Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 749
Leapmotor Posts Strong January Deliveries as China EV Market Gains Traction
Leapmotor reported January deliveries of 32,059 vehicles, up 27% year‑on‑year, indicating improved demand or production execution for the Chinese EV maker. While the number is significant for the company, it remains modest versus China’s market leaders; future growth will hinge on product cadence, margins and distribution strength.
China’s Regional Shift: Tibet’s Surge and Chongqing’s Overtake Signal a New Economic Map
Provincial GDP releases for 2025 reveal a subtle but meaningful reshaping of China’s economic map: Tibet led growth on the back of large infrastructure projects, Gansu expanded through resource-driven industry, and Chongqing overtook Liaoning in total GDP thanks to a booming new-energy vehicle cluster. The data underline a continuing shift of momentum from the north-east’s old industrial base to the south-west and interior, driven by state investment, resource cycles and industrial upgrading.
Zijin’s Big Bet: CAD5.5bn Purchase of Four African Mines Pushes Chinese Miner Toward 100‑Tonne Gold Club
Zijin Mining has offered CAD5.5 billion in cash to acquire a Toronto‑ and New York‑listed gold company owning four African mines, a deal that would lift Zijin’s annual mined gold output above 100 tonnes. The purchase capitalises on favourable infrastructure and high gold prices but increases balance‑sheet and integration risks as Zijin accelerates its global expansion.
After Metals Flash Crash, CME Raises Margins — Liquidity Set to Tighten as Crowded Longs Unwind
A violent rout in gold and silver prompted the CME to raise COMEX margin requirements, with gold margins moving from 6% to 8% and silver from 11% to 15%, effective after the close on Feb. 2. The crash was driven by a rapid shift in Fed expectations following the nomination of Kevin Warsh and the unwinding of crowded, highly leveraged long positions, forcing exchanges to shore up clearinghouse protections.
Price War Fades, Financing Mayhem Begins: How China’s Carmakers Are Competing with 7‑Year Loans
China’s auto makers have shifted from price cuts to long‑tenor, low‑interest financing as regulators clamp down on direct price wars and fiscal policy subsidises consumer loans. The tactic reduces monthly payments and attracts young buyers, but it also locks consumers into long contracts on rapidly depreciating electric vehicles and concentrates advantages with well‑capitalised firms.
Bitcoin Plunges Below $79,000 as $111bn Evaporates and 420,000+ Traders Are Liquidated
Bitcoin tumbled below $79,000 on February 1, wiping about $111 billion from the crypto market and triggering over 420,000 forced liquidations worth roughly $2.56 billion. The sell-off reflects thin liquidity, stalled U.S. regulatory clarity, muted institutional interest and mixed geopolitical signals, all of which undermine bitcoin’s appeal as a safe-haven or inflation hedge.
Bitcoin Slips Below $81,000 as Crypto Markets Suffer Fresh Volatility
Bitcoin dropped below $81,000 on 31 January, falling about 4% intraday amid a broader crypto market rout that included heavy liquidations and steep moves in ether and smaller tokens. The episode highlights how leverage and thin liquidity can produce rapid price cascades, raising questions about market structure and investor risk management.
US Tariffs Cripple China’s ‘Golf‑Cart’ Maker — A Costly Pivot into Semiconductors Fails to Plug the Gap
Greentong Technology’s profitability plunged in 2025 after US tariffs and a trade probe slashed American sales by nearly 80%. A 51% acquisition of a semiconductor firm raised consolidated revenue but failed to rescue margins, leaving the company with heavy impairment charges and uncertain prospects. The case highlights the vulnerability of export‑dependent Chinese manufacturers to trade remedies and the risks inherent in rapid, cross‑sector pivots.
Xi Maps a State‑Led Road to a ‘Financial Power’: Stability, Party Control and Global Ambitions
In a Qiushi essay, Xi Jinping outlines an eight‑point framework for building China into a global financial power that blends market reforms with firm Party leadership. The plan lists the institutional elements of financial strength — from an internationally used currency to robust regulation and talent — while insisting that development remain politically guided and risk‑averse.
Musk's Next Move: Fusing SpaceX, Tesla and xAI into a 'Space‑Compute' Empire
Reports that Elon Musk is exploring tighter integration between SpaceX, Tesla and xAI reflect a strategic push to build a ‘space‑compute’ ecosystem combining satellite connectivity, vehicle and robot endpoints, and large AI models. While the business case is clear, major legal, technical and geopolitical hurdles make a full corporate merger unlikely in the near term; closer operational collaboration is the more probable path.
Vanke Warns of an ¥82 Billion Loss for 2025, Underlining Deep Fault Lines in China’s Property Sector
Vanke expects a roughly ¥82 billion net loss for 2025, driven by falling development settlements, low margins and fresh impairment charges. While deliveries and service revenues remain steady and cost cuts continue, the company warns that earnings will stay under pressure as it pursues asset disposals and operational reforms.
Volkswagen Cuts One-Third of Executives and Reorganises Factories as China EV Shock Hurts Profits
Volkswagen is cutting a third of executives in its core brand cluster and consolidating factories into five production regions as part of a drive to save €1 billion by 2030. The measures respond to a sharp sales slowdown in China, steep declines in local EV volumes and tariff pressures in North America that have eroded profits and forced tougher restructuring.