https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/521905/feed Bank of America: A leading multinational investment bank and financial services company, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with global operations across over 35 countries. It offers a comprehensive suite of services including commercial banking, wealth management, investment banking, and consumer banking products like credit cards and loans. Serving individuals, small businesses, large corporations, institutional clients, and governments, Bank of America is the second-largest banking... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Chong Ming Lee,Minxiao Chang Chong Ming Lee,Minxiao Chang Meta Platforms’ breakout Muse personal AI agent is shining a spotlight on a new battleground in artificial intelligence – one in which China’s biggest internet companies are already jostling for position. Launched on September 8, Muse surpassed 2.5 million downloads in its first two weeks and topped free-app rankings on Apple and Google’s US app stores. Its popularity has drawn fresh attention to the emerging market for what are known as agent harnesses. Unlike chatbots, which merely respond to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3370123/can-china-match-metas-muse-race-harness-ai-agents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3370123/can-china-match-metas-muse-race-harness-ai-agents?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Global investors are taking another look at Chinese equities after years of cautious positioning, drawn by relatively cheap valuations and opportunities in artificial intelligence, although an end to persistent selling does not indicate an outright bullish turn, according to analysts. Global active long-only funds have raised their average allocation to Chinese equities to benchmark-neutral from underweight since June, according to a recent Bank of America analysis of 2,767 global funds. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370035/more-global-investors-eye-chinese-equities-ending-4-year-underweight-run-bank-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370035/more-global-investors-eye-chinese-equities-ending-4-year-underweight-run-bank-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 01:00:17 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong stocks may face a challenging fourth quarter as investors contend with underwhelming stimulus measures from Beijing, tighter financial conditions in the US and a shift in the narrative around the artificial intelligence trade, according to analysts. The two markets were likely to consolidate through the rest of the year as investors digest the negatives before settling on a clearer direction, according to brokerages including Zheshang Securities and CCB... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369292/mainland-chinese-hong-kong-stocks-face-bumpy-fourth-quarter-risks-mount-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369292/mainland-chinese-hong-kong-stocks-face-bumpy-fourth-quarter-risks-mount-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao China’s push for tech self-reliance is opening new investment opportunities in artificial intelligence stocks, but stretched valuations and geopolitical tensions make the sector an increasingly risky bet, according to Bank of America. The country’s tech firms are catching up with overseas rivals while a wave of high-profile listings has broadened investment opportunities, Winnie Wu, head of Asia-Pacific equity strategy research and co-head of China equity research at Bank of America, said in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368401/chinas-ai-self-reliance-presents-opportunities-valuations-geopolitics-are-risks-bofa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368401/chinas-ai-self-reliance-presents-opportunities-valuations-geopolitics-are-risks-bofa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:21 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s central bank has pledged to further open its financial sector during a meeting to solicit feedback from foreign financial institutions, amid broader efforts to shore up foreign corporate confidence and accelerate yuan internationalisation. Speaking to representatives from 15 foreign banks and investment firms on Monday, People’s Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng vowed to promote “high-level financial opening-up”. “[We will] steadily expand two-way financial market access, optimise... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368336/china-signals-greater-market-access-offshore-yuan-growth-meeting-banking-giants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3368336/china-signals-greater-market-access-offshore-yuan-growth-meeting-banking-giants?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 05:17:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines’ rise to upper-middle-income status was supposed to mark a new phase for one of Southeast Asia’s most closely watched emerging economies. Instead, analysts say the milestone has done little to shield the country from short-term pressures weighing on growth: sluggish public spending, delayed infrastructure, high living costs and the fallout from investigations into alleged irregularities in flood control projects. Those strains have left the Philippines looking like a regional... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368024/upgraded-underperforming-philippines-growth-lags-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368024/upgraded-underperforming-philippines-growth-lags-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Albert Edwards, head of global strategy at Societe Generale, is renowned for his bearish views on the global economy and stock markets. Weak domestic demand in China is grist to his mill. In a report on August 25, Edwards said the collapse in China’s credit impulse – the change in credit growth as a percentage of economic output – was the most underappreciated trend in global markets right now. Edwards singled out recent data on China’s housing market which Societe Generale analysts described as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3367396/why-shanghai-offers-hope-chinas-ailing-real-estate-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3367396/why-shanghai-offers-hope-chinas-ailing-real-estate-market?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro There is no shortage of reasons to worry about the outlook for the global economy and markets. On September 9, Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, surpassed US$100 a barrel in response to the intensification of hostilities in the Middle East. Bank of America warned that a renewed escalation in the conflict between Iran and the United States would prove more damaging to a global economy which “would no longer have the oil inventories buffer as it had early in the year”. Another threat... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3366993/why-global-economy-and-markets-continue-defy-doomsayers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3366993/why-global-economy-and-markets-continue-defy-doomsayers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Hong Kong and mainland Chinese stocks face a high-stakes week as investors navigate US inflation data, a strengthening Japanese yen and looming monetary policy decisions by two of the world’s most influential central banks. Friday’s consumer price index in the United States will take centre stage, with the report arriving just ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting next week. With Fed Chair Kevin Warsh already signalling a strong emphasis on curbing inflation, market analysts believe a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366736/hong-kong-stocks-face-double-threat-us-inflation-and-yen-carry-trade-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366736/hong-kong-stocks-face-double-threat-us-inflation-and-yen-carry-trade-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:19:20 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye China’s new housing finance rules reduce the risk of buying a new home but analysts are not convinced they will be enough to tempt hesitant buyers still weighed down by falling prices and weak confidence. The changes are designed to reduce the risk in buying pre-sold homes. Mortgage funds for pre-sold homes will be released only after submission of the project completion filing, when the homes are certified as safe and ready to move in, rather than when the main structure is finished. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3366121/chinas-new-home-finance-rules-reduce-buyer-risks-may-not-revive-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3366121/chinas-new-home-finance-rules-reduce-buyer-risks-may-not-revive-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 23:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters A ⁠Bank of America ⁠vice-president, Erin Piacenti, was ⁠killed in a stabbing at Times Square on Monday. Piacenti, 32, was a vice-president in BofA’s business selection and conflicts unit, according to her LinkedIn profile. “We are shocked ‌and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones,” the US banking giant said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. New York Mayor Zohran... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3366029/bank-america-vp-killed-times-square-stabbing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3366029/bank-america-vp-killed-times-square-stabbing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 15:24:24 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro These are testing times for the artificial intelligence (AI) trade that has been driving global equity markets. No other investment theme comes close to rivalling the importance of the AI boom as the world’s largest technology companies spend vast sums of money on data centres, memory chips and computing power. At the same time, no other risk divides opinion more than the threat of a dramatic and sustained sell-off in AI-related stocks. According to the latest Bank of America global fund manager... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363845/could-china-be-hedge-against-risk-ai-investment-boom-going-bust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363845/could-china-be-hedge-against-risk-ai-investment-boom-going-bust?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye The recovery of Hong Kong’s property market could face a fresh test if Beijing’s expanding crackdown on offshore wealth extends beyond insurance returns to property income, potentially curbing demand from mainland China and adding pressure to decentralised office markets, according to analysts. The immediate issue is a reported 20 per cent personal income tax on certain returns earned by mainland residents from offshore assets, including gains from Hong Kong insurance policies. While the levy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3363634/hong-kong-property-recovery-faces-new-risk-china-widens-offshore-tax-net?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3363634/hong-kong-property-recovery-faces-new-risk-china-widens-offshore-tax-net?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:51:55 +0000 Coco Feng,Wency Chen,Ann Cao Coco Feng,Wency Chen,Ann Cao Chinese tech investors are hearing warning bells after volatility in US tech stocks forced a fast-rising Wall Street hedge fund to clear its stock portfolio at a steep discount within a few days. “Don’t use leverage! Don’t use leverage! Don’t use leverage!” Shanghai-based public-markets analyst Harry Shen repeated to the South China Morning Post in an interview on Friday. Another warning came from Shanghai-based mainland Chinese stock market veteran Michael Zhang: “Don’t trade with borrowed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3362574/how-sell-flashy-ai-focused-us-hedge-fund-wake-call-chinese-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3362574/how-sell-flashy-ai-focused-us-hedge-fund-wake-call-chinese-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:30:09 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s offshore yuan rose to a fresh three-year high on Friday after the central bank set the currency’s daily fixing stronger than 6.79 per US dollar for three straight days and a high-level meeting signalled further policy support. On Friday, the People’s Bank of China set the yuan’s midpoint, or the daily fixing rate, at 6.7894 per US dollar, marking the third straight session above 6.79. The level was marginally weaker than Thursday’s 6.7892, which was the strongest level since February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362507/chinas-offshore-yuan-hits-3-year-high-beijing-signals-policy-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362507/chinas-offshore-yuan-hits-3-year-high-beijing-signals-policy-support?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:00:02 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese stocks trading overseas may emerge as a shelter for global investors, as confusion over the Federal Reserve’s monetary path drives diversification away from US equities and bonds amid a stumbling artificial intelligence trade. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index of the biggest Chinese companies listed in the US has bucked a broader sell-off since the Fed’s July rate-decision meeting, rising 1.7 per cent. The Nasdaq-100 slumped 2.1 per cent and longer-dated Treasuries also fell during... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3362385/us-listed-chinese-stocks-benefit-fed-policy-haze-drives-rotation-amid-ai-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3362385/us-listed-chinese-stocks-benefit-fed-policy-haze-drives-rotation-amid-ai-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, concerns about “K-shaped” economies have proliferated. When it comes to describing business cycles, economists and investors have often used letters of the alphabet, yet it is the emergence of a bifurcated K-shaped economy that best describes the acute challenges confronting governments around the world. Initially a US-centric description of the post-pandemic recovery, the K highlights a sharp divergence in which different parts of the economy experience... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3362330/upper-arm-chinas-k-shaped-economy-both-blessing-and-curse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3362330/upper-arm-chinas-k-shaped-economy-both-blessing-and-curse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Zoe SL Chan Zoe SL Chan Zhongji Innolight has attracted more than 30 cornerstone investors for its blockbuster initial public offering in Hong Kong, which could become the city’s biggest listing in seven years, according to people familiar with the matter. The Chinese maker of optical transceivers – which are widely used in artificial intelligence data centres – has already seen nearly half the base share offering for its IPO snapped up by major international and long-only funds including BlackRock, Temasek Holdings... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3361377/zhongji-innolight-aims-hong-kongs-biggest-ipo-7-years-us8b-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3361377/zhongji-innolight-aims-hong-kongs-biggest-ipo-7-years-us8b-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:46:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China has broken ground on what developers say is the country’s first production line for AI-assisted personalised tumour vaccines, raising hopes for millions of new cancer patients every year – a disease that ranks as the nation’s second-leading cause of death. By October, Beijing-based Likang Life Sciences is expected to complete a new drug research and manufacturing centre in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, with a total investment of about 110 million yuan (US$16.1... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358689/chinas-first-ai-powered-cancer-vaccine-production-line-set-launch-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358689/chinas-first-ai-powered-cancer-vaccine-production-line-set-launch-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:00:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠SpaceX’s bankers are preparing to meet investors as early as next week to discuss a bond offering of at least US$20 billion, two sources familiar with the matter said ‌on Thursday, as Elon Musk’s newly public company seeks funding for an ambitious and capital-intensive AI expansion. SpaceX’s AI ambitions come with a steep price tag, requiring tens of billions of dollars in investment for data centres, computing hardware and power infrastructure. The offering ⁠would mark the first time the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3357620/spacex-bankers-prepare-potential-us20-billion-bond-offering-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3357620/spacex-bankers-prepare-potential-us20-billion-bond-offering-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:41:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Thursday confirmed it will begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange Friday in the biggest initial public offering in history, a blockbuster market debut that could propel the entrepreneur to trillionaire status. In a filing with the US markets regulator, the company priced more than 555 million shares at US$135 each, placing SpaceX in the top 10 of Wall Street’s biggest companies with a valuation of just under US$1.8 trillion. It will be valued more than Musk’s own Tesla car... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3356821/spacex-prices-record-ipo-could-make-musk-trillionaire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3356821/spacex-prices-record-ipo-could-make-musk-trillionaire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jun 2026 22:13:48 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong The global artificial intelligence trade is flashing signals reminiscent of past market tops, with winners outpacing the broader market by a wide margin and a slew of jumbo initial public offerings (IPOs) in the pipeline. The gap between richly valued stocks and cheaper ones had reached extremes seen only before the dotcom bust in March 2000, according to Bank of America. At the same time, the pace of new listings was matching the run-ups to the 2000 and 2008 declines, according to investors... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356617/global-ai-trade-flashing-signals-reminiscent-dotcom-bust-analysts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356617/global-ai-trade-flashing-signals-reminiscent-dotcom-bust-analysts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jun 2026 23:00:06 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For a sign of how the fierce demand for memory chips triggered by the boom in artificial intelligence (AI) is benefiting technology-driven economies, look no further than South Korea. Last month, exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy grew at a blistering rate of 53 per cent in annualised terms, the fastest pace since 1984. Shipments of semiconductors, which are used to store and funnel the huge amounts of data for AI services, increased nearly 170 per cent to a record monthly high of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355904/how-ai-chip-boom-has-made-south-korea-victim-its-own-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355904/how-ai-chip-boom-has-made-south-korea-victim-its-own-success?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s central bank has set the yuan’s daily reference rate against the US dollar at its strongest level in more than three years, as global banks turn increasingly bullish on the Chinese currency. The People’s Bank of China set the yuan’s midpoint rate, also known as the daily fixing rate, at 6.8349 to the US dollar on Thursday – the strongest showing since February 2023. The move followed a 0.22 per cent appreciation in the offshore yuan on Wednesday, after bouts of volatility over the past... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3354323/chinas-yuan-hits-3-year-high-global-banks-issue-bullish-forecasts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3354323/chinas-yuan-hits-3-year-high-global-banks-issue-bullish-forecasts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 05:15:58 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Driven by global appetite for artificial intelligence, China’s computing hardware exports have emerged as a pivotal new engine for growth, providing Beijing with strategic leverage as US tech titans accompany President Donald Trump on a high-stakes visit to the Chinese capital this week, according to analysts. Chinese trade received another significant boost from the technology sector in April, as integrated circuit (IC) export value doubled year on year to US$31.09 billion, according to data... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3353300/ai-engine-chinas-booming-tech-exports-give-beijing-wind-its-sails-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3353300/ai-engine-chinas-booming-tech-exports-give-beijing-wind-its-sails-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 15:30:05 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro For an indication of how much the energy crisis is shaping the path of monetary policy, look no further than Australia. On May 5, the country’s central bank raised interest rates for the third consecutive time, unwinding last year’s monetary easing. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said “higher fuel prices are adding to inflation and there are indications that this is likely to have second-round effects on prices for goods and services more broadly”. The RBA’s decision to keep tightening... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352708/australias-interest-rate-rise-signals-growing-hawkish-stance-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3352708/australias-interest-rate-rise-signals-growing-hawkish-stance-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A prominent hedge fund manager took advantage of a bank’s “wholesale collective failure” to prevent illicit trading, making HK$1.7 million in a single day by using confidential information to sell shares in a Hong Kong fashion house nine years ago, prosecutors alleged on Tuesday. British-born investor Simon Sadler is on trial at the District Court alongside the now-defunct Segantii Capital Management and former employee Daniel Anthony La Rocca Jnr over alleged insider dealing in the shares of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352518/hong-kong-block-trade-king-exploited-bank-lapse-make-hk17-million-court-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352518/hong-kong-block-trade-king-exploited-bank-lapse-make-hk17-million-court-told?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 11:18:54 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng For decades, the global image of Chinese trade was synonymous with massive container ships loaded with footwear, bags and furniture. However, a profound structural shift is under way. Having conquered the world of physical goods, China is now rapidly ascending the industrial chain as an emerging exporter of manufacturing technology. In 2025, the country’s exports of telecoms, computer and information services reached 808 billion yuan (US$118 billion), marking a robust 13 per cent year-on-year... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3352020/footwear-ai-services-china-moves-value-chain-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3352020/footwear-ai-services-china-moves-value-chain-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian As China’s bear housing market enters its fifth year, a growing number of global investment bank analysts and property agents are increasingly optimistic on the sector, underscoring a positive view on its outlook fuelled by upbeat data in April. Bank of America holds a positive stance on the sector and believes the “green shoots” of a recovery are visible, it said in a report issued in late April. After five consecutive years of weakness, the bank said “market recovery sustainability is becoming... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3352045/green-shoots-appear-china-property-banks-turn-bullish-after-5-year-bear-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3352045/green-shoots-appear-china-property-banks-turn-bullish-after-5-year-bear-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro In March 2024, the Bank of Japan raised interest rates for the first time since 2007, lifting borrowing costs out of negative territory and calling time on decades of ultra-loose monetary policy as Japan emerged from a long period of entrenched deflation. At the time, inflation had been above the central bank’s 2 per cent target for 22 months. Fast forward to today, and inflationary pressures continue to build. Although headline inflation fell to 1.3 per cent in February, this was because of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351088/why-japans-central-bank-caught-between-rock-and-hard-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351088/why-japans-central-bank-caught-between-rock-and-hard-place?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters France suspects a pro-Iranian group known as HAYI to be behind a foiled attack on Bank of America’s Paris offices, its anti-terrorism prosecutor said on Wednesday, while stressing the link has not yet been formally established. HAYI, which stands for Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, or ‌Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand of Islam, had posted a video on social media on March 23 targeting Jewish interests and communities in France and Europe, the prosecutor’s office said in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348711/france-suspects-link-pro-iranian-group-foiled-paris-bomb-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348711/france-suspects-link-pro-iranian-group-foiled-paris-bomb-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:30:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press French authorities are investigating a suspected link to Iran after thwarting a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris at the weekend, the interior minister said on Monday. The authorities suspect a link to Iran due to similarities to other recent attempted attacks in Europe which a pro-Iran group claimed responsibility for, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. On Saturday morning, Paris police officers spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the Bank of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348451/france-investigates-possible-iran-link-after-bomb-attack-foiled-outside-bank-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348451/france-investigates-possible-iran-link-after-bomb-attack-foiled-outside-bank-america?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:31:44 +0000 Reuters Reuters French anti-terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation into a suspected attack targeting Bank of America’s Paris headquarters after the reported overnight arrest of a man who allegedly tried to ignite an improvised explosive ‌device outside the US bank’s premises. In an emailed statement to reporters, the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said the investigation involves the suspected attempted destruction by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a terrorist plot, as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348307/french-prosecutors-open-terror-probe-after-bank-america-attack-attempt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348307/french-prosecutors-open-terror-probe-after-bank-america-attack-attempt?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:45:58 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French police stopped an apparent bomb attack outside a US bank in Paris early on Saturday when they arrested a man about to set off a homemade explosive device, officials and sources close to the case said. The incident occurred around 3.30am in front of a Bank of America building in the chic 8th arrondissement, a couple of streets from the Champs-Elysees. Police grabbed the man just after he placed a device, made of five litres of liquid (1.3 gallons), believed to be fuel, and an ignition... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348268/french-anti-terror-prosecutors-probe-foiled-paris-bomb-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3348268/french-anti-terror-prosecutors-probe-foiled-paris-bomb-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:42:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bank of America has agreed to pay US$72.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that the bank facilitated a sex-trafficking ring orchestrated by Jeffrey Epstein, court documents showed on Friday. Bank of America said separately that while it continued to deny supporting Epstein’s crimes, “this resolution allows us to put this matter behind us and provides further closure for the plaintiffs”. The suit, filed by an unidentified woman on behalf of herself and other alleged victims,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348228/bank-america-pay-us725-million-settle-epstein-sex-trafficking-lawsuit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348228/bank-america-pay-us725-million-settle-epstein-sex-trafficking-lawsuit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 03:33:21 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Expectations of monetary tightening by global central banks have intensified, triggering a fresh wave of sell-offs in risk assets as the US-Israel war with Iran enters its fourth week. Rates traders are now projecting no rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year after chair Jerome Powell said last week that rising oil prices added uncertainty to the monetary outlook. That stands in contrast to the forecast of two reductions before the outbreak of the hostilities in the Middle East. The European... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3347552/global-markets-brace-rate-hikes-iran-war-and-us100-oil-stoke-tightening-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3347552/global-markets-brace-rate-hikes-iran-war-and-us100-oil-stoke-tightening-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:09:38 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao The US-Israel war with Iran is rapidly reshaping global investment strategies, with fund managers slashing risk exposure and hoarding cash at the fastest pace since the Covid-19 pandemic, as rising geopolitical tensions and inflation fears replace artificial intelligence trade as the market’s top concerns, according to Bank of America (BofA). Investor sentiment fell to a six-month low in March, while average cash allocations jumped to 4.3 per cent from 3.4 per cent a month earlier – the biggest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3347009/iran-conflict-drives-fund-managers-slash-risk-and-hoard-cash-bofa-survey-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3347009/iran-conflict-drives-fund-managers-slash-risk-and-hoard-cash-bofa-survey-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:35:36 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro It is one of the oldest sayings on Wall Street, yet the adage “markets hate uncertainty” has never stood up to scrutiny. Like most maxims, it has a ring of truth but is a gross oversimplification. What is indisputable, however, is that for several decades investors took major economic, financial and political trends for granted. For a long period beginning in the 1980s, the world was relatively predictable. Many economists dubbed this era “the great moderation”. Others pointed to the impact of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344685/trumps-normalisation-market-chaos-can-only-go-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344685/trumps-normalisation-market-chaos-can-only-go-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:45:14 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li The risk of an artificial intelligence bubble has, for the first time, become the top concern among credit investors, overshadowing geopolitical worries, according to a Bank of America (BofA) survey. In a February survey of investment-grade clients who buy and sell debt, 23 per cent said the threat of an AI bubble was now their top concern, up from 9 per cent in December, according to BofA strategists Barnaby Martin and Ioannis Angelakis and analyst Mohit Agarwalla. “[An] AI bubble is now seen... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3344555/ai-bubble-overtakes-geopolitics-top-concern-credit-investors-bofa-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3344555/ai-bubble-overtakes-geopolitics-top-concern-credit-investors-bofa-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:51:38 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Global investment banks are rallying behind a more bullish view of Hong Kong’s housing market, with JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs joining Morgan Stanley in forecasting double-digit price gains after a stronger-than-expected rebound. Morgan Stanley was the first major bank to forecast a 10 per cent increase in home prices in January, which was widely seen as aggressive at the time. With fresh data bolstering signs of a recovery, other banks have also lifted their 2026 estimates. According to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3344361/more-banks-catch-hong-kongs-housing-rebound-upgrade-market-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3344361/more-banks-catch-hong-kongs-housing-rebound-upgrade-market-forecast?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro The US dollar’s decline is not over yet. Having fallen 10 per cent last year, the dollar index – a gauge of the US dollar’s performance against a basket of other major currencies – is down a further 0.6 per cent this year in the face of relatively high US interest rates, a resilient economy and the dominance of American technology companies. The findings of a Bank of America survey on February 13 showed that fund managers’ exposure to the US dollar had dropped below last April’s low, when US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343966/us-dollar-weakness-no-game-changer-globalised-yuan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343966/us-dollar-weakness-no-game-changer-globalised-yuan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Cao Li,Aileen Chuang Cao Li,Aileen Chuang Leading agricultural technology firm Syngenta Group is considering a Hong Kong listing that could raise as much as US$10 billion, in what would rank among the city’s largest initial public offerings (IPOs) in recent years. The Swiss-founded company, acquired by Chinese state-owned Sinochem in 2017, is in talks with investment banks to arrange the share sale, sources told the South China Morning Post. CICC and UBS are among the banks that are advising on the listing. Both banks declined to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3342627/syngenta-eyes-return-markets-potential-us10-billion-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3342627/syngenta-eyes-return-markets-potential-us10-billion-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 06:50:43 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney does not mince his words. Writing for The Economist last November, Carney argued the post-Cold War had collapsed and said the world was “entering an era of ‘variable geometry’” involving “pragmatic coalitions, built around shared interests, and occasionally shared values, rather than shared institutions”. The essay, it turns out, was the prelude to a hard-hitting speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20. Carney told attendees... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341634/what-ruptured-globalisation-means-international-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341634/what-ruptured-globalisation-means-international-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Paris Haute Couture Week opened on January 26, with fashion’s biggest houses unveiling their spring/summer 2026 collections. All eyes were on Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel haute couture debut – and the French-Belgian designer delivered. The show, held at the Grand Palais, was attended by an A-lister crowd, including Nicole Kidman, Dua Lipa and A$AP Rocky, who were treated to a mesmerising runway of fluid silhouettes, romantic hues and meticulous craftsmanship inspired by avian freedom. “I was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3341643/meet-christina-chung-hong-kong-model-nearing-60-who-made-waves-chanel-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3341643/meet-christina-chung-hong-kong-model-nearing-60-who-made-waves-chanel-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 06:05:58 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The financial head of Dutch chipmaking equipment giant ASML – following a year of double-digit sales growth for the company’s machines – said he expects the firm’s already declining sales to China to fall even further, as trade restrictions prevent shipments of the firm’s most advanced units to Chinese clients and demand for other models is likely to taper off after an earlier rush. China’s share of ASML’s global sales dropped by 8 percentage points in 2025, falling to 33 per cent from the 41... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3341632/asml-reports-heated-global-demand-2025-cools-china-outlook-amid-us-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3341632/asml-reports-heated-global-demand-2025-cools-china-outlook-amid-us-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 04:34:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong homebuyers continued to show strong demand for new residential launches over the weekend, potentially pushing primary market transactions to a five-month high, according to agents. By 3.30pm on Saturday, about two-thirds of the 108 units released at Park Seasons – a Lohas Park project in Tseung Kwan O developed by Wheelock Properties and the city’s subway operator MTR Corp – had found buyers, agents said. On Friday, all 60 units on offer at K. Wah International’s Kabitat Tin Hau... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3341104/hong-kong-homebuyers-keep-robust-demand-new-launches-draw-brisk-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3341104/hong-kong-homebuyers-keep-robust-demand-new-launches-draw-brisk-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 09:01:03 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s central bank has strengthened the yuan’s daily fixing rate to break through the psychologically important level of 7 per US dollar for the first time since May 2023, as the American currency weakens amid concerns over recent US attempts to gain control of Greenland. The People’s Bank of China set the yuan’s midpoint rate – also known as the daily fixing rate – at 6.9929 to the US dollar on Friday, after weeks of keeping the benchmark just on the weaker side of the 7 mark. The move came... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3340929/china-sets-yuan-strongest-rate-years-greenland-furore-affects-us-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3340929/china-sets-yuan-strongest-rate-years-greenland-furore-affects-us-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:00:48 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao The shortages and associated price increase in the global memory chip sector could potentially intensify, as the US government threatened to impose hefty new tariffs on some major foreign manufacturers. Speaking at Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony for Micron Technology’s US$100 billion factory in New York, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned that memory chipmakers – without naming any company – had two options: “They can pay 100 per cent tariff, or they can build in America.” Lutnick... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3340428/global-memory-chip-crunch-set-intensify-amid-trumps-new-industrial-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3340428/global-memory-chip-crunch-set-intensify-amid-trumps-new-industrial-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings The International Monetary Fund has raised its 2026 economic growth forecasts for both China and the United States by 0.3 percentage points, the latest sign that the pause in their trade war has eased pressure on both economies. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF’s flagship publication released on Monday, the Washington-based fund also upgraded its global economic growth estimate by 0.2 percentage points over its October forecast to 3.3 per cent this year. China’s economy is now... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3340419/imf-raises-chinas-2026-growth-forecast-45-citing-us-truce-and-stimulus-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3340419/imf-raises-chinas-2026-growth-forecast-45-citing-us-truce-and-stimulus-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Major financial institutions, including Citi and Bank of America, are increasingly optimistic about Hong Kong’s residential property market this year, as lower mortgage rates and strong leasing demand change buying behaviour. Citi raised its home price forecast to 8 per cent this year, up from 3 per cent in October, citing a faster-than-expected rebound last year. “[There will be] further acceleration in 2027 under a multi-year upcycle,” said Griffin Chan, an analyst at Citi Research, on Friday.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3339616/hong-kong-property-citi-lifts-forecast-after-morgan-stanleys-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3339616/hong-kong-property-citi-lifts-forecast-after-morgan-stanleys-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:47:59 +0000