/what-hong-kong-can-learn-child-friendly-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Feb 2024 03:30:10 +0000 In the typically quiet resort town of Davos, Switzerland, Chinese Premier Li Qiang surprised participants at this month’s World Economic Forum with his sonorous declaration that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) had grown by 5.2 per cent in 2023. The early and unexpected disclosure by China’s No 2 political figure was intended to send a clear message that the world’s second-largest economy had shrugged off the crippling effects of its zero-Covid policies during the pandemic, and that it would... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3250060/chinas-rose-tinted-growth-scrutinised-through-jaundiced-eyes-foreign-interests-remain-weak-and-wary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3250060/chinas-rose-tinted-growth-scrutinised-through-jaundiced-eyes-foreign-interests-remain-weak-and-wary?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jan 2024 22:00:28 +0000 It is noon and there are only three customers in HoKo Beauty, a cosmetics shop in Sheung Shui, a town just one train stop into the Hong Kong side of the border with mainland China. Over about 30 minutes, each spent less than HK$100 (US$18). Owner Yau Man, 40, sighed as she recalled better days before the Covid-19 pandemic, when her shop was packed with mainland Chinese visitors and bulk-buying agents, and the daily turnover could hit HK$100,000 on a good day. Yau said sales were down by almost... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3249242/10-days-sell-just-1-box-businesses-hong-kong-side-border-struggle-mainland-chinese-shoppers-parallel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3249242/10-days-sell-just-1-box-businesses-hong-kong-side-border-struggle-mainland-chinese-shoppers-parallel?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2024 12:30:11 +0000 What a sight the opening of Costco Shenzhen was: the three-hour lines, the stuffed toys too large even for the humongous shopping trolleys – how they are going to fit into cars and homes, I really don’t know – and the Hermes purses with a HK$200,000 price tag snapped up within minutes. Big-box retailers are definitely making a splash in mainland China. And, of course, Costco just made it to a long list of reasons for Hongkongers to head north on weekends. Whether we are crossing the border for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3249059/why-hongkongers-should-resist-costco-fomo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3249059/why-hongkongers-should-resist-costco-fomo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2024 08:30:14 +0000 We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Taiwan election: Lai’s victory risks further tensions with Beijing 2. 5 ways to beat bad luck predictions in the Year of the Dragon 2024 3. A hellish ride through the heavens: 4,300km motorbike tour in Tibet 4. From ‘Pinoy pride’ to ‘deep shame’: Filipinos turn on comedian Jo Koy after Golden... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3248416/taiwan-election-filipinos-turn-jo-koy-after-golden-globes-year-dragon-5-weekend-reads-you-may-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3248416/taiwan-election-filipinos-turn-jo-koy-after-golden-globes-year-dragon-5-weekend-reads-you-may-have?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jan 2024 04:00:18 +0000 A pro-business party’s proposal for authorities to impose a land and sea departure tax to ease the city’s ballooning deficit amid a trend of Hongkongers spending in mainland China has drawn scorn, with economists and other politicians warning the “politically insensitive” idea could backfire. They instead appealed to the government to focus on ways to stimulate the market to create substantial revenue, such as ditching cooling measures on property sales and stock markets, and providing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3248332/hong-kong-liberal-partys-departure-tax-proposal-those-crossing-border-land-and-sea-slammed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3248332/hong-kong-liberal-partys-departure-tax-proposal-those-crossing-border-land-and-sea-slammed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jan 2024 00:30:22 +0000 Hong Kong bargain hunters snapped up cheap deals on everything from sets of luggage and stuffed toys to liquid detergent as well as strawberries and croissants at Costco’s new Shenzhen megastore as a bulk-buying spree continued into the second day of the store’s opening. City shoppers who made the cross-border day trip on Saturday said they were keen to explore the warehouse-style store, which opened in Longhua district the day before. They added lower prices, as well as a pleasant overall... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3248334/costco-crowds-decrease-hong-kong-shoppers-still-keen-snap-cut-price-food-sets-luggage-new-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3248334/costco-crowds-decrease-hong-kong-shoppers-still-keen-snap-cut-price-food-sets-luggage-new-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jan 2024 11:28:38 +0000 Hong Kong welcomed 34 million visitors last year, with the figure for December reaching 65 per cent of the pre-pandemic level as the city rolled out a series of events to attract tourists during the festive season. Dane Cheng Ting-yat, executive director of the Tourism Board, on Saturday said that the number of visitors in 2023 surpassed the original forecast of 30 million and was 55 per cent of the average recorded in 2017 and 2018. “The number of 34 million tourists is better than what we... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3248322/hong-kong-welcomed-34-million-visitors-2023-figure-december-reached-65-pre-pandemic-levels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3248322/hong-kong-welcomed-34-million-visitors-2023-figure-december-reached-65-pre-pandemic-levels?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jan 2024 07:06:12 +0000 Hongkongers have taken to bulk-buying everything from tissue paper to snacks and electrical appliances in mainland China, lured by cheap deals at massive members-only megastores offering a wide variety of products. Retail sector observers urged Hong Kong authorities to offer incentives to attract megastores to set up in the city or risk losing out to Shenzhen. Google Trends showed that online searches from Hong Kong for Sam’s Club – an American membership warehouse retailer that opened its first... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3248198/hong-kong-shoppers-flock-shenzhens-megastores-bulk-buy-bargains-can-city-retailers-fight-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3248198/hong-kong-shoppers-flock-shenzhens-megastores-bulk-buy-bargains-can-city-retailers-fight-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jan 2024 00:30:21 +0000 Hongkongers were among thousands of bargain hunters who on Friday flocked to the opening day of Costco’s Shenzhen megastore as the bulk-buying frenzy at members-only outlets across the border continued. Shoppers told the Post they had to wait for several hours before they got into the Costco in Longhua district. Some said the shopping experience was much the same as that at another popular bulk-buy warehouse-style store that offered comparable goods and prices. Long queues formed outside well... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3248243/hongkongers-face-long-queues-they-flock-new-shenzhen-costco-megastore-hunt-bargains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3248243/hongkongers-face-long-queues-they-flock-new-shenzhen-costco-megastore-hunt-bargains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2024 09:42:31 +0000 Hongkongers on the prowl for roast chickens, laundry detergents and bulk orders of tissue paper are catching cross-border buses and signing up for shopping spree tours in droves to visit a US warehouse supermarket in Shenzhen. Bargain hunters from Hong Kong told the Post on Sunday they were visiting the Sam’s Club outlet in Qianhai because the venue was spacious and packed with low-priced products, with one saying: “You will feel happy about spending money here.” The membership-only chain of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3247588/hongkongers-hunt-roast-chicken-laundry-detergent-and-other-bargains-us-warehouse-store-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3247588/hongkongers-hunt-roast-chicken-laundry-detergent-and-other-bargains-us-warehouse-store-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jan 2024 13:45:14 +0000 Hongkongers are showing a keen interest in the membership megastores offering bulk buying over the border, but experts are sceptical the city can replicate their success locally given the scarcity of land and high cost of logistics. The opening of Costco Wholesale’s new store in Shenzhen’s Longhua district next Friday comes as bargain hunters from Hong Kong continue to go north for shopping deals and cheap meals, putting fresh strain on the city’s businesses. Google Trends showed that the search... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3247478/hongkongers-head-north-bulk-buying-megastores-city-ill-equipped-host-its-own-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3247478/hongkongers-head-north-bulk-buying-megastores-city-ill-equipped-host-its-own-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:55:59 +0000 Natural or plastic? Each holiday season, consumers have to make this difficult decision when buying a Christmas tree. This debate may have now been resolved once and for all. A Hong Kong-based company has made the choice easier by producing cheaper and more eco-friendly artificial Christmas trees. Polygroup, a leading manufacturer of artificial Christmas trees in the world, has an impressive list of customers ranging from big box retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, Costco and Target, to online... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3245919/hong-kong-worlds-biggest-maker-christmas-trees-goes-eco-friendly-recycled-plastics-global-production?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3245919/hong-kong-worlds-biggest-maker-christmas-trees-goes-eco-friendly-recycled-plastics-global-production?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Dec 2023 02:00:14 +0000 Usually when people travel, they want to see historic landmarks and cultural attractions. I do that too, but afterwards I find myself drawn to more mundane destinations. I usually end up spending time in very pedestrian supermarkets. I can’t seem to help myself. One minute I’m admiring the sights and colours of a new country; the next, I’m making a detour into a fluorescent-lit convenience store checking out their range of toothpaste and how much potato chips cost in their currency. To me, it’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245587/supersized-and-cheap-eclectic-and-exciting-why-i-love-food-shopping-abroad-and-bringing-home-random?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245587/supersized-and-cheap-eclectic-and-exciting-why-i-love-food-shopping-abroad-and-bringing-home-random?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Dec 2023 23:45:10 +0000 You either love them or hate them. Self-checkout stations are now in every kind of grocery store and supermarket. Instead of having a real-life cashier tally your purchases, companies now encourage you to go the DIY method, scan the bar code of your goods and ring up the total without anyone’s help. Some appreciate the convenience, efficiency and not having to wait in a slow line behind someone with an overfilled cart. After so much quarantine and self-isolation, a lot of people seem to like not... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244020/self-checkout-machines-or-human-cashiers-pros-and-cons-doing-it-yourself-and-why-we-shouldnt-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244020/self-checkout-machines-or-human-cashiers-pros-and-cons-doing-it-yourself-and-why-we-shouldnt-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Dec 2023 23:45:17 +0000 South Korean artist Yi Yi Jeong Eun’s oil paintings currently on show at Hong Kong’s Ora-Ora gallery are visually striking with their textured impasto – thickly laid lines of paint – and lively embellishments of varying colours and depths. Such abstract, seemingly free-flowing images are more than just an amalgamation of elements pleasing to the eye. They are the artist’s attempt to depict the essence of nature and required hours of preparation. “When I first started to paint nature, I used to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3241890/south-korean-artist-yi-yi-jeong-euns-impasto-oil-paintings-now-show-hong-kong-convey-nature-its-many?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3241890/south-korean-artist-yi-yi-jeong-euns-impasto-oil-paintings-now-show-hong-kong-convey-nature-its-many?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Nov 2023 05:15:09 +0000 She may seem like the quintessential California girl on Netflix’s Selling Sunset, but Emma Hernan originally hails from the cold and decidedly less glamorous Massachusetts, just outside Boston – and it was a family holiday to LA that inspired her to one day move there, per Forbes. “I came from very humbling beginnings,” she told Forbes, adding that her father was a firefighter while her mum stayed at home. Both were “hard workers”, which certainly seems to have rubbed off on her: current... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3240906/how-does-selling-sunsets-emma-hernan-make-her-millions-and-does-she-really-own-private-jet-netflix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3240906/how-does-selling-sunsets-emma-hernan-make-her-millions-and-does-she-really-own-private-jet-netflix?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Nov 2023 11:00:23 +0000 The death toll from a horrific wildfire in Hawaii climbed to 80 as residents confronted the devastation and criticisms grew on Saturday over the emergency response. More than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed in the fire, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said, estimating that it would cost some US$5.5 billion to rebuild affected communities. Hawaiian authorities said they were opening an investigation into the handling of the fire as a congresswoman from the state’s Big Island... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3230907/anger-hawaii-wildfire-death-toll-climbs-80-residents-confront-devastation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3230907/anger-hawaii-wildfire-death-toll-climbs-80-residents-confront-devastation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Aug 2023 18:02:20 +0000 It’s taken a while but after a succession of interest rate hikes in 2022 by the Federal Reserve, there are finally signs that US consumer price inflation (CPI) pressures are cooling. But what’s behind this? Tighter US monetary policy conditions have contributed but it would be going too far to say the Fed has played a blinder. China has played a role and there’s a persuasive argument that an easing in global supply chain disruption last year, as China’s economy started to regain some traction,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3207003/how-chinas-economic-rebound-played-role-cooling-us-inflation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3207003/how-chinas-economic-rebound-played-role-cooling-us-inflation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:30:09 +0000 Taiwan and the United States wrapped up four days of talks on Tuesday with the goal of signing a trade initiative that would increase economic contact, but analysts warned that any deal could provoke Beijing. US and Taiwanese officials “exchanged views” over the past few days on the proposed text for the agreement, the US trade representative’s office said in a statement. That text covers trade “facilitation”, anticorruption, small and medium-sized enterprises and regulatory practices, according... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3207160/us-taiwan-exchange-views-during-satisfactory-talks-toward-landmark-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3207160/us-taiwan-exchange-views-during-satisfactory-talks-toward-landmark-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:31:39 +0000 For financial markets, 2022 was a very challenging year that many investors would prefer to forget. Global equities had their worst annual performance since 2008 with the MSCI All Country World Index down by 18 per cent. It was also a bad year for government bonds after a multi-decade bull run. US bonds suffered their steepest losses in nominal terms in over 50 years. The biggest driver of all the market turmoil was a much-higher-than-expected inflation, which triggered the fastest interest rate... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3205578/markets-2023-much-hinges-how-quickly-inflation-recedes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3205578/markets-2023-much-hinges-how-quickly-inflation-recedes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2023 14:00:08 +0000 A British romantic comedy series has thrown a spotlight on living in London, where sharing a flat can be a necessity as rents skyrocket to almost unaffordable levels. The Flatshare, based on a book of the same name, is a quirky story of two young adults who share a rented one-bedroom flat in London. One works days, the other works nights. They communicate with Post-it notes and take turns to sleep in the bed. London is one of the costliest cities in the world to live. Rents are climbing and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3205774/living-london-growing-more-costly-uk-inflation-bites-rents-rise-fewer-choices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3205774/living-london-growing-more-costly-uk-inflation-bites-rents-rise-fewer-choices?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2023 02:11:41 +0000 Investment between Australia and Taiwan has grown in both directions this year as the two sides try to diversify away from mainland China and eye each other’s energy sectors. Taiwanese investors received approval to park US$411 million in Australia between January and October, dwarfing the US$15.15 million total in 2021 and US$14.17 million in 2020, according to Taiwan’s Investment Commission. Australian investments in Taiwan climbed to US$114 million in the first 10 months of the year, up from... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3201399/china-mutual-concern-investment-accelerates-between-australia-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3201399/china-mutual-concern-investment-accelerates-between-australia-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:30:10 +0000 Earlier this month, Belgian officials were visited by furious Chinese diplomats who warned that negative comments from the country’s foreign minister could jeopardise bilateral trade. They demanded that Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib retract interviews she had given to local media, in which she described Beijing as “a potential enemy”, according to a diplomatic cable seen by the South China Morning Post. Lahbib had been asked about an academic report on Chinese investments in Belgian port... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3197723/ports-storm-chinese-investments-europe-spark-fear-malign-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3197723/ports-storm-chinese-investments-europe-spark-fear-malign-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Oct 2022 18:00:15 +0000 Emmy Rener said she can pinpoint the moment she believed her charcuterie passion could become a fully fledged career. The 20-year-old University of Southern California student grew up making cheeseboards for family parties. But it wasn’t until March 2020 when a friend’s father offered to pay to fly her to Miami, in Florida on the opposite side of the United States, to help cater his 60th birthday party that she began to see her childhood hobby as a business. Arriving at the venue, Rener – then a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3189024/tiktok-made-her-charcuterie-boards-famous-now-student-has-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3189024/tiktok-made-her-charcuterie-boards-famous-now-student-has-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Aug 2022 08:15:13 +0000 There is a meme that has been circulating among my peers, and it goes like this: the overlaid caption reads “Me in my early 20s vs now” and, in the first few seconds, a young man stands flailing his arms in a simulated nightclub, downing vodka shots. In the next scene, he’s sat primly on his living room sofa, in a cardigan, introducing all of his favourite frying pans. “I really like this one,” he smarms at the camera. “’Cause it’s non-sticky, and matches my favourite spatula.” Where is the lie... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3184006/extreme-organising-how-decluttering-my-kitchen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3184006/extreme-organising-how-decluttering-my-kitchen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Jul 2022 09:15:24 +0000 US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Wednesday said that she views tariffs on Chinese goods as “a significant piece of leverage” in the US-China trade relationship and removing them was likely to have a limited effect on controlling short-term inflation. In testimony before a US Senate Appropriations subcommittee, Tai said that it was important to focus on protecting American trade interests against China’s plans to dominate important industries such as semiconductors. “We need to be keeping... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3182717/joe-bidens-trade-chief-katherine-tai-calls-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3182717/joe-bidens-trade-chief-katherine-tai-calls-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 17:11:27 +0000 [Sponsored Article] A superfood loved around the world Fermented food is trending big time in this era of coronavirus. And kimchi, the essential Korean staple with its unique blend of sweet, salty, sour and spicy flavours, is the number one superfood that everyone needs right now. Made of fermented vegetables such as napa cabbage, radish and scallion with a wide variety of peppers and seasonings, kimchi is best known as a powerful probiotic loaded with good bacteria that do wonders for our gut... https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/jongga-kimchi/article/3181652/jongga-no-1-kimchi-brand-korea-1987?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/lifestyle/topics/jongga-kimchi/article/3181652/jongga-no-1-kimchi-brand-korea-1987?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:00:11 +0000 China’s top tech chiefs are stepping down from their leadership roles amid Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on the sector. E-commerce giant JD.com’s wealthy founder Richard Liu is the most recent executive to step down. Last year, both Zhang Yiming, founder of TikTok-owner ByteDance, and Su Hua, founder of TikTok’s main rival Kuaishou, gave up CEO positions. In 2020, Colin Huang, founder of popular e-commerce platform Pinduoduo, stepped down as CEO. And in 2019, Jack Ma stepped down as chairman of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3174264/why-did-these-5-chinese-tech-billionaires-step-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3174264/why-did-these-5-chinese-tech-billionaires-step-down?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Apr 2022 00:00:23 +0000 Pinduoduo, which last year briefly dethroned Alibaba Group Holding as China’s largest e-commerce platform by number of active buyers, reported just a 2.6 per cent revenue growth in fourth quarter last year, in a sign that consumer spending in the world’s second-largest economy is waning amid a broad economic slowdown and rigid Covid-19 control measures. The Shanghai-based company, which leverages the social network of its consumers to promote online sales, is known for its competitive pricing,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3171526/chinas-lower-tier-markets-slow-down-pinduoduos-e-commerce-growth-hits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3171526/chinas-lower-tier-markets-slow-down-pinduoduos-e-commerce-growth-hits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:00:22 +0000 An estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping centre have burned and tens of thousands of people were evacuated in wind-fuelled wildfires outside Denver, officials said. At least one first responder and six others were injured, though Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle acknowledged there could be more injuries and deaths could be possible due to the intensity of fires that quickly swept across the region as winds gusted up to 105mph (169kph). The first fire erupted just before 10.30am and was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3161701/us-firefighters-overrun-wind-fuelled-colorado?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3161701/us-firefighters-overrun-wind-fuelled-colorado?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Dec 2021 07:55:08 +0000 Earlier this summer, the powerful US government agency that oversees America’s borders and ports sent out a call for help: it wanted to stop goods made with forced labour from entering the country, but needed better technology to track them down. “When examining a textile product how do you determine where it came from?” asked a memo from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to businesses. “Share your best tech!” It did not mention China by name, but the message was clear. US border agents are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3144862/hi-tech-tools-may-keep-forced-labour-goods-out-us-market-top-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3144862/hi-tech-tools-may-keep-forced-labour-goods-out-us-market-top-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Aug 2021 18:15:56 +0000 Beijing resident Yu has been shopping nearly exclusively at members-only bulk retail store Sam’s Club for about eight years, rather than buying his groceries online like many Chinese. Even though he pays an annual membership fee of 260 yuan (US$40), Yu – who refused to give his first name – says it is worth it. “It’s convenient,” said Yu, who usually spends between 1,000 yuan and 3,000 yuan each week for his family of six. “I just push a cart and get everything I need, one stop... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3143224/chinas-members-only-retailers-flourish-despite-growing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3143224/chinas-members-only-retailers-flourish-despite-growing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Aug 2021 10:30:14 +0000 On Friday evening, table tennis fans were treated to a dream final in the men’s singles gold medal match at Tokyo 2020 between two of the greatest players of all-time – China’s Ma Long and his fellow countryman, Fan Zhendong. Those who tuned in also got to witness the rise of one of the sport’s newest stars – commentator Adam Bobrow. The American, who has been the official commentator for the International Table Tennis Federation since 2014, explained one of his off-the-cuff sounding catchy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3143329/tokyo-olympics-voice-table-tennis-adam-bobrow-brings-splash-colour-and-pizazz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3143329/tokyo-olympics-voice-table-tennis-adam-bobrow-brings-splash-colour-and-pizazz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Aug 2021 06:00:15 +0000 Brazil’s JBS SA told the US government that a ransomware attack on the company that disrupted meat production in North America and Australia originated from a criminal organisation likely based in Russia, the White House said on Tuesday. JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, said on Tuesday night it had made “significant progress in resolving the cyberattack”. The “vast majority” of the company’s beef, pork, poultry and prepared foods plants will be operational on Wednesday, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3135703/us-jbs-ransomware-hack-likely-russia-meatpacker-prepares-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3135703/us-jbs-ransomware-hack-likely-russia-meatpacker-prepares-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jun 2021 03:03:12 +0000 It is deeply ironic that in an age of hyper-political correctness and racial sensitivity in North America, there have been unrelenting waves of anti-Asian violence, especially in the United States. Asian-looking people have been beaten, kicked, shouted at, spat on and called racist names. Homes and businesses have been vandalised. Some violent attacks have turned deadly. This wasn’t how I experienced America when I was a college student there in the second half of the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3130150/america-i-knew-and-americans-i-loved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3130150/america-i-knew-and-americans-i-loved?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Apr 2021 13:00:19 +0000 Expectations of a post-pandemic global economic recovery are underscoring a host of reflation trades. Investors seek to identify those assets which stand to gain the most from the joint impact of fiscal stimulus and central bank monetary policy support that is being deployed to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on the world economy. But value may sometimes be found in less obvious places. In the currency space, the Japanese yen may be a case in point. At first sight, it might take some persuading... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3121790/could-japanese-yen-be-good-reflation-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3121790/could-japanese-yen-be-good-reflation-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Feb 2021 14:00:21 +0000 Dotted around China’s industrial heartland, well-connected consultants are helping factory owners flout labour laws to churn out goods that end up on the shelves of well-known Western stores. Brimming with guanxi – the Chinese term for the strong personal connections that can prise open business deals – this army of advisers openly brag about their ability to guide nearly any factory through inspections designed to ensure that goods are made safely and that workers are paid correctly, a South... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3118683/bribes-fake-factories-and-forged-documents-buccaneering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3118683/bribes-fake-factories-and-forged-documents-buccaneering?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jan 2021 23:00:17 +0000 An increasing number of young women from across China are joining a movement seeking to take advantage of a growing domestic consumption drive, a key element of the government’s new dual circulation strategy. The women, known as daigou, are small-time buying agents who would traditionally travel abroad on shopping trips for their customers. The job took off in the last few years in China amid strong demand for foreign goods among wealthy and upper middle-class families. The women, though, feared... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3109731/chinas-band-daigou-shoppers-turn-domestic-sales-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3109731/chinas-band-daigou-shoppers-turn-domestic-sales-after?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Nov 2020 00:30:09 +0000 Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports www.discoveryreports.com Just as Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures, its cuisine reflects diversity in how its harmonious mix of ingredients becomes a vibrant melange of flavours, fragrances and textures. A veritable feast for the senses, Asian cuisine is a product of rich culinary traditions passed down through generations. Doing its part to preserve these traditions, CareFood Industries encapsulates authentic Malaysian... https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/malaysia-business-report-2020/article/3106459/carefood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/malaysia-business-report-2020/article/3106459/carefood?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Oct 2020 03:15:17 +0000 Alibaba Group Holding’s recent US$3.6 billion deal to take control of Sun Art Retail Group, China’s largest hypermarket operator, has intensified its competition with Tencent Holdings to transform the country’s vast trillion-dollar retail market. “The race to digitise retail in China is a two-horse race [between Alibaba and Tencent], and Tencent is actually further along,” said Jordan Berke, founder and chief executive of Tomorrow Retail Consulting. “Many national retailers have affiliated... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3106323/alibaba-intensifies-china-retail-rivalry-tencent-back-us36-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3106323/alibaba-intensifies-china-retail-rivalry-tencent-back-us36-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Oct 2020 23:45:09 +0000