Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 433
Jack Ma Reappears at Alibaba as New AI Shopping App Prepares a RMB3bn Lunar New Year Push
Jack Ma's recent visit to Alibaba's Qianwen team coincides with a planned RMB3 billion Lunar New Year promotional campaign for the AI-enabled shopping app. The effort aims to embed Qianwen in everyday holiday consumption by leveraging Alibaba's ecosystem, but it carries commercial and regulatory risks.
JD Pumps More Than ¥1.3bn into Frontline Pay as E‑commerce Faces Cost and Reputation Pressures
JD.com has allocated over ¥1.3 billion in subsidies for frontline employees, a move that supports delivery and warehouse staff amid weak consumer demand and reputational pressure. The measure protects service capacity and signals responsibility, but it also raises questions about margin impact and whether the boost will be temporary or structural.
China’s Tianyi Eyes A‑Share IPO to Fund Ambitious 120‑Sat SAR Constellation
Tianyi Space Technology has filed for IPO guidance in Hunan as it seeks capital to build a 120‑satellite SAR constellation. The company combines in‑house manufacturing, automated operations and end‑to‑end InSAR services, but faces high upfront costs and a customer base currently dominated by government and state enterprises.
Guidance Shock Sends AMD Sliding as US Stocks Open Mixed
US equity markets opened mixed as investor focus on corporate guidance produced sharp moves in individual stocks. AMD plunged after lowering its Q1 revenue outlook, while Super Micro surged on an earnings beat and Novo Nordisk fell after trimming guidance, highlighting a guidance-driven, sector‑specific market landscape.
PBOC Signals Targeted Credit Push for Tech, Consumption and SMEs While Urging Market-Based Cleanup of Local Debt
The People's Bank of China set a 2026 agenda of targeted credit support for strategic sectors — including technology, green projects, consumption and SMEs — while pressing ahead with market-based resolution of local government financing platform debt. The central bank signalled a calibrated approach that pairs sectoral credit expansion with ongoing risk containment and closer fiscal coordination.
Hong Kong Market Pauses as Tech Slips and Cyclicals Rally
Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed essentially flat while the Hang Seng Tech index slid nearly 1.8%, led by declines in semiconductor and internet stocks. Gains in coal and property stocks offset tech losses, signalling a rotation from growth to cyclical assets amid profit-taking and shifting sentiment. The split market reaction highlights investor sensitivity to global tech demand and domestic policy signals for property, suggesting continued volatility ahead.
JinkoSolar Denies Any Deal With Musk’s Team as Shares Spike on Space‑PV Rumours
JinkoSolar denied any cooperation or signed agreements with a team linked to Elon Musk after its shares jumped on rumours of visits by Musk’s delegates to Chinese PV firms. The company emphasised that space‑based photovoltaic technology is still in early exploration and has not contributed revenue, while its core business remains terrestrial solar.
From ‘TV King’ to Balance‑Sheet Crisis: Konka Warns of RMB125–156bn Annual Loss, Fuels Delisting Fears
Konka, a once‑dominant Chinese television maker, has warned of an RMB12.6–15.6 billion full‑year loss for 2025 driven by large fourth‑quarter impairment charges. The forecast has pushed the company toward negative net assets, raised delisting risks, and intensified governance probes following a recent state‑linked takeover.
Beijing’s Economists Push a New Playbook: Diversify, Rebuild Confidence and Green the Supply Chain
At NetEase’s 2026 economists’ conference in Beijing, officials, academics and business leaders argued that China’s next growth phase requires diversified, symbiotic policy: bolster household confidence with social and fiscal measures, pivot toward consumption and services, manage US trade frictions pragmatically, and accelerate credible green supply‑chain transition. The forum stressed that technology and AI pose both productivity opportunities and risks to human skills, while corporate ESG work faces significant implementation hurdles.
China’s ‘Baozi Champion’ Sees Profits Hit by Stock Bets as Sales Keep Rising
Babi Foods grew revenue 11.2% in 2025 to RMB 1.859 billion but saw net profit dip 1.3% to RMB 273 million after a RMB 93.82 million hit from fair‑value losses on its holding in Dongpeng Beverage. The result highlights a wider issue in China: industrial firms using stock investments to boost returns can import volatility into corporate earnings.
Amazon Eyes Big Stake in OpenAI as It Seeks Dedicated Models and Talent
Amazon is discussing a multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI alongside a commercial deal that could require OpenAI to assign staff to build custom models for Amazon’s AI products. The move would intensify rivalry with Microsoft, risk fragmenting the AI ecosystem, and raise questions about OpenAI’s independence and regulatory scrutiny.
After an Epic Sell‑Off, Gold Rockets Back Above $5,000 — Time to Buy or Run for the Exits?
After an extraordinary two‑day sell‑off that pushed spot gold below $4,500, international prices rebounded sharply and reclaimed the $5,000/oz mark by Feb 4. The swings were driven by a blend of speculative liquidation, margin‑related forced selling, shifts in US policy expectations and changes in dollar and Treasury yields, while Chinese retail demand showed both frantic selling and buying.