Finance news

How AI is changing the nature of war and conflict

As US President Donald Trump flew home from a fractious Nato summit in Turkey, he was poised to resume the war with Iran, whose leaders he labelled “sick” and “scum”. Trump also complained about European leaders’ failure to spend enough on arms, support him in Iran and recognise the need for the US to take control of Greenland. The sense of rising global conflict has been palpable this week. What clearly showed at the summit of the transatlantic security alliance was confirmed by the latest...

2 women arrested at Hong Kong border after dog, endangered birds found in bags

Hong Kong customs officers have arrested two women at the border for allegedly smuggling animals after they were separately found with a dog worth HK$3,000 (US$380) and two endangered birds that could be sold for a total of HK$5,000. The Customs and Excise Department said on Friday that it had intercepted a 57-year-old mainland Chinese woman at the Lo Wu checkpoint’s arrival hall a day earlier and discovered the dog concealed inside her sling bag. The dog was estimated to have a market value of.

SK Hynix’s US listing gives investors easier access, but does that justify a higher valuation?

I’ve been looking into SK Hynix because of all the hype around HBM and AI chips. The story makes sense: AI demand is strong, HBM is still a key bottleneck, and the US listing makes the stock much easier to access. What I’m not sure about is whether people are starting to pay a premium just for that convenience. If the ADR keeps trading above the Korean shares, are investors really paying for better growth, or just easier access and more hype? Do you see SK Hynix as a long-term AI winner, or stil

10 scientists and experts who have left the US and UK for China so far in 2026

Dozens of scientists and experts have left the United States and Britain to pursue their careers in China this year, citing several reasons including insufficient funding and a lack of opportunities for Chinese academics to lead projects in the West. We have put together ten of them whose stories resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Impossible for Chinese’: Yale scientist Zhang Kai leaves US for China For Zhang Kai, a...

China recovers reusable rocket used in the maiden launch of Long March 10B

China succeeded in recovering part of its Long March 10B reusable rocket on its maiden launch on Friday, marking the country’s first controlled orbital-class booster recovery and making it only the second nation in the world to achieve the feat. Unlike the methods pioneered by Elon Musk’s US-based SpaceX, the Chinese rocket achieved the first-ever use of a unique sea-based, net-capture system. The 70-metre (230-foot) tall, 5-metre wide medium-lift rocket lifted off from southern China’s...

Before the “midterms”: Trump pushes members out of the independent election commission

US President Trump wants to influence the November midterm elections in favor of the Republicans. This is also noticeable in an election commission that is actually independent.

China sets July 4 precedent with US; Cathay plane triggers Nato alert: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s Xi Jinping sets new precedent with July 4 message for Trump and US In a departure from convention, Chinese leader Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the United States on Independence Day. Beijing does not usually...

Why the Philippines is losing out in Southeast Asia’s investment boom

The Philippines still lags behind its neighbours in attracting foreign direct investments (FDI) after its inflows remained stagnant in 2025, even as a financing influx swept the region. This has cast the spotlight on a corruption scandal that has roiled the country and dented investor confidence to some extent, on top of long-standing systemic issues, analysts say. Manila ranked sixth in Southeast Asia after capturing just US$9 billion of the US$244 billion capital boom last year, according to..

Nikkei, Topix,: Micron and SK Hynix fuel Asian stock exchanges

The hype about artificial intelligence is displacing concerns about the Middle East conflict. In Japan, technology stocks benefited from investment plans by US memory chip manufacturer Micron.

US lawmakers urge justice agency to fully investigate Tiananmen display break-in

The heads of a US Congressional committee and a commission focused on China have called on the Justice Department to fully investigate a break-in and reported vandalism at a California museum commemorating the Tiananmen Square crackdown. “The Justice Department and FBI should investigate vandalism at the [June 4th Memorial Museum] to protect the inalienable rights of the Chinese diaspora seeking freedom in the United States,” said a three-page letter delivered to the agency on Thursday. The note

SK Hynix: South Korean memory chip titan raises $26.5bn in the US

Planned attack?: Reports: Israel warned Trump about Iranian assassination plot

The US president describes himself as “number one on Iran’s death list”. According to reports, a close ally recently warned of concrete attack plans.

Jeff Koons: “We should use technologies for more humanity”

The US art star speaks in the Handelsblatt about art in the age of artificial intelligence, his optimism - and why he doesn't care about the record price for his sculpture "Rabbit".

‘Testing is now underway’: Zelenskyy confirms progress on major US defense deals

On the heels of a Patriot license pledge, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed progress on billion-dollar defense tech deals with the U.S.

At high-end Hong Kong hotels, rates check in above pre-pandemic highs, outpace market

Hong Kong’s luxury hotels have outpaced the city’s broader hospitality market since last year, with their room rates exceeding 2018 levels as demand recovers, according to a report by global property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). Citing official tourism figures, JLL said high-end properties were the only segment that returned to 2018’s average daily rates (ADRs) in 2025, hitting HK$2,169 (US$277) – an increase of 1 per cent from what they were charging before 2019 and during the Covid-19

Martial arts event in Washington: Attack plans for Trump's birthday: Eight men charged

Investigators are convinced that the martial arts event celebrating the US President's 80th birthday could have ended in a devastating attack. Meanwhile, the group of accused is getting bigger and bigger.

2 men sentenced for roles in trafficking fentanyl analogues from China to the US

Two men from the US state of New Jersey have been sentenced this week for their roles in a drug trafficking organisation that imported fentanyl analogues from China, the US Department of Justice said on Thursday. The fentanyl crisis in the United States has killed tens of thousands of people annually in recent years. Washington previously characterised China as the primary source of precursor chemicals used to manufacture the drug, and Beijing felt unfairly targeted over the crisis. Sean Tighe,.

Iran mourners defiant as Khamenei buried: ‘only revenge can soothe the pain’

Calling for revenge and rejecting any compromise with the West, Iranians loyal to the Islamic republic massed on Thursday late into the night for the burial of supreme leader Ali Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad, as the country traded more attacks with the US. Khamenei was buried Friday, state television reported, following a ceremony at which his son and successor was not seen. The “body of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution was buried in the memorial hall of the shrine of Imam...

Aerospace: US pilot and oldest woman in space - Wally Funk is dead

Wally Funk made space history as the oldest woman in space. The US pilot has now died at the age of 87.

Trump’s climate jibes at China and EU just make him look out of date

US President Donald Trump’s negative portrayal of China’s achievements in renewable energy began at a White House meeting with oil executives on January 9 and was amplified at the World Economic Forum later that month. The story he told was shaped more by domestic politics than fact – a narrative that has lingered through subsequent debates over China’s alleged clean-energy “overcapacity”. While such rhetoric might rally support in the American Midwest, it does not withstand scrutiny. Trump’s...

US Federal Reserve: Tech investor Marc Andreessen to lead “task force” at Fed

Five working groups are supposed to examine the functioning of the US Federal Reserve. They are headed by former central bankers, economists, the head of Xbox and the former head of Walmart.

Asian allies build up missile production as US stockpile dwindles

USDA lowers reported beef export sales by 90% amid growing doubts over data

The US Department of Agriculture dramatically lowered its reported beef export sales for late June on Thursday, sparking fresh concerns about the quality of the agency’s data after staffing losses as part of the Trump administration’s reshaping of the federal government. USDA said exporters in late June sold a net 12,064 tonnes of US beef to foreign buyers, 90 per cent lower than the volume it originally reported ‌a week ago. Traders had largely dismissed USDA’s initial report as inaccurate....

Crude Slides on Easing Tensions

Oil prices fell as traders bet the US-Iran conflict would remain limited.

Walmart targets Japanese food as US inflation brings wealthier shoppers

7-Eleven parent's net profit jumps 24%, fueled by US gasoline prices

China Walks Away From Georgia's Strategic Deep-Water Port Project

China has walked away from the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project, ending speculation over one of Georgia’s most important infrastructure projects. The Georgian government now says it wants to develop and operate the port on its own. Few infrastructure projects in the Caucasus have been as geopolitically embattled as Anaklia. The project was launched in 2016, with a consortium of Georgian and US companies taking the lead in construction. The Georgian Dream government eventually canceled the $2.5 bill

+++ Iran War +++: Iran's supreme leader Khamenei buried

US government: Technical talks with Iran continue +++ Trump talks to Netanyahu about security concerns about Turkey +++ US government circles: Agreement between Israel and Lebanon is making progress +++ The news blog.

After deadly ICE operations: After the death of migrants in the USA: Mexico announces lawsuits

A total of 17 Mexicans have died during US immigration operations or in their detention centers. Mexico is now planning legal action in the USA.

Florida airport renamed ‘Trump’ in latest push to expand his brand

A Florida airport was renamed after Donald Trump on Thursday, accelerating a push by the US president and supporters to plaster his name and image on everything from national landmarks to banknotes. The Republican leader’s son Eric celebrated by landing in the private family Boeing 757 – the so-called “Trump Force One” – at what had been known as Palm Beach International Airport for nearly half a century. “A beautiful day,” a grinning Eric Trump said on Fox News at the newly minted President...