TOPIC

/ company

Fitch Ratings

Fitch Ratings: A prominent entity in the financial services sector, Fitch Ratings is one of the "Big Three" global credit rating agencies. Dual-headquartered in London and New York, with operations in over 30 countries, it specialises in providing credit ratings, commentary, and research. Fitch assesses the creditworthiness of financial instruments, corporations, sovereign entities, and structured finance deals, serving investors, debt issuers, and financial institutions. Its overall business focus is to deliver independent, forward-looking credit opinions to facilitate informed financial decisions.

An LPG gas tanker is seen in Shinas, Oman, on March 11, as traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Photo: Reuters

Semiconductors

Korea, Taiwan chip sectors most exposed to helium shortage amid Middle East war

South Korea and Taiwan face the highest risk as they source most of their helium from Qatar, while Japan is seen as relatively stable, Fitch says.

18 Mar 2026 - 4:15PM

Energy

Iran war threatens prolonged energy shock, slower growth for Asia

11 Mar 2026 - 9:45PMvideocam

Indonesia

Is Indonesia’s fuel subsidy sustainable as Iran war continues?

6 Mar 2026 - 6:55PMvideocam

China's economic recovery

As Chinese provinces slash revenue outlook, analysts warn of debt control

Local governments seen curbing infrastructure spending as Beijing’s fiscal discipline pushes regions to prioritise social services and tech over large projects.

13 Feb 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

An unfinished construction project is seen in China’s Anhui province. A number of local-level governments that lent to certain real estate and infrastructure projects have had trouble getting paid back amid a property slowdown. Photo: Getty Images

Thailand

Vote recount calls grow in Thailand amid claims of election irregularities

The People’s Party, among others, cites ‘clear evidence of irregularities during the tallying process’, including vote-buying and tampering.

11 Feb 2026 - 5:30PM

China travel

As diplomatic row drags on, how is Japan coping with a fall in Chinese tourists?

Chinese tourism to Japan has plunged amid a diplomatic feud. But Japan’s travel sector is holding up – and its airlines have even made some gains.

1 Feb 2026 - 11:00AMvideocam

Insurance

China Taiping expects higher profit but Tai Po fire could weigh in 2026

State-owned insurer expects 215 to 225 per cent jump in 2025 net profit due to a gain in investment income, one-off tax impact.

19 Jan 2026 - 8:42PM

China Taiping Insurance has the largest exposure among its peers to the Wang Fuk Court fire at over HK$2 billion. Photo: Shutterstock

Artificial intelligence

Video-generation boom sees China’s Kling AI post US$240 million revenue run rate

Kling AI is widely adopted in the fields of marketing and e-commerce, as well as in films, television and animation, owner Kuaishou says.

14 Jan 2026 - 6:41PM

China property

Property industry an enemy within for Beijing’s economic targets

Ripple effect from further downturn would threaten economic growth and put more developers, workers and even banks at risk, analysts warn.

4 Jan 2026 - 3:30PM

China property

China Vanke’s managers have no plans to sell shares as firm fights for survival

Vanke, responding to queries from investors, says top managers have not notified it about their intentions so far.

19 Dec 2025 - 7:15PMvideocam

Vanke said it had completed 19 bulk asset transactions in the first three quarters of this year totalling 6.86 billion yuan. Photo: Reuters

Banking & finance

China’s risky shadow banks back in spotlight after debt crackdown

Entities owned by local governments are borrowing billions from trust companies and leasing firms at rates of 8 per cent or higher, sources say.

5 Dec 2025 - 3:03PM

A view of the Jinan Huanggang Road Yellow River Crossing Tunnel, which is under construction in Jinan city, Shandong province, on March 4, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

China property

UBS’ China property optimist retreats from bullish calls, foresees deeper slump

Home prices in mainland China are expected to fall for at least another two years as more people prefer renting over buying, John Lam says.

24 Nov 2025 - 4:34PM

China property

Developer China Vanke reports US$2.3 billion loss amid sales slowdown

Persistent property-market weakness ratchets up pressure on the developer despite increased support from its largest state-owned shareholder.

31 Oct 2025 - 9:47AM

Bonds

China’s Meituan eyes US$3 billion from bond issue as competition heats up

Meituan’s dual-currency bond offering consists of US$1.99 billion in greenback-denominated notes and US$1 billion in yuan-based securities.

30 Oct 2025 - 4:56PM

Debt financing is expected to offer some relief to Meituan’s on-demand delivery business amid heightened competition. Photo: Shutterstock

China property

Embattled Chinese property developer replaces chairman as debt pressures mount

News of a leadership change boosts bonds of China Vanke, which had nearly US$90 billion in liabilities as of September.

13 Oct 2025 - 4:37PM

Xin Jie has resigned as chairman and non-executive director of China Vanke. Photo: Handout

Thailand

Can Thailand’s new PM fix the economy and political woes by January?

Thailand’s PM Anutin Charnvirakul targets cost of living, tourism recovery and border stability in a four-month plan to revive the economy.

29 Sep 2025 - 10:33PMvideocam

Banking & finance

HSBC asks Hang Seng Bank to clean up bad Hong Kong property debt

Move comes after the lender saw an 85 per cent year-on-year jump in impaired Hong Kong real estate loans.

25 Sep 2025 - 2:29PM

Thailand

Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul to dissolve parliament by end of January

A general election will be held in March or early April.

25 Sep 2025 - 12:41PMvideocam

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul sits for an official photo before being sworn in to office, at Government House in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Banking & finance

Li Ka-shing-controlled CK Hutchison’s bond sale gets high rating from Fitch, S&P

The planned notes, the proceeds of which will be used for general corporate purposes, have been rated A- by Fitch and A by S&P Global Ratings.

23 Sep 2025 - 6:25PM

France

Macron scrambles to find new French PM after government is ousted

President Macron is seeking a fifth prime minister in less than two years after the French government collapsed in a confidence vote.

9 Sep 2025 - 11:26AM

United States

Hiring stalls as US firms hold back expansion amid economic uncertainty

US employers added just 22,000 jobs in August, slowing from July and coming in below economists’ expectations.

5 Sep 2025 - 9:40PMvideocam

Commuters pass the New York Stock Exchange. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3 per cent, also worse than expected and the highest level since 2021. Photo: AP

China property

Shanghai eases property rules to revive sluggish housing market

Local residents can now own as many flats as they wish outside the city’s outer ring road.

25 Aug 2025 - 1:37PM

A building construction site in Shanghai. Photo: AP

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers report sales dip in July amid narrower discounts

Dongfeng Motor suspended trading of its Hong Kong shares on Monday after warning that first-half earnings would sink up to 95 per cent.

11 Aug 2025 - 9:51PMvideocam

China property

China property: Shanghai, Shenzhen could follow Beijing by dropping buying curbs

Policy change will have limited impact but could help stabilise Beijing home prices, Morningstar and Fitch analysts say.

11 Aug 2025 - 3:32PM

US-China trade war

As US’ effective tariff rate rises to 17%, analysts say China has an opportunity

Fitch Ratings updates its tariff-policy tracker after Washington’s decisions last week to hit most trading partners.

5 Aug 2025 - 8:15PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump gestures as he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on July 28. Photo: Getty Images

China property

China’s property slump may be bottoming, as analysts point to signs

The decline in China’s new home sales this year may slow to 7 per cent, Fitch Ratings says after revising its forecast from a previous slump of 15 per cent.

5 Aug 2025 - 6:34PM

An aerial view of high rise buildings in Nanjing in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on May 24, 2025. Photo: AFP

China property

Shanghai’s luxury home sales boom as wealthy buyers flock to ‘safe haven’ assets

Shanghai accounted for over 80 per cent of transactions nationwide for homes priced above 50 million yuan (US$7 million) in the first half.

9 Jul 2025 - 8:30AM

China's economic recovery

China mostly unscathed by turbulent 6 months, but 2025 still an uphill climb

Analysts said Beijing has a number of challenges to reckon with this year, but largely agreed the country can still meet its economic growth target.

2 Jul 2025 - 7:13AMvideocam

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW