Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 3095
China’s Market Watchdog Slaps CNY 1.02bn Penalty on Trader for Five-Year Stock-Manipulation Campaign
China’s securities regulator found that Yu Han used 67 trading accounts from mid-2019 to mid-2024 to manipulate the shares of Boshi Eyewear (博士眼镜), netting roughly CNY 510.9 million. The CSRC ordered confiscation of the illicit gains, an equal fine for a total penalty around CNY 1.02–1.03 billion, and imposed a three-year market ban and trading prohibition.
Chinese Regulator Cracks Down on Private Fund Firm, Bans Controller for Life and Levies Tens of Millions in Fines
China’s securities regulator has imposed heavy fines and lifetime market bans after finding serious violations at Zhejiang Ruifengda Asset Management and related private funds. The move forms part of a broader regulatory drive to curb illegal fundraising, asset misappropriation, self-dealing and other abuses in the private fund sector, with potential criminal referrals to public security authorities.
Countdown to $5,000: Central Banks, US Debt and Geopolitics Reprice Gold
Gold has surged to within sight of $5,000 an ounce as geopolitical tensions, weakening US fiscal metrics, persistent central-bank buying and expectations of lower real rates reprice long-term financial risk. The rally is prompting both retail and corporate shifts into gold-linked instruments, while analysts caution against speculative chasing and highlight enduring structural drivers that could sustain higher prices.
China’s MBA Market Cools: Fewer Jobs, Falling Fees and a Curriculum Reckoning
China’s MBA market is undergoing a correction as economic slowdown, automation and policy changes shrink demand for traditional management degrees. Top programmes retain value through alumni networks and tailored curricula, but many schools have cut fees and retooled courses to stay competitive amid fewer clear job outcomes for graduates.
Mainland Investors Trim Hong Kong Exposure; Alibaba Tops Southbound Selling as Pop Mart Draws Fresh Buys
Mainland investors net sold about HK$1.601 billion in Hong Kong stocks on January 23, with Alibaba and China Mobile among the largest net sold positions while Pop Mart drew sizable buys. The flows reflect selective profit-taking and sector rotation rather than a broad retreat from Hong Kong equities.
China’s Expanding Holidays Expose a Deeper Problem: More Days Off Don’t Fix Weak Incomes
China’s decision to extend the 2026 Spring Festival to nine days signals a possible trend toward longer statutory holidays. Yet analysts warn that more days off will not translate into sustained consumption or well‑being unless workers have higher, more secure incomes and enforceable rest rights; otherwise many new leaves will remain “paper” benefits and tourism gains will be diluted.
A‑Shares Tick Up as Gold, Pharma Retail and Solar Stocks Take the Lead
Chinese A‑shares opened higher on January 23 with modest gains across the main indexes as precious metals, pharmaceutical retail and photovoltaic sectors led the advance. The moves reflect a combination of commodity-driven flows, policy incentives for pharma consolidation and renewed optimism about renewables, though gains are concentrated and policy‑sensitive.
Beijing Proposes National Rules for Pre‑Prepared Meals, Seeks Public Input on Labelling and Definitions
China has published draft national standards for pre‑prepared dishes and a proposal requiring restaurants to disclose processing methods, and is soliciting public comment. The rules aim to improve consumer protection and industry standardisation but may raise compliance costs for smaller businesses while accelerating consolidation and investment in cold‑chain infrastructure.
A City That’s Not Rushing to Celebrate a Trillion: What Xuzhou’s Calm on GDP Says About China’s Urban Policy Shift
Xuzhou has refrained from an emphatic announcement that its GDP surpassed one trillion yuan, publishing only a 5.8% real growth figure and urging officials not to be preoccupied with the milestone. The move reflects a broader policy tilt in China away from headline GDP targets toward higher-quality, more balanced urban development, though political incentives to tout such thresholds remain strong.
China’s Long Workweek Stalls After Nine Years — But Overwork, Low Wages and Underemployment Linger
Average weekly working hours for enterprise employees in China fell in 2025 after nine years of increases, a shift driven by limits to hours, growing anti‑overtime sentiment and better enforcement. Yet entrenched overwork among many and rising underemployment among others, combined with low hourly wages and higher employer social insurance costs, point to persistent structural problems that simple declines in hours will not solve.
Yonghui’s Painful Reinvention: Heavy Losses as China’s Supermarket Trims for a New Retail Era
Yonghui Superstores reported a large projected net loss for 2025 as it shuts and refits hundreds of outlets while pivoting from expansion to ‘quality growth’. One-off writedowns, closure costs and investments have driven five consecutive years of losses, while early signs from remodelled stores are promising but not yet material enough to offset the short-term pain.
PBoC Signals More Easing but with Targeted Tools as Beijing Recasts Monetary Framework
PBoC governor Pan Gongsheng said Beijing will pursue a ‘moderately loose’ monetary policy in 2026 with room for further reserve‑requirement and interest‑rate cuts, while accelerating a shift toward targeted structural tools and a market‑oriented monetary framework. The bank plans to expand re‑lending and risk‑sharing facilities for private firms, tech and small businesses, strengthen macroprudential oversight, and deepen international financial integration.