TOPIC

/ company

ING

ING: A leading Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam. It offers a comprehensive range of products including retail, direct, commercial, investment, wholesale, and private banking, alongside asset management and insurance services. Serving individuals, SMEs, and large corporates globally, ING is recognised for its digital banking leadership and strong commitment to sustainability. Its overall business focus is on empowering clients financially, leveraging digital innovation. Its chief Greater China economist, Lynn Song, highlighted the property sector’s crucial role for household balance sheets.

A shopping mall in Shanghai. In a bid to avoid economic divergence, China is looking to boost domestic consumption amid weakened domestic demand. Photo: EPA

China consumption

China faces economic balancing act: AI, exports boom while consumers stay home

Two high-level meetings show that Beijing is aware of economic imbalances as Politburo prepares high-stakes growth assessment next month.

30 Jun 2026 - 6:00PM

China economy

China’s factory activity rebounds in June but weak domestic demand lingers

30 Jun 2026 - 1:17PM

China’s private sector

Hong Kong draws royalties giant as mainland China biotech licensing heats up

30 Jun 2026 - 11:00AM

Wealth Report

HKEX looks beyond IPOs to build a broader investment ecosystem

HKEX is expanding its product suite with new fixed-income, derivatives and connectivity offerings, giving global investors more ways to gain exposure to China’s markets.

29 Jun 2026 - 1:30PM

The 55km Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is an example of the Greater Bay Area’s substantial infrastructure assets that could appear on the menu of options for foreign capital in the future. Photo: Xinhua

China’s private sector

Bigger, fewer, tougher: the new era of China-US biotech partnerships

China’s biotech boom continues to attract Western drug makers even as Washington expands investment and technology controls.

21 Jun 2026 - 9:30AM

US-China relations

Delta adds Shanghai flights amid thaw in China-US relations

Carrier says LA-Shanghai service is being expanded ‘in response to customer demand’.

17 Jun 2026 - 10:43PM

China trade

After US-Iran deal, tanking oil prices, analysts see ‘grey area’ for China firms

‘There’s still uncertainty on the longevity of this deal’, ING analyst says as traders wait to see if sanctions will be lifted while weighing potential for Israeli interference.

15 Jun 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

A tanker is seen unloading imported crude oil at a terminal port in China’s Shandong province on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

China’s private sector

Which company could become the Chinese Pfizer? Here are analysts’ top picks

A boom in outlicensing agreements leads to a debate over which Chinese firms may be first to break into overseas markets with own brands.

7 Jun 2026 - 7:00PM

US-China trade war

The next tech war? Why biotech may become a new US-China battleground

China’s biotech industry is rapidly moving up the value chain, prompting fears in the US and calls for tighter controls.

2 Jun 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

China’s private sector

China’s biotech boom drives surge in home-grown innovative drug approvals

Domestic firms dominate China’s drug approvals amid jump in spending and out-licensing deals as regulator speeds path to market.

27 May 2026 - 9:00PM

Chinese biotech firms struck a record US$60 billion in cross-border licensing deals in the first quarter of 2026. Photo: Getty Images

China-Russia relations

Putin left China, with no pipeline deal. Why is the valve still closed?

Though this week’s China-Russia summit featured many agreements, none progressed the long-delayed Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline.

23 May 2026 - 6:45AMvideocam

China consumption

HSBC cuts China retail sales forecast by nearly half on property, job pressures

Consumption is facing renewed pressure as a weak labour market and diminishing returns from subsidies cloud outlook, the bank says.

22 May 2026 - 7:17PM

China food security

How China and Kazakhstan plan to boost food security through trade

The agreement highlights Beijing’s push to rewire agricultural supply chains, as it seeks to reduce vulnerability in global markets.

22 May 2026 - 6:00PM

China property

Rising used home prices in China’s major cities during April fan stability hopes

With first-tier cities seeing price upticks, analysts are optimistic that the struggling property sector is showing signs of bottoming out.

18 May 2026 - 5:01PM

Shanghai led the way among China's first-tier cites for secondary home price rises in April. Photo: AFP

Banking & finance

Investors bet CK Hutchison is exiting a mature sector at right time – once again

Disposal of VodafoneThree adds to Li family’s record of cycle-savvy moves, with investors weighing where war chest will flow next.

12 May 2026 - 7:00AM

For decades, the Li family, which controls CK Hutchison, has built a reputation for exiting businesses near the top of market cycles, according to analysts. Photo: Sam Tsang

Artificial intelligence

China’s AI drive seen widening wealth gap, testing ‘common prosperity’ push

With Beijing’s ‘AI-plus’ plan looking to grow the nation’s digital economy, experts warn that hubs could further outpace rural regions, fuelling inequality.

10 May 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

China exports

China, the Iran war and the chemical suddenly stoking global supply fears

Food security is one of Beijing’s top policy goals – and that could spell trouble for countries dependent on Chinese sulphuric acid.

13 Apr 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

The Philippines

How soaring fuel prices are pushing Filipino farmers to the brink

Farmer Elmer Ullani spent seven hours transporting his produce to a trading post, but says he has nothing left after paying for fuel.

8 Apr 2026 - 3:14PMvideocam

Philippine farmer Elmer Ullani spells out “Stop US-Iran War” with his cabbages after having to spend almost all of the money he had earned at the market to pay for the fuel needed to get him there and back. Photo: Facebook / Elmer Ullani

The Philippines

As Philippines battles fuel crisis, will Marcos postpone Asean summit?

Lawmakers have urged the president to postpone or scale down the event and redirect funds towards softening the blow of rising energy costs.

27 Mar 2026 - 12:30PMvideocam

Hong Kong stock market

Markets brace for rate hikes as prolonged Iran war stokes tightening fears

The European Central Bank has become more hawkish, reverting to wording that analysts say often precedes interest-rate increases.

23 Mar 2026 - 9:46PM

Commodities

Gold slides as hawkish Fed and strong US dollar override geopolitical fears

Market watchers point to fading hopes of interest rate cuts and oil-driven inflation concerns as key drivers of the decline.

22 Mar 2026 - 5:01PM

A modest rebound driven by technical buying on Friday did little to alter the broader downtrend, with gold prices hovering around the US$4,500 level. Photo: DPA

Two Sessions 2026

China to pursue commercial health insurance to ease strain, support innovation

Commercial health insurance enters China’s policy agenda as an ageing population and costs strain basic coverage.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:12PM

The move signals efforts to strengthen the country’s social safety net and support the growth of innovative drugs and medical devices. Photo: Getty Images

Trade

Tariff whiplash throws Asia’s recent US trade deals into doubt

India has already paused trade talks with Washington as other Asian nations are left to question the validity of their recent agreements.

23 Feb 2026 - 5:48PM

China consumption

China overhauls CPI basket, with never-before-seen unveiling of its composition

Beijing’s five-year recalibration aims to better reflect consumption, as policymakers shift weight away from food and housing.

14 Feb 2026 - 10:48AMvideocam

China consumption

China’s consumer price growth cools as inflation outlook remains unclear

Consumer price index rose for a fourth straight month in January, though the increase fell short of market expectations.

11 Feb 2026 - 12:01PM

China’s top economic planner recently signalled new policies to boost spending over the next five years, while tackling price wars. Photo: Xinhua

Interest rates

Spiking yen fuels risk-averse mood as investors take defensive stance

Yen hits two-month high amid fears US and Japan will intervene to prop up the currency ahead of Japan’s election next month.

26 Jan 2026 - 7:00PM

Media reports on Friday said that the New York Federal Reserve had checked dollar-yen rates with dealers, widely seen as a precursor to intervention. Photo: Reuters

Commodities

Gold surge has analysts eyeing new highs after US$5,100 record

Safe-haven demand spikes amid de-dollarisation fears and supply-chain tensions, as gold buyers seek stability against growing macro uncertainties.

26 Jan 2026 - 3:07PMvideocam

US-China trade war

Trade reset? China, Canada look to revive ties after US tariffs force rethink

Crude, copper and iron top Canada’s exports to China, as prime minister seeks to mend relationship with Beijing.

13 Jan 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW