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☆ Shadow bank Zhongzhi files for bankruptcy as China's debt and property crisis deepens
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shadow banks in China operate by pooling household and corporate savings to offer loans to invest in real estate, stocks, bonds, and commodities. Companies such as Zhongzhi have often financed many large Chinese property developers. Hong Kong listed shares of property firms including Logan Group, China Vanke, Sunac and Longfor Group dropped between 2% and 3.6%. More pain for shadow banks? China's government has in the last few years tried to limit the rapid growth of non-bank debt issued by shadow banks.

Persons: Zhongzhi, Commerzbank, Zerlina Zeng, CNBC's Organizations: Zhongzhi Enterprise, Reuters, Beijing, CSI, Logan Group, Longfor, CreditSights Locations: HANGZHOU, CHINA, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, Hong Kong

☆ Evergrande shares rise over 9% as court hearing to wind up property firm is postponed again
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

NANJING, CHINA - AUGUST 18, 2023 - Aerial photo shows a residential area of Evergrande in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Aug 18, 2023. The firm was originally scheduled to face a Hong Kong court hearing on Monday over a petition from a creditor seeking to wind up the company. Shares of Evergrande Group rose over 9% as the beleaguered Chinese property firm's court hearing over its possible liquidation was postponed to Jan. 29, 2024. Top Shine, an investor in Evergrande unit Fangchebao, had filed a petition in June 2022 seeking to wind up the property firm. The agency, however, reported that creditors were unlikely to accept Evergrande's new proposal, given low recovery prospects and growing concerns about its future.

Persons: Linda Chan Organizations: Getty, Hong, Bloomberg, Reuters, Hong Kong, Evergrande, New Energy Vehicle Group Locations: NANJING, CHINA, Evergrande, Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu, Hong Kong, Hong Kong's

An electronic board shows Shanghai and Shenzhen stock indexes, at the Lujiazui financial district in Shanghai, China October 25, 2022. But the extent of the political and economic jitters merely mirrors other signs of a long-term China exit well beyond portfolio flows. Earlier this month, China recorded its first-ever quarterly deficit in "bricks and mortar" foreign direct investment (FDI). What's more, a multi-year aversion to China investments then risks colliding with deteriorating long-term economic growth dynamics - heightened by rising youth unemployment and dire demographics. Despite some recent upgrades of China growth forecasts, yet another business survey this week raised red flags.

Persons: Aly, Gina Raimondo, Nicholas Lardy, Xi, Lardy, What's, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, Mike Dolan, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Official Monetary, Financial, Reuters, . Commerce, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Shenzhen, China, OMFIF, Europe, North America, India, Brazil, Beijing, U.S, Washington, San Francisco

☆ Toyota partially halts output at Tianjin plant in China - Jiji
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Toyota Motor (7203.T) is partially suspending production at its plant in Tianjin, China, the Jiji news service reported on Friday, as global automakers face strong sales competition in the world's top auto market. A spokesperson for Toyota China did not immediately comment on the report. A representative for FAW (SASACJ.UL), Toyota's joint venture (JV) in the Tianjin plant, said he was not immediately able to comment. Reuters reported last month that Toyota has told dealers it will extend a plan to reduce output at its JV with FAW in China. Its sales and production in China over that period slipped compared to 2022 amid the rising competition.

Persons: Johanna Geron, Jiji, Daniel Leussink, Rocky Swift, Brenda Goh, Edmund Klamann, Christina Fincher Organizations: Toyota, REUTERS, Rights, Toyota China, FAW, Reuters, JV, Lexus, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Thomson Locations: Zaventem, Belgium, Tianjin, China, Europe, North America, Tokyo, Shanghai

U.S. officials, after learning about the plot in late July, demanded that India investigate, a senior administration official said. High-level meetings and pledges of closer cooperation have continued, with Biden's secretaries of state and defense visiting Delhi this month. A senior U.S. administration official called the assassination plot a "serious matter" and said Washington expects India to stop such activities, even as the Biden administration pursues "an ambitious agenda to expand our cooperation" with India. Biden has made a priority of nurturing ties with India, hoping to counter China’s ambitions in Asia while drawing India away from Russia as the U.S. seeks to isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. "Both the U.S. and India realize that they need each other, perhaps the U.S. a bit more than India."

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Nikhil Gupta, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Biden, Modi, Lisa Curtis, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada’s, Happymon Jacob, Richard Rossow, Ashley Tellis, David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, Krishn Kaushik, Jonathan Landay, Trevor Hunnicutt, Don Durfee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Eisenhower, White, REUTERS, Rights, Federal, New, New York City, Indian, White House, CIA, Washington, South, National Security Council, Canada, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Washington's Center, Strategic, International Studies, Biden Administration, Carnegie Endowment, International, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, India, Washington , U.S, U.S, China, Manhattan, New York, New Delhi, Delhi, The U.S, Central Asia, Asia, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, York, Canada, Vancouver suburb, Gujarat

REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, no longer welcome in Western concert halls since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was named on Friday as director of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre. After performing for decades on the world's biggest classical stages, Gergiev has been shunned in the West since the start of the war in February 2022. The following month he was fired as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra after the city's mayor said Gergiev had declined to "clearly and unambiguously" distance himself from the invasion. Gergiev, also a former principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, has long been controversial outside Russia because of his support for President Vladimir Putin. He spoke out in favour of Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014.

Persons: Valery Gergiev, Lisi Niesner, Gergiev, Vladimir Urin, Urin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, we're, we've, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, REUTERS, Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, Munich, Orchestra, Bolshoi, London Symphony Orchestra, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Russian, Vienna, Austria, Ukraine, St Petersburg, West, Russia, Crimea, Palmyra, Syria, Islamic State, China

☆ Huawei is pushing its tech into the EV world with new cars, automaker partnerships
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Changan and Huawei are already partners for the Avatr electric car brand, created in 2018 with electric car battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology . Huawei is also working with Chery on the Luxeed electric car brand, which revealed details for its S7 sedan on Tuesday. BAIC, whose Arcfox electric brand already uses Huawei tech, and JAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tencent , which operates China's social media app WeChat, has claimed it supplies BMW and some other automakers with car tech. Selling a suite of car tech products called "Huawei Inside," while the automaker designs the vehicle.

Persons: JAC, Richard Yu, BAIC, Tu Le, It's, Huawei's Yu Organizations: Getty, Nurphoto, Huawei, Changan Automobile, Technology, Chery, BAIC, BMW Locations: SHANGHAI, CHINA, Shanghai, China, BEIJING, Beijing, U.S

☆ North Korean special economic zone poised for revival in new Russia trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

China accounted for 97% of North Korea's overall trade in 2022, according to South Korea's Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). But Russia resumed oil exports to North Korea in December 2022 and had exported 67,300 barrels of refined petroleum to North Korea by April, United Nations data shows, the first such shipments reported since 2020. "Assuming North Korea and Russia's honeymoon period becomes a long one, North Korea could get Russian support on food, energy and infrastructure through Rason," Cho said. Those ships are suspected of military supplies from North Korea to Russia, the reports said. From Rason's port, North Korea has sent Russia an estimated 2,000 containers suspected of carrying artillery shells, and possibly short-range missiles, South Korean military officials have told reporters.

Persons: Rason, Jeong Eunlee, Jeong, Lee Chan, Cho Sung, Cho, Alexander Kozlov, Chung Songhak, Chung, Kim Jong Un, Kozlov, Kim Il Sung, Abraham Choi, Choi, Rason . Lee, Lee, Josh Smith, Gleb Stolyarov, Gerry Doyle Organizations: North, South, Korea Institute for National Unification, Russian Federal Customs Service, South Korea's Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency, United, Teikyo University, North Korean, Korean, Kremlin, Korea Institute for Security, South Korea's National Institute for Unification Education, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Korean, Russia, Ukraine, China, North Korea, Rason, Korea, South Korea’s, Russian, South Korea's Korea, United Nations, Tokyo, South Korean, Pyongyang, Rason's, Soviet, North, South

☆ Southeast Asia is on the cusp of a 'supercharged' digital payments revolution, PwC says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Widespread mobile ownership, together with rapid digitalization after the pandemic, helped spur the expansion of digital financial services in Southeast Asia, said PwC. PwC"This enhanced availability and convenience of digital payments will see the bulk of the regional population leveraging mainstream digital financial products, such as e-wallets, further expediting the expansion of financial services," said PwC. watch now"Consumers are adopting digital financial services at a rapid pace. Cash is no longer king, as digital payments now make up more than 50% of the region's transactions," a recent Google, Temasek and Bain & Company report wrote. "In some regions such as Southeast Asia, [digital payments via e-wallets] are already more common than physical card payments and set to dominate point-of-sale [systems] overall," wrote Dan Jones and Alex Walker of OliverWyman.

Persons: PwC, hawkers, —, Cash, Dan Jones, Alex Walker of OliverWyman Organizations: Banking, Getty, Careem, Mercado Libre, Temasek, Bain & Company Locations: China, East Asia, Shanghai, Banking Asia, Asia, Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Paytm, India, AliPay, Latin America

☆ ByteDance to wind down Nuverse in full retreat from gaming -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office building in Shanghai, China, July 4, 2023. The Chinese technology firm has no plan to return to the $185 billion global video games market, said the people, who declined to be identified as the information is not public. Casual gaming brand Ohayoo, whose games feature on Douyin - TikTok's sister app in China - will not be affected, neither will casual games that run on TikTok, one of the people said. ByteDance's 2019 creation of Nuverse was widely seen as a major push into global gaming and a strategic element of its competition with domestic rival Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), the world's biggest gaming company. Nuverse came into focus again in 2021 when ByteDance formalised its status as one of its six business units under a broader structural overhaul.

Persons: Aly, Will, ByteDance, Pico, Nuverse, Josh Ye, Brenda Goh, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Moonton Technology, Tencent Holdings, HK, C4games, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG

Some oil and gas companies have so far participated in voluntary programs to monitor or reduce their methane emissions. Last year's methane emissions from the energy industry totaled some 135 million metric tons, slightly higher than the year before. Climate experts say that including methane efforts in a legally binding summit agreement is a priority. That means that reining in methane emissions can have a more immediate impact in limiting climate change. Countries and philanthropies previously have pledged roughly $200 million for tackling methane – less than 2% of all current climate financing.

Persons: Rachel Kyte, Rick Duke, Mark Brownstein, Durwood Zaelke, Valerie Volcovici, Sarah McFarlane, Kate Abnett, Katy Daigle, Josie Kao Organizations: Reuters, Clean Air Task Force, U.S, United Arab, The, Bank, Environmental Defense Fund, Institute for Governance, Sustainable Development, D.C, EU, Thomson Locations: EU, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Turkmenistan, The UAE, U.S, China, Canada, COP28, Washington, London, Brussels

SummaryCompanies European Investment Bank poll of 30,000 people globally60% of EU citizens back paying compensationU.S. support at 63%, China at 74%, Japan at 72%SINGAPORE, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Citizens in Europe, the United States, China and Japan believe their countries should compensate poorer nations to help address the impact of climate change, a European Investment Bank poll of more than 30,000 people shared with Reuters showed. The fifth annual climate survey conducted by the bank revealed a broad global consensus to fund the fight against climate change, even if it means higher taxes and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies. "The latest EIB Climate Survey underlines people's profound awareness of climate change and their commitment to tackle it head on," said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. [1/2]Children are seen during climate march prior to the opening session of the COP23 UN Climate Change Conference 2017 in Bonn, Germany, November 6, 2017. Respondents from around the world ranked climate change as one of the world's three biggest challenges, along with the rising cost of living and income equality.

Persons: Ambroise Fayolle, Fayolle, Wolfgang Rattay, Simon Jessop, Franklin Paul Organizations: European Investment Bank, Reuters, REUTERS, European Union, United, Franklin Paul Our, Thomson Locations: China, Japan, SINGAPORE, Europe, United States, Bonn, Germany, Dubai, COP28, India

☆ Fidelity raises $700 mln in its first bond mutual fund in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SHANGHAI/SINGAPORE, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Fidelity International has garnered 5 billion yuan ($700 million) from investors for its first fixed income mutual fund in China, deepening the asset manager's involvement in the $3.8 trillion mutual fund market. The bond fund - Fidelity's second mutual fund product in China - raised the sum mainly from institutional investors in a three-week, shortened subscription period, the money manager said. China's mutual fund industry is crowded with over 150 players, including foreign ones such as BlackRock (BLK.N), Schroders (SDR.L) and JPMorgan Asset Management. "The fundraising size is rather encouraging," due to tough competition in the local market and Fidelity's limited track record in China, said Huang, who heads Fidelity International's two-year-old China mutual fund unit. Fidelity International was formerly the international investment arm of Boston-based Fidelity Investments before being spun off.

Persons: Helen Huang, Huang, Neuberger Berman, ASIFMA, Li Gu, Samuel Shen, Tom Westbrook, Muralikumar Organizations: Fidelity International, Reuters, Fidelity, JPMorgan Asset Management, Fidelity Investments, Regulators, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, SINGAPORE, China, BlackRock, Boston, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore

☆ O'Sullivan threatens to quit if not allowed to play in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The 47-year-old Englishman risks sanctions from the World Snooker Tour if he misses events to participate in tournaments in China. When I go to China I play in great venues, great crowds, great prize money. "If that gets to the point where I'm not able to do that or I'm not allowed to do that, then I probably won't play. I'll probably go and play Chinese 8 ball (pool) because I still want to play snooker. Reuters has contacted the World Snooker Tour for comment.

Persons: Ronnie O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan, I'm, Aadi Nair, Ed Osmond Organizations: European Masters, BBC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Bolton, Bengaluru

☆ Volkswagen begins operating first wholly owned battery pack plant in China - local govt
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A Volkswagen logo is seen during the New York International Auto Show, in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) has begun operating its first wholly owned battery pack production plant in China in eastern Anhui province's capital Hefei city, the local Hefei government said on Tuesday. Volkswagen Anhui will also begin mass-production of pure electric models based on the MEB platform by the end of 2023, the government said. Total investment in the battery pack plant amounts to 1.5 billion yuan ($208.01 million), it added. ($1 = 7.2111 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Muralikumar Organizations: New York, REUTERS, Rights, Volkswagen, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Rights BEIJING, China, Anhui, Hefei, Volkswagen Anhui

☆ Son bags double for South Korea as top sides win in Asian qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Michael Church | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japan, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia all won, while Kuwait and North Korea scored a flurry of goals en route to victories. Australia and Palestine players stood for a minute's silence ahead of their game, which was played in Kuwait due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Son was in top form as South Korea completed back-to-back wins at the start of their challenge for a place at the 2026 finals. Players held a minute's silence ahead of kickoff before Souttar scored the game's only goal with an 18th-minute header. Kuwait, meanwhile, thrashed Afghanistan 4-0 away to move into second place in Group A behind Qatar.

Persons: Korea's Son Heung, Min, Tingshu Wang, Ueda, Heung, Son, Yan Junling, Lee Kang, Jung Seung, Yan, Thais, Suphanat Mueanta, Mano Polking's, Ayase Ueda, Hajime Moriyasu's, Jong Il Gwan, Harry Souttar, Kuwait's Jaber Al, Souttar, Oston Orunov, Igor Sergeev, Mohanad Ali, Jesus Casas, Darren Lok, Amadoni Kamolov, Saudi Arabia's Saleh Al Shehri, Jordan, Abdalla, Ali Mabkhout, Michael Church, Angelica Medina, Toby Davis Organizations: Soccer Football, AFC, Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, REUTERS, China, Japan, North Korea, Thailand, Singapore, North, Syrians, Syria, Palestine, Ahmad, Iraq, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, United, Bahrain, Thomson Locations: China, Republic of Korea, Shenzhen, Republic, Korea's, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, Korea, Myanmar, Syria Australia, Palestine, HONG KONG, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, North, Israel, Syria, Jeddah, North Korea, Yangon, Australia's, Gaza, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Iran, Hong Kong, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Manila, Oman, India, Yemen, Nepal, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Islamabad, Saudi, Afghanistan

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he walks with U.S. President Joe Biden at Filoli estate on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Woodside, California, U.S., November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO/HONG KONG, Nov 16 (Reuters) - When Chinese President Xi Jinping met executives for dinner on Wednesday night in San Francisco, he was greeted with not one, but three standing ovations from the U.S. business community. All three were outcomes the United States had sought from China rather than the other way around, said two people briefed on the trip. Biden administration officials have acknowledged that creating functional military relations won't be as easy as semi-regular meetings between defense officials. That's not going to be a favor to us," one senior Biden administration told Reuters in October in the run-up to the Xi-Biden meeting.

Persons: Xi, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Xi Jinping, Alexander Neill, Biden, Nancy Pelosi's, hotlines, Craig Singleton, That's, China's, Drew Thompson, Vladimir Putin, it's, Li Mingjiang, Michael Martina, Greg Torode, Trevor Hunnicutt, Antoni Slodkowski, Laurie Chen, Don Durfee, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, United States, Communist Party, Hawaii's, Commerce Department, Biden, Republican, ., Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Reuters, Pentagon, National University of Singapore, Analysts, Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Thomson Locations: Filoli, Asia, Woodside , California, U.S, HONG KONG, San Francisco, United States, United, China, Beijing, Chinese, Taiwan, Washington, Russia, Singapore

☆ China's Moore Threads valued at $3.4 bln in funding before U.S. curbs - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The month before Moore Threads had raised roughly 1 billion yuan in a so-called "series B+" round, one of the sources said. Investors priced Moore at 24 billion yuan prior to the capital raise, and around 24.8 billion yuan after the injection of new capital, said the other source, who had been briefed about the fundraising progress in September. On Tuesday, updates to Moore Threads' company registration data on third-party database Qichacha showed it added new shareholders including a fund called Houxue Qingxin and venture investment firm Chenan Zhizhi alongside an increase in its registered capital. It was widely considered one of China's most prominent efforts to develop products capable of competing with those from market-dominating Nvidia. ($1 = 7.2482 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, Moore, Chenan, ByteDance, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Reuters, Nvidia, AMD, China Mobile, Sequoia Capital, Beijing, Thomson Locations: China, Rights BEIJING, U.S, Sequoia Capital China

The two leaders, who will meet on the sidelines of a summit of Asian-Pacific leaders, last spoke a year ago. Both men are seeking to show the world that while the U.S. and China are economic competitors, they are not locked in a winner-take-all faceoff with global implications. Their relationship has been increasingly defined by differences over export controls, Taiwan and the conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. Xi, meanwhile, is looking for assurances from Biden that the U.S. will not support Taiwan independence, start a new cold war or suppress China’s economic growth. “It is reported he’s very worried about the negative opinion of China in the United States,” Schumer said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi, Biden, John Kirby, “, We’re, ” Kirby, He's, Chuck Schumer, ” Schumer, Sagar Meghani Organizations: FRANCISCO, U.S, Economic Cooperation, White, Tuesday, National, State Department, APEC, Monetary Fund, Labor Department, Biden, Associated Press Locations: China, U.S, Iran, Taiwan, California, Asia, San Francisco, East, Europe, Tehran, Israel, Washington, Beijing, “, United States

☆ German economy, auto sector face risks from exposure to China, fund manager says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Christoph Steitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view shows the flags of China and Germany at a booth of a German automaker at the Auto Shanghai show, in Shanghai, China, April 19, 2023. That poses a dilemma for the German government, which is actively trying to get companies to derisk from China, the world's second-largest economy. The fund manager said it was striking that German companies are also increasingly relocating research and development activities to China, while others did the opposite for security reasons. Union Investment holds stakes in virtually all German blue-chip companies, including German carmakers Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE) and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) as well as BASF (BASFn.DE), which all have major ties and exposure to the Chinese economy. The exposure means that German carmakers are facing risks such as being squeezed out of the Chinese market as well as seeing increased Asian competition in Europe, the fund manager said.

Persons: Aly, Christoph Steitz, Paul Simao Organizations: Auto, REUTERS, Rights, Union Investment, Reuters, Investment, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Benz, BASF, Thomson Locations: China, Germany, Auto Shanghai, Shanghai, Japan, South Korea, United States, derisk, German, Europe, Berlin, Beijing

☆ China's unfinished property projects are 20 times the size of Country Garden
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

HANGZHOU, CHINA - NOVEMBER 15, 2023 - An aerial photo shows a new property under construction in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, Nov 15, 2023. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)BEIJING — The size of unfinished, pre-sold homes in China is about 20 times the size of property developer Country Garden as of the end of 2022, according to a Nomura report on Wednesday. "We estimate that there are around 20 million units of unconstructed and delayed pre-sold homes," said Nomura's Chief China Economist Ting Lu and a team. About 3.2 trillion yuan ($440 billion) is needed to complete those remaining units, according to the analysts' estimates. Ensuring construction of the homes has been a government priority since delays make people less willing to buy new apartments.

Persons: Nomura, Ting Lu Organizations: National Bureau, Statistics, Publishing, Getty Images, U.S, Bloomberg News, China Locations: HANGZHOU, CHINA, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, BEIJING

☆ China retail sales, industrial data grow faster than expected in October
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China on Wednesday reported better-than-expected retail sales and industrial data for October, while the real estate drag worsened. Retail sales grew by 7.6% last month from a year ago, above the 7% growth forecast by a Reuters poll. watch nowWithin retail sales, sports and other leisure entertainment products saw sales surge by 25.7% in October from a year ago, the data showed. The International Monetary Fund last week cited Beijing's policy announcements as a reason to raise its China growth forecast for the year to 5.4%. Real estate and related sectors have accounted for about a quarter of China's gross domestic product.

Persons: Gita Gopinath Organizations: Getty, Nurphoto, Retail, Reuters, Investment, National Bureau of Statistics, Catering, Monetary Fund, IMF, CNBC, UBS Locations: CHONGQING, CHINA, Chongqing, China, BEIJING, Beijing

Liu got the librarian job after a government-led campaign to secure temporary work for graduates, which analysts describe as a short-term solution to preserve social stability in a slowing economy with little on offer for young Chinese. Such "welfare jobs," as they are known in China, include roles as receptionists, office administrators, security guards and community workers. Various government institutions offer such jobs every year, but they had usually drawn applications from disadvantaged groups, such as elderly or disabled people. But state media editorials have also encouraged young graduates to take lower skilled jobs. Reuters GraphicsThe total take-up of short-term jobs and internships remains unknown, but social media posts commenting on the selection process and discussing career options are frequent and analysts expect such roles will be in demand in a slowing economy.

Persons: Peter Liu, Liu, Wang Jun, joblessness, Mao Zedong, Chen, Graphics Liu, Kripa Jayaram, Ellen Zhang, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Reuters, Human Resources, Social Security, Huatai Asset Management, Graphics, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, HONG KONG, Beijing, Henan, China, Chongqing

☆ Brawn relives highs and lows of his team's 2009 fairytale
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Formula One - F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai, China - 6/4/17 - Formula One Managing Director of Motorsports Ross Brawn walks at the Shanghai International Circuit ahead of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix. The story has now been re-told in a four-part series 'Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story' on Disney+, with Hollywood A-lister Keanu Reeves the host and narrator. They had no engine to power the car until Mercedes, with the help of then-McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh, came to the rescue. "We had that wonderful period at the beginning (of 2009) when everyone assumed it was a slam dunk, you know? Brawn, a Formula One employee, avoided comment on that situation with the steady hand of a man who has steered his own ship through far choppier waters.

Persons: Motorsports Ross Brawn, Aly, Ross Brawn, Jenson Button, lister Keanu Reeves, Brawn, Mercedes, Martin Whitmarsh, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Andretti, Alan Baldwin, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Prix, Motorsports, Shanghai, Circuit, Brawn, Disney, Hollywood, Ferrari, Honda, Reuters, Mercedes, McLaren, General Motors, FIA, Formula, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Britain, Paris

☆ Xiaomi claims a record $3.11 billion in Singles Day sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese smartphone and consumer electronics company Xiaomi claimed record sales across platforms during the Singles Day shopping festival. For a second-straight year, the two online shopping giants declined to share total figures for the Singles Day shopping festival. That's the same figure JD shared for Singles Day results in 2021. The company also claimed first place in different categories of Chinese brands' smartphone sales across other online shopping platforms. In 2022, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Alibaba had said its Singles Day sales were "in line" with the prior year, which had recorded the equivalent of $84.54 billion GMV at the time.

Persons: Xiaomi, JD.com, JD, Alibaba, Tmall Organizations: Getty, Nurphoto, Apple, HSBC, Bain and Company Locations: YICHANG, CHINA, Yichang, Hubei province, China, BEIJING, Hong Kong, Alibaba, 2023e, 2024e

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