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“King of Phones in Africa” Faces Disruption as Xiaomi Surges and Transsion Slows

Global Government Bond Sell-Off Pushes U.S. 30-Year Treasury Yield Back to 5% – What’s Driving the Move?

Gold Climbs Above $3,600 to Record High as Central Bank Holdings Exceed U.S. Treasuries for First Time in 30 Years

Massive Buying Surge Exceeds HKD 1 Trillion in Southbound Flows

Global Tech Wave Reshapes Hong Kong Market as Emerging Sectors Drive Growth

Ethereum Foundation Sells ETH to Fund Development as Price Reaches All-Time High

The Ethereum Foundation is selling 10,000 ETH, worth an estimated $43 million, to fund development. This comes as ETH's price recently hit an all-time high of $4,866. The sale is part of a new treasury policy and coincides with developer network updates designed to improve efficiency and reduce risk for the Ethereum blockchain.

Grain Market Turmoil: Wheat Futures Tumble Amidst Global Supply Concerns

Wheat futures fell on Tuesday due to a mix of global supply pressures and decreased weekly exports. While marketing year shipments are up by more than 14%, a large Australian crop and revised Russian export projections, coupled with a lack of fresh demand, contributed to the decline.

Hong Kong Treasury Bureau: The total ESG fund assets under management in the first half of the year is approximately HK$116.14 billion.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Treasury Department stated that the total amount of green and sustainable debt issued in Hong Kong in 2024 exceeded $84 billion (or 655.2 billion Hong Kong dollars).

Alibaba shares jump 19% on cloud unit acceleration, report of new AI chip

Alibaba (9988.HK) surged 19.2% to 89.70 Hong Kong dollars as of publication, following strong cloud unit growth and reports of a new AI chip in development.

Oil giant Equinor backs crisis-stricken Orsted as Trump lashes out at offshore wind

Equinor pledged nearly $1 billion to support Orsted’s 60 billion Danish krone rights issue, reaffirming its 10% stake and nominating a board member amid mounting pressure on offshore wind.

Opendoor’s Rally Raises Questions on Long-Term Viability

Opendoor’s stock has soared on retail enthusiasm and hopes for recovery in iBuying, but weak financials and structural challenges suggest it is unlikely to become a long-term wealth builder for investors.

Alphabet Secures $10 Billion Meta Cloud Deal, Strengthening Its AI Leadership

Alphabet’s $10 billion cloud deal with Meta highlights Google Cloud’s growing role in AI infrastructure. The agreement provides long-term revenue visibility, validates Alphabet’s AI-first strategy, and strengthens its competitive position in a multicloud landscape.

Snowflake Gains on AI Data Cloud Expansion Into Africa

Snowflake’s entry into South Africa with its AI Data Cloud lifted shares 22.6% in a down week for tech. Strong regional engagement and global growth momentum have reinforced investor confidence, even as the stock trades at a premium to fair value.

Robinhood and FanDuel Blur the Line Between Sports Betting and Stock Trading

Robinhood and FanDuel are pushing into event contracts that merge elements of sports betting and financial trading. The regulatory framework remains unsettled, with gaming groups and sports leagues pushing back, but companies see vast cross-market potential. The central question is whether consumers can distinguish speculation from investment as these markets grow.

Lagarde Warns of Global Risks if Fed Independence Undermined

ECB President Christine Lagarde warned that U.S. political interference in the Federal Reserve—such as President Trump’s attempts to remove Chair Jerome Powell or Governor Lisa Cook—poses a serious threat to global financial stability. She argued that weakening the Fed’s independence could erode trust in U.S. policy, unsettle bond markets, and disrupt capital flows.

Markets Brace for September as Risks Multiply

Global markets started September on a cautious note, weighed down by political risks, economic uncertainty, and seasonal volatility. Investor focus was sharpened by President Trump’s dismissal of Fed Governor Lisa Cook, a move seen as threatening central bank independence.

YF Life joins Hong Kong’s AI Cohort to accelerate responsible insurance innovation

Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority has launched an AI Cohort Programme to speed responsible adoption of artificial intelligence across the insurance sector, and YF Life has joined as a core participant. The initiative pairs participating insurers with supervisors and technology providers to pilot use cases under clear governance, transparency and ethics standards.

From Theory to Portfolio: How Asian Managers Are Rebuilding Diversification

With stock–bond correlations shifting unevenly across Asia, asset managers are moving beyond static 60/40 playbooks toward flexible, market-specific portfolios. The emerging toolkit blends high-quality duration and cash with Asia credit and local-currency bonds, adds real assets and macro strategies for shock-absorption, and leans on dynamic currency and factor tilts to keep risk balanced through changing macro regimes.

OpenAI Eyes India for Gigawatt-Scale AI Hub, Signaling Major Asia Push

OpenAI is reportedly planning a data center in India with a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt, a key part of its global "Stargate" initiative. This move highlights the country's strategic importance as OpenAI’s second-largest user base, and the project could be announced during CEO Sam Altman's September visit.

Silver's Sizzling Rally: A Decade-High Surge Ignited by Green Energy and Geopolitical Tensions

Silver prices have surged to over $40 per ounce, their highest level since 2011, fueled by expectations of a Fed rate cut and growing geopolitical instability. The precious metal is gaining institutional investor interest, complementing its crucial role in industrial sectors like green energy. Analysts predict silver could continue its rally, potentially reaching over $46 by the end of Q3 2025.

European Markets Edge Lower Ahead of Key Inflation Data

European stocks fell on Friday as investors awaited inflation data from the eurozone and the U.S. to gauge the outlook for interest rate cuts. The STOXX 600 lost 0.4%, led lower by sharp declines in major UK banks. Political uncertainty in France added pressure, while analysts noted that upcoming inflation figures could prove decisive for monetary policy expectations on both sides of the Atlantic.

Global Markets Edge Higher as U.S. Tech Rally Lifts Sentiment Ahead of Key Inflation Data

Asian equities edged higher on Friday, lifted by gains in U.S. tech stocks after record closes on Wall Street. Optimism around AI supported sentiment, though Nvidia’s results tempered enthusiasm. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan rose 0.26%, with Hong Kong and South Korea advancing while Chinese markets lagged due to weakness in local tech shares.

Chinese exporters pivot as US ends de minimis for the rest of the world

With the United States scrapping the US$800 “de minimis” duty exemption for small parcels from all countries, many Chinese cross-border sellers are shifting inventory into American warehouses and tweaking logistics to blunt the hit. The policy follows an earlier White House order that already removed duty-free treatment for packages from mainland China and Hong Kong, and it arrives alongside a six-month transition scheme that lets postal shippers pay a flat fee per parcel.

China’s Yadea Expands into Thailand to Challenge Honda in Electric Two-Wheeler Market

Yadea, the world’s largest two-wheeler maker, has launched production in Thailand with plans to scale output and undercut rivals like Honda, marking a major step in its push to replicate BYD’s overseas success.

Politics Elephant-dragon tango: Modi’s visit to China signals improving ties — will the bonhomie last?

India–China ties are showing tentative signs of thaw, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to meet President Xi Jinping in Tianjin for the first time in seven years amid U.S. tariff pressure on both economies.

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