Markets — 33 insights
Chinese successors inherit younger as banks prepare for US$11 trillion wealth transfer
Markets

Chinese successors inherit younger as banks prepare for US$11 trillion wealth transfer

Asia-Pacific’s largest intergenerational wealth transfer in modern times is set to transpire over the next 30 years, financial firm predicts The region’s next-generation family members perceive this shift very differently from their counterparts in Europe and North America. In Asia-Pacific, inheritors are more likely to associate a family milestone with the passing of a family member. By contrast, in Europe and North America, inheritance is more strongly tied to a shift in responsibility. They are the inheriting generation, stepping into responsibility within their families. UBS also observed that successors were getting involved in family wealth at younger ages in Asia, especially in China. These findings come from a UBS survey of next-generation individuals ranging in age from below 21 to above 45, with the majority between 26 and 40. They represent the inheriting generation – those stepping into responsibilities within their families. While the Swiss bank defined the next generation of leaders aged between 18 and 60, 65 per cent were already engaged in managing family wealth as young adults from 20 to 35 years old.

Chinese chip pioneer calls for focus on ‘pragmatic breakthroughs’ over chasing 2nm hype
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Chinese chip pioneer calls for focus on ‘pragmatic breakthroughs’ over chasing 2nm hype

Richard Chang’s rare public remarks highlight importance of mature chips to China’s supply chain security Richard Chang Rugin, 78, former CEO of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), cautioned against blindly chasing industry hype around cutting-edge process nodes. Chang, who was born in mainland China and grew up in Taiwan, returned to the mainland and founded SMIC in 2000 after a 20-year career at Texas Instruments in the US. He resigned as SMIC’s CEO in 2009 amid a years-long trade secrets lawsuit and an out-of-court settlement with rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. “Many people think competition in the semiconductor industry is just about advanced nodes and that we will only achieve success when reaching 3nm [nanometre] or 2nm – this is a cognitive misunderstanding,” Chang said.

Rewriting the Rules of Risk
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Rewriting the Rules of Risk

Seth Peller, CEO of Marsh Hong Kong & Macau, advocates for proactive, data-driven resilience by integrating climate strategy, AI-ready talent, and interconnected risk management. Hong Kong stands at a pivotal moment in its evolution as a global financial centre. Economic realignment, geopolitical tension, extreme weather events and talent shortages dominate headlines. Yet, according to Seth Peller, CEO of Marsh Hong Kong & Macau, the most consequential threats are unfolding more quietly — and far more systemically. Climate volatility. AI acceleration. Workforce fragility. Geoeconomic uncertainty. “These risks are no longer separate,” he says. “They are interconnected — and every decision to mitigate them has consequences.” With more than 30 years in the insurance and risk advisory industry, Peller has held leadership roles across London, New York, Latin America and Asia, before taking the helm in Hong Kong and Macau. Today, he steers the strategic direction and operational performance of Marsh Risk and Mercer under the Marsh brand. His perspective is shaped not just by markets, but by lived crises. “When you see one of those mega storms and you experience that, it definitely increases your awareness,” he says.

China’s bond market faces climbing re-defaults as property crisis drags on
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China’s bond market faces climbing re-defaults as property crisis drags on

Re-defaults erode credit differentiation as homebuyer confidence weakens under slow income growth and high leverage, analysts warn China’s bond market is facing rising re-defaults, driven by continued stress in the housing market, where years of government loosening and stimulus have yet to bring relief, according to a report by S&P Global Ratings on Monday. Since 2020, amid the crisis triggered by the default of China Evergrande Group – the world’s most indebted property developer – about 40 per cent of restructured onshore bonds have suffered re-defaults, the report said. The turmoil was later compounded by Country Garden’s default two years later and China Vanke’s two years after that. Despite stimulus, corporate loans have declined for three years, and household loans for six years. Government bond issuance has increased, but much of it has been used for debt swaps rather than new credit expansion. “China’s housing market has seen three major downturns during this crisis. Two have led to a spike in re-defaults. The third one, currently in the making, may lead to the same in 2027,” said Charles Chang, Greater China country lead for corporates at S&P Global Ratings.

Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui tops Asia luxury retail rents, but Bond Street world’s priciest
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Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui tops Asia luxury retail rents, but Bond Street world’s priciest

City’s luxury retail shows resilience with rising tourist arrivals and new store openings despite global slowdown, according to Savills London’s Bond Street replaced Tsim Sha Tsui as the top global luxury retail property market with rents of £19,228 per square metre per year, according to the ninth edition of the UK-based property consultancy’s Global Luxury Retail report released on Monday. Milan’s Via Monte Napoleone ranked third, with annual rents of £16,000 per square metre. The latest rental charges were based on data as of the fourth quarter of 2025. Based on 2024 data, Bond Street – the top shopping district in the British capital where French luxury fashion house Hermes is set to open a new four-storey flagship store next month – typically charged £15,333 per square metre per annum, placing it third among core luxury shopping destinations worldwide. It ranked behind Tsim Sha Tsui’s £17,132 and New York’s Madison Avenue’s £15,559. “After the strong rebound in 2024, luxury rental growth slowed sharply in 2025, highlighting a more normalised and cautious market environment,” said Marie Hickey, global retail research lead at Savills.

China’s ChiNext Index up 3.5% to highest level since 2015 as semiconductor rally broadens
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China’s ChiNext Index up 3.5% to highest level since 2015 as semiconductor rally broadens

Tech-heavy index breaches the 3,900-point mark amid strong signals from Beijing that it is committed to chip self-sufficiency China’s tech-heavy ChiNext Index rose about 3.5 per cent to its highest level in nearly 11 years, breaching the 3,900-point mark, as a broadening semiconductor rally, Beijing’s push for technological self-sufficiency and easing US-China trade tensions lifted investor appetite for growth stocks. The gauge climbed to 3,928.97 on Monday, the strongest level since it closed at 3,899.71 on June 12, 2015. This came as Hong Kong chip stocks extended their rally on Monday morning, riding a global semiconductor wave after Wall Street’s Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged last week, and continued momentum in China’s home-grown AI chip sector kept sentiment buoyant. Suzhou Novosense Microelectronics led the pack with a 15.47 per cent jump to HK$196.3. Montage Technology increased 11.45 per cent to HK$418.6. Fortior Technology (Shenzhen) gained 10.37 per cent to HK$166. Meanwhile, GigaDevice Semiconductor Inc rose 7.96 per cent to HK$529, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp added 4.43 per cent and Hua Hong Semiconductor climbed 2.45 per cent.

How Hong Kong could ease its ‘positive problem’ of full metals warehouses
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How Hong Kong could ease its ‘positive problem’ of full metals warehouses

15 LME-approved warehouses are already full, underscoring city’s ambition to be a commodities centre – and its urgent need for more space Just over a year after the London Metal Exchange (LME) approved its first batch of warehouses in Hong Kong, the city now hosts 15 facilities run by seven operators, with close to 25,000 tonnes of metals stored. Chamberlain described it as a “very positive problem” – though one not easily solved. What is the LME, and when did it set up warehouses in the city? Globally, LME-approved third-party operators run about 450 warehouses across the US, Europe and Asia, including Malaysia and South Korea, to store metals for investors and end users to trade or use to secure financing from banks.

Rental yields, redevelopment gains drive home sales in Hong Kong’s To Kwa Wan
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Rental yields, redevelopment gains drive home sales in Hong Kong’s To Kwa Wan

Demand for 2 projects fuels busiest sales weekend in 19 months as developers market the district as part of a wider redevelopment corridor The renewed interest helped push Hong Kong’s weekend primary home transactions to around 500 units, the strongest level in 19 months, according to Midland Realty. On Sunday, all 130 units released in the first round of sales for the third phase of One Victoria Cove on 1 Bailey Street were sold, according to lead developer Henderson Land Development. Prices started at HK$6.98 million, or HK$20,383 per square foot. The batch included 101 two-bedroom units and 29 three-bedroom flats ranging from 338 sq ft to 708 sq ft. One Hong Kong investor spent more than HK$110 million to purchase 16 units, the developer said. Investment demand was a major driver behind the strong sales. Midland Realty said investors accounted for about 40 per cent of its buyers at One Victoria Cove, with some purchasing multiple units for leasing purposes.

KFC, McDonald’s drive-throughs in China get EV charging, upgraded smart systems
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KFC, McDonald’s drive-throughs in China get EV charging, upgraded smart systems

KFC now operates over 7,000 drive-through restaurants nationwide, including kerbside pickups, according to Yum China Global fast-food chain KFC is adding more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and McDonald’s is upgrading digital services, as the fast-food sector turns to digital convenience to draw more customers to drive-through stores amid fierce competition, according to analysts. KFC now operates over 7,000 drive-through restaurants nationwide, including kerbside pickups, according to the first-quarter earnings report of Yum China, operator of KFC and Pizza Hut in mainland China and Hong Kong. The chain said it would further utilise tech innovation to boost efficiency for orders and pickups at drive-through outlets in China. “Drive-through is being folded into a broader convenience strategy, as consumers increasingly expect speed and instant fulfilment,” said Chloe He, director of Asia-Pacific corporate ratings at Fitch Ratings.

China’s Huaqiangbei bets on AI innovations to revive global appeal
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China’s Huaqiangbei bets on AI innovations to revive global appeal

Shenzhen’s electronics hub is riding the AI boom, with curated devices like drones and robots pulling in overseas customers once more For first-time visitors like Abigail Slagveer from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the sheer scale of Huaqiangbei’s electronics market is overwhelming. “I came here one and a half hours ago through that front door,” she said, pointing to an entrance just a few metres away on the first floor of Huaqiang Electronics World, one of the major malls in the district. “I’m still stuck here [in the first few stalls].” Slagveer, scouting for gadgets to sell on her online store, had just spent half an hour at the stall of Red Hoho AI, where a shop assistant surnamed Kurmanjan demonstrated air drum kits and AI-powered educational robots in English. Manager Tina Liu stepped in, stressing that by owning the factory behind the products, they could offer the best price. International buyers like Slagveer have been returning in greater numbers over the past year, with trade fair seasons busiest for Huaqiangbei, according to Kurmanjan.

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production
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Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers The Hangzhou-based company and Stellantis, owner of Peugeot, Fiat and Jeep, would jointly build Opel’s new fully electric C-sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and B10 models at the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza, according to a statement released by the Franco-Italian carmaker on Friday. Production was expected to start as early as this year, it added. The announcement came less than two months after Leapmotor opened its first overseas research and development hub in Munich, aimed at tailoring models to international customers. The EV maker, 21 per cent owned by Stellantis, set up a joint venture known as Leapmotor International with the European shareholder in 2023 to promote its Chinese-made cars worldwide. The venture, 49 per cent owned by Leapmotor, leverages Stellantis’ global resources to bolster sales. “Leapmotor, after achieving rapid growth on the domestic market, has reason to quicken the pace of its overseas expansion because its tie-up with Stellantis facilitates localisation of production in markets like Europe,” said Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai.

DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources
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DeepSeek to soon close first external fundraising in US$50b valuation: sources

Backers include AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, sources say Chinese artificial intelligence high-flier DeepSeek is expected to close its first external financing round soon, boosting its valuation to up to US$50 billion, according to three people familiar with the matter, as the country’s marquee state-backed investment vehicle joins in bankrolling what is seen as a national technology champion. The round was being backed by a group of state-linked investors, including AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, known as the “Big Fund III”, the people said, requesting anonymity because the information is private. Global investment firm Hillhouse was also involved in the funding discussions, the people said. Shenzhen-based video gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings took part in the round too, they added. The final valuation could still change as talks were ongoing, they said. DeepSeek, the Big Fund III, and Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Hillhouse spokesman said the firm was not making an investment in DeepSeek.