Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 749
Fed Holds Rates Steady after Prior Easing, Spotlighting Policy Uncertainty
The Federal Reserve kept its policy rate at 3.50%–3.75% and signaled a cautious, data‑dependent approach after three rate cuts in late 2025. A 10–2 vote to hold, with two officials favoring an immediate 25‑basis‑point cut, exposed internal disagreement over how quickly to ease further amid still‑elevated inflation.
Bright Dairy Repackages Itself for 2026: From High‑Protein Yogurt to Museum Tie‑Ins and City‑Exclusive Milk
Bright Dairy launched a broad 2026 strategy in Shanghai that combines product science, cultural branding, upgraded subscription services and experiential tourism. The company is betting that premium, functional dairy products and city‑specific storytelling will deepen consumer loyalty and lift margins as it expands its industry chain control.
How a Northern Pizza Buffet Won China’s Students — and Why Its IPO Is a Risky Bet
Bigge Pizza, a northern Chinese self‑service pizza buffet, has become a youth cultural phenomenon and is preparing for a Hong Kong IPO after rapid revenue growth. Its model — crowdsourced menu innovation, aggressive student pricing and a social media‑fuelled fan base — drives strong weekday traffic, but national expansion faces heavy costs, financial leverage and entrenched southern competitors.
China’s Well‑Heeled Trade Logos for Value: The Quiet Revolt Against Expensive Down Jackets
Affluent Chinese shoppers are increasingly choosing mid‑market, well‑specified down jackets sold through membership stores and discount platforms, cutting into the premium previously paid for luxury logos. The change reflects the erosion of information asymmetry and a broader shift toward buying measurable value rather than symbolic goods.
Spot Gold Surges Past $5,500 an Ounce as Safe‑Haven Demand Meets Fragile Fundamentals
Spot gold surpassed $5,500 per ounce on January 29, driven by safe‑haven flows amid fiscal, currency and geopolitical concerns. Analysts warn that resilient global growth and rising yields could blunt further gains even as speculative momentum supports the rally.
Heritage Baijiu Brand Jinzhongzi Sinks Deeper as China Resources’ Rescue Stalls
Jinzhongzi, an Anhui-based baijiu maker and former provincial heavyweight, has warned of a ¥150–190 million loss for 2025 — its fifth consecutive annual loss. The company is highly dependent on low-price and provincial sales, has failed to scale mid- and high-end channels, and remains without a permanent general manager after China Resources’ 2022 investment failed to deliver a turnaround.
Tesla’s Turning Point: Profit Plunge and a $20bn Bet on AI as Energy Storage Emerges as the Unexpected Lifeline
Tesla’s 2025 results show a sharp slump in profits and the first annual revenue decline in the company’s history, driven by weaker automotive sales, aggressive price cuts and intensifying competition. Energy storage and services are growing rapidly and provide cash flow, while a $2 billion investment in xAI and continued bets on robotaxis and humanoid robots underpin a high‑risk, high‑reward strategic pivot.
Foxconn Industrial Internet Sees Profits Surge as 800G Switches and AI Servers Drive a Data‑centre Boom
Foxconn Industrial Internet expects a roughly 56–63% year‑on‑year jump in Q4 2025 net profit and a 51–54% rise for the full year, driven by explosive sales of 800G+ switches and AI servers. The results reflect a major upgrade cycle in Chinese data centres as cloud providers scale up capacity for large AI models, while also exposing the company to customer concentration and component‑supply risks.
China Stocks See Narrow, Resource-Led Rally as Growth Names Slip; ChiNext Ends Lower
Chinese markets closed mixed as resource and commodity stocks powered a narrow rally while growth and health-care sectors lagged. Heavy turnover and a broad list of declining stocks indicate the advance was concentrated in a small number of themes, raising volatility and regulatory risks for investors.
ASML to Cut About 1,700 Jobs as Chipmaker Rebalances After a Boom
ASML will cut about 1,700 jobs, mostly in technical and IT management roles in the Netherlands and some in the U.S., representing roughly 4% of its workforce. The reduction appears aimed at overhead trimming and organizational realignment amid a cyclical industry and geopolitical uncertainty, rather than at production capacity.
iFlytek Sees Net Profit Climb of 40–70% in 2025 as ‘Spark’ AI Model Drives Commercial Wins
iFlytek forecast 2025 net profit of Rmb785–950 million, a 40–70% increase, citing rapid deployment of its large‑model AI "Spark" and stronger government procurement. About Rmb300 million of the gain comes from non‑recurring government grants, so investors should separate one‑offs from recurring commercial momentum.
Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra Drives Into Gran Turismo 7 — China’s EVs Enter the Global Racing Stage
Xiaomi will add its SU7 Ultra to Gran Turismo 7 on January 29, the first Chinese-brand car to appear in the GT series. The move is a strategic play to build international brand recognition, leverage gaming audiences, and position Xiaomi’s EVs as serious contenders in performance and design.