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Fitch Ratings

Fitch Ratings: A prominent entity in the financial services sector, Fitch Ratings is one of the "Big Three" global credit rating agencies. Dual-headquartered in London and New York, with operations in over 30 countries, it specialises in providing credit ratings, commentary, and research. Fitch assesses the creditworthiness of financial instruments, corporations, sovereign entities, and structured finance deals, serving investors, debt issuers, and financial institutions. Its overall business focus is to deliver independent, forward-looking credit opinions to facilitate informed financial decisions.

A radiologist gives instructions to a patient about to undergo an MRI scan. Photo: Shutterstock

China trade

From chips to MRIs, Iran war puts helium users on edge

Fitch Ratings says helium prices have roughly doubled since conflict began.

27 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

Semiconductors

Korea, Taiwan chip sectors most exposed to helium shortage amid Middle East war

18 Mar 2026 - 4:15PM

Energy

Iran war threatens prolonged energy shock, slower growth for Asia

11 Mar 2026 - 9:45PMvideocam

Indonesia

Is Indonesia’s fuel subsidy sustainable as Iran war continues?

Higher oil prices would mean bigger fuel subsidies, piling on the pressure on a budget that is already under investor scrutiny.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:55PMvideocam

A motorist rides past a Pertamina petrol station displaying prices of fuel in Jakarta on Tuesday. Photo: AP

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.

13 Feb 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

Thailand

Vote recount calls grow in Thailand amid claims of election irregularities

The People’s Party, among others, cites ‘clear evidence of irregularities during the tallying process’, including vote-buying and tampering.

11 Feb 2026 - 5:30PM

China travel

As diplomatic row drags on, how is Japan coping with a fall in Chinese tourists?

Chinese tourism to Japan has plunged amid a diplomatic feud. But Japan’s travel sector is holding up – and its airlines have even made some gains.

1 Feb 2026 - 11:00AMvideocam

Tourists carrying suitcases walk through Toky’s Ginza shopping district. Chinese travel to Japan has plunged amid a diplomatic row over Taiwan. Photo: EPA

Insurance

China Taiping expects higher profit but Tai Po fire could weigh in 2026

State-owned insurer expects 215 to 225 per cent jump in 2025 net profit due to a gain in investment income, one-off tax impact.

19 Jan 2026 - 8:42PM

Artificial intelligence

Video-generation boom sees China’s Kling AI post US$240 million revenue run rate

Kling AI is widely adopted in the fields of marketing and e-commerce, as well as in films, television and animation, owner Kuaishou says.

14 Jan 2026 - 6:41PM

China property

Property industry an enemy within for Beijing’s economic targets

Ripple effect from further downturn would threaten economic growth and put more developers, workers and even banks at risk, analysts warn.

4 Jan 2026 - 3:30PM

A man walks in front of residential buildings in Beijing on December 15, 2025. Photo: EPA

China property

China Vanke’s managers have no plans to sell shares as firm fights for survival

Vanke, responding to queries from investors, says top managers have not notified it about their intentions so far.

19 Dec 2025 - 7:15PMvideocam

Vanke said it had completed 19 bulk asset transactions in the first three quarters of this year totalling 6.86 billion yuan. Photo: Reuters

Banking & finance

China’s risky shadow banks back in spotlight after debt crackdown

Entities owned by local governments are borrowing billions from trust companies and leasing firms at rates of 8 per cent or higher, sources say.

5 Dec 2025 - 3:03PM

China property

UBS’ China property optimist retreats from bullish calls, foresees deeper slump

Home prices in mainland China are expected to fall for at least another two years as more people prefer renting over buying, John Lam says.

24 Nov 2025 - 4:34PM

China property

Developer China Vanke reports US$2.3 billion loss amid sales slowdown

Persistent property-market weakness ratchets up pressure on the developer despite increased support from its largest state-owned shareholder.

31 Oct 2025 - 9:47AM

A man stands outside the construction site of a residential complex being built by Chinese real estate developer Vanke in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, on February 13, 2025. Photo: AFP

Bonds

China’s Meituan eyes US$3 billion from bond issue as competition heats up

Meituan’s dual-currency bond offering consists of US$1.99 billion in greenback-denominated notes and US$1 billion in yuan-based securities.

30 Oct 2025 - 4:56PM

Debt financing is expected to offer some relief to Meituan’s on-demand delivery business amid heightened competition. Photo: Shutterstock

China property

Embattled Chinese property developer replaces chairman as debt pressures mount

News of a leadership change boosts bonds of China Vanke, which had nearly US$90 billion in liabilities as of September.

13 Oct 2025 - 4:37PM

Thailand

Can Thailand’s new PM fix the economy and political woes by January?

Thailand’s PM Anutin Charnvirakul targets cost of living, tourism recovery and border stability in a four-month plan to revive the economy.

29 Sep 2025 - 10:33PMvideocam

Banking & finance

HSBC asks Hang Seng Bank to clean up bad Hong Kong property debt

Move comes after the lender saw an 85 per cent year-on-year jump in impaired Hong Kong real estate loans.

25 Sep 2025 - 2:29PM

People cross Queens Road in Central in front of a Hang Seng Bank branch on July 30, 2025. Photo: Eugene Lee

Thailand

Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul to dissolve parliament by end of January

A general election will be held in March or early April.

25 Sep 2025 - 12:41PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Li Ka-shing-controlled CK Hutchison’s bond sale gets high rating from Fitch, S&P

The planned notes, the proceeds of which will be used for general corporate purposes, have been rated A- by Fitch and A by S&P Global Ratings.

23 Sep 2025 - 6:25PM

France

Macron scrambles to find new French PM after government is ousted

President Macron is seeking a fifth prime minister in less than two years after the French government collapsed in a confidence vote.

9 Sep 2025 - 11:26AM

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou before a speech and a confidence vote in Paris on Monday. Photo: TNS

United States

Hiring stalls as US firms hold back expansion amid economic uncertainty

US employers added just 22,000 jobs in August, slowing from July and coming in below economists’ expectations.

5 Sep 2025 - 9:40PMvideocam

Commuters pass the New York Stock Exchange. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3 per cent, also worse than expected and the highest level since 2021. Photo: AP

China property

Shanghai eases property rules to revive sluggish housing market

Local residents can now own as many flats as they wish outside the city’s outer ring road.

25 Aug 2025 - 1:37PM

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers report sales dip in July amid narrower discounts

Dongfeng Motor suspended trading of its Hong Kong shares on Monday after warning that first-half earnings would sink up to 95 per cent.

11 Aug 2025 - 9:51PMvideocam

China property

China property: Shanghai, Shenzhen could follow Beijing by dropping buying curbs

Policy change will have limited impact but could help stabilise Beijing home prices, Morningstar and Fitch analysts say.

11 Aug 2025 - 3:32PM

An airliner flies over a residential building in Beijing on July 13, 2025. Photo: AP Photo

US-China trade war

As US’ effective tariff rate rises to 17%, analysts say China has an opportunity

Fitch Ratings updates its tariff-policy tracker after Washington’s decisions last week to hit most trading partners.

5 Aug 2025 - 8:15PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump gestures as he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on July 28. Photo: Getty Images

China property

China’s property slump may be bottoming, as analysts point to signs

The decline in China’s new home sales this year may slow to 7 per cent, Fitch Ratings says after revising its forecast from a previous slump of 15 per cent.

5 Aug 2025 - 6:34PM

China property

Shanghai’s luxury home sales boom as wealthy buyers flock to ‘safe haven’ assets

Shanghai accounted for over 80 per cent of transactions nationwide for homes priced above 50 million yuan (US$7 million) in the first half.

9 Jul 2025 - 8:30AM

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