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Banking & finance

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Banking & finance
News about the global financial industry with a focus on developments in Hong Kong and China.
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Yuan

Why China’s rise as a ‘financial superpower’ could depend on Hong Kong

From the yuan’s growth as a global currency to IPO funding to tokenisation, the city is a linchpin in Beijing’s ambitions.

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China stock market

China’s top court backs legal action against corrupt firms amid equity rally

Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered’s 2025 profit jumps 16% buoyed by wealth management growth

UBS Group AG

Hong Kong IPO boom sparks finance hirings – but staff cuts have not gone away

Hiring in Hong Kong finance rose by 4,800 roles in the year to September, official figures show, as listings and trading gathered pace.

Hong Kong’s financial sector added about 4,800 jobs in the 12 months to the end of September. Photo: Jelly Tse
US Federal Reserve

Opinion | Why the Fed credibility crisis will hit emerging markets harder

As confidence in US monetary stewardship falters, inflation risks rise and capital flows become more volatile. Emerging markets with fewer policy buffers will bear the brunt.

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China digital currency

Hong Kong, UAE solidify financial links with regulatory ties, digital currency

Transaction volume under Project mBridge surged over 2,500-fold from the early 2022 pilot levels to more than US$55 billion by November 2025.

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HSBC

HSBC cuts 10% of US debt team as restructuring gathers pace

At least six New York staff laid off as the bank presses ahead with a global overhaul aimed at saving US$1.5 billion a year.

HSBC says it aims to cut US$1.5 billion in annual costs. Photo: Sun Yeung
IPO

Editorial | Hong Kong regulators are right to scrutinise IPO applications

To protect the city’s long-term financial health, investment banks must ensure that only quality applicants become publicly listed.

HSBC

HK$10,000 bonus, extra day off: Hong Kong banks reward staff returning to work

Bank of China (Hong Kong) is giving away hampers, ZA Bank is paying a HK$10,000 bonus, while HSBC and Hang Seng are offering HK$500.

Global monetary policy

Macroscope | US dollar weakness is no game changer for a globalised yuan

Beijing will seize on the crisis to promote the yuan, but without capital account liberalisation – essential for a truly global currency – its rise will remain limited.

An employee of a bank counts US dollar notes at a branch in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2016. The prospect of a prolonged dollar bear market has major implications for the global economy and markets. Photo: Reuters
Fintech

Can Hong Kong lead a digital gold trading revolution with blockchain innovation?

Beyond banks, asset managers, fintechs and crypto firms are racing to launch innovative tokenised gold products for investors.

Tokenised gold is giving investors a new way to hold the metal, easing pain points around access, custody, transfer and trading. Photo: Shutterstock
China jobs

Year-end bonuses shrink in China amid slowing growth, report finds

As China heads into the Year of the Horse, its firms’ bonuses have slowed to a trot, with many employees missing out completely.

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Thailand

Thailand’s economy rebounds despite tourism decline, pandemic

Lagging regional peers since the pandemic, the Thai economy has faced multiple headwinds, including US tariffs, high household debt and a strengthening baht.

HSBC

Hong Kong banks lure wealthy clients with gold, mahjong sets, fireworks

HSBC, Hang Seng Bank, Standard Chartered, Citibank and DBS offer the metal to select clients while it hovers near a record high.

A limited-edition mahjong set is among the incentives HSBC is offering. Photo: Handout
Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

Can Hong Kong’s MPF members repeat record gains in Year of the Horse?

Volatility looms in the Year of the Horse, analysts forecast, after the Year of the Snake delivered estimated earnings of US$32 billion.

People walk during lunch hour in Central, Hong Kong. In the previous Year of the Horse in 2014, MPF members earned 2.2 per cent, while in 2002 they lost 0.4 per cent. Photo: Karma Lo
Financial regulation

China puts another big bank under stricter watch – why now?

Beijing continues to impose stricter regulatory standards on major lenders, shielding the financial system from mounting strains.

US Treasury

Opinion | Why Asia’s sovereign wealth funds are rethinking US Treasuries

Asian funds are no longer treating US Treasuries as the default destination for their surplus capital, but as one option among many.

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China consumption

China’s gold rush: why families are doubling down on precious metals

Gold is becoming more popular in China ahead of the Lunar New Year, with households viewing the asset as a safety net amid an uncertain economy.

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Decorative items made of gold are displayed at a jewellery store in Beijing on January 28. Photo: EPA-EFE
Japan

Macroscope | How robust domestic financial markets could ease era of AI uncertainty

Attempts to develop financial centres must go beyond luring global capital and talent.

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China's economic recovery

As Chinese provinces slash revenue outlook, analysts warn of debt control

Local governments seen curbing infrastructure spending as Beijing’s fiscal discipline pushes regions to prioritise social services and tech over large projects.

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Bitcoin

Crypto rout set to deepen as Standard Chartered warns of further downside risks

Bank expects a ‘price capitulation in the next few months’ before recovering for the rest of the year.

A bitcoin ATM in San Rafael, California. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
China’s crackdowns

Gold rush backlash: why China is clamping down on ‘get rich’ promises

Regulators intervene to contain fallout after volatility in global prices sparks market turmoil at home.

Decorative items made of gold are displayed at a jewellery store in Beijing on January 28. Photo: EPA-EFE
China-Africa relations

As China seeks to globalise the yuan, it finds a new vehicle in Africa

Africa Finance Corporation executive says entering Chinese capital markets is a ‘natural evolution’.

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Millionaires and billionaires

Li Ka-shing tops Hong Kong’s billionaire list with US$45.1 billion: Forbes

The collective net worth of tycoons on Hong Kong’s 50 Richest list rose 22 per cent to US$366 billion.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA)

Hong Kong banks’ profit growth slows amid rising bad debt, slim margins

Profit growth slows to 7.3 per cent from 8.4 per cent a year earlier as bad loans exceed two-decade average, HKMA says.

The headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC are seen in Central on March 23, 2025. Photo: Eugene Lee
Cryptocurrency

Hong Kong bridges traditional, digital finance with new virtual asset initiatives

The first initiative will allow licensed virtual asset brokers to offer margin financing to clients with strong credit profiles.

Hong Kong’s SFC unveiled new initiatives on Wednesday aimed at further developing the city’s virtual asset sector. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Yuan

China lets yuan rise to strongest level in years as de-dollarisation trend grows

China’s central bank sets the yuan’s midpoint rate at its strongest level since mid-2023, as jitters over the US dollar buoy the Chinese currency.

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Hong Kong stock market

WuXi Biologics earnings jump as ‘follow and win the molecule’ strategy pays off

Chinese contract drug maker forecasts 46.3 per cent profit rise and signals continued growth despite US political scrutiny.

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