Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 2072
How China’s ‘Black Strawberry’ Is Challenging the Cherry’s Lunar New Year Crown
Black strawberries have erupted into China’s Lunar New Year fruit market, driven by scarcity, distinctive appearance and social-media buzz, challenging imported Chilean cherries whose prices have weakened. Improved greenhouse techniques and colourful gift-box packaging have helped domestic strawberries move from niche novelty to mainstream seasonal contender.
Beijing Mandates 'Insure Before Take‑Off' for Drones — Liability Cover to Be Phased In by 2027
China has ordered the phased establishment of a mandatory liability insurance regime for unmanned aircraft, aiming for an initial system by 2027 and a comprehensive framework by 2030. The plan links insurance to flight approvals, promotes expanded insurance products across the drone value chain, and calls for a national data platform to support underwriting and supervision.
PBOC to Inject ¥1 Trillion via Six‑Month Buyout Reverse Repo to Bolster Bank Liquidity
China’s central bank will inject ¥10 trillion via a six‑month buyout reverse repo on 13 February to ensure ample banking liquidity. The move provides durable, medium‑term funding and signals a continued, measured easing stance aimed at supporting financing conditions and stabilising the economy.
400‑Year‑Old Knife‑and‑Scissors Maker Loses Majority After Debt‑Driven Share Auction
Zhang Xiaoquan, a 400‑year‑old knife‑and‑scissors maker listed in 2021, has seen its largest shareholder position change hands after judicial auctions triggered by its controlling group’s debt crisis. The company now lacks a controlling shareholder, faces concentrated revenue risk and governance uncertainty, even as a new investor with e‑commerce credentials forecasts a sizeable profit rebound for 2025.
Divorce Forces Transfer of Rmb1.29bn Stake in China RF‑Chip Firm as Company Reports First Annual Loss
Zhuosheng Micro’s chairman, Xu Zhihan, has transferred roughly half of his directly held shares — valued at about Rmb1.29 billion (≈US$190m) — to his ex‑wife as part of a divorce settlement. The move comes as the company warned of its first annual loss since listing in 2019, raising investor concerns about potential share sales, governance stability and management continuity.
China’s MBA Market Loses Its Shine as Tuition Cuts and Job Softness Expose Weak ROI
China’s MBA market is under pressure as the 2025 national entrance line falls to a 25-year low and universities slash fees to attract candidates. Economic slowdown, shrinking hiring by major employers and falling cohort quality mean the degree’s traditional ROI is increasingly uncertain, making MBAs worthwhile mainly for narrowly defined objectives.
China’s Small‑Cap Growth Board Rallies on a Wave of AI Compute Stocks as Consumption Lags
China’s ChiNext and tech‑heavy STAR board outperformed as investors poured money into stocks tied to AI computing power and data‑centre infrastructure, lifting several mid‑caps to multi‑day gains. The rally was narrow: overall market breadth was weak with more than 3,200 decliners, and consumer sectors registered significant losses.
China Imposes Five-Year Countervailing Duties on EU Dairy, Escalating Trade Pressure on European Exporters
China will levy countervailing duties on certain dairy imports from the EU for five years starting 13 February 2026, following an investigation that found EU subsidies harmed China’s dairy industry. The decision imposes company-specific duties, includes limited retroactivity for provisional bonds, and opens administrative and judicial review pathways.
Hang Seng Falters as Big Internet Names Slip, While Chips and AI Model Stocks Rally
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.86% with major internet platforms declining as investors grew cautious on consumer‑facing tech. At the same time, semiconductor suppliers and AI model companies jumped sharply, reflecting a thematic shift toward hardware and generative‑AI plays.
Vanke’s Shadow Network: Middlemen, Billions of Receivables and a Corporate‑Governance Crisis
An investigative report links a network of ‘shadow’ firms tied to Vanke insiders with a string of quick‑turn land and project transfers into the listed group. These arrangements coincide with hundreds of billions of yuan in intercompany receivables and large impairment charges that have substantially worsened Vanke’s financial losses and raised fresh governance questions.
Xiaomi Auto Backs Beijing’s Pricing Code — A Signal that China’s EV Market Must Compete on Quality, Not Discounts
Xiaomi Auto has publicly endorsed China’s new automotive pricing compliance guidelines, committing to transparent pricing, an end to price fraud and coordination with partners to enforce the rules. The move aligns Xiaomi with Beijing’s push to shift the auto industry away from discount‑led competition toward quality and technology‑driven value creation.
Xiaomi’s YU7 Tops China Retail Rankings in January — A New Challenger to Tesla and Incumbent SUVs
Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV sold 37,869 units in January, claiming the top spot on China’s passenger‑car retail chart and signaling the brand’s growing strength in the EV market. The result reflects Xiaomi’s retail channels and brand pull amid a soft season for car sales and comes as the company prepares for further model updates and possible overseas attention.