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A fuel tanker truck leaves a gas station in Beijing, March 28, 2026. Photo: AP

Banking & Finance

Asia-Pacific firms face credit pressure from Iran war energy shock, S&P says

Higher energy prices ratchet up pressure on manufacturing businesses to maintain their profit margins amid rising raw material costs.

Trade tensions dim foreign investment outlook in US and China, survey finds

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China boosts overseas-loan quotas as ‘panda bond’ issuance hits record high

China Economy

China fast-tracks hydrogen strategy to ‘scale-up’ phase to boost energy security

China targets ‘bold innovation’ as falling renewable-energy costs allow it to leverage 50 per cent share of global green hydrogen production capacity.

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A bus is refuelled with hydrogen from a fuel cell in China’s Shandong province. Photo: Getty Images
A bus is refuelled with hydrogen from a fuel cell in China’s Shandong province. Photo: Getty Images

China Economy

China’s economic boom masks Iran war slowdown

Growth in China accelerated in the first quarter of the year as a January-February surge offset a slower March following the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.

Global Economy

China trims US Treasury holdings as global ownership hits record

Beijing slightly pares its sovereign US debt position as private investors and certain financial hubs drive demand up.

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Economic Indicators

China beats expectations with 5% growth in first GDP release since Iran war

‘Stronger than expected’ growth figure indicates minimal impact from the conflict and a low likelihood for near-term stimulus, analysts said.

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A coil of copper is moved at an electrical materials factory in Dongyang, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
A coil of copper is moved at an electrical materials factory in Dongyang, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Global Economy

Record-setting Canton Fair under Middle East cloud as costs hit China’s exports

Manufacturers and buyers offer on-the-ground perspectives at China’s largest trade exhibition, swapping stories and predictions amid massive turnout.

Global Economy

‘No alternative’: Yellen defends dollar dominance, calls to preserve China trade

Former US Treasury secretary, in Hong Kong, discusses China’s ‘serious conflicts’ with other economies in trade, while warning of decoupling risks.

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Global Economy

US officials claim China is ‘hoarding’ oil. What does the data say?

While US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China is stockpiling crude amid the Iran war, the numbers suggest Beijing is facing a supply crunch.

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A woman walks past a giant billboard reading “The Strait of Hormuz remains closed” at Revolution Square in Tehran, Iran. Photo: TNS

Economic Indicators

Despite Iran war, China set for ‘solid’ first-quarter GDP growth: analysts

Flexible growth target means little likelihood of imminent stimulus, but focus will switch to impact of disruptions in second quarter.

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A woman selects fruit at a supermarket in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: EPA
A woman selects fruit at a supermarket in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: EPA

China Economy

Chinese steelmakers team up to adjust to EU’s carbon-linked import imposts

Industry insiders say carbon costs are expected to cascade through supply chains, adding to compliance costs for Chinese exporters.

China Economy

China publicly criticises fiscal spending by ‘imprudent’ local governments

Amid belt-tightening drive, spotlight falls on projects deemed not in the public interest, including millions of yuan spent on promotional songs.

Global Economy

Hormuz blockade: shipping body slams transit fees as 20,000 seafarers stranded

A ‘retrograde’ toll proposal by Tehran risks similar charges in other vital waterways, warns global association for merchant shipowners and operators.

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A person points at a website tracking marine traffic and showing commercial vessels on the edge of the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast last month. Photo: TNS

Global Economy

Which countries are most vulnerable as US imposes Persian Gulf blockade?

Nomura says more than 90 per cent of the crude oil imported by Japan and the Philippines comes from the Middle East.

A customer at a petrol station in London on Monday. Photo: EPA
A customer at a petrol station in London on Monday. Photo: EPA

Global Economy

IMF cuts China’s GDP growth forecast to 4.4% as Iran war hits global economy

The latest projection is 0.1 percentage lower than January’s estimate but higher than October’s.

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China Economy

Kazakh sovereign fund issues Central Asia’s first panda bond in ‘milestone’ sale

Samruk-Kazyna chairman says issuance marks ‘an important milestone in strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China’.

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Global Economy

Why America’s brute-force effort on rare earths may not work against China

China spent decades carving out a commanding lead in the rare earth realm. Now the US wants its old piece of the supply chain back – is it still within reach?

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong

Global Economy

Chinese ‘vertical dramas’ are booming in America. Should Hollywood be worried?

Chinese platforms hosting bite-size soap operas about werewolves and mafia dons are drawing big audiences – and shaking up the streaming market.

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China Economy

As megacities slow, China’s smaller counties lead as new consumer hotspots

Survey last year found that nearly 80 per cent of consumers in China’s third- and fourth-tier cities were optimistic about the economy.

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China Economy

China rises up ‘elite quality’ league table as AI investment booms

China ranked 19th in the latest Elite Quality Index, which assesses whether national elites create sustainable value for their countries.

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Visitors watch humanoid robots fight at the Unitree Robotics booth during the World Robot Conference in Beijing. China has invested heavily in artificial intelligence, robotics and other emerging sectors in recent years. Photo: Reuters
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OPINION
Francis Neoton Cheung

Opinion | 4 identities Hong Kong must embrace to provide global leadership

Francis Neoton Cheung
Martin Brownbridge,Sudharshan Canagarajah

Opinion | Hormuz crisis a chance to spur Asia’s shift to clean, secure energy

Martin Brownbridge
Sudharshan Canagarajah
Anthony Rowley

Macroscope | Can World Bank and IMF leaders rescue a global economy on the brink?

Anthony Rowley
Alex Lo

As I see it | Helpful analysts predict China property recovery now, soon and much later

Alex Lo
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Teng Bingsheng

Opinion | China’s next growth engine? An AI-powered intelligence dividend

Teng Bingsheng
Andrew Sheng

Opinion | Despite its hype, AI is just a means to economic resilience

Andrew Sheng
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MULTIMEDIA
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The Iran war is going to hurt your skincare routine

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Small hobby businesses hit by rising costs from Iran war

Thai figurine studio founder calls for an urgent lifeline to help small businesses stay afloat
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Iran war sparks fuel crises in parts of Asia

Clients queue at a gas station amid rising petrol prices in Karachi on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Rizwan TABASSUM / AFP)
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German leader greeted by robot dance troupe in China

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TRENDING TOPICS
China trade
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China's economic recovery
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