https://www.scmp.com/rss/521266/feed Julie Zhang joined SCMP in 2025 as a business reporter. She was formerly with China Daily Hong Kong Edition for over five years, covering corporate earnings, IPOs, financial regulations, ESG, cryptocurrency and property markets. Her reporting garnered multiple Hong Kong News Awards and Hang Seng University's Business Journalism Award. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Home-grown innovative drugs make up most of the medicines China’s drug regulator has approved for sale so far this year, underscoring the country’s biotech boom. Of the 19 innovative drugs cleared by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), 15 came from domestic companies, according to the regulator’s website as of May 21. These include sonrotoclax, developed by global biopharmaceutical firm BeOne, for treating certain adult blood cancers. The regulator overhauled its approval... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3355021/chinas-drug-regulator-clears-wave-home-grown-innovative-medicines-amid-biotech-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3355021/chinas-drug-regulator-clears-wave-home-grown-innovative-medicines-amid-biotech-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed artificial intelligence drug-discovery company Insilico Medicine has struck a collaboration with US-headquartered Human Longevity to co-develop what they describe as “the industry’s first large-scale” AI foundation models capable of predicting diseases – such as cancer – decades before clinical symptoms appear. The partnership was announced as the global longevity market, fuelled by an ageing population and rising consumption demand, was valued at about US$5.3 trillion and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3354923/insilico-teams-us-firm-build-ai-models-predicting-disease-decades-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3354923/insilico-teams-us-firm-build-ai-models-predicting-disease-decades-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:30:06 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong developers sold most of the more than 120 new flats made available to homebuyers on Saturday as the local residential market continues its recovery on the back of improving China–US relations and talent flows into the city. By 12.30pm Saturday, Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) had sold all 87 units on offer at the Lime Spark project in Tsuen Wan in the New Territories, with one buyer spending more than HK$40 million (US$5.1 million) to purchase six two‑bedroom units, according to Midland... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3354624/shkp-sells-out-latest-flats-tsuen-wan-hong-kong-property-market-continues-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3354624/shkp-sells-out-latest-flats-tsuen-wan-hong-kong-property-market-continues-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 09:45:23 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Private equity activity is picking up in China, with limited partners growing more selective about opportunities in technology, including chips, manufacturing, artificial intelligence and robotics, according to industry players. “In the last 12 to 18 months … we are seeing a lot more [private equity fundraising activities], but I would say it’s very selective” compared with the previous cycle, said Gary Chan, head of private equity of Sun Hung Kai & Co, at a panel discussion at the Asia Private... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3354255/chinas-private-equity-activity-picks-investors-focus-tech-and-ai-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3354255/chinas-private-equity-activity-picks-investors-focus-tech-and-ai-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 10:12:37 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Fuelled by excessive spending on artificial intelligence-linked commodities and computing capacity, AI infrastructure investment has become a global bubble that is unlikely to burst in 2026 or 2027, according to Viktor Shvets, head of global and Asia-Pacific strategy at Macquarie Group. “There are many parts of AI … from the underlying technologies to infrastructure – the things that are going to run on the back of the infrastructure of models; automation, quantum computing, biotech, gene... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3354118/ai-infrastructure-investment-bubble-unlikely-burst-2027-macquarie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3354118/ai-infrastructure-investment-bubble-unlikely-burst-2027-macquarie?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:04 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Morgan Stanley expects US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to give Chinese stocks a moderate lift if the current trade truce is extended. The bank’s base case forecasts an 8 per cent gain to 28,400 for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index by the second quarter of 2027, as well as an 11 per cent rise in the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index and a 12 per cent increase for the MSCI China Index, according to its report on Wednesday. The bull case stretches to 27 per cent for the MSCI China gauge if... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3353351/trump-xi-beijing-meeting-lift-chinese-stocks-morgan-stanley-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3353351/trump-xi-beijing-meeting-lift-chinese-stocks-morgan-stanley-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 03:14:56 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Shares of METiS TechBio surged 173 per cent on their Hong Kong debut on Wednesday as the AI-driven drug design start-up’s initial public offering drew strong demand from investors amid buoyant sentiment for AI-related stocks in the city. Its stocks traded at HK$28.68 at the open, climbing as high as HK$29.6 in the morning trading session before retreating to HK$23.8 at the close, up 126.67 per cent from the offering price. Co-founder and CEO of METiS TechBio, Lai Tsai-Ta, who obtained a PhD from... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3353341/hong-kong-biotech-firm-uses-ai-produce-nano-rockets-deliver-life-saving-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3353341/hong-kong-biotech-firm-uses-ai-produce-nano-rockets-deliver-life-saving-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceutical, China’s largest drug company by market capitalisation, has signed a global collaboration and licensing agreement with US pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) worth up to US$15.2 billion. Hengrui’s Hong Kong-traded shares climbed 5.3 per cent to HK$69.55 on Tuesday, while its Shenzhen stock rose 4.84 per cent to 56.11 yuan. The deal adds credibility to China’s growing reputation for innovative drug development. Industry players, however, said the country... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3353263/chinas-hengrui-seals-us152-billion-deal-us-pharmaceutical-giant-bms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3353263/chinas-hengrui-seals-us152-billion-deal-us-pharmaceutical-giant-bms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 10:00:19 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s tech-heavy ChiNext Index rose about 3.5 per cent to its highest level in nearly 11 years, breaching the 3,900-point mark, as a broadening semiconductor rally, Beijing’s push for technological self-sufficiency and easing US-China trade tensions lifted investor appetite for growth stocks. The gauge climbed to 3,928.97 on Monday, the strongest level since it closed at 3,899.71 on June 12, 2015. This came as Hong Kong chip stocks extended their rally on Monday morning, riding a global... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3353091/hong-kong-chip-stocks-extend-their-rally-they-ride-global-semiconductor-wave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3353091/hong-kong-chip-stocks-extend-their-rally-they-ride-global-semiconductor-wave?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 04:03:42 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong has raised HK$27.6 billion (US$3.5 billion) through a green and infrastructure bond sale to finance the Northern Metropolis and low-carbon transformation projects. The offering drew investors from more than 30 markets across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, signalling global institutional investors’ confidence in Hong Kong’s development, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said in a statement on Friday. Orders totalled about HK$239 billion, 8.6 times the offer size. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352956/hong-kong-secures-us35-billion-fund-northern-metropolis-and-green-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352956/hong-kong-secures-us35-billion-fund-northern-metropolis-and-green-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 15:01:43 +0000 Julie Zhang,Enoch Yiu Julie Zhang,Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is pressing ahead with the relaunch of gold futures as mainland China’s appetite for the metal continues to grow. The city would continue to introduce new gold products and facilities to capture the growing opportunities of the gold market, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Thursday at the LME Asia Metals Seminar 2026 in Hong Kong. The HKEX planned to relaunch gold futures in coming months and seek market feedback to refine the products,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352800/gold-futures-set-hong-kong-comeback-mainland-chinas-appetite-metal-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352800/gold-futures-set-hong-kong-comeback-mainland-chinas-appetite-metal-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 14:03:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Eight mainland China-based companies – five of them biotech firms – passed listing hearings on the Hong Kong stock market in April, clearing the way for them to tap the city’s deep liquidity. The influx, including an AI-driven drug discovery firm, a driverless technology developer and a maker of industrial robots, comes as the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has been pushing private firms to list in Hong Kong. The market regulator has required companies that established so-called... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351001/biotech-led-boom-8-china-firms-flock-hong-kongs-thriving-stock-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351001/biotech-led-boom-8-china-firms-flock-hong-kongs-thriving-stock-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:53:15 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The State Council, China’s cabinet, has published guidelines on innovative drug pricing that a bank analyst has described as the “most significant” in a decade, as they aim to reward drug innovation and ease pricing tension for domestic and multinational pharmaceutical companies. The framework document published this month said patented innovative drugs would be supported through value-based pricing, while the prices of generic drugs would be driven down through market competition and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350956/multinational-pharmaceutical-companies-benefit-new-china-guidelines-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350956/multinational-pharmaceutical-companies-benefit-new-china-guidelines-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese biomedical companies deploying cutting-edge technologies are emerging as serious competitors to Western dominance in the race to treat Parkinson’s disease, in a market that could reach US$16 billion over the next decade. The firms are developing a range of approaches – from autologous cell therapies made from a patient’s own cells and ready-made cell products to gene therapies and non-invasive ultrasounds – although many of these candidates are still in early-stage trials. Many patients... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350615/how-chinese-drug-makers-are-tackling-western-dominance-us16-billion-parkinsons-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350615/how-chinese-drug-makers-are-tackling-western-dominance-us16-billion-parkinsons-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:00:11 +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 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A quarter featuring multiple eye-popping deals is no longer unusual for China’s pharmaceutical industry – in fact, it may soon be considered a slow season. In recent months, companies including CSPC Pharmaceutical and RemeGen have struck out-licensing agreements worth up to US$18.5 billion and US$5.6 billion respectively, while Haisco Pharmaceutical Group has added two of its own — most recently a deal worth up to US$745 million. Under the terms of the deal, the Beijing-based Haisco granted US... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350421/chinas-biotech-firms-shift-gears-can-ai-floor-accelerator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350421/chinas-biotech-firms-shift-gears-can-ai-floor-accelerator?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Non-invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCI) that read neural signals through the skin could help patients manage symptoms for some brain conditions, according to BrainCo, a Harvard-incubated start-up. BrainCo’s BCI technology could “read brain neural signals and translate them into commands to control machines to modulate brain function and help cure some brain diseases”, said Nyx He, a partner and senior vice-president of BrainCo, at the HSBC Global Investment Summit on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3350315/braincos-brain-computer-interface-wows-hsbc-summit-mind-controlled-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3350315/braincos-brain-computer-interface-wows-hsbc-summit-mind-controlled-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:10:34 +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 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 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital have agreed to invest in Vietnam’s cryptocurrency trading platform CAEX, a move the exchange said would give it enough capital to join the country’s regulated pilot scheme for digital asset trading. The combined capital injection from OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital, which would be deployed in April, aimed to help CAEX – officially known as Vietnam Prosperity Cryptocurrency Asset Exchange Joint Stock Company – reach the minimum charter capital threshold of 10... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Investment banking fees across Asia-Pacific excluding Japan reached US$5.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, with China’s Citic Securities ranking as the region’s top earner. The total in the first three months fell 5 per cent from a year earlier, as growth in equity capital markets underwriting was offset by weaker debt capital market and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, according to an LSEG Data and Analytics report on Thursday. Helped by strong fees from its bond underwriting... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349487/citic-tops-asia-pacific-banking-fees-mainland-china-and-hong-kong-ipos-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349487/citic-tops-asia-pacific-banking-fees-mainland-china-and-hong-kong-ipos-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s biopharmaceutical sector is seeing an uptick in deal-making, with sovereign wealth funds from Singapore and the United Arab Emirates joining Chinese state-backed investors to back next-generation drug developers. Shanghai-based Everest Medicines agreed to spend US$250 million to acquire a Singapore company holding rights to 14 chronic-disease treatments across the Asia-Pacific region, according to a stock exchange filing on Wednesday. Its Singapore unit will acquire 100 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349390/china-biotech-flow-picks-everest-seals-us250-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349390/china-biotech-flow-picks-everest-seals-us250-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Global pharmaceutical companies posted mixed earnings in China last year, with some firms warning that 2026 will be another tough year as Beijing pushes for affordable healthcare through price bargains. Multinational corporations (MNCs) with innovative drug pipelines and the ability to quickly address unmet medical needs were expected to outperform rivals relying on mature and off-patent products this year, according to Bruce Liu, senior partner at global consulting firm Simon-Kucher. His... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349163/global-drug-makers-face-pricing-pressure-china-targets-affordable-healthcare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349163/global-drug-makers-face-pricing-pressure-china-targets-affordable-healthcare?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US dollar-denominated funds could face more hurdles when investing in Chinese tech and biotech companies as Beijing adopts a stricter approach to companies seeking listings via offshore incorporated vehicles. Indicative of Chinese regulators’ caution in overseeing sensitive industries, industry sources say the move ensures that any sale of assets does not escape regulatory scrutiny. And for any offshore incorporated structures that are approved, the stock regulator requires listing applicants to... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang,Enoch Yiu Julie Zhang,Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s highly anticipated first batch of stablecoin licences did not materialise as expected by the end of March. Industry players said the delay may be caused by a slower-than-expected review process, adding that it could also be due to the regulators’ cautious stance towards launching the first batch of regulated stablecoin licences as the city seeks to cement its status as a digital-asset hub. “I don’t think [the delay] is caused by the market,” said Jack Poon, a member of the task force... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348492/hong-kongs-anticipated-stablecoin-licence-end-march-does-not-materialise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348492/hong-kongs-anticipated-stablecoin-licence-end-march-does-not-materialise?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang,Daniel Ren Julie Zhang,Daniel Ren Biotech firm Hangzhou Diagens Biotechnology is banking on artificial intelligence-powered chromosome testing to drive profit growth following its Hong Kong listing, as China’s falling fertility rate spurs demand for assisted reproduction. “In China, many young people do not want to marry or have children, and by the time they decide to start a family, they need medical help to do so,” said Diagens’ founder and executive director Song Ning. “We are meeting an increasing number of couples every... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348335/chinese-company-use-ai-powered-chromosome-testing-boost-profits-and-fast-track-ivf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348335/chinese-company-use-ai-powered-chromosome-testing-boost-profits-and-fast-track-ivf?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:45:34 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Insilico Medicine has signed a potential multibillion-dollar deal with Eli Lilly to license out an early-stage drug pipeline and provide its artificial intelligence platform services in research and development collaborations. Under the agreement announced on Monday, US-headquartered, Hong Kong-listed Insilico will receive an upfront payment of US$115 million. The deal could have a total value of around US$2.75 billion tied to development, regulatory and commercial milestones, plus tiered... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348333/hong-kong-listed-insilico-medicine-signs-ai-drug-development-deal-eli-lilly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348333/hong-kong-listed-insilico-medicine-signs-ai-drug-development-deal-eli-lilly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:24:48 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang CK Life Sciences, a unit of Li Ka-shing-backed CK Group, plans to bring its cancer vaccine candidates to mainland China through a “fast track” channel as Beijing moves to accelerate early-stage drug development. “We are planning to run investigator-initiated trials [IITs], hopefully, in the next year,” CK Life Sciences’ vice-president and chief scientific officer Dr Melvin Toh Kean-meng said in a recent interview. His comments came as CK Life Sciences set up Sequencio Therapeutics in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348317/li-ka-shings-ck-life-unit-eyes-china-fast-track-cancer-vaccine-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348317/li-ka-shings-ck-life-unit-eyes-china-fast-track-cancer-vaccine-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:00:32 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Homebuyers continued to signal confidence in Hong Kong’s residential market on Saturday, brushing off global economic risks tied to the Middle East conflict and expectations of slower interest rate cuts, as a new project by Henderson Land Development sold out within hours. All 123 units at Chester, the fifth phase of the Midtown South redevelopment in Hung Hom, were snapped up, according to property agents. “About 60 per cent of buyers are end users while about 40 per cent are investors and... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3348249/hung-hom-flats-sell-out-hong-kong-homebuyers-brush-aside-middle-east-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3348249/hung-hom-flats-sell-out-hong-kong-homebuyers-brush-aside-middle-east-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:40:15 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Investment opportunities in cutting-edge technologies are increasingly concentrated in mainland China and Hong Kong, according to Clara Chan Ka-chai, CEO of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC). As the Hong Kong government’s investment arm, the HKIC aimed to play a stronger role in attracting capital into high-potential projects and scaling investments through broader funding participation, Chan said during a panel session at the Boao Forum for Asia on Friday. Founded in 2022, the HKIC... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348227/hkic-chief-sees-growing-opportunities-cutting-edge-tech-across-china-and-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348227/hkic-chief-sees-growing-opportunities-cutting-edge-tech-across-china-and-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 03:29:52 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Beijing Tong Ren Tang Healthcare Investment, a provider of healthcare services based on traditional Chinese medicine, postponed its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Friday amid tepid investor demand for its shares. The delay is the first of its kind during the current IPO boom. New share offerings in the city raised about US$11.64 billion as of March 18 this year, up 385 per cent from about US$2.4 billion a year earlier, according to LSEG Data & Analytics. Tong Ren Tang was one of six... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348101/tong-ren-tang-healthcare-unit-pulls-hong-kong-ipo-scheduled-monday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348101/tong-ren-tang-healthcare-unit-pulls-hong-kong-ipo-scheduled-monday?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 06:30:18 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang At least 10 weight-loss injections and oral pills are lining up for regulatory approval in China, in a market projected to reach about US$14 billion by 2030. Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster semaglutide, which generated about US$35 billion in global revenue last year, lost patent protection in China on March 20, clearing the way for rivals. The rush comes as China’s drug regulator accelerates approvals of innovative therapies, helped by a surge in out-licensing deals with global pharmaceutical... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347869/chinas-weight-loss-drug-makers-take-global-giants-novo-nordisk-patent-expires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347869/chinas-weight-loss-drug-makers-take-global-giants-novo-nordisk-patent-expires?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences agreed to buy Ouro Medicines, which is developing an antibody-based medicine for autoimmune diseases licensed from China’s Keymed Biosciences, in a deal worth up to US$2.18 billion. Gilead Sciences is among a group of global drug makers facing patent expirations and turning to mergers, acquisitions and licensing deals to refill their drug pipelines. Under the agreement, Gilead Sciences would pay shareholders of US-based Ouro Medicines US$1.675 billion... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347693/rights-antibody-drug-chinas-keymed-change-hands-gilead-acquisition-ouro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347693/rights-antibody-drug-chinas-keymed-change-hands-gilead-acquisition-ouro?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:51:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Private equity investment in the Asia-Pacific region is increasingly flowing into advanced manufacturing and healthcare, as global uncertainties push investors towards businesses with more predictable cash flow, according to Bain & Co research. The move away from the previously dominant technology, media and telecommunications sector “has been a gradual move, driven by the external environment and uncertainties”, said Elsa Sit, practice vice-president in the Asia-Pacific private equity team with... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347629/asian-private-equity-focused-cash-flow-fundraising-falls-12-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347629/asian-private-equity-focused-cash-flow-fundraising-falls-12-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:00:31 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang AstraZeneca said it would establish drug manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou and Shanghai as well as a separate innovation centre in Shanghai, joining a group of foreign players building new plants in China amid geopolitical tensions. The moves are part of a US$15 billion commitment the British firm pledged to make in the world’s second-largest drug market through 2030, unveiled during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing in January. China’s manufacturing capabilities, integrated... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347266/global-drug-giants-double-down-china-amid-trend-build-self-reliant-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347266/global-drug-giants-double-down-china-amid-trend-build-self-reliant-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:30:09 +0000 Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Chinese authorities have renewed their push for stricter oversight of the electric vehicle (EV) market, urging carmakers to move away from aggressive discounting and focus instead on technological innovation. The directive comes as domestic manufacturers struggle with cooling demand and the phasing out of long-standing government subsidies. At a high-level meeting on March 17, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347145/china-presses-ev-makers-end-price-war-and-focus-innovation-demand-cools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347145/china-presses-ev-makers-end-price-war-and-focus-innovation-demand-cools?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:50:48 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The wealth management businesses of Chinese investment banks in Hong Kong are growing faster than those of international rivals, as a buoyant initial public offering (IPO) market and rising cross-border flows strengthen their competitive edge. “Chinese investment banks are seeing accelerated growth … because [their] base is smaller and the current market environment favours them,” said Wang Lei, CEO of Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong), in an interview with the South China Morning Post,... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346865/chinese-banks-outpace-rivals-hong-kong-wealth-growth-ipo-boom-capital-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346865/chinese-banks-outpace-rivals-hong-kong-wealth-growth-ipo-boom-capital-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese contract drug makers – including WuXi AppTec, WuXi Biologics and WuXi XDC – face a less certain long-term revenue outlook as US pharmaceutical companies bring production in-house and reconfigure supply chains amid rising US-China tensions. While near-term earnings remained largely locked in, visibility beyond that was limited, according to Cui Cui, head of healthcare research for Asia at Jefferies. “Earnings visibility for 2026 and 2027 is still very strong – revenue momentum is largely... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346911/us-reshoring-drive-casts-shadow-over-chinas-contract-drug-makers-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346911/us-reshoring-drive-casts-shadow-over-chinas-contract-drug-makers-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:48:41 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang More than 10 loss-making biotechnology companies have filed for Hong Kong stock exchange listings this year, bringing cutting-edge drugs and artificial intelligence-powered drug discovery platforms to market, as the city’s bourse presses ahead with reforms aimed at supporting the real economy. The latest applications came as healthcare and biotechnology equity capital market activity – stock sales by companies and their shareholders – in Hong Kong reached US$15.6 billion last year, the second... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346710/hong-kong-attracts-wave-biotech-ipo-filings-amid-ai-drug-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346710/hong-kong-attracts-wave-biotech-ipo-filings-amid-ai-drug-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:07:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang In a landmark development, Neuracle Medical Technology has secured the country’s first-ever approval for an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) system designed to restore hand motor function in patients with spinal cord injuries, in a regulatory milestone that underscores China’s accelerating push in neurotechnology. China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, are gaining momentum as regulatory support and fresh capital fuel growth. Shares of BCI companies... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:30:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong’s export credit insurer is keeping premiums low and expanding support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), even as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East raise concerns about risks to global trade. Unlike the typical trade credit insurance model – where insurers raise premiums when geopolitical risks increase – the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (HKECIC) said it had continued offering concessions to exporters to help them weather uncertainty. “In the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346369/hong-kong-export-credit-insurer-keeps-premiums-low-despite-middle-east-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346369/hong-kong-export-credit-insurer-keeps-premiums-low-despite-middle-east-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:17 +0000 Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Eli Lilly has pledged an additional US$3 billion investment in China over the next decade to strengthen its local supply chain and manufacturing capabilities, deepening the footprint of foreign pharmaceutical giants in the world’s second-largest healthcare market. The move would bring the total cumulative investment of Eli Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by market capitalisation, in China to nearly US$6 billion, according to a statement released on its WeChat account on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346260/eli-lilly-boosts-china-footprint-us3-billion-plan-expand-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346260/eli-lilly-boosts-china-footprint-us3-billion-plan-expand-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:39:53 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong family offices are showing rising demand for risk-management products, services and advisory support amid growing geopolitical and market uncertainty, according to an affiliate of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). “We see a general trend that demand for risk-management products and services has been rising, and family offices are strengthening these functions year after year,” said Enoch Fung, CEO of the Hong Kong Academy of Finance and executive director of the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346124/hong-kong-family-offices-take-long-view-despite-iran-tensions-hkma-affiliate-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346124/hong-kong-family-offices-take-long-view-despite-iran-tensions-hkma-affiliate-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:45:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland Chinese investors can now buy shares in more than a dozen newly added Hong Kong-listed biotech and pharmaceutical companies after a reshuffle of the Stock Connect southbound trading list took effect on Monday, reflecting the sector’s growing role on the international stage. Foreign capital, however, remained cautious, analysts said. “Mainland buyers have been the main force behind the latest healthcare rally. They tend to chase smaller-cap names where a tight free float makes it easier... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346016/china-investors-energise-hong-kong-biotech-stocks-foreign-money-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346016/china-investors-energise-hong-kong-biotech-stocks-foreign-money-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed Insilico Medicine has signed a cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ drug regulator to advance the use of its artificial intelligence tools in drug discovery across the region, even as geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East. Shares of Insilico rose as much as 12.8 per cent in morning trading on Thursday before paring gains to close 8.6 per cent higher at HK$56.10. The advance outpaced the benchmark Hang Seng Index, which edged up 0.3 per cent. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345614/insilico-medicine-advances-middle-east-push-uae-ai-drug-discovery-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345614/insilico-medicine-advances-middle-east-push-uae-ai-drug-discovery-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:30:07 +0000 Yulu Ao,Julie Zhang Yulu Ao,Julie Zhang Mainland China and Hong Kong should ease listing rules for biotechnology companies and lower takeover thresholds for listed firms to capitalise on renewed foreign interest in the healthcare sector, venture capitalist Nisa Leung said. “Besides artificial intelligence, Premier Li Qiang also highlighted biomedicine in the ‘two sessions’ annual government work report,” said Leung, a managing partner at Aulis Capital. “We are paying attention to medical insurance and commercial insurance, but at the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345589/china-and-hong-kong-should-relax-biotech-listing-rules-venture-capitalist-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345589/china-and-hong-kong-should-relax-biotech-listing-rules-venture-capitalist-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:59:42 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The pace and size of outlicensing deals between Chinese drug makers and global partners have accelerated this year, highlighted by two agreements announced this week, each worth more than US$1 billion. The string of deals shows how China is becoming a sought-after source of drug candidates for multinational pharmaceutical companies, which are increasingly looking for long-term partnerships rather than one-off arrangements, analysts said. The latest deals, Sino Biopharmaceutical’s agreement with... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345404/china-outlicensing-tops-us52-billion-first-two-months-rise-global-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345404/china-outlicensing-tops-us52-billion-first-two-months-rise-global-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:30:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the eighth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. Investors are watching Beijing’s annual “two sessions” this week for signs that the country will address drug pricing and shore up its drug payment system, as a new form of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345310/healthcare-investors-keeping-eye-two-sessions-clarity-drug-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345310/healthcare-investors-keeping-eye-two-sessions-clarity-drug-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:44:27 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Beijing should create a “connect” scheme for initial public offerings (IPOs) in the Greater Bay Area to allow mainland Chinese and Hong Kong investors to buy into new listings across the border, HSBC Asia-Pacific chairman Peter Wong Tung-shun said on the eve of China’s annual “two sessions” meetings. “If investors in both Shenzhen and Hong Kong are further allowed to participate simultaneously in IPOs in both markets – achieving a more comprehensive IPO connect mechanism for the Greater Bay Area... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345285/hsbc-chairman-floats-ipo-connect-hong-kong-shenzhen-ahead-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345285/hsbc-chairman-floats-ipo-connect-hong-kong-shenzhen-ahead-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed mainland Chinese pharmaceutical companies are on track to deliver full-year profits, as surging drug sales and lucrative out-licensing deals with global partners start to pay off after years of research and development outlay. “Despite domestic challenges, particularly drug pricing pressure, the earnings performance of innovative drugs should still fare well in China in 2025,” said Tony Ren, head of Asia Healthcare Research at Macquarie Capital. Innovent Biologics, the first... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344928/hong-kong-listed-chinese-drug-firms-set-turn-corner-rising-sales-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344928/hong-kong-listed-chinese-drug-firms-set-turn-corner-rising-sales-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 04:00:22 +0000