Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 452
China Raises VAT Per‑Sale Threshold to 1,000 Yuan, Extends Relief to Small Businesses
China will raise the VAT per‑transaction threshold to 1,000 yuan from January 2026 and extend formal VAT threshold relief to registered small‑scale taxpayers (annual sales ≤5 million yuan). The rules preserve higher monthly/quarterly thresholds for periodic filers, carve out exceptions for sustained commercial activities, and strengthen withholding obligations for payers.
Leapmotor Posts 27% Year‑on‑Year Rise in January Deliveries as China EV Demand Shows Early Momentum
Leapmotor delivered 32,059 vehicles in January, a 27% year‑on‑year increase, signaling early‑year demand momentum for the Chinese EV maker. The rise is encouraging for a smaller independent rival, but sustaining growth while protecting margins will be the key challenge amid intense domestic competition.
Xiaomi Auto Clears More Than 39,000 Deliveries in January — A Rapid Rise for the Tech Giant’s EV Push
Xiaomi Auto said it delivered over 39,000 vehicles in January 2026, a substantial monthly volume for a recent entrant to China’s EV market. The result suggests Xiaomi has achieved meaningful scale, but sustaining profitable growth will hinge on product quality, after-sales operations and market positioning amid fierce competition.
Leapmotor Posts Strong January Deliveries as China EV Market Gains Traction
Leapmotor reported January deliveries of 32,059 vehicles, up 27% year‑on‑year, indicating improved demand or production execution for the Chinese EV maker. While the number is significant for the company, it remains modest versus China’s market leaders; future growth will hinge on product cadence, margins and distribution strength.
China’s Regional Shift: Tibet’s Surge and Chongqing’s Overtake Signal a New Economic Map
Provincial GDP releases for 2025 reveal a subtle but meaningful reshaping of China’s economic map: Tibet led growth on the back of large infrastructure projects, Gansu expanded through resource-driven industry, and Chongqing overtook Liaoning in total GDP thanks to a booming new-energy vehicle cluster. The data underline a continuing shift of momentum from the north-east’s old industrial base to the south-west and interior, driven by state investment, resource cycles and industrial upgrading.
Zijin’s Big Bet: CAD5.5bn Purchase of Four African Mines Pushes Chinese Miner Toward 100‑Tonne Gold Club
Zijin Mining has offered CAD5.5 billion in cash to acquire a Toronto‑ and New York‑listed gold company owning four African mines, a deal that would lift Zijin’s annual mined gold output above 100 tonnes. The purchase capitalises on favourable infrastructure and high gold prices but increases balance‑sheet and integration risks as Zijin accelerates its global expansion.
After Metals Flash Crash, CME Raises Margins — Liquidity Set to Tighten as Crowded Longs Unwind
A violent rout in gold and silver prompted the CME to raise COMEX margin requirements, with gold margins moving from 6% to 8% and silver from 11% to 15%, effective after the close on Feb. 2. The crash was driven by a rapid shift in Fed expectations following the nomination of Kevin Warsh and the unwinding of crowded, highly leveraged long positions, forcing exchanges to shore up clearinghouse protections.
Price War Fades, Financing Mayhem Begins: How China’s Carmakers Are Competing with 7‑Year Loans
China’s auto makers have shifted from price cuts to long‑tenor, low‑interest financing as regulators clamp down on direct price wars and fiscal policy subsidises consumer loans. The tactic reduces monthly payments and attracts young buyers, but it also locks consumers into long contracts on rapidly depreciating electric vehicles and concentrates advantages with well‑capitalised firms.
Bitcoin Plunges Below $79,000 as $111bn Evaporates and 420,000+ Traders Are Liquidated
Bitcoin tumbled below $79,000 on February 1, wiping about $111 billion from the crypto market and triggering over 420,000 forced liquidations worth roughly $2.56 billion. The sell-off reflects thin liquidity, stalled U.S. regulatory clarity, muted institutional interest and mixed geopolitical signals, all of which undermine bitcoin’s appeal as a safe-haven or inflation hedge.
Bitcoin Slips Below $81,000 as Crypto Markets Suffer Fresh Volatility
Bitcoin dropped below $81,000 on 31 January, falling about 4% intraday amid a broader crypto market rout that included heavy liquidations and steep moves in ether and smaller tokens. The episode highlights how leverage and thin liquidity can produce rapid price cascades, raising questions about market structure and investor risk management.
US Tariffs Cripple China’s ‘Golf‑Cart’ Maker — A Costly Pivot into Semiconductors Fails to Plug the Gap
Greentong Technology’s profitability plunged in 2025 after US tariffs and a trade probe slashed American sales by nearly 80%. A 51% acquisition of a semiconductor firm raised consolidated revenue but failed to rescue margins, leaving the company with heavy impairment charges and uncertain prospects. The case highlights the vulnerability of export‑dependent Chinese manufacturers to trade remedies and the risks inherent in rapid, cross‑sector pivots.
Xi Maps a State‑Led Road to a ‘Financial Power’: Stability, Party Control and Global Ambitions
In a Qiushi essay, Xi Jinping outlines an eight‑point framework for building China into a global financial power that blends market reforms with firm Party leadership. The plan lists the institutional elements of financial strength — from an internationally used currency to robust regulation and talent — while insisting that development remain politically guided and risk‑averse.