Finance news

China ‘Spider-Woman’ single mum cleans, repairs high-rises to support disabled son, ailing mother

A single mother in eastern China has won widespread admiration online for her remarkable dedication, braving a job suspended hundreds of metres in the air to support her family. In Hefei, Anhui province, Xu Junyun works on the exterior walls of high-rise buildings, secured by two safety ropes. Known online as “Spider-Woman,” this 36-year-old cleans, repairs, and waterproofs structures to fund her son Xiaoyu’s treatment, who has cerebral palsy. After graduating from university, Xu initially...

Space travel: SpaceX moves up in US indices – high demand expected

Nasdaq, S&P 500, FTSE Russell – major index providers want to attract mega IPOs. To do this, they make access to their indices easier. But SpaceX is not yet expected to be listed everywhere.

Guest comment: The only solution is to retire at 70 – much earlier than planned

The government lacks the courage to increase working hours more quickly, say entrepreneurs Laura and Carla Sasse. That would be better than ever new burdens for employees and employers.

The last of their kind: When picture frames become patients

With gold leaf, hide glue and a lot of patience, Sylvia Reh saves an almost forgotten craft - and a 130-year-old family business in Upper Swabia.

Thousands flock to PLA airbase amid Hong Kong handover celebrations

Thousands of residents have braved the scorching heat to watch helicopter demonstrations and try out military equipment at a PLA airbase near Hong Kong’s border. Military enthusiast Kin Man arrived at Shek Kong with his mother from Tai Po more than an hour before the 9am opening on Saturday. They were among the first ticket holders in line for the open day, part of celebrations marking the 29th anniversary of the city’s handover on July 1. “I’m interested in everything military, especially the..

Comment: When will the stock market bubble burst?

The AI ​​boom calls for caution, but sharply rising corporate profits give the all-clear. But this of all things creates a risk in the long run.

Do you experience this, too?

My portfolio feels like it’s stuck because the investments never seem to move up together. Whenever some holdings are performing well, others are declining by about the same amount, offsetting any gains. Then, when the previously underperforming investments start to recover, the ones that were doing well begin to fall. As a result, the portfolio seems to move sideways instead of making meaningful progress, making it frustrating to see little overall growth despite constant movement within the in

Malaysia’s Johor election campaign begins as federal allies clash

Malaysia’s southern Johor state was braced for a bruising 14-day election campaign on Saturday after 172 candidates were cleared to contest a poll pitting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s federal allies against each other in one of the country’s most economically important battlegrounds. The state, which borders Singapore, goes to the polls on July 11, with 2.72 million voters eligible to choose representatives for 56 seats. Analysts said the contest would test both the reach of federal partners..

Volkswagen: Prime Minister for building Chinese models in Germany too

Tens of thousands more jobs at VW are said to be at risk. How is the car giant reacting to growing competition from China? Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies advocates new approaches.

When Hong Kong hosted its first International Film Festival in 1977 – SCMP archive

This article was first published on June 28, 1977. Film festival off to impressive start by SCMP reporter Hongkong’s First International Film Festival got off to an impressive start last night (June 27, 1977). It was not quite the glittering social occasion as the Cannes Film Festival and there certainly was not the profusion of topless models and eager starlets that the Mediterranean occasion produces. But the cocktail party that opened the festival in City Hall yesterday did bring together...

Utilize the plant in Leipzig: Porsche wants to bring Cayenne production back to Germany

The sports car brand is undergoing major restructuring. The luxury SUV Cayenne will no longer roll off the assembly line in Bratislava, but in Leipzig. To achieve this, employees have to accept wage cuts.

How does this NGO help Hong Kong fire victims, needy people get a dignified farewell?

On a drizzly, windy morning in June, a family gathered before a tombstone at Wo Hop Shek Cemetery in northern Hong Kong to bid farewell to a loved one who died in the Wang Fuk Court fire. Beneath the muddy grave and scattered stones lies a man surnamed Hung, in his forties, among the 168 victims of the city’s deadliest fire in decades. Last November’s inferno also displaced nearly 5,000 residents. Unlike many victims who were cremated, Hung’s family insisted on a burial. “He passed in the blaze,

BörsenWoche 565: Analysis: These stocks are flying out

Not all titles in the conservative model portfolio are absolutely necessary. We say goodbye to these companies.

BörsenWoche 565: Editorial: We're cleaning out

The new BörsenWoche model portfolios are launching this week. This is what awaits you in the coming weeks.

Bicycle industry: “We create our own economy”

Canyon founder Roman Arnold explains why he decided to return to the company. This is how he wants to lead the bicycle company back to growth.

Morning Briefing Plus: The transatlantic friendship is alive

Just a little “derisking”: Young people still want to study in the USA. And the Federal Foreign Minister is flying to Washington next week to maintain relations.

Filipino teenager, 17, drowns after falling from Peng Chau bridge in Hong Kong

A Filipino teenager has drowned after losing his balance while walking on a bridge and falling into the sea off an outlying island in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post has learned. According to a source, the 17-year-old boy, who holds a Hong Kong identity card, was chatting with two friends while sitting on the railings of Chau Tsai Bridge on Peng Chau on Friday evening. At around 7.18pm, he stood on the railings and walked a few steps before losing his balance and falling into the sea,...

China and North Korea absorb lessons from Ukraine's evolving battlefield

China removes 6 generals from legislature as military anti-corruption drive continues

China has removed six senior PLA officers from the country’s top legislative body, a sign that President Xi Jinping’s military anti-corruption campaign is not slowing down. According to a late-night notice issued by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on Friday, 13 members of the legislature had been removed and one had resigned. Away from the military, those removed included a former top financial regulator and the ex-Xinjiang party chief. There had already been indications that..

Dozens arrested in Indonesia after anti-government protest turns violent

Indonesian police have arrested dozens of protesters following a rally against President Prabowo Subianto’s policies in the country’s second-largest city, a rights group said on Saturday. Around 100 people gathered near a government building in Surabaya on Friday, journalists on the scene estimated, to protest a fuel price increase and Prabowo’s flagship free meals scheme. Some demonstrators hurled rocks towards police and set fire to rubbish in the middle of the road, prompting officers to...

Ukraine War: Governor: Attack on production facilities in Volgograd

In its defensive war against Russia, Ukraine repeatedly attacks arms companies. The governor of Volgograd confirms damage to “production facilities” in an attack during the night.

Baby Danny’s 3-year care order can be cut short if in best interests: Hong Kong minister

Hong Kong’s welfare minister has said a three-year guardianship order granted for home-born baby Danny could be shortened, but only based on professional assessments and the child’s best interests. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that the two-month-old had developed a fever and was admitted to hospital. He is expected to remain under observation for a period before being transferred to a care home. Sun said the government would take good care of the baby...

Iran survived 3 months of war. Can it survive the aftermath?

Three months of war with the United States and Israel may not have broken Iran’s resistance, but its economy has been brought to its knees. Forty days of American and Israeli bombing in March and early April – targeting energy grids, steel mills, petrochemical plants, ports and transport corridors – were followed by a two-month US naval blockade that sealed off much of what remained. The damage bill has reached an estimated US$270 billion against a gross domestic product of US$371 billion in...

Red-alert heatwaves are becoming Europe's new normal. Investors are paying attention

Temperature records were smashed across Europe this week, prompting several countries across the continent to issued high-level warnings about danger to life.

From concerts to train rides, bots are winning the ticket wars — but they're only part of the problem

From concerts to train reservations, automated bots have become the latest target in the fight against ticket scalping.

Hong Kong to expand southbound travel scheme to all 21 Guangdong cities as demand surges

Hong Kong authorities have planned to expand a scheme allowing mainland Chinese motorists to drive into the city for leisure to all 21 Guangdong cities by the first quarter of next year, after applications reached about three times the daily quota. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Saturday that about 15,000 motorists had applied through mainland authorities for next month’s Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme. The scheme will be extended to all nine mainland..

Prediction markets: Hong Kong ban alone will not solve risks, legal experts say

Prediction markets occupy a grey area under Hong Kong’s gambling laws, with experts warning that the increasingly popular betting platforms could pose risks related to market manipulation and consumer protection. Lawyers and a legislator said that while a ban could restrict access to these largely unregulated betting platforms, authorities would face challenges in gathering evidence and prosecuting cases. “If there were such a ban, we foresee there would be practical challenges for the...

From Kuantan to ‘Oscars of science’: top Malaysian scientist is constantly adapting

For Dr Thein Swee Lay, the only Malaysian scientist to have won the Breakthrough Prize, cracking a code in gene therapy was easier than hunting down an authentic version of her hometown popiah – or spring rolls – in the US, where she has been based for years. “I have not come across a Malaysian restaurant that sells good popiah. I miss it,” Thein told This Week in Asia in an exclusive interview where she fondly reminisced about her childhood in Malaysia’s coastal town of Kuantan. Thein, the...

Reform of pension provision: “Pension at 63”: Abolish it quickly – or not at all?

The Pension Commission wants to abolish early retirement without deductions for long-term contributors. While one CDU man is pushing the pace, some in the SPD want to stop the project.

Singapore graduates settle for half pay in brutal jobs market

As the class of 2026 join the race to find jobs, unemployed college graduates in Singapore are taking a last-ditch shot at getting ahead via temporary government-funded gigs that earn them half the median first pay cheque. The government’s Graduate Industry Traineeships, known as GRIT, offer a stopgap for graduates to gain industry-relevant experience with government agencies or private businesses, earning between S$1,800 to S$2,400 (US$1,400 to US$1,850) per month. The lowest end of that range.