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Markets

China’s social security fund boosts stakes in A-share firms in first 7 months, data shows

National Social Security Fund increases onshore stock stakes, targeting tech as state pension returns hit 5.76 per cent “[The fund] is investing in China’s tech sector to capture its faster growth rate,” said Gary Ng, senior economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank. “It should be positive for those who are chosen by long-term capital.” The buying came as the CSI 300 Index, which tracks the 300 largest and most liquid stocks listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, slipped 0.98 per cent on Monday, bringing its year-to-date decline to 3.7 per cent. Global sell-offs in artificial intelligence stocks have spilled over into A shares. China’s National Social Security Fund concentrated its holdings in semiconductors, electronics and components, which accounted for 58.96 per cent of its total portfolio value, the data showed. The fund backs the country’s social welfare system – including pension, medical and unemployment insurance. Its pension fund managed a total of 3.5 trillion yuan (US$518.4 billion) in assets in 2025, according to its report released on Saturday. The fund holds its largest stake in chipmaker Espressif Systems, followed by moulded-fibre packaging manufacturer Zhongxin Group.

August 3, 2026

Markets

Chinese EV demand cools

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August 3, 2026

Markets

Treasury bond futures ‘a milestone’ to boost Hong Kong’s bridgehead role: CSRC chairman

First offshore China government bond futures rose more than one per cent at 10am on debut on Monday Beijing is encouraging mainland China’s financial firms to use the city to go global, as well as urging Hong Kong-listed companies to list on the mainland, the head of the country’s securities regulator said on Monday. “Mainland financial institutions have been using Hong Kong to go global. There are many mainland securities and futures firms setting in Hong Kong, while some of them do not have operation in Beijing but they have shops [here],” said Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission at the launch ceremony of the five-year China government bond futures. “We would like to see more dual listings with mainland firms to raise funds in Hong Kong, and encourage Hong Kong firms to list in [mainland] China,” Wu added. Wu described the launch of the bond futures as “a milestone to boost Hong Kong’s bridgehead role”, adding that it also marked the latest opening of the mainland’s capital market for international investors.

August 3, 2026

Markets

The international hotel chains targeting China’s value-driven travellers

Global hotel groups are expanding into China’s midscale segment as price-sensitive travellers seek value without sacrificing brand trust “I didn’t know Hilton could be this affordable,” said the 24-year-old, who had assumed international hotel brands were beyond his budget and had never considered booking one before. After the stay, Liu signed up for Hilton’s membership programme and said he would consider similar hotels in the future for their balance between affordability and quality. “I know it’s not the flagship brand, but it still carries the Hilton name, so the facilities and interior design are really nice.”

August 3, 2026

Markets

AIIB explores digital payments, eyes Hong Kong hub as it raises record funds

The development bank aims to raise a record US$11 billion this year, as it continues to broaden its operations, according to a senior official The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is setting its sights on tokenised payments and digital settlement systems, tapping into Hong Kong’s growing digital finance ecosystem as part of a broader push to modernise its capital market operations, according to a senior official at the bank. “That is a sector that we are exploring with interest,” Domenico Nardelli, the AIIB’s treasurer and acting chief financial officer, told the South China Morning Post in an interview last week, referencing emerging financial technologies such as digital payments and tokenised settlement. The Beijing-headquartered multilateral development bank wants “to understand if there are applications that are portable into the treasury space,” he added. The interest comes as the institution aggressively scales up its global fundraising capacity. After raising the equivalent of US$10 billion in each of the past two years, the AIIB is targeting a record US$11 billion this year.

August 2, 2026

Markets

China sees flurry of commercial property deals as investors sniff out bargains

Major Chinese cities including Shanghai are witnessing a significant uptick in commercial property transactions, as investors snap up space in prime locations in the expectation that the market may finally be on the road to recovery. The value of office buildings, hotels and shopping malls across China has slumped in recent years amid a prolonged real estate crisis. But with prices in some cities now starting to stabilise, investors are hunting for potential bargains, according to analysts. The...

August 2, 2026

Markets

First impressions count as Chinese buyers open their homes to UBTech’s consumer humanoids

Companion robots start arriving in September, offering emotional interaction and novelty, but chores remain off the table – at least for now “The happiest part is often the waiting,” Song said of his decision to buy the female version of the U1 Pro, made by Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics. Unlike industrial robots built for repetitive tasks in controlled settings, household humanoids must navigate unpredictable spaces, interact naturally with people, and eventually deliver real companion value – or even domestic help. UBTech is among the first Chinese makers attempting the leap. The company said its U1 series had racked up 13,361 orders by June 30 – less than a month after opening pre-sales in early June – with initial deliveries scheduled to begin on September 16. The line-up spans three models – Lite, Pro and Ultra – ranging from partial-body units to full-sized humanoids, with prices running from 119,800 yuan to 990,000 yuan. Designed primarily for emotional companionship, the robots were capable of facial expressions, voice interaction and artificial intelligence-driven conversations, according to the company.

August 2, 2026

Markets

Cheung Kong Center II tests higher rents amid rebound in Central office market

The high-profile tower initially struggled to lease out space, but is now testing HK$100 per square foot rents amid rising demand for Central offices Cheung Kong Center II is testing office rents above HK$100 (US$12.75) per square foot, as the once slow-leasing tower begins to close the gap with Central’s most in-demand office buildings, according to property agents. The increase marks a turnaround for one of Hong Kong’s most closely watched office projects. Completed in 2024 by CK Asset Holdings – the property company controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing’s family – the 41-storey tower was designed as a flagship Central development, but struggled to gain traction after opening into one of the city’s weakest office markets in decades. At the start of this year, the building was only about 20 per cent occupied, according to Ada Fung, chief operating officer of advisory services at CBRE Hong Kong.

August 2, 2026

Markets

Turnover at the top: 17 people have held title of China’s richest person in past 27 years

ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming tops rankings this year, but vibrant market makes them much more fluid than in US, Hurun says Seventeen Chinese entrepreneurs have held the title of the country’s richest billionaire in the past 27 years, over four times as many as in the United States, which wealth research firm Hurun Group attributed to the “dynamism” of the Chinese market. In the US, four billionaires have dominated the rankings for nearly three decades. Bill Gates, founder of global software giant Microsoft, was listed as the country’s richest man roughly 17 times from 1999 to 2017, according to data from Forbes and Hurun, while Elon Musk, the head of SpaceX and Tesla, has led the rankings since 2022. Jeff Bezos, founder of e-commerce and cloud giant Amazon, and Warren Buffett, former CEO of the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate, claimed the top spot in the years between. “From the diverse backgrounds of the richest people in China, we can see the dynamism of the market of the world’s second-largest economy,” Hurun Group CEO and co-founder Sinclair Lyu said recently.

August 1, 2026

Markets

China cuts durian settlement to 30 minutes with first outbound e-CNY payment to Malaysia

Deal advances Beijing’s push to expand the digital yuan through alternative cross-border clearing channels beyond Swift system The transaction, executed by China Construction Bank’s (CCB) Xiamen branch in coordination with its Labuan branch in Malaysia, enabled a local importer to pay directly in e-CNY, China’s central bank digital currency. The deal completed a bilateral digital-currency loop following an inbound trial in January. Traditional cross-border settlement has long been a key industry pain point for perishable tropical imports like durian, which are highly sensitive to processing speed and transaction costs. By contrast, the e-CNY bilateral mechanism slashed clearing times to 30 minutes via direct bank-to-bank ledger transfers, bypassing intermediary clearing banks and allowing overseas recipients to convert e-CNY directly into Malaysian ringgit without extra fees.

August 1, 2026

Markets

Chinese families turn to cash and cautious stock bets as real estate avenues narrow

While Chinese families grow cautious, South Korean retail investors use record leverage to chase tech ETFs despite mounting risks Property’s share of household assets dropped to 52 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 from 67 per cent in mid-2021, while cash and bank deposits rose to 25 per cent from 16 per cent in the same period, according to a Goldman Sachs report in June. The macro picture reflects individual choices. Yu, a Beijing homeowner, said she was considering selling her flat, valued at 2.1 million yuan (US$310,260), which generated 4,500 yuan in monthly rent – an annual yield of 2.6 per cent. Direct stock holdings among Chinese households edged up to 6 per cent in the first quarter this year from 5 per cent in mid-2021, with only a quarter of adults participating in the equity market, according to Goldman Sachs.

August 1, 2026

Markets

Hang Lung profit falls as property losses and weak offices offset record mall rents

Record mall rental income was offset by property writedowns and weak offices, while Shanghai’s Plaza 66 aims to grow beyond luxury shopping Underlying net profit declined 10 per cent from a year earlier to HK$1.44 billion (US$184 million) in the six months ended June 30, while revenue rose 23 per cent to HK$6.11 billion, driven by the handover of residential units at Hong Kong projects including The Aperture in Ngau Tau Kok. Net profit attributable to shareholders decreased 17 per cent to HK$758 million. The company also announced a change in management. A CEO-designate will join the company on September 7 and succeed Weber Lo as CEO on October 1, ending Lo’s eight-year tenure. Chairman Adriel Chan credited Lo with leading the company through “challenging” years which included the coronavirus pandemic and China’s prolonged property downturn. Chan described Hang Lung’s performance this year as “relatively good” given China’s uneven property recovery. While consumer spending started the year strongly, momentum faded in the second quarter, though he said he remained “cautiously optimistic” that the full-year outlook “won’t be too bad”. The biggest drag came from the development business.

July 31, 2026