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Markets

Tech stocks capture China’s elderly retail investors amid faith in nation’s tech sector

State support in the sector and frustration over slow gains in blue chip stocks has elderly Chinese changing returns in technology “Foam is the best bit of a beer,” Fang Yan’an, a veteran investor in his late 70s, told the SCMP, referring to his tactic of chasing the rally of some technology companies. “Our government has ramped up support for technological development over the past few years, and so have many other nations,” Fang said. “Since technology is now crucial for global competition, I tend to believe in the AI industry, and I’m prepared to hold the shares through a long-haul journey.” Higher earnings could support the high price of technology stocks as more commercial products are developed from research, he added.

July 12, 2026

Markets

China’s developers eagerly line up to offer commercial-property Reits amid recovery signs

Exchanges receive 19 listing applications after enthusiastic investor reception for first four such trusts China’s first four exchange-traded real estate investment trusts (Reits) backed by commercial properties have opened the floodgates for fundraising by office developers, shopping centre builders and hotel owners amid investors’ heightened hopes for a market recovery. According to data provider Wind Information, as of June 24 the pipelines of the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges had 19 listing applications for investment trusts backed by commercial property assets, with six having already secured regulatory approvals. “Lucrative projects with potentially high returns will fuel the growth of Reits in China and eventually attract more investors,” said Ivy Lu, senior director of CBRE China Research. “Signs are encouraging that more developers will gain access to the financing platform.” Reits allow asset owners to raise cash from valuable but ­illiquid assets without losing control of them. The investment vehicles also give investors the opportunity to collect regular dividends with income generated by the underlying properties.

July 12, 2026

Markets

BYD showcases battery, charging technology in 15,000km journey from Rome to Hong Kong

BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) maker, has intensified efforts to promote its high-performance batteries and superfast charging technology around the world as it tests a car that it says boasts the world’s longest driving range in a journey from Rome to Hong Kong. A fleet of upgraded versions of the Z9GT, a car produced under BYD’s premium Denza brand, has been travelling across European countries including Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Turkey for nearly a month at the start of a...

July 11, 2026

Markets

Volkswagen China deliveries see 26% drop year on year to lowest point since 2010

Volkswagen Group’s deliveries in China slumped during the first half of 2026 to their lowest level in 16 years, as local electric vehicle (EV) brands further siphoned off buyers’ interest in petrol cars amid a slowing market. Through its three ventures with Chinese partners, the German car brand handed over a total of 971,000 units to customers in China between January and June, down 26.1 per cent year on year, it said in a statement. The delivery volume hit the lowest level since the first half...

July 11, 2026

Markets

Expanding AI and chip firms push up rents in Beijing’s hi-tech district

Rents in Zhongguancun edge up slightly as capital’s office market shifts from passive adjustment to structural recovery, Knight Frank says Demand for Beijing’s grade-A office buildings increased in the first half of the year, with artificial intelligence and semiconductor companies making the Zhongguancun area a hot property at a time when office markets nationwide are still struggling. Home to the capital’s densest cluster of hi-tech firms, Zhongguancun was the only submarket to post rent growth in Beijing, China’s second-largest office market after Shanghai, according to a report from property consultancy Knight Frank on Thursday. The firm’s data showed that the average monthly rent of grade-A offices in Zhongguancun reached 251.40 yuan (US$37) per square metre in the second quarter, ticking up 0.3 per cent from the first quarter. The price level was the second-highest in Beijing after Financial Street. “This year marks the arrival of the AI super cycle, and it has only just begun,” said Virginia Huang, managing director for north and east China at Knight Frank.

July 11, 2026

Markets

Star Market at 7: tech-centric stock exchange powers China’s innovation rise

Attracting capital behind breakthroughs in frontier fields, the market is a key part of Beijing’s drive for technology self-reliance President Xi Jinping gave investors a surprise in 2018 when he floated the idea of a tech-focused board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE). He also gave China a powerful asset, as the board – later dubbed the Star Market – has become a financial engine powering breakthroughs in frontier technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics and semiconductors. The Star Market, officially known as the Sci-Tech Innovation Board under the Shanghai bourse, now forms an important part of China’s US$16 trillion stock market. With a combined market capitalisation of 15.5 trillion yuan (US$2.3 trillion), it is home to a litany of domestic companies that Beijing is counting on to break out of dependence on cutting-edge technologies that Washington is determined to restrict. From the beginning, the Star Market established itself as an example of deepening reforms in China’s stock market, which had often been criticised for failing to give investors access to the most vibrant parts of the economy, as well as for rigid regulations that resulted in an exodus of new-economy companies to overseas listings.

July 11, 2026

Markets

Shein receives approval for Hong Kong IPO from Chinese regulators

Beijing clears the online retail giant to seek an initial public offering in Hong Kong, after its plans to float in London and New York hit a dead end Online retail giant Shein Global Holdings has secured approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) to seek an initial public offering in Hong Kong, a long-awaited step for the firm after its attempts to list in New York or London stalled. The firm plans to issue up to 341.6 million shares and list on the Hong Kong stock exchange, according to a Friday statement by the CSRC. Shein previously sought to go public in New York or London, according to earlier media reports, but those attempts have halted amid US and European regulatory scrutiny of the firm’s operations on issues ranging from its supply chain to tax. Shein, which was founded in China in 2008 but later moved its headquarters to Singapore, previously attempted to distance itself from China as its global profile rose, despite most of its suppliers being based on the mainland. But the firm has been trying to build closer ties with Beijing amid difficulties in securing a listing outside China.

July 10, 2026

Markets

Top Chinese political journal calls for ‘patient capital’ amid AI investment frenzy

Communist Party journal runs three consecutive commentaries encouraging long-term perspective in funding for technological innovation The top theoretical journal of China’s ruling Communist Party has run commentaries urging the country to cultivate “patient capital” for three days straight, as Beijing seeks to harness investment to boost long-term innovation amid fears of speculative excess in the artificial intelligence sector. The three posts, published on Qiushi’s official WeChat account from Wednesday to Friday, were drawn from an article in the journal’s latest issue by Xu Siwei, chairman of the vast Chinese state-owned investment firm China Reform Holdings. “Building a robust patient capital ecosystem with sufficient scale, appropriately matched investment horizons and strong risk tolerance ... has become a strategic, foundational undertaking to strengthen China’s long-term competitiveness and reinforce the foundations of innovation-driven development,” Xu wrote.

July 10, 2026

Markets

Why Payward chose Hong Kong to be its Asian stablecoin gateway

By setting clear rules, Hong Kong is pushing to become the world’s safest launch pad for the digital currency The city’s unique positioning stemmed from its century-long role as a gateway for international business, said Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward, the parent company of Kraken – a top-tier cryptocurrency exchange in the United States – in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post. Stablecoins and blockchain technology were reshaping the city into a global, round-the-clock liquidity hub, enabling businesses in regions with weak banking infrastructure, such as Africa and Latin America, to access capital at any time, Sethi said. Payward recently completed a US$600 million acquisition of Hong Kong-based Reap Technologies, a stablecoin-native payments infrastructure provider, marking its first and largest such acquisition in Asia. “We’re going to expand into Asia, including expansion into Singapore, through Hong Kong. This is our gateway as a company and that’s what we decided,” Sethi said when evaluating the two financial hubs, noting that both naturally attracted distinct financial services.

July 10, 2026

Markets

Nvidia gets China boost, Iran ceasefire breaks, GDP release

China eased a boycott of higher-end Nvidia processors, seeking to balance concerns about chip shortages hurting local artificial intelligence (AI) developers against the risk of over-reliance on US technology. Alibaba is among select businesses that will be eligible to buy H200s, Nvidia’s second-best AI chip, the South China Morning Post reported, citing an unidentified source. TikTok developer ByteDance and AI start-up DeepSeek are also on the list, The Information said this week. Alibaba owns...

July 10, 2026

Markets

China’s appeal as portfolio diversifier grows, BlackRock strategist says

‘China can provide exposure to different economic drivers,’ says Li Wei, the asset manager’s global chief investment strategist China is increasingly being viewed by global investors as not only a growth opportunity but also a potential portfolio diversifier, as higher inflation, market volatility and changing correlations challenge traditional asset-allocation strategies, according to BlackRock’s global chief investment strategist. “China can provide exposure to different economic drivers,” Li Wei said at the asset manager’s 2026 Midyear Outlook in Hong Kong earlier this week. She added that Chinese assets, including government bonds, could offer diversification benefits because they were shaped by domestic growth and monetary policy cycles that did not always move in line with the US Federal Reserve or other developed markets. Li’s comments came as China is delivering steady growth coupled with low interest rates, in contrast with Western economies that are troubled by rising inflation and likely interest-rate increases. The Chinese yuan is also poised to appreciate further against the US dollar, given China’s growing economic reliance on its technology prowess and strong exports.

July 10, 2026

Markets

Bruce Rockowitz Sees Al as Growth Engine for Wellness, Dining and Media Businesses

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from experimentation to execution, and business veteran Bruce Rockowitz believes the technology could become a critical competitive advantage across industries ranging from wellness and hospitality to media. Rockowitz, known for his work in sourcing, brand development and building and scaling consumer-facing businesses, views AI not simply as a productivity tool but as a strategic asset capable of driving revenue growth, improving customer engagement and streamlining operations. Its potential, he argues, is particularly significant for businesses such as The Pure Group, food-and-beverage operators and magazine publishers, all of which are navigating rising customer expectations and increasing pressure to improve margins. For The Pure Group, the fitness and lifestyle operator, AI offers a pathway toward greater personalization at scale. As wellness consumers demand increasingly customized experiences, AI systems can analyze behavioral data, attendance patterns and personal fitness goals to deliver tailored recommendations.

July 9, 2026