Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 2073
Wall Street Surges as Dow Tops 50,000; Gold and Silver Rally Sharply amid Middle East Talks
U.S. markets rallied on February 6 with the Dow surpassing 50,000 for the first time and major indices ending higher. Precious metals jumped sharply and China-focused stocks strengthened, while indirect U.S.–Iran talks in Muscat provided a cautious geopolitical backdrop.
German Firms Shift Investment Toward China as U.S. Policy Volatility Raises Doubts
German companies are redirecting investment toward China as U.S. policy volatility undercuts confidence in the American market. Surveys and official data show rising German FDI into China, while investment into the U.S. has fallen sharply, prompting Berlin to pursue high‑level talks with Beijing to secure better market terms.
China Opens Early Appointments for 2025 Personal Income Tax Reconciliation; Filing Window Runs March–June 2026
China’s tax authority has scheduled the 2025 comprehensive personal income tax reconciliation for 1 March–30 June 2026 and will allow taxpayers to book appointments via the Personal Income Tax App from 25 February for filings between 1–20 March. The rest of the filing period (21 March–30 June) requires no appointment and is open for walk-in processing.
From Sunflower Seeds to Sparkling Cases: China’s Snack Shops Rebrand as Luxury Retail
China’s traditional fried‑snack and nuts sector has been recast as a premium retail category, with mall stores, designer packaging and viral products pushing prices into ranges once associated with luxury goods. Rapid brand upgrades and industry growth coexist with consumer resistance and the risk that price rises will outstrip perceived value.
IKEA Clearance Turned Crowd Frenzy Lays Bare the Decline of China’s Big‑Box Home Retail
A massive clearance sale at seven closing IKEA stores in China drew chaotic crowds and highlighted a larger shift away from suburban, big‑box home furnishing malls. Declining occupancy, rising bankruptcies and the rapid rise of small‑format and online‑born domestic brands suggest the industry is being reshaped by new consumer habits and retail economics.
Meituan’s Defensive Buy: How a 5 Billion‑Yuan Purchase of Dingdong Rewrites China’s Instant‑Retail Map
Meituan’s 5 billion‑yuan acquisition of Dingdong Maicai ends the start‑up’s independent run and reflects a defensive, strategic push in China’s instant‑retail wars. The deal gives Meituan regional market share, warehouses and a curated sourcing capability, but integration risks diluting Dingdong’s locally tuned advantages as the sector consolidates ahead of another likely subsidy‑driven showdown in summer 2026.
‘Shared Massage-Chair’ IPO Collapses Within Two Months as Safety and Scale Doubts Emerge
LeMo Technology’s Hong Kong-listed shares halved within two months of its December 2025 IPO, tumbling to HK$18.84 on 6 February 2026 amid sharp intra-day sell-offs. Investor confidence soured after safety incidents, poor customer reviews and investigative reports that questioned the authenticity of the company’s claimed device deployments.
China Tightens the Noose on Crypto and Tokenised Assets: Offshore RMB Stablecoins Banned, Domestic Services Prohibited
China’s central bank and seven other agencies issued a decisive notice on 6 February 2026 that reiterates a ban on cryptocurrency trading and services while extending strict controls to tokenisation of real‑world assets and offshore issuance of RMB‑pegged stablecoins. The measures mobilise an interagency enforcement apparatus and bar financial, internet and intermediary firms from supporting unauthorised crypto and RWA activities.
Big Recall, Local AI: China’s Auto Market Grapples with Safety and a New Wave of On‑shore Autonomy Training
FAW‑Volkswagen has recalled 206,012 domestically produced Audi Q2L cars over adhesive failures that can cause C‑pillar covers to detach. At the same time Tesla has activated a China‑based AI training centre to tailor driver assistance systems to local conditions. Together these developments illustrate the tension between fast localisation of manufacturing and the push to develop on‑shore AI capabilities for autonomy.
Wall Street's Rotation Lift: Dow Tops 50,000 as Nvidia and Chip Makers Rally
U.S. markets surged on Friday, with the Dow closing above 50,000 for the first time as chips and cyclical stocks led a broad-based rally. Nvidia and other semiconductor names jumped on expectations of increased AI data‑centre spending, while investors digested mixed signals on corporate capex and the Fed’s path amid delayed payroll data.
China’s EV Arms Race Heats Up: Xiaomi’s 1,000‑hp YU7 GT and a Wave of New Large SUVs from Li, Xpeng and BYD
China’s latest MIIT vehicle catalogue revealed several heavyweight models that underscore an intensifying competition across power, battery and charging technologies. Xiaomi unveiled a 1,003‑hp YU7 GT while AITO, Li Auto, Xpeng, BYD and Great Wall filed large SUVs spanning pure electric, range‑extender and plug‑in hybrid drivetrains.
China’s E‑Paper Champion Faces Regulator’s Scissors: Investigation and Asset Freezes Threaten Qingyue’s Survival
China’s securities regulator has opened a formal investigation into Qingyue Technology over alleged false financial reporting and has frozen key securities and fundraising bank accounts. The probe follows prior warnings about misuse of raised funds, undisclosed related‑party deals and a disputed export‑tax rebate, and raises the spectre of forced delisting amid weak industry conditions and strained company finances.