https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/318753/feed News about consumer spending and shifting shopping habits from around the world with a focus on developments in Hong Kong and mainland China. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong-headquartered DFI Retail Group, which owns and operates the city’s largest supermarket network, says it will continue to invest in new stores even though consumers remain cautious. Darren Chan, the group’s managing director for food in Hong Kong and Macau, said DFI – whose supermarket chains include Wellcome and Market Place in Hong Kong – was also “looking for opportunities to strengthen” its network where there was “clear customer demand and attractive long-term returns”. “We invest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3370322/dfi-retail-group-says-it-will-continue-invest-hong-kong-supermarkets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3370322/dfi-retail-group-says-it-will-continue-invest-hong-kong-supermarkets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Fast Retailing, the parent company of Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo, has defied the ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo and soft consumer sentiment in China to log a rebound in sales and profits on the Chinese mainland. The Japanese firm said the 2026 financial year, which ended in August, had been a period in which its mainland China business had “made steady progress, with encouraging steps indicating a return to growth”, according to its annual report released on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370187/uniqlo-sees-profits-soar-china-despite-beijing-tokyo-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370187/uniqlo-sees-profits-soar-china-despite-beijing-tokyo-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:15:41 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Ralph Jennings Sylvia Ma,Ralph Jennings China’s National Day holiday saw travel remain broadly stable as the break – an extended length of time compared with 2025 – supported longer-distance trips, though cinema cooled sharply, offering mixed signals on efforts to revive consumer spending. Over the seven-day break, which ended on Wednesday, China recorded 2.142 billion cross-regional passenger trips, averaging 306 million a day, up 0.7 per cent year on year, according to the Ministry of Transport, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370156/chinas-national-day-holiday-sees-uptick-longer-trips-overseas-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370156/chinas-national-day-holiday-sees-uptick-longer-trips-overseas-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:01:14 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian China’s biggest sportswear maker, Anta Sports, has strengthened its challenge to global rivals such as Nike and Adidas by becoming the largest shareholder in Puma, the German brand recognised worldwide for its sports and casual footwear. The Hong Kong-listed company completed the acquisition of a 29.06 per cent stake in Puma from Artemis, the investment vehicle of France’s Pinault family, in an all-cash deal valued at €1.51 billion (US$1.7 billion). “The stake is expected to boost Puma’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370148/how-puma-fits-chinese-sportswear-maker-antas-plan-challenge-global-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370148/how-puma-fits-chinese-sportswear-maker-antas-plan-challenge-global-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:10:59 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu In the industrial heartland of Normandy, more than 100km (62 miles) away from Paris, lies the small town of Cleon. Home to fewer than 5,000 residents and a Renault factory, the town and its environs are a near-perfect reflection of the current state of France’s rust belt, where economic activity and jobs are dwindling – the factory’s workforce has shrunk from almost 5,000 to 3,124 in 10 years. Yet the planned arrival of an assembly line from Chinese firm Shanghai E-Drive next year, in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369753/renaults-plan-chinese-ev-motor-assembly-small-french-town-sparks-job-loss-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369753/renaults-plan-chinese-ev-motor-assembly-small-french-town-sparks-job-loss-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:05:28 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands have increased their share of new entrants in Hong Kong’s retail property market by 7 percentage points to more than one-third in the first nine months of 2026, while the demand for shops from mainland Chinese brands has slipped, according to Cushman & Wakefield. A slew of new brands helped lift the combined share of Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands to a three-year high, according to Cushman, which said it expected the trend to continue. This year,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369937/hong-kongs-first-store-appeal-grows-more-japanese-south-korean-and-thai-brands-arrive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369937/hong-kongs-first-store-appeal-grows-more-japanese-south-korean-and-thai-brands-arrive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li For Toronto-based product designer Alex Vong, buying his first 3D printer was not about experimenting with a niche technology – it was about finding a reliable tool for his creative business. After watching several YouTube reviews, he eventually chose a machine made by Shenzhen-based Bambu Lab. “A 3D printer is something I’d rather buy once, and buy the best,” he said. “I’m not buying multiples unless I have the space for it.” Vong has been using the 3D printer to produce the shell of an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369914/chinese-brands-drive-global-consumer-3d-printer-boom-ease-use-lower-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369914/chinese-brands-drive-global-consumer-3d-printer-boom-ease-use-lower-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Designer Azeeza Khan has spent the better part of 15 years building a fashion empire on her own terms, in her own way. For one, Khan is still based in her hometown of Chicago, away from the American fashion epicentre of New York and the Hollywood machine in Los Angeles. “We’re at Kith, Revolve, Shopbop, all those places, so we have reach,” she explains, but she hopes to expand her eponymous label’s physical presence with a secondary office outside Chicago. “LA is one of our top-selling consumer... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/luxury-ceos/article/3369746/designer-azeeza-khan-her-cfda-genesis-house-win-new-york-fashion-week-and-law-roach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/luxury-ceos/article/3369746/designer-azeeza-khan-her-cfda-genesis-house-win-new-york-fashion-week-and-law-roach?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:00:06 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal DFI Retail, the food and beverage unit of Hong Kong-headquartered conglomerate Jardine Matheson, is looking to sell its mall at The Peak, one of the city’s wealthiest neighbourhoods. The entire commercial portion of the Dairy Farm Guildford Road Shopping Centre will be sold via a public tender closing at noon on November 19, according to sole agent CBRE. The property is near The Peak campus of the German Swiss International School. The mall consists of a two-storey retail podium with a gross... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369744/wellcome-operator-dfi-retail-seeks-buyer-fully-leased-shopping-centre-peak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369744/wellcome-operator-dfi-retail-seeks-buyer-fully-leased-shopping-centre-peak?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 04:30:06 +0000 Ben Jiang,Xiaofei Xu Ben Jiang,Xiaofei Xu In February 2023, the budget shopping platform Temu announced itself on the world stage in the brashest way possible: becoming one of the youngest ever brands to buy a Super Bowl advertising spot. “Download the Temu app and shop like a billionaire,” a voice proclaimed in the 30-second commercial, as a woman danced on screen and ordered a series of outlandishly cheap items: from a US$8.99 dress to a US$4.99 wig. The commercial – which aired twice during the game, costing Temu an estimated US$14... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3369595/temu-took-world-storm-has-shopping-app-lost-its-thunder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3369595/temu-took-world-storm-has-shopping-app-lost-its-thunder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Losses linked to the abrupt closure of Hotstone Yoga have risen to nearly HK$8 million (US$1 million), with close to 700 reports filed by affected customers in Hong Kong, according to authorities. The Customs and Excise Department said that as of 6pm on Sunday, it had received 694 reports relating to the yoga chain, involving service contracts worth about HK$7.8 million. The Consumer Council said it had received 416 complaints by 5pm the same day, with claimed losses totalling HK$5.42... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3369722/hotstone-yoga-closure-losses-rise-hk78-million-694-customers-file-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3369722/hotstone-yoga-closure-losses-rise-hk78-million-694-customers-file-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 14:00:16 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat At a two-day trade exhibition in Hong Kong earlier this week, Vera Nikitina, a representative of Russian confectionery producer Belyov Pastila Manufacture, was looking for new buyers – while also trying to reassure them that the company’s products were genuinely made in Russia. The company made its first attempt to enter China in 2019, before beginning regular shipments and establishing a local office in 2022-23. Its sales grew in 2024 amid booming Chinese demand for Russian consumer goods. That... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368816/russian-exporters-fight-win-back-chinese-buyers-amid-fallout-over-fake-goods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368816/russian-exporters-fight-win-back-chinese-buyers-amid-fallout-over-fake-goods?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Business-class flights, once largely the domain of company reps on paid trips, are becoming more popular among tourists in China who do not mind spending a bit extra for a comfortable ride from start to finish, industry insiders said. Businesspeople once occupied 90 per cent of the spacious seats, but have lost that edge to leisure travellers who can buy their way out of economy class but not into first class, said Wong Hong, director general of the 18-member Association of Asia Pacific... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367287/no-brainer-growing-trend-chinese-tourists-seeking-luxury-business-class-flights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367287/no-brainer-growing-trend-chinese-tourists-seeking-luxury-business-class-flights?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s retail sales rose by 5.6 per cent year on year in August, with the latest figures showing consumer spending picking up after growth eased for two consecutive months. Retail sales value reached HK$32 billion (US$4.1 billion), according to provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Friday. Sales in the first eight months of the year rose by 8.5 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. “Growth was seen across many types of retail outlets, while online... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3369559/consumer-spending-picks-hong-kong-retail-sales-rising-56-august?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3369559/consumer-spending-picks-hong-kong-retail-sales-rising-56-august?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:50:22 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore’s biggest crackdown so far on fake online reviews has exposed how businesses exploit the appeal of five-star ratings to game the system, with experts warning generative AI will make fake reviews more rampant and consumers need to be more discerning about what they read online. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) has taken action against 45 companies – including a funeral parlour, a law firm and an aesthetics clinic – after finding they bought reviews from a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369495/singapores-crackdown-fake-reviews-exposes-business-buying-social-proof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369495/singapores-crackdown-fake-reviews-exposes-business-buying-social-proof?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 01:30:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The number of people applying for US unemployment benefits dipped last week to the lowest level since mid-July as lay-offs remain low and most American workers enjoy job security. The Labor Department said on Thursday that initial jobless claims ticked down to 197,000 from a revised 198,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, dropped by 2,500 to 200,000. Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for lay-offs, and economists watch them... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369480/us-jobless-claims-fall-lowest-mid-july?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369480/us-jobless-claims-fall-lowest-mid-july?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:11:25 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo People have been trying to fend off mosquitoes for thousands of years – using methods ranging from physical barriers to chemical insecticides – but a Chinese start-up is now taking pre-orders on a hi-tech solution that uses lidar detection and lasers to zap them out of the air. Photon Matrix Lab, based in Changzhou, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, said it expected initial monthly production of the device – which became a breakout hit in overseas crowdfunding – to be between 3,000 and 5,000... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369440/chinese-start-behind-laser-mosquito-killer-plans-start-shipping-orders-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369440/chinese-start-behind-laser-mosquito-killer-plans-start-shipping-orders-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg For Ajay Kumar Chutani, whose family has run a sari shop in the north Indian market town of Karnal since the 1970s, the months after the monsoon are always his busiest. During these cool weeks, he sells enough lengths of silk and embroidered cotton to tide him over the leaner seasons, as farming families prepare for weddings and the frenetic festival season. This year, after erratic rains through the wet season and the country’s weakest rainfall since 2015, Chutani is keeping a close eye on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369432/indias-erratic-monsoon-plays-havoc-harvests-raising-fears-spending-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369432/indias-erratic-monsoon-plays-havoc-harvests-raising-fears-spending-slowdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:00:58 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese automotive groups have cause to celebrate their go-global strategy amid breakneck export growth in recent years, with deliveries in 2026 expected to beat expectations already buoyed by an international energy shock caused by conflict in the Middle East. Leading carmakers from BYD to Chery Automobile have doubled down on overseas expansion, with some evolving into powerful contenders in markets such as Europe and Africa, which were once dominated by the likes of Volkswagen. “A sluggish... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369423/chinas-carmakers-eye-record-12-million-overseas-sales-2026-go-global-plan-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369423/chinas-carmakers-eye-record-12-million-overseas-sales-2026-go-global-plan-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma Apple has claimed the top spot in China’s smartphone market following the release of its iPhone 18 Pro series, giving a potential boost to a sluggish handset market weighed down by weak consumer demand and soaring component costs. Sales of the new Pro models in their first three days after launching on September 18 were 12 per cent higher than sales of the iPhone 17 Pro line-up during its entire first week last year, according to a report published on Wednesday by Counterpoint Research. That... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3369323/apple-leads-china-smartphone-sales-after-launch-iphone-18-pro-can-momentum-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3369323/apple-leads-china-smartphone-sales-after-launch-iphone-18-pro-can-momentum-last?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:45:05 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Last year, Japan was flooding its rice market with emergency stockpiles in a bid to mollify voters angered by the soaring price of its staple grain. Now, it has the opposite problem: a glut. That is welcome news for shoppers, but the whiplash is hurting people like Hiroshi Asano, 59, who farms a relatively large 38 hectares (93 acres) of rice fields in Chiba, close to Tokyo. He expects to make a loss this year, and he is worried smaller-scale farmers would not be able to survive. “I’ve been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369145/shoppers-rejoice-farmers-fume-japans-rice-crisis-turns-surplus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369145/shoppers-rejoice-farmers-fume-japans-rice-crisis-turns-surplus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:51:32 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China’s Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting on Monday that called for a series of policies to strengthen support for the economy, including encouraging local governments, where conditions allow, to pilot measures to boost consumption. “In response to emerging challenges in the economy’s operation, efforts should be made to intensify countercyclical adjustment of macro policies and promote innovation-driven, high-quality and sound economic development,” according to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369129/china-asks-local-governments-pilot-high-quality-policies-boost-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369129/china-asks-local-governments-pilot-high-quality-policies-boost-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 03:07:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Malaysia is pushing to take durian, whose powerful smell delights its lovers and repels its haters, beyond its roadside stalls and family orchards to convince fans of the spiky fruit that its varieties are worth seeking out. Devotees savour durians like wine. For Malaysian ones, the taste of their rich and creamy flesh varies widely across types. Some are prized for their sweet custard and fruity notes, others for a hint of bitterness, an alcohol tinge, or even a peanut butter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369000/inside-malaysias-plan-steal-chinas-durian-market-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369000/inside-malaysias-plan-steal-chinas-durian-market-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:38:04 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Even though he was an experienced swimmer and a medical check-up showed he had no condition that made exercise unsafe, 66-year-old Zhao Xin said he was stopped by staff at a local swimming pool from swimming with his grandson because of his age. “The pool’s staff said it wasn’t able to mitigate the risks of exercise for older people, and that if it admitted swimmers over 65, local authorities would penalise it,” Zhao said. “After I retired, I found that many times I want to spend money but am... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368939/chinese-retirees-boost-nations-economy-some-hope-greater-consumer-freedom-society?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368939/chinese-retirees-boost-nations-economy-some-hope-greater-consumer-freedom-society?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Late last year, Zhang Xuan’s small beef noodle joint in Shanghai suddenly began seeing a dramatic surge in orders. Sales over the past few months have been 50 to 60 per cent higher than normal, he estimates. The driver? The new Street Stars feature on Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding’s Amap mapping app, which listed Zhang’s eatery as the fourth best restaurant in Shanghai’s Changning district. Prominently displayed on Amap’s main page, the system uses artificial intelligence to rate... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368819/how-alibaba-using-ai-revamp-its-mapping-app-and-take-meituan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368819/how-alibaba-using-ai-revamp-its-mapping-app-and-take-meituan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li After three weeks of travelling across China, Bojan Tomic and his wife found that one of the biggest conveniences of the trip was being able to pay for daily expenses almost entirely via smartphone. The Croatian couple’s journey spanned the cities of Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and finally Shenzhen. Visiting China for the first time, they quickly adapted to the country’s dominant mobile payment ecosystem, using Alipay and WeChat Pay, two of China’s largest payment platforms, for most of their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368810/how-chinas-mobile-payment-overhaul-helps-foreigners-spend-money-ahead-apec-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368810/how-chinas-mobile-payment-overhaul-helps-foreigners-spend-money-ahead-apec-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 02:00:10 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Mooncakes, a sweet staple for China’s annual Mid-Autumn Festival, are not just for people any more. Humans are pulling back, but dogs are digging in. So are cats. Pet mooncakes are popping up across China, from major retailers such as Sam’s Club to online stores and small bakeries. And many are quickly selling out. In the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu, a pack of pet mooncakes selling online for about 50 yuan (US$8) has racked up thousands of sales, news outlet thecover.cn reported. In the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368747/mooncakes-dog-how-china-reinventing-its-iconic-festive-snack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368747/mooncakes-dog-how-china-reinventing-its-iconic-festive-snack?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:00:26 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian US premium coffee brand Blue Bottle Coffee will open its first Beijing store in the capital’s central business district, as it seeks to tap into China’s still growing market for the drink. The California-based brand is taking a spacious unit at China World Mall. The location, currently enclosed by construction hoarding, was previously occupied by Japanese jeweller Tasaki. The brand has yet to reveal an official opening date, though industry sources said the shop was expected to open by the end... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368658/blue-bottle-bets-chinese-consumers-will-drink-more-premium-coffee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368658/blue-bottle-bets-chinese-consumers-will-drink-more-premium-coffee?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 23:00:25 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau From restaurants and hotels to cafes and market stalls, Hong Kong’s catering industry has banded together to offer discounts of up to 30 per cent at more than 3,800 outlets to celebrate National Day on October 1. Food and catering businesses said on Thursday they would provide an array of tasty deals across the city to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Offers include meal sets at 30 per cent off, fresh food items such as vegetable packs for HK$7 (89 US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3368699/3800-hong-kong-food-outlets-offering-30-celebrate-national-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3368699/3800-hong-kong-food-outlets-offering-30-celebrate-national-day?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:37:21 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji For millions of Indians, buying a cup of chai or groceries from roadside vendors has come to mean reaching for their phones rather than wallets – a habit made possible by a system that has so far charged consumers nothing for such everyday transactions. Now, a decade after the government launched the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India is asking some merchants to pay for the hugely popular system – raising questions over whether it can preserve the low-cost model that drove its mass adoption... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368661/what-can-asia-global-south-learn-indias-new-digital-payment-fee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368661/what-can-asia-global-south-learn-indias-new-digital-payment-fee?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:02:05 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A three-day public holiday used to be a big deal in China. Then came “golden weeks”, which would sometimes stretch to nine days, sending millions of people in search of new sights across the country and further afield. Now an alignment of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday will give many Chinese students and office workers up to a record 13-day break, potentially pushing tourist traffic to new heights. “The more interesting change this year is not simply higher volume, but the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368623/skydiving-whale-watching-and-burst-bookings-holidays-extend-millions-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368623/skydiving-whale-watching-and-burst-bookings-holidays-extend-millions-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:33:29 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter The diamond industry is increasingly being shaped by AI, according to Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group. But it’s not the AI you’re thinking of. “For us, AI stands for ‘authentic individuality’,” he told Style at the Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong trade show earlier this month. “More and more people want purchases that are as individual as they are – something that’s rare and something you can trace back to where it’s from. You can trust that it’s genuine and is going to hold its value.” This is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3368260/style-edit-de-beers-group-ceo-al-cook-natural-diamonds-desert-hues-and-traceable-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3368260/style-edit-de-beers-group-ceo-al-cook-natural-diamonds-desert-hues-and-traceable-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang The Chinese government needs to increase its spending on social safety nets, including pensions and rural healthcare, and further relax urban household registration restrictions to give households greater confidence to spend rather than save, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Asia-Pacific chief. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said the export- and investment-led model that powered China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368548/increase-chinas-consumption-boost-nations-social-safety-net-imf-director-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368548/increase-chinas-consumption-boost-nations-social-safety-net-imf-director-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 14:15:30 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Chinese consumers are demanding more variety from the drinks sections in their local stores, and Swire Coca-Cola is employing robots to help quench this increasingly diversified thirst. The company began using a robotic system for order picking this month in a factory in Zhengzhou, capital of central China’s Henan province, where it has invested 900 million yuan (US$134.3 million). “China is a growth market, and consumer habits are changing,” said Peter Mills, chief supply chain officer of Swire... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368217/swire-coca-cola-gets-robots-heavy-lifting-satisfying-chinese-consumers-thirst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368217/swire-coca-cola-gets-robots-heavy-lifting-satisfying-chinese-consumers-thirst?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 23:00:05 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Beijing should expand central government borrowing and accelerate local debt restructuring, as China’s relatively low price levels offer a rare window for stronger fiscal support to bolster demand, according to some prominent Chinese economists. “With oil shocks pushing up prices, and inflationary pressures spreading globally, China currently has the lowest price levels, while prices elsewhere are significantly higher,” said Yu Yongding, a former member of the People’s Bank of China’s Monetary... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368259/china-economists-urge-beijing-act-fast-local-level-debt-low-prices-vanish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368259/china-economists-urge-beijing-act-fast-local-level-debt-low-prices-vanish?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Chinese gold jewellers are seeking opportunities in the Middle East and India, leveraging their advanced crafting technologies as the industry struggles amid the precious metal’s price volatility, according to an international association for the sector. At the most recent Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong fair, buyers from the two regions accounted for most visitors, said Wang Lixin, China CEO of the World Gold Council, in a recent interview with the South China Morning Post. The interest was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/commodities/article/3368110/chinese-consumption-gold-jewellery-slumps-34-sellers-look-markets-abroad-wgc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/commodities/article/3368110/chinese-consumption-gold-jewellery-slumps-34-sellers-look-markets-abroad-wgc?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 02:00:39 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese action camera maker Insta360 is deepening its US footprint with a flagship store opening in New York as it navigates escalating price competition with DJI and industry-wide memory cost pressures. The Chinese GoPro rival was slated to plant its flag in the heart of Times Square with its first flagship retail store in the US on Saturday, a marquee launch as the firm looked to “leap to the next stage of growth”, co-founder Max Richter said. “The US market plays a very important role for us... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3368101/chinas-gopro-rival-insta360-opens-first-us-flagship-store-new-yorks-times-square?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3368101/chinas-gopro-rival-insta360-opens-first-us-flagship-store-new-yorks-times-square?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Yatsen Group, the Chinese beauty company behind Perfect Diary cosmetics, plans to deepen its push into skincare and new product research to sustain its growth, after a years-long overhaul of its business that has seen the firm acquire a string of overseas brands. The Guangzhou-based company will slow its acquisition spree for now and instead focus on expanding its existing portfolio of skincare offerings, while maintaining – and potentially raising – its research and development spending, which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368008/perfect-diary-owner-yatsen-doubles-down-skincare-rd-after-business-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368008/perfect-diary-owner-yatsen-doubles-down-skincare-rd-after-business-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong shopping mall operators are extending a strategy used during this year’s Fifa World Cup into the Asian Games, leveraging major sporting events to draw visitors and support tenant sales as retailers face competition from Shenzhen, overseas shopping and online spending. Sino Group is among the landlords expanding the strategy beyond tournament broadcasts. It has projected foot traffic across its four malls to increase during its Asian Games campaign, with selected merchants forecast to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3367822/hong-kong-malls-bet-asian-games-boost-footfall-tenant-sales-amid-spending-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3367822/hong-kong-malls-bet-asian-games-boost-footfall-tenant-sales-amid-spending-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese customers’ growing desire for personal expression and cultural experiences has raised the game in the country’s hospitality sector, creating opportunities for leading lifestyle hotel brands, according to a director at Hong Kong developer Hang Lung Properties. “An ideal hotel is the one that can redefine hospitality with personal touches,” said Herman Chui, the company’s senior director of office, hotel and residence, during a media briefing on Wednesday. “Guests can select a teapot to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367898/pets-and-personal-touches-how-chinas-luxury-hotel-market-changing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367898/pets-and-personal-touches-how-chinas-luxury-hotel-market-changing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:53:23 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Mandy Zuo Mia Nurmamat,Mandy Zuo Slower but higher-quality loan growth may become a “new normal” for the Chinese economy as its financial structure undergoes a profound shift, China’s central bank governor Pan Gongsheng has said. “Maintaining past credit growth rates is difficult and unnecessary,” said Pan in an article published on Wednesday in the Communist Party’s theoretical journal, arguing that revitalising inefficient existing loans was essentially equivalent to new lending in supporting growth. This shift is part of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3367599/bank-lending-china-ekes-out-small-increase-amid-stalled-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3367599/bank-lending-china-ekes-out-small-increase-amid-stalled-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:27:55 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China’s retail sales growth unexpectedly slumped in August, while industrial output accelerated more than anticipated, as the economy increasingly divides between a domestic slowdown and an export boom. August retail sales only rose 0.4 per cent, missing the 0.7 per cent forecast among economists polled by Chinese financial data provider Wind and slowing from 0.6 per cent in July. By contrast, industrial output jumped 5.2 per cent, beating the 4.7 per cent expectation and July’s 4.5 per cent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3367587/chinas-worsening-retail-slowdown-bolsters-case-stimulus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3367587/chinas-worsening-retail-slowdown-bolsters-case-stimulus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu Mia Nurmamat,Xinyi Wu China’s economy came under further pressure in August, as sluggish investment and consumption highlighted persistently weak domestic demand, although analysts expect a rebound in the fourth quarter as state intervention begins to take effect. Retail sales, a major gauge of consumer spending, grew last month by 0.4 per cent year on year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday. The reading was lower than a 0.73 per cent rise forecast by economists surveyed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367521/chinas-economy-under-further-pressure-august-investment-and-consumption-slow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367521/chinas-economy-under-further-pressure-august-investment-and-consumption-slow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Zoe Suen Zoe Suen Sandrine Zhang Ferron’s path to entrepreneurship was less a predictable trajectory and more a conscious pivot. She grew up between Suzhou in China, France and London, with her upbringing placing a premium on stable, conventional career paths rather than creative pursuits. “In my family, it was not an obvious thing to do,” notes the founder of Vinterior, the London-based vintage and antique furniture marketplace. “There was no tradition of design, entrepreneurship or art.” Zhang Ferron’s career... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3367449/how-sandrine-zhang-ferron-built-vintage-furniture-marketplace-vinterior-interview?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3367449/how-sandrine-zhang-ferron-built-vintage-furniture-marketplace-vinterior-interview?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang The outlook for shopping centres in Hong Kong is improving, and the business will thrive if operators use new stores and attractive events to counter locals’ fondness for cross-border shopping trips, according to the CEO of Hang Lung Properties. The company’s malls recorded growth in July, and business would be “even better” in the fourth quarter owing to a full pipeline of new shops preparing to open, said Weber Lo Wai-pak on the sidelines of an event on Monday. “Hong Kong shopping malls need... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3367469/hong-kong-malls-see-gradual-recovery-new-stores-and-events-hang-lung-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3367469/hong-kong-malls-see-gradual-recovery-new-stores-and-events-hang-lung-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Revenue from inbound travel to China is forecast to reach US$470 billion by 2040, more than doubling its current share of the economy and helping offset weak domestic demand, according to UBS. Tourism from outside mainland China would expand to 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on a compound annual growth rate of 8.9 per cent from 2025, the Swiss investment bank estimated. China’s inbound travel revenue would represent 15 per cent of the world tourism market by around 2040, said Chen... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367459/chinas-inbound-tourism-revenue-projected-reach-us470-billion-2040-ubs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367459/chinas-inbound-tourism-revenue-projected-reach-us470-billion-2040-ubs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang Hong Kong shoppers may be saving less than expected – or nothing at all – with supermarkets’ buy one, get one free and bulk-buy promotions, a watchdog has warned, urging residents to compare unit prices rather than rely on promotional labels. The Consumer Council on Monday released the findings of a survey covering 222 products sold by Aeon, ParknShop and Wellcome between September 2025 and July this year. It found that the actual discounts offered in some promotional campaigns were less... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3367425/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-questions-value-supermarket-promotional-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3367425/hong-kong-consumer-watchdog-questions-value-supermarket-promotional-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:20:03 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Disposable sanitary pads sold in Hong Kong have shown wide discrepancies in absorption speeds, with more than half of tested products also lacking adequate labelling, the consumer watchdog has found. The Consumer Council revealed the test results for 36 winged sanitary towels on Monday, including a sample that took 73 seconds to fully absorb simulated menstrual blood – exceeding the mainland China national standard recommendation of no more than 60 seconds. “The council calls on suppliers to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3367411/huge-gaps-sanitary-pad-absorption-speeds-over-half-poorly-labelled-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3367411/huge-gaps-sanitary-pad-absorption-speeds-over-half-poorly-labelled-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 05:37:41 +0000 Ambrose Li,Leopold Chen Ambrose Li,Leopold Chen The number of suspicious credit card transactions involving pre-orders for the latest iPhone models has surged to more than 1,200 in Hong Kong, involving HK$25 million (US$3.2 million), police have said, while Apple is reviewing all current orders. The force said the number of unauthorised transactions had risen to 1,209 as of 5pm on Monday, up from more than 700 the previous day. The total amount involved had also risen from HK$14.7 million. Over the weekend, many social media users reported... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3367388/apple-should-bear-responsibility-hong-kong-iphone-card-fraud-lawmaker-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3367388/apple-should-bear-responsibility-hong-kong-iphone-card-fraud-lawmaker-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 03:56:58 +0000 Carolina Malis Carolina Malis The curling iron used to be one of the least glamorous objects in the bathroom. You plugged it in, hoped the barrel was hot enough, burned two fingers in the process, and more or less accepted whatever came out. Now it has a learning curve, a TikTok following, and in some cases, a waiting list. The tools themselves have changed, and so has the conversation around them. Hair health has become as consuming a conversation as skincare, and that’s changed what people expect from their tools. Everyone... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3367054/how-choose-best-curling-tool-your-hair-wands-air-stylers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3367054/how-choose-best-curling-tool-your-hair-wands-air-stylers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 22:00:10 +0000