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Multiple experts identified the presence of malware on the Pinduoduo app that exploited vulnerabilities in Android operating systems. Evidence of sophisticated malware in the Pinduoduo app comes amid intense scrutiny of Chinese-developed apps like TikTok over concerns about data security. Pinduoduo has previously rejected “the speculation and accusation that Pinduoduo app is malicious.”CNN has contacted PDD multiple times over email and phone for comment, but has not received a response. Google Play is not available in China, and Android users in the country download their apps from local stores. Engineers also found their access to big data, data sheets and the log system revoked, the source said.

☆ Airfares across Asia are sky-high this year. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But passengers in Asia Pacific are currently grappling with bigger price jumps than other regions, highlighting the uneven global recovery. Economy fares to Asia from North America and Europe are set to rise 9.5% and 9.8% this year from last year, respectively, Amex GBT forecasts show. “In the markets where restrictions have been the last to lift, and hence [flight] capacity last to be restarted, the difference in fares is the highest,” said Aitken. Despite China’s reopening, outbound flight capacity “is currently only at 15% to 20% of pre-Covid levels,” according to Trip.com (TCOM) CEO Jane Sun. The restrictions have remained, and those most heavily impacted are between Asia and North America or Europe.

☆ Emerging venture fund managers had few banking options to begin with. After Silicon Valley Bank's collapse, where do they turn now?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Melia Russell | Vishal Persaud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Silicon Valley Bank had long banked a class of startup investors known as emerging managers. He was able to quickly switch from Silicon Valley Bank with an email to his contact at AngelList. Novak is part of a contingent of investors who are shifting their banking strategy in the fallout of Silicon Valley Bank's failure. After Silicon Valley Bank's demise, the big banks have gotten more selective, the three investors said. The big banks like JPMorgan set account minimums for its private banking group, locking out emerging fund managers.

☆ Here’s how we navigated three sessions of SVB-sparked chaos and Tuesday’s bounce
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The S & P 500 climbed roughly 1% in afternoon Tuesday trading, clawing back only some of its 3.4% decline between Thursday and Monday's close. We spent Monday morning looking for things to buy in what our trusted S & P Oscillator signaled was an oversold market. In the three sessions Thursday through Monday, both stocks underperformed the S & P 500 as they fell 5.4% and 4.4%, respectively. Palo Alto didn't get either nod, but we think it's only a matter of time before its added to the index. While S & P 500 constituency wasn't in the cards this time, we will continue to add to our position into weakness.

☆ Vietnamese EV maker VinFast remains optimistic despite challenging entry to U.S. auto market
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Yu Ruidong | China News Service | Getty Imageswatch nowShe added that VinFast is entering the market "with clear approaches" such as offering premium quality and accessibility for the mass market without cutting corners in cybersecurity and functional safety. Software problems delayed deliveries of VinFast's first batch of cars to U.S. buyers from December 2022 until March 2023. VinFast cars are also currently ineligible for the $7,500 tax credit in the U.S. because they are not made in the U.S., but are made in Vietnam — which will impact their U.S. sales. While the company filed for an initial public offering in December, it has not yet launched its roadshow. "For us, it's not about raising monies but it's a lot about making the company more international and other corporate purposes and the market has been challenging as you know," said Le.

☆ Millions of Americans are facing a hunger cliff as food stamps are slashed: 'The poorer you are, the poorer you eat'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Those emergency allotments ending will leave some with hundreds less in SNAP benefits each month. Courtesy of David WelchWelch is one of the millions of Americans suddenly contending with the end of pandemic-era expanded food stamps. The emergency allotments also helped keep many out of poverty. For some, the emergency allotments meant more than just sustenance — it also meant nutrition. The recipients Insider spoke to are just a handful among the millions of people who were still receiving the emergency allotments.

☆ Amazon is the latest threat to Facebook as ad targeting suffers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

"So many people start their shopping on Amazon," Hassett said in an interview. People take selfies in front of the logo of Facebook parent company Meta on November 9, 2022 in Menlo Park, California. Liu Guanguan | China News Service | Getty ImagesFor Loftie, Amazon and Google provide better value because a shopper is showing intent by searching for a particular item. "In the near term, we expect Meta ad share to decline further in '23 given macro headwinds and the pivot to Reels," they wrote. Rachel Tipograph, CEO of marketing technology firm MikMak, said there are other unforeseen costs tied to Amazon advertising.

☆ The Covid emergency in the U.S. ends May 11. HHS officials say here's what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Liao Pan | China News Service | Getty ImagesThe Health and Human Services Department on Thursday laid out what will change and will remain the same when the three-year-long Covid public health emergency ends in May. HHS officials in call with reporters laid out what the the public can expect when the emergency ends. Immediate changes:People with private health insurance may have to pay for Covid tests, both over-the-counter and lab, depending on their plan. These protections were once tied to the public health emergency, but Congress then decided to phase them out separately. In short, states can start kicking people off Medicaid as early as April if they no longer meet eligibility requirements for the public health insurance program.

☆ Pressure on China’s factories grows as U.S. demand falls
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesBEIJING — For some factories in China, it's not full steam ahead after the end of zero-Covid. The official Lunar New Year holiday in China ended Jan. 27, but the travel period runs until Feb. 15. He expects U.S. consumer demand to pick up later this year. China's exports to the U.S. barely grew in 2022, and the U.S. economy is expected to slow further in 2023. watch nowWhen asked by CNBC in January, China's customs administration acknowledged the pressure on China's exports from slowing external demand, and noted rising risks of a global recession.

☆ 'The worst is over': Tech investors are bullish on investing in China again
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Liu Ranyang | China News Service | Getty ImagesTech investors say the worst is over as China reopens and exits its zero-Covid policy. The firm raised nearly $500 million for a new China tech fund set to close by early this year — more than earlier plans for $400 million. Tech companies see government supportInvestors are not worried of new challenges on the regulatory front. Gobi's Tang said, "I do think that they're going to do everything they can to try to spur the economic growth. "There's still a lot to catch up [in semiconductor tech] for China.

☆ ExodusPoint's 2022 struggles is a lesson for all of Wall Street: Play the hits
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I shudder to compare some of the greatest artists of our generation to a hedge fund, but I can't help but notice some similarities between their disdain for their biggest hits and ExodusPoint's difficult 2022. The hedge fund, which still holds the industry's largest launch in history, ended the year with fewer assets, employees, and PMs than it started with. The world's biggest hedge fund has a new co-CIO. Ken Griffin, the billionaire owner of hedge fund Citadel, is causing quite the stir over his suggestion that a historic home on a property he owns in Miami be relocated. The firm continues to cut back on the size of a venture-capital fund its raising, The Wall Street Journal reports, with a new goal of $5 billion.

☆ Mainland Chinese citizens are eager to travel — for the West's mRNA Covid vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Passengers prepare to enter Shenzhen through the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on the first day of the resumption of normal travel between Hong Kong and mainland China on Jan. 8, 2023 in Hong Kong. Analysts expect that the list of destinations for vaccine tourism will grow. 'Natural first destination': Hong Kong"I believe that the natural first destination of the Chinese vaccine tourism is Hong Kong. "It's been long since I went to Hong Kong. But Hong Kong won't provide free Covid vaccinations to short-term travelers.

☆ China's big consumer market isn't rebounding to pre-pandemic levels just yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

For the past six months, revenue had dropped to 30% of typical levels, Chong said. The travel season for China's big holiday runs this year from around Jan. 7 to Feb. 15. That's twice what it was last year, and 70% of 2019 levels, China's Ministry of Transport said Friday. It noted most of the trips will likely be for visiting family, while just 10% will be for leisure or business travel. By that time, people will have been able to process their passport applications, while the number of international flights may have recovered to 50% or 60% of 2019 levels, Chen said.

☆ China’s Covid wave threatens another snarl of U.S. medical supply chain
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Shannon-Pettypiece-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Shannon Pettypiece | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

“We’re looking a lot for potential early warning signs in the medical supply chain for any kinds of disruptions,” said an administration official. “One major concern throughout the entire pandemic has been that because of China’s zero Covid policy, shutdowns greatly reduced manufacturing capacity in China. Despite efforts over the past two years by the Biden administration to bolster the country’s domestic medical supply chain, the complexity, costs and regulations involved in health care manufacturing has limited companies’ ability to shift production. I think that would be a natural response,” said Douglas Kent, executive vice president of corporate and strategic alliances at the Association for Supply Chain Management. Health care officials say they hope that the U.S. is in a better place to withstand any shocks from China.

The officials said the Biden administration was considering steps similar to those already taken by Japan, which said Tuesday that all travelers from mainland China would be tested on arrival, and Malaysia, which has stepped up tracking and surveillance of travelers from China. Taiwan also said Wednesday that travelers from mainland China would have to take a PCR test on arrival, with those who test positive allowed to isolate at home. Last week, India said it would make virus testing mandatory for travelers arriving from China as well as Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. Any restrictions would be applied to all travelers coming from China, regardless of nationality, the U.S. officials said. Earlier this month, China abruptly eased its “zero-Covid” approach following mass protests, scrapping domestic rules and lifting quarantine requirements for those traveling to China.

☆ China adds billions to its 2021 GDP estimate, but its economy is facing a big test this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2021 was over half a trillion yuan more than initially calculated, official data revealed Tuesday. The update comes at a time the world’s second-largest economy faces severe strain from an unprecedented wave of Covid infections sweeping the country. The new data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows the nation’s economy grew 8.4% in 2021 from a year earlier, higher than the 8.1% initially reported. Per the revised figures, China’s GDP reached 114.92 trillion yuan ($16.52 trillion) last year, up 556.7 billion yuan ($80 billion) from the previous estimate. Revisions to initial estimates of GDP are common in many economies, mainly because of the large amount of information used in data construction.

☆ China steps up support for private sector to boost Covid-hit economy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing has vowed to go all out next year to save its Covid-hit economy by boosting consumption and loosening control over private industry, including the struggling tech and property sectors. Covid infections are surging in China after leaders unexpectedly eased its restrictive Covid policy earlier this month. Stabilizing economic growth is the top priority for 2023, according to an official readout following the conclusion of the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC), a key annual meeting of top leaders, which ended Friday. “We need to encourage and support the private sector economy and private enterprise in terms of policy and public opinion,” the statement said. A shopping mall is decorated with rabbit stickers to welcome the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Rabbit, on December 10, 2022 in Beijing, China.

☆ Elon Musk's Crackdown at Twitter Offers Hope to Fellow Tech Founders
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

But there's one group, almost unnoticed in the midst of the online firestorm, that has been cheering Musk on from the sidelines: other tech executives. To some founders, Musk is simply a monstrous version of the executive they wish they could be. Musk is getting rid of perks like free meals in the Twitter cafeteria — and other tech executives are taking note. Musk's slash-and-burn approach gives tech executives cover for making unpopular decisions. But now, as tech companies cut back to prepare for a recession, the "rough waters out there" have forced his staff to "reevaluate" their demands.

☆ New Covid model predicts over 1 million deaths in China through 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

According to the group's projections, cases in China would peak around April 1, when deaths would reach 322,000. About a third of China's population will have been infected by then, IHME Director Christopher Murray said. China's national health authority has not reported any official Covid deaths since the lifting of Covid restrictions. China's zero-Covid policy may have been effective at keeping earlier variants of the virus at bay, but the high transmissibility of Omicron variants made it impossible to sustain, he said. Based on China's population of 1.41 billion, and without measures such as a mass vaccination booster campaign, that amounts to 964,400 deaths.

☆ Manufacturing orders from China down 40% in unrelenting demand collapse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. manufacturing orders in China are down 40 percent, according to the latest CNBC Supply Chain Heat Map data. HLS expects most carriers to extend their West Coast rates until December 14, holding at $1,300-$1,400 per forty-foot equivalent containers (FEU). The 2M Alliance of Maersk and MSC has suspended almost half of its U.S. West Coast services for December. is also impacting Vietnam, which has been booming as a manufacturing hub as more trade moved away from China. Canceled ocean sailings bound for Vietnam are up 50% for December.

☆ Cristiano Ronaldo denies he swore at Portugal coach over substitution
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain, said the comments he made as he left the field in the 65th minute were in fact aimed at a South Korean player. “What happened was before my substitution, the South Korea player told me to get off quickly. The 37-year-old is seeking to equal the Portuguese record of most World Cup goals held by Eusebio, who racked up nine in 1966 in England, the only World Cup tournament he played in. Fu Tian/China News Service/Getty ImagesSantos, asked by reporters about the substitution incident, also said a South Korean player had been aggressive in his comments towards the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. We wanted to go through with a win, we wanted to go through playing good football to keep boosting our confidence,” Santos said.

☆ Hong Kong's Hang Seng had its best month since 1998, but remains in bear market territory
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Strategists at Goldman Sachs said from February 2021 to October 2022, the Hang Seng index saw a "systemic correction," which the firm defines as a fall of 40% or more. Next key levelsAnalysts at Weiss Multi-Strategy Advisers said, "November may, in hindsight, be viewed as a key turning point for Chinese equities," noting the Hang Seng China Enterprise index and the property sector saw significant gains. After its November gains, the Hang Seng index hovered around 18,600 – a level of resistance according to market watchers. "With the 18,600 level of resistance being overcome for the Hang Seng Index, that could seem to place the key psychological 20,000 level on watch," IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong said in a Thursday note. The HSI last fell below the 20,000 level in August, and analysts expect to see a continued rebound in the equity market on further signs that the nation will shift away from zero-Covid.

☆ Noom sells psychology-driven weight loss — but former employees say they were unprepared for and overwhelmed by users' eating disorders, depression, and trauma
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Before joining Noom, users fill out a questionnaire asking about what diet programs or mental health apps they've used in the past. Very overly optimistic and happy, doesn't acknowledge what I'm really saying," one Noom user wrote on Reddit. Some of the coaches Insider interviewed said they were interacting with Noom users within two weeks of starting. Emotional bandwidthRachel Clair was hired as a Noom coach in 2018, at a time when the coaching staff grew from 60 to about 200. Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty ImagesIn October, 500 more Noom coaches were abruptly called into a virtual meeting and laid off.

☆ China's 'social credit' system ranks citizens and punishes them with throttled internet speeds and flight bans if the Communist Party deems them untrustworthy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Katie Canales | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Since China doesn't have a central social credit system, many local government agencies have been experimenting with what the system could look like. But the plan is for the social credit system to eventually be mandatory and unified across the nation, with each person given their own unique code used to measure their social credit score in real-time, per Wired. In fact, a national social credit system is currently being proposed. Companies will also be at risk if China passes on its Establishment of the Social Credit System law. Citizens with good social credit can also get discounts on energy bills, rent things without deposits, and get better interest rates at banks.

☆ Ray Dalio says none of China's new leadership team appear to be 'extremists'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, received an award from the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA in February 2022. China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesBEIJING — American billionaire Ray Dalio said while he's far less familiar with China's new leadership team than prior officials, he expects worries about their future policies are overdone. Here are the highlights:China's leadership reshuffle"I want to emphasize that none of the new people appear to be extremists," Dalio said. Dalio said the leadership changes mean most of the people he knew who were "reformist-globalists" are being replaced. This week, Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden met in person for the first time since Biden took office.

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