Business News
Latest business news and updates
Total: 749
400‑Year‑Old Knife‑and‑Scissors Maker Loses Majority After Debt‑Driven Share Auction
Zhang Xiaoquan, a 400‑year‑old knife‑and‑scissors maker listed in 2021, has seen its largest shareholder position change hands after judicial auctions triggered by its controlling group’s debt crisis. The company now lacks a controlling shareholder, faces concentrated revenue risk and governance uncertainty, even as a new investor with e‑commerce credentials forecasts a sizeable profit rebound for 2025.
Divorce Forces Transfer of Rmb1.29bn Stake in China RF‑Chip Firm as Company Reports First Annual Loss
Zhuosheng Micro’s chairman, Xu Zhihan, has transferred roughly half of his directly held shares — valued at about Rmb1.29 billion (≈US$190m) — to his ex‑wife as part of a divorce settlement. The move comes as the company warned of its first annual loss since listing in 2019, raising investor concerns about potential share sales, governance stability and management continuity.
China’s MBA Market Loses Its Shine as Tuition Cuts and Job Softness Expose Weak ROI
China’s MBA market is under pressure as the 2025 national entrance line falls to a 25-year low and universities slash fees to attract candidates. Economic slowdown, shrinking hiring by major employers and falling cohort quality mean the degree’s traditional ROI is increasingly uncertain, making MBAs worthwhile mainly for narrowly defined objectives.
China’s Small‑Cap Growth Board Rallies on a Wave of AI Compute Stocks as Consumption Lags
China’s ChiNext and tech‑heavy STAR board outperformed as investors poured money into stocks tied to AI computing power and data‑centre infrastructure, lifting several mid‑caps to multi‑day gains. The rally was narrow: overall market breadth was weak with more than 3,200 decliners, and consumer sectors registered significant losses.
China Imposes Five-Year Countervailing Duties on EU Dairy, Escalating Trade Pressure on European Exporters
China will levy countervailing duties on certain dairy imports from the EU for five years starting 13 February 2026, following an investigation that found EU subsidies harmed China’s dairy industry. The decision imposes company-specific duties, includes limited retroactivity for provisional bonds, and opens administrative and judicial review pathways.
Hang Seng Falters as Big Internet Names Slip, While Chips and AI Model Stocks Rally
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.86% with major internet platforms declining as investors grew cautious on consumer‑facing tech. At the same time, semiconductor suppliers and AI model companies jumped sharply, reflecting a thematic shift toward hardware and generative‑AI plays.
Vanke’s Shadow Network: Middlemen, Billions of Receivables and a Corporate‑Governance Crisis
An investigative report links a network of ‘shadow’ firms tied to Vanke insiders with a string of quick‑turn land and project transfers into the listed group. These arrangements coincide with hundreds of billions of yuan in intercompany receivables and large impairment charges that have substantially worsened Vanke’s financial losses and raised fresh governance questions.
Xiaomi Auto Backs Beijing’s Pricing Code — A Signal that China’s EV Market Must Compete on Quality, Not Discounts
Xiaomi Auto has publicly endorsed China’s new automotive pricing compliance guidelines, committing to transparent pricing, an end to price fraud and coordination with partners to enforce the rules. The move aligns Xiaomi with Beijing’s push to shift the auto industry away from discount‑led competition toward quality and technology‑driven value creation.
Xiaomi’s YU7 Tops China Retail Rankings in January — A New Challenger to Tesla and Incumbent SUVs
Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV sold 37,869 units in January, claiming the top spot on China’s passenger‑car retail chart and signaling the brand’s growing strength in the EV market. The result reflects Xiaomi’s retail channels and brand pull amid a soft season for car sales and comes as the company prepares for further model updates and possible overseas attention.
From Expo King to Tax Debtor: How Deng Hong’s Sauce‑Aroma Baijiu Empire Unravelled
Deng Hong’s Hengchang distillery has been hit with RMB 132 million in tax arrears, exposing the failure of an aggressive, real‑estate style expansion into premium sauce‑aroma baijiu. Flooded by “debt wine,” collapsing retail prices and heavy fixed investments, Hengchang’s plight exemplifies a wider sector correction that is forcing mid‑tier brands to confront inventory, leverage and channel risks.
Insta360 Hands Out Five Bay‑Area Apartments to Young Staff — A Bold Talent Play With Broader Signals
Insta360 awarded five Greater Bay Area apartments and six luxury cars at its 2026 annual gala, with all winners from the post‑90s generation and none senior executives. The move underscores intense competition for young talent in China’s tech sector and raises questions about corporate optics, tax implications, and long‑term effectiveness as a retention strategy.
Yuan Strengthens Past 6.90 Against the Dollar, Hitting Highest Level in 33 Months
The yuan climbed past 6.90 per dollar on February 12, reaching levels not seen since May 2023 as both onshore and offshore markets rallied. The move reflects softer dollar dynamics, renewed foreign inflows and cautious central-bank guidance via a conservative midpoint setting, but risks from U.S. policy shifts and domestic growth surprises remain.