Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 496
China’s Small Banks Raise Deposit Rates in Targeted Push for Funds — A Sign of Funding Strain, Not a Market Reprieve
Several Chinese small and rural banks have raised deposit rates selectively — by up to about 20 basis points — using time-limited or high-minimum products to attract funding at the start of 2026. The moves reflect year-beginning funding drives and competitive pressures on institutions with weaker deposit franchises, not a broad reversal of the downtrend in deposit pricing.
China’s Electric-Car Arms Race: From Subsidy Reliance to a Raw, Tech-Driven Market in 2026
China’s electric-vehicle market reached mass adoption in 2025, with penetration approaching 60% and charging and swap networks expanding rapidly. As purchase-tax subsidies are rolled back in 2026, competition will pivot from stimulus-fuelled growth to a fight over technology, cost efficiency, user experience and global expansion.
Hainan’s Duty‑Free Boom: Tourists Flood In, iPhones and Gold Fly Off Shelves in First Month of 'Sealed‑Port' Experiment
In the first month after Hainan implemented an island‑wide sealed‑port customs regime, duty‑free retail and tourism surged: RMB 4.86 billion in sales, sharp rises in hotel and flight bookings, and shortages in popular items such as gold jewellery and iPhones. Policy changes — expanded zero‑tariff lists, visa easing for Russian tourists, and consumer vouchers — have driven a rapid reorientation of demand, while customs digitalisation eased throughput and regulators warned of resale and fraud risks.
Xibei’s Chairman Rebuts ‘Two‑Year Broccoli’ Claim, Says Premium Frozen Product Costs 80–120% More
Xibei chairman Jia Guolong has defended the restaurant chain’s use of frozen organic broccoli, saying it is a premium, export‑grade product that costs 80–120% more than ordinary broccoli and is rapidly rotated in stores. He rejected claims that restaurants serve “two‑year‑old” broccoli, noting typical use within weeks and emphasizing quick‑freeze, preservative‑free production and full cold‑chain logistics.
Xibei’s Retreat: How a Social-Media Feud Exposed a Chinese Chain’s Fragile Economics
A public feud between Xibei founder Jia Guolong and influencer Luo Yonghao has coincided with a sharp operational retrenchment at Xibei, which plans to shutter 102 stores after reporting a 50% drop in January sales. The episode highlights how reputational attacks over alleged use of pre‑prepared ingredients can amplify real economic fragility in China’s full‑service restaurant sector.
China’s Deposit Market Goes Low and Short: Savers “Move House” Between Banks as Yields Slump
New-issue large-denomination bank deposits in China have moved decisively into single-digit annual yields, with tenors shortening and minimum subscription amounts rising. Faced with a 75 trillion yuan maturity wave in 2026, savers are largely redeploying funds across banks rather than into equities, forcing lenders to compete through targeted rate offers, higher thresholds and bespoke customer retention tactics.
Livestream Smear and Corporate Freefall: How a Social‑Media Feud Pushed Xibei to the Brink
A months‑long dispute between influencer Luo Yonghao and Xibei chairman Jia Guolong over whether Xibei serves ‘‘pre‑made’’ food has driven a severe drop in customers and the planned closure of over 100 stores. The episode spotlights the clout of livestream personalities, gaps in regulation over pre‑made food, and a tightening of platform moderation as China seeks clearer rules for such public confrontations.
China’s Great Deposit Migration: Trillions of Yuan Search New Homes as Time Deposits Mature
A large portion of China’s household time deposits — estimated by some commentators at 90–120 trillion yuan — will mature over 2025–26, pushing savers to reallocate into banks, wealth-management products, insurance, mortgages and equities. The migration could deepen equity financing for strategic industries while raising financial-stability risks if funds concentrate in smaller banks or opaque vehicles.
Hedge Funds Pile Into the Yuan as Big Asset Managers Hold Back
Hedge funds have been increasingly buying offshore renminbi positions and Chinese bonds, betting on further yuan appreciation after the currency breached 7 late in 2025. Large institutional asset managers remain cautious, citing process constraints, limited convertibility and uncertainty over China’s economic momentum, producing a market split that could amplify volatility if a Fed-driven dollar sell-off materialises.
Antitrust Probe of Ctrip Signals New Front in China’s Platform Wars
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has opened an antitrust investigation into Ctrip, citing allegations of abusive market practices including forced price parity and algorithmic repricing. The probe highlights mounting regulatory scrutiny of digital platforms as competition intensifies from JD, Douyin, Meituan and Alibaba, and could force major changes to how OTAs manage pricing and merchant relationships.
China’s Livestreaming Star Faces Fresh Food-Safety Storm as ‘Mahuang Chicken’ Claims Unravel
A dispute in Anhui over whether a best‑selling chicken product promoted by Dong Yuhui’s livestreaming account is genuinely the regional "Wanxi Mahuang" bird has escalated into a regulatory probe and renewed scrutiny of the influencer’s supply‑chain controls. The clash highlights broader tensions in China’s fast‑moving livestream commerce between explosive sales growth and fragile provenance verification.
Nio’s New ES8 Tops 50,000 Deliveries in Four Months, Signalling Strength in China’s Premium EV Market
Nio reported that its newly launched ES8 surpassed 50,000 deliveries 120 days after deliveries began, averaging about 417 vehicles per day. The rapid ramp underscores solid early demand in the premium SUV segment but raises questions about sustainability amid fierce competition and margin pressures.