Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 2083
How Henan's Lab-Grown Diamond Boom Is Shattering Prices and Rewriting an Industry
A surge in lab-grown diamond production centred in Henan has driven global prices down more than 40% since 2022, forcing legacy players like De Beers and branded jewellers to cut prices, run down inventories and rethink strategies. The technological and scale advantages of HPHT production in China have made high-quality synthetic stones widely available and affordable, challenging the economic and symbolic value of natural diamonds.
China’s Cheap-Coffee Era Winds Down as Kudi Drops Its 9.9‑Yuan Anchor
Kudi has ended its near two‑year 9.9‑yuan unlimited drinks promotion, loosening the low‑price anchor that reshaped China’s coffee market. The move reflects a broader industry shift from aggressive price wars to brand, product and operational refinement amid global coffee supply pressures that make price rises more palatable.
Ex-Actor Li Yapeng Clears Pu'er Tea Inventory with a Single 6‑Hour Livestream — 160 Million Yuan in Sales and a Philanthropic Twist
Li Yapeng’s six‑hour Douyin livestream on January 30 generated 160 million yuan in GMV, set a record for a Pu'er tea special, and attracted more than 40 million total views. The event accelerated inventory clearance for the tea sector, boosted Li’s follower base past 10 million, and intersected with his pledge to donate livestream proceeds amid a hospital funding controversy.
Wall Street’s AI Bill: Microsoft’s $381bn Market Shock and the Hard Question for Tech Giants
A recent sharp sell‑off wiped about $381 billion off Microsoft’s market value after Azure growth showed signs of slowing and the company flagged more than $100 billion of capital spending for the year. The market reaction underscores a broader investor scepticism about whether massive AI‑related investments across big tech will be monetised, shifting the emphasis from spending to demonstrable returns.
Oracle Doubles Down on AI: Plans Up to $50bn Raise to Build Massive Cloud Capacity for OpenAI and Others
Oracle intends to raise $45–50 billion in 2026 through equity-linked securities, common stock and a senior bond to expand cloud capacity for large AI customers including OpenAI. The move highlights the enormous capital required for AI-scale data centres and has intensified investor concerns about returns, credit risk and the feasibility of the company’s expansion plans.
Bitcoin Retreats Below $77,000 as Crypto Markets See a Mid‑Day Pullback
Bitcoin fell below $77,000 on Feb. 1, slipping 2.23% intraday. The drop underlines the continued volatility of digital‑asset markets and highlights the risk that leverage and derivatives can magnify price moves, posing challenges for investors and regulators alike.
Xiaomi Nears 600,000 EV Deliveries as Founder Pulls First‑Gen SU7 to Make Way for New Model
Xiaomi says it has nearly 600,000 cumulative EV deliveries and reported over 39,000 cars delivered in January as it discontinues the first‑generation SU7 to prepare for a new model. CEO Lei Jun highlighted lab capacity, an expanded R&D workforce and a claimed CLTC range above 900 km for the new SU7, while pushing back on reports of poor used‑car values.
China’s Electric Heavy Trucks Break 50% Monthly Share, Marking a Milestone in Freight Decarbonisation
In 2025 China’s new-energy heavy-truck market surged: cumulative sales hit 231,100 units (up 182%), and December saw a record 53.89% monthly penetration rate, with battery-electric trucks making up nearly half of sales. The milestone signals meaningful progress toward decarbonising freight but raises infrastructure, supply-chain and policy challenges that will determine whether the shift is sustained.
China’s January Auto Scorecard: Xiaomi Tops the EV Upstarts as the Industry Shifts to a ‘Financial War’
January 2026 sales data show Xiaomi Auto leading China’s electric‑vehicle upstarts with over 39,000 deliveries while BYD retained dominance with roughly 210,000 NEV sales. Facing soft seasonality and fading tax incentives, automakers have shifted from price cuts to long‑tenor, low‑interest finance offers — a developing “financial war” that stimulates demand but raises credit and regulatory risks.
Safe Haven No More: Silver’s 36% Flash Crash Triggers $142m Tokenised-Futures Bloodbath in Crypto Markets
A 36% intra‑day slide in spot silver on 31 January triggered a cross‑market cascade that led to roughly $544 million of crypto liquidations in 24 hours. Tokenised silver futures were the largest single source of losses, underscoring how 24/7 trading, high leverage and thin liquidity can turn a traditional safe‑haven asset into a crypto‑market ‘‘bomb’’.
BYD’s Year of Dominance: How China’s EV Giant Sold 4.6 Million Cars and Deepened Its Global Reach
BYD sold over 4.6 million vehicles in 2025, securing both China’s top automaker and brand positions and a fourth straight global new‑energy vehicle sales crown. Strong domestic demand, rapid overseas growth (1.05 million units exported), and advances in driver‑assist data capabilities underpin the performance, but expansion raises operational and regulatory challenges abroad.
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.