Advertisement
Advertisement
-
TOPIC

Banking & finance

Related Topics:
Banking & finance
News about the global financial industry with a focus on developments in Hong Kong and China.
Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po delivering his annual budget address in the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on February 25. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Editorial | Budget sets Hong Kong up for its next phase of growth

The city’s improving economy and public finances have enabled a raft of tax allowances and concessions, but a volatile global environment means sustaining fiscal discipline remains critical.

Mainland China

South Korean investors pour millions into Chinese AI and tech stocks

Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Hong Kong seeks to hone edge as offshore yuan hub, digital-asset front runner

ByteDance

ByteDance valuation said to hit record US$550 billion in proposed equity sale

Pending sale by US private equity firm General Atlantic shows ByteDance’s valuation has surged from US$400 billion as recently as mid-2025.

The ByteDance logo is seen at the company’s office building in Shanghai, on July 4, 2023. Photo: Reuters
China manufacturing

A boat in every dock? Chinese billionaire unveils plan for mass yacht production

JD.com founder Richard Liu has launched a nautical brand with a massive investment in yacht production, aiming to make ownership affordable.

videocam
6
Hong Kong budget 2026-27

‘Steady as she goes’ as Hong Kong bids farewell to deficits

Financial Secretary Paul Chan pledges caution as he presents budget aimed at stoking growth and innovation.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Yuan

China’s yuan strengthens to near 3-year high as US dollar uncertainty grows

The offshore currency continues to appreciate, with official fixing also hitting its strongest level since May 2023.

The yuan has appreciated steadily in recent months. By contrast, the US dollar has remained under sustained pressure, with investor confidence sapped by persistent concerns over the Trump administration’s policy volatility and fears over long-term fiscal sustainability. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong stock market

World’s biggest companies return US$2 trillion to shareholders in dividends

Financial and technology firms powered a 7 per cent rise in global payouts, with 30 markets logging record dividend payments last year.

HSBC

HSBC to boost spending in Hong Kong, other high-growth markets to US$1.8 billion

HSBC reported a 7 per cent profit drop, but shares rose on its CEO’s comments on higher return goals, steady dividends and new growth plans.

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.

15
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China stock market

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

The court’s initiative marks ‘a positive sign that the market would sustain its upward momentum’, hedge fund manager Zhou Ling says.

A statue of a bull is displayed outside the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Photo: Reuters
Standard Chartered Bank

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

The London-based bank’s underlying pre-tax profit stood at US$7.9 billion last year, versus a gain of US$6.8 billion in 2024.

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.

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.

videocam
US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington on January 28. Photo: AFP
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.

A view of the Dubai skyline in the United Arab Emirates. Photo: Getty Images
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.

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
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.

Banks in Hong Kong are offering generous return-to-work lai see packets and gifts to their employees. Photo: Jelly Tse
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.

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.

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.

videocam
9
People walk on The Bund in Shanghai on October 3, 2024. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

People walk next to decorations ahead of the Lunar New Year’s Day at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE
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.

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.

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.

A signboard of China Zheshang Bank is seen at its branch in Beijing on March 14, 2016. Regulators have now tightened oversight of the bank. Photo: Reuters
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.

videocam
The Department of the Treasury building in Washington, DC, on August 20, 2022. Photo: AFP
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.

videocam
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.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement