Hong Kong Times

Hong Kong IPO Fundraising Jumps 153% in First Eight Months

Capital raised through Hong Kong stock listings increased 153% during the first eight months of the year, with technology and digital-finance offerings helping revive activity in the city’s equity market.

Hong Kong Says It Handles 45% of Asia’s Cross-Border Sustainable Bond Issuance

Officials at a sustainable-investment forum said Hong Kong facilitated 45% of cross-border sustainable bond issuance in Asia, as the city promotes transition financing and green capital markets.

Forms Syntron Secures $900 Million Hong Kong Listing Backed by Wealthy Local Investors

Fintech company Forms Syntron completed a $900 million listing with support from prominent Hong Kong business heirs, reflecting growing interest among younger family investors in technology and digital finance.

More Than 700 Hong Kong Cardholders Report Unauthorized Transactions Linked to iPhone Pre-Orders

More than 700 credit card users in Hong Kong reported unauthorized charges associated with pre-orders of the latest Apple iPhone, with individual losses exceeding HK$100,000 and prompting fresh concerns over online payment security.

John Lee to Unveil Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Development Plan

Chief Executive John Lee is preparing to release Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year development blueprint, setting out long-term economic and social priorities while pledging to preserve the city’s capitalist system and rule of law.

Meituan and McDonald’s Launch Dedicated Urban Drone Delivery Route

Meituan and McDonald’s opened a commercial drone delivery corridor in China, expanding the use of low-altitude logistics technology for routine food deliveries in major urban markets.

XPeng Deploys Humanoid Robots on Factory Assembly Lines

Chinese electric-vehicle maker XPeng has integrated its own humanoid robots into factory operations, moving the technology from prototype development into practical industrial use.

South Korea’s Longer Trading Hours Increase Competitive Pressure on Hong Kong Exchange

The Korea Exchange introduced a four-hour after-market trading session, intensifying debate in Hong Kong over whether its own market should extend trading hours to compete more effectively for international investors.

Hang Lung Properties Reports Improving Hong Kong Mall Leasing Conditions

Hang Lung Properties Chief Executive Weber Lo said retail leasing conditions are improving and expects more store openings in the fourth quarter despite continuing pressure on local consumer spending.

Hong Kong Belt and Road Summit Secures $3.1 Billion in Investment Agreements

The 11th Belt and Road Summit drew more than 6,000 political and business leaders and produced over 60 agreements worth $3.1 billion, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role in trade, green technology and supply-chain investment.

Zhipu AI Raises About $5 Billion for Next-Generation Models

Chinese artificial intelligence developer Zhipu AI completed a financing round worth about $5 billion to fund new generative models as domestic investment continues to concentrate in strategically important technology sectors.

China Targets Nearly 10,000 Exaflops of AI Computing Capacity by 2030

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology set a target to roughly quadruple China’s intelligent computing capacity by 2030, accelerating state-backed infrastructure development for advanced artificial intelligence models.

China Housing Presale Reforms Set to Cut Local Government Land Revenues by 30%

New restrictions preventing developers from accessing presale funds before project completion have cooled land auctions across major Chinese cities, with analysts projecting a 30% decline in local government land revenues in 2026.

China’s Credit Growth Slows as Weak Borrowing Demand Persists

People’s Bank of China data showed aggregate financing to the real economy fell by 2.64 trillion yuan year-on-year in the first eight months of 2026, even as broad money supply expanded by 7.5%.

China Tightens Crackdown on Hidden Local Government Debt

China’s anti-graft watchdog and Finance Ministry have publicly targeted officials accused of falsifying debt-reduction progress and creating new off-balance-sheet liabilities as Beijing intensifies efforts to contain municipal financial ...

China Introduces New Rules to Curb Manufacturing Price Wars

The National Development and Reform Commission and market regulators issued new cost-accounting standards designed to identify and penalize illegal below-cost pricing as authorities respond to deflationary pressure and shrinking industri...

Huawei Unveils 7.2-Terabit Optical Module for AI Data Centres

Huawei introduced a near-package optics module capable of transferring data at 7.2 terabits per second, advancing China’s efforts to develop domestic networking technology for large-scale artificial intelligence infrastructure.

China Rebukes U.S. Proposals to Restrict Chinese AI Development

China’s foreign and state security ministries criticized calls by Anthropic executives for Washington to curb Chinese artificial intelligence capabilities, warning that tighter technology restrictions could deepen global fragmentation.

Hong Kong and Dubai Form Working Group to Expand Financial Market Links

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing are working with Dubai regulators to deepen capital-market ties, with a focus on sustainable investment, Islamic finance and two-way capital flows.

Didi Chuxing Applies to Test Autonomous Vehicles on Hong Kong Roads

Chinese ride-hailing group Didi Chuxing has applied to begin driverless vehicle trials in Hong Kong, potentially expanding the use of artificial intelligence and autonomous technology in the city’s transport network.

Hong Kong Expands Economic Outreach to Middle East and Global South

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said Hong Kong will build more formal links with emerging markets across the Global South, promoting expertise in green finance and collaborative research as the city seeks to diversify its economic relation...

Cathay Pacific and Google Expand AI Partnership to Reduce Aviation Contrails

Cathay Pacific is broadening its collaboration with Google to use artificial intelligence for flight-path optimization and efforts to reduce the climate impact of aircraft contrails while maintaining operational efficiency.

Signalling Failure Delays at Least 15 Hong Kong High-Speed Rail Services

A signalling fault disrupted Hong Kong’s high-speed rail network and delayed at least 15 cross-border trains, highlighting reliability concerns on a key transport link with mainland China.

Hong Kong to Unveil First Five-Year Development Plan on September 16

Chief Executive John Lee is set to introduce Hong Kong’s first five-year plan alongside his policy address, combining longer-term economic priorities with measures aimed at preserving the city’s capitalist system and competitiveness.

GSK Plans Greater Bay Area Health Data Investment to Support Research and Public Policy

Pharmaceutical group GSK is investing in shared health-data infrastructure using information from Greater Bay Area residents, with the project intended to support clinical research and healthcare policy development.

Hong Kong Consumer Watchdog Challenges Supermarkets Over Misleading Promotions

The Consumer Council says some buy-one-get-one-free supermarket offers provided no genuine savings, prompting calls for greater pricing transparency and closer scrutiny of grocery promotions.

Hong Kong Retail Property Owners Face Pressure as Consumer Spending Patterns Shift

Traditional retail landlords are facing growing financial strain as local shopping habits change and competition from mainland China reshapes demand in Hong Kong’s commercial property market.

Hong Kong Introduces Reservations for Popular Sai Kung Trail to Manage Visitor Pressure

Authorities have introduced a reservation system for the Po Pin Chau trail in Sai Kung as Hong Kong seeks to limit overcrowding and environmental damage while managing growing eco-tourism demand.

Hong Kong Police Investigate HK$14.7 Million Credit Card Fraud Linked to iPhone Pre-Orders

Authorities are examining more than 700 reports of unauthorized transactions totaling nearly HK$14.7 million following the latest Apple iPhone launch, prompting calls for stronger digital-payment safeguards.

Chinese Investors Rush Into U.S. Technology Stocks as Offshore Quotas Tighten

Chinese asset managers are cutting daily purchase limits after retail investors rapidly used available outbound investment quotas to buy U.S. technology shares, driving some domestic fund premiums to elevated levels.

Former Shanghai Industrial Investment President Receives Suspended Death Sentence for Corruption

A Chinese court sentenced the former president of Shanghai Industrial Investment Corporation to a suspended death sentence after finding him guilty of embezzlement and accepting more than 175 million yuan in bribes.

China Publicly Names Local Officials Over Hidden Government Debt Violations

Central authorities have identified provincial and municipal officials responsible for concealing local-government liabilities, reinforcing Beijing’s campaign against off-balance-sheet borrowing.

Ant Group Launches AI Payment and Trust System for Complex Digital Commerce

Ant Group has introduced an artificial intelligence-based payment framework using large language models to automate escrow and dispute resolution across multi-party transactions in China’s digital economy.

Hong Kong Child Suicide Rate More Than Triples as Academic Pressure Draws Scrutiny

New public-health data show Hong Kong’s child suicide rate has more than tripled in recent years, with high-performing students prominent among the cases and growing concern over pressure within the education system.

China Raises 2030 Target for New Energy Vehicles to 70% of New Car Sales

Chinese policymakers now require new energy vehicles to account for 70% of domestic new-car sales by 2030, alongside tougher efficiency standards and wider adoption of automated-driving technology.

China Orders State Companies to Pay Smaller Suppliers in Cash

Central regulators have instructed state-owned enterprises to settle invoices with small and medium-sized suppliers through direct cash payments rather than delayed commercial acceptance bills in an effort to ease private-sector liquidit...

People’s Bank of China Tests Loans Pegged to Money-Market Rates

China’s central bank has authorized commercial loans linked directly to money-market rates instead of the Loan Prime Rate, testing a more market-responsive approach to domestic credit pricing.

Chinese Auto Exports Surpass Full-Year 2025 Total After Eight Months

China exported more than one million vehicles for a third consecutive month in August, pushing shipments for the first eight months of the year above the total recorded for all of 2025 as new energy vehicle exports continued to grow.

Enflame Shares Surge 188% in Shanghai Debut as Investors Back Domestic AI Chips

Tencent-backed artificial intelligence chipmaker Enflame jumped 188% on its first day of trading in Shanghai, highlighting strong investor demand for Chinese semiconductor companies developing alternatives to restricted foreign technology.

China Introduces Cost Rules to Curb Below-Cost Industrial Price Wars

Regulators have introduced rules preventing manufacturers from selling below production cost as Beijing seeks to limit damaging price competition and protect corporate profitability across heavily contested industries.

CICC Absorbs Two Rival Brokerages as China Pushes Financial Sector Consolidation

Regulators have approved China International Capital Corporation’s absorption of two domestic brokerages as Beijing seeks to create larger investment banks capable of competing more effectively in global markets.

China Pauses Approvals for New EV Battery Plants Amid National Capacity Review

Chinese authorities have halted approvals for new electric-vehicle battery facilities while regulators conduct a nationwide capacity audit, signaling a shift toward consolidation after years of rapid manufacturing expansion.

China’s August Exports Jump 25% as High-Technology Shipments Surge

Chinese exports rose 25% from a year earlier in August, with high-technology shipments up 42% as global demand for servers, processors and other artificial intelligence infrastructure supported manufacturing activity.

Xi Jinping Proposes BRICS Open-Source AI Community and Shanghai-Based Governance Body

Chinese President Xi Jinping used the BRICS summit in New Delhi to propose an open-source artificial intelligence community and a Shanghai-based global governance organization backed by 29 founding countries.

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