Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 3073
Gold Fever at Lunar New Year Exposes a Divide: Scale Players Grow Sales, Niche Brands Keep Margins
A post‑holiday rush of young buyers in China is boosting sales of lightweight, design‑led gold jewellery even as global bullion prices climb. Financial results show a split: large franchised chains drive revenue through scale while a handful of boutique operators extract far higher margins, but the durability of brand premiums is uncertain because resale values remain tied to metal prices.
Sudden Detention of Ex‑Tycoon Li Zhaoting Deepens Dongxu Group Fallout
Li Zhaoting, the former head of the Dongxu business empire and once among Hebei’s richest individuals, was detained by Shijiazhuang police on February 13 as investigations continue. Regulators had already imposed roughly RMB 1.7 billion in penalties and lifetime market bans related to disclosure violations and alleged fraudulent share issuance; only Jia Linjie remains listed from the Dongxu orbit and says operations are normal.
JD’s First Wide‑body Cargo Jet Signals a New Phase in China’s Air‑Freight Game
JD Airlines’ first Airbus A330-200P2F freighter — its 12th aircraft and first wide‑body — marks the company’s entry into long‑haul international cargo. The deal fast‑tracked Airbus’ foothold in China’s freighter market and underlines JD’s strategy to bind its e‑commerce supply chain to owned airlift, even as regulatory slots and empty return legs pose commercial challenges.
History’s Warning: Bitcoin Could Slide Toward $31,000 as Analysts Flag a Possible ‘Crypto Winter’
Ned Davis Research warns that if the current sell‑off becomes a full crypto winter, Bitcoin could fall to about $31,000 — a drop of roughly 55% from current levels and as much as 70–75% from its October peak. Other banks and strategists offer differing downside targets, but the central risk is that renewed selling, leverage and miner pressure could amplify losses even as greater institutional participation offers some stabilising force.
Mercedes‑Benz China Shuffles Senior Team as Sales Chief Steps Down, Smart Brand Marketing Gets a New Lead
Mercedes‑Benz China has announced a managed leadership reshuffle: Duan Jianjun will step down as president and CEO of the Beijing sales company and remain as an advisor until 30 April, Li Desi will take over on 1 March, Zhang Mingxia will move from smart’s global marketing role back into sales on 1 April, and Kang Yi will become smart’s global CMO. The moves prioritise continuity and closer alignment between sales, marketing and finance as Mercedes navigates intense competition and rapid change in China’s automotive market.
JD.com Says Paris Warehouse Theft Solved as Most Stolen Goods Recovered — A Test for Its European Expansion
JD.com says French police and the Chinese embassy helped recover most goods stolen from the company’s Paris warehouse in a December 2025 robbery. The recovery reduces immediate losses and reputational damage as JD presses ahead with a broader European expansion that includes a logistics network (JoyExpress), a new retail brand (Joybuy) and a major stake in Germany’s CECONOMY.
PICC Faces Wave of Regional Fines as Regulators Flag Widespread Compliance Failures
PICC Property and Casualty has received at least 15 regulatory penalties since the start of 2026, with regional branches fined for falsified data, misuse of policy terms, fabricated intermediary fees and refusal to accept cash. Regulators have issued fines, warnings and long-term industry bans, exposing systemic weaknesses in internal controls across the insurer’s local operations.
Safe‑haven Surge and Regulatory Tightening: Gold Rallies as Tech Slips and Beijing Reins in Platform Lending
Gold and silver surged as investors skittishly rotated away from technology stocks amid heightened geopolitical rhetoric from Washington and mixed macro signals. In China, regulators tightened rules on platform‑linked consumer lending while the central bank reported continued credit growth, underscoring Beijing’s dual focus on innovation and financial stability.
Pinduoduo Tightens Food-Safety Rules and Live-Stream Oversight to Keep Lunar New Year Supplies Flowing
Pinduoduo has launched a holiday‑period campaign combining subsidies for essential foods with stricter food‑safety and live‑stream governance. The platform has tightened seller licence checks, expanded AI‑enabled monitoring of advertising and images, mandated detailed permits for specific categories, and stepped up lab sampling and IP protections to reassure consumers during the Lunar New Year.
Surging Sales, Sliding Profits: Yingshi Innovation’s 2025 Results Expose Growing Pains
Yingshi Innovation posted a 76.9% jump in 2025 revenue to Rmb9.858 billion, yet net profit attributable to shareholders fell 3.1% to Rmb964 million, producing a puzzling divergence between sales growth and profitability. The numbers suggest rapid expansion accompanied by margin pressure or increased investment, and investors will be looking for management’s explanation and guidance on cost control.
China’s Tianfeng Securities Cleans House After CSRC Action, Marks End of ‘Historical’ Violations
Tianfeng Securities has received penalty and regulatory notices from the CSRC tied to historical violations under its former private owners. Since Hubei Hongtai Group became the controlling shareholder in 2023, Tianfeng has cooperated with investigators, recovered misused funds and overhauled governance—moves the company and market observers say effectively close the book on legacy risks and position the broker for renewed growth under tighter compliance standards.
Great Wall Chairman Says U.S. MPV Effort Is Moving Smoothly as Middlemen Surface in Reports
Chairman Wei Jianjun of Great Wall Motor has acknowledged that efforts to advance a project involving a GWM MPV in the United States are proceeding smoothly, responding to reports that intermediaries in the U.S. are handling operations. While not a formal market entry, the comment suggests the company is testing paths into a challenging and politically sensitive market using lower-profile channels.