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☆ Nature inFocus Photography Awards: Gripping images from Indian prize look at the bigger picture
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Flo Cornall | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A peckish tiger lunching on a softshell turtle, an ant snacking on honeydew, and a pair of glittery slug moth larva are just a handful of scenes depicted in the winning images from the Nature inFocus Photography Awards 2023. Nature and wildlife storytelling platform Nature inFocus runs the competition. Among the winning images is a photostory focusing on the devastation facing the intricate mangrove forests of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, India. Other winning images include rarer wildlife sightings, such as a pair of agitated mountain goats locking horns in a cinematic rocky landscape. Amit Eshel/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography AwardsAccording to the IUCN, the Nubian ibex is a vulnerable species – facing threats from agriculture to extreme weather.

Persons: ”, Rohit Varma, Srikanth Mannepuri, Mannepuri, Amit Eshel, Jo, Anne McArthur, McArthur, Varma Organizations: CNN, “, IUCN Locations: India, Bangalore, Andhra Pradesh

☆ Global investors skip Ant’s buyback after valuation slumps 70% - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign of Antchain, the blockchain technology branch under Ant Group, is seen at Ant Group's booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, July 8, 2021. REUTERS/Yilei Sun/File PhotoAug 7 (Reuters) - A number of global investors are opting out of Ant Group's (688688.SS) proposed share buyback after the Chinese fintech's valuation was slashed by more than 70%, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. However, a few money managers, including Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price Group, have agreed to sell their shares, the report added. In July, Ant Group announced a surprise share buyback of up to 7.6% of its equity interest at a price that represents a group valuation of about 567.1 billion yuan ($78.68 billion). Ant Group, Warburg Pincus, GIC, Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price Group did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

Persons: Ant Group's, Warburg Pincus, Rowe Price, Nilutpal, Varun Organizations: Ant, Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, Yilei, Bloomberg, Plan Investment, Carlyle Group, Fidelity Investments, Rowe Price Group, Ant Group, GIC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Canada, Bengaluru

☆ Meet a 27-year-old concierge at the Four Seasons hotel catering to VIP guests paying up to $25,000 a night
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The queen ant in this metaphor is 27-year-old guest relations manager Jessica Waddy, whose job revolves around the hotel's high-profile guests and their countless needs. The cellar level of the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. The Empire Suite at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, with rates starting at $25,000 a night. Courtesy of the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. The needs of high-profile guests are listed on a "rider," a document that's typically multiple pages long and attached to their hospitality contract.

Persons: Jessica Waddy, Waddy, There's, Hannah Towey, willy nilly, it's, Jason Jean, It's, Jessica, Carbone Organizations: Morning, Hotel, Monday, Vogue, Polo Bar Locations: New York, York Downtown, Staten Island, Queens

☆ Hollywood is helping boost the economy as fans flock to 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer,' and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and "Barbenheimer" have been key drivers of consumer spending this year. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" has also boosted theaters that are still struggling post-pandemic. "'Barbenheimer' likely drove the continued surge in year-on-year entertainment spending growth," analysts Shruti Mishra and Aditya Bhave wrote in a note. Nintendo/Universal"The Super Mario Bros. Bringing some more optimism to global economies is "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" — an animated adaptation of the Nintendo video game.

Persons: Taylor, Mario, quieten, hasn't, Swift, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Taylor Swift, Taylor Hill, Jamie Cox, Covid, Cox, Shruti Mishra, Aditya Bhave, Greta Gerwig's, Zelda Organizations: Mario Bros, Service, Hollywood, Federal Reserve, Institute, Harris Financial Group, Bank of America, AMC, Nintendo Locations: Wall, Silicon, Cincinnati , Ohio, what's, Philadelphia

Here are the meanings of the least-found words that were used in (mostly) recent Times articles. regulations define milk as a “lacteal secretion” obtained by milking “one or more healthy cows.” — Got Almond Milk? Those chemicals, the researchers said, may be especially irritating to the lungs and can cause damage when inhaled. — Dozens of Young People Hospitalized for Breathing and Lung Problems After Vaping (Aug. 14, 2019)3. titmice — any of several small birds:But enterprising birds can be mischievous. Like the titmice and other Parids that steal hair from dogs, raccoons and even humans, probably to fortify their nests.

Persons: lacteal, acetal, Duke, Young, —, unceded —, ecocide ”, ”, Vergollo, — Michael Batayeh, trimaran, Barth, Erick Clement, “, ” — Alexander Toradze Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, Yale, Art Schools, Johnsons, Racing Locations: New, Hudson, St

☆ CNBC's top 200 global fintech companies: The complete list
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

From China's Ant Group to Sweden's Klarna, here is the complete list of the world's top 200 fintech companies. CNBC partnered with independent research firm Statista to establish a transparent overview of the top fintech companies. Statista analyzed over 1,500 firms across nine different market segments, evaluating each one against a set of key performance indicators, including revenue, user numbers, and total funding raised. The final list includes some of the biggest companies in the sector — Ant Group, Tencent, PayPal, Stripe, Klarna and Revolut — as well as several up-and-coming startups seeking to mold the future of financial services. The categories include:NeobankingDigital paymentsDigital assetsDigital financial planningDigital wealth managementAlternate financingAlternate lendingDigital banking solutionsDigital business solutionsYou can search by country, category, or company name to see which firms made the cut.

Persons: Statista, Revolut — Organizations: CNBC, Tencent, PayPal, Neobanking, Digital

Companies Standard Chartered PLC FollowJuly 31 (Reuters) - China's Ant Group and Standard Chartered (STAN.L) said on Monday they will work together in green finance and global fund management, broadening their existing partnership. The deal is the first high-profile tie-up between Ant and a major foreign bank since authorities cancelled a planned mega-IPO by the fintech giant in 2020. StanChart will help Ant build "an industry-leading global liquidity and foreign exchange management structure", they said in a joint statement. They also plan to enhance collaboration in environmental, social and governance, digital innovation and inclusive finance, the statement said. Ant also hired StanChart as one of the lead arrangers and book runners for the $6.5 billion sustainability-linked syndicated loan it took out last year.

Persons: StanChart, Ant, Roxanne Liu, Selena Li, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Chartered, Standard Chartered, Thomson Locations: China

☆ Listing of Ant Group is unlikely in the short term, state media report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, July 29 (Reuters) - A listing of Jack Ma-backed Ant Group (688688.SS) is unlikely in the short term, state media reported on Saturday, citing people close to regulation. Earlier this month, Ant Group announced a surprise share buyback that valued the fintech giant at $78.54 billion, well below the $315 billion touted in the suspended IPO. Reporting by Beijing newsroom Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jack Ma, Mark Potter Organizations: Ant, Ant Group, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING

☆ Ant Group plans restructuring, paving way for Hong Kong IPO - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 25 (Reuters) - Jack Ma-backed Ant Group (688688.SS) is planning a restructuring that will break off some non-core operations of its China financial-related business, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Once the restructuring is complete and Ant secures the license, it can prepare for a public listing in Hong Kong instead of reviving the dual Shanghai-Hong Kong listing plan that was suspended by Chinese authorities in 2020, Bloomberg said. Ant Group declined to comment on the report, while Alibaba did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Earlier this month, Ant Group announced a surprise share buyback that valued the fintech giant at $78.54 billion, well below the $315 billion touted in the suspended IPO. Alibaba said it would not participate in the buyback but would maintain its shareholding in Ant.

Persons: Jack Ma, Ant, Alibaba, Jyoti Narayan, Savio D'Souza Organizations: Ant, Bloomberg, Alibaba, HK, Ant Group, Thomson Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bengaluru

Its group chief investment officer Jeffrey Jaensubhakij told Reuters GIC was keen to invest in Chinese companies that do business within China and do not export to the United States. "There are some 'China for China' type of investments that still make sense," he said. GIC said exposure to China was important for a diversified portfolio. GIC is the world's seventh-biggest sovereign investor with $690 billion in total assets, according to research firm Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute. The share of emerging market equities in GIC's portfolio rose to 17% by end of March from 16% a year earlier.

Persons: Jeffrey Jaensubhakij, Reuters GIC, GIC's, GIC, Lim Chow Kiat, Beijing scrambles, Ang Eng Seng, Jaensubhakij, GIC's Lim, Yantoultra Ngui, Xinghui, Xie Yu, Julie Zhu, Kane Wu, Christina Fincher Organizations: SINGAPORE, Reuters, HK, Ant Group, Temasek, Infrastructure, Sovereign Wealth Fund, Thomson Locations: China, Singapore, United States, Beijing, U.S, Asia, Japan, Xinghui Kok

On Douban, a popular Chinese movie review site, the movie is currently scored 8.6 out of 10, with nearly half of all viewers giving it full marks. Another top comment compared “Barbie” to another recent Chinese release, “Lost in the Stars,” which had previously received criticism for its portrayal of gender stereotypes. “There isn’t any new thinking about feminism, the movie is just an expression of old thoughts,” one person wrote on Douban. By Monday, cinemas had increased the number of screenings allocated to “Barbie” to make up 8.7% of all movie screenings, according to Maoyan. The film’s success is all the more notable given mounting challenges for US films to break into the Chinese movie market – the world’s second biggest, briefly holding the top spot during the Covid pandemic.

Persons: Barbie ”, “ Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig, Bird, don’t, ”, “ Barbie, China’s, Greg Baker Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Twitter, Weibo, Publishing, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Getty, Hollywood Locations: Hong Kong, China, United States, Shanghai, Beijing, AFP

☆ China's Alibaba says will not join Ant Group share buyback
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, July 23 (Reuters) - China's Alibaba Group (9988.HK) said on Sunday it had decided not to participate in affiliate Ant Group's proposed repurchase of shares, but would maintain its shareholding in the company. Ant Group announced a surprise share buyback of up to 7.6% of its equity interest earlier this month, a day after it was fined $984 million by Beijing for violating laws and regulations. Online retail giant Alibaba, which spun off Ant 12 years ago retains a 33% stake. The fine has fuelled hopes that a years-long regulatory crackdown on the company has ended, which could allow it to secure a financial holding company licence, focus on growth, and eventually, revive its plans for a stock market listing. Reporting by Amy Lv and Dominique Patton; Editing by Jan Harvey and Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ant, Amy Lv, Dominique Patton, Jan Harvey, Barbara Lewis Organizations: HK, Ant Group, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing

☆ China's earnings season is just getting started. Here are some winners to watch
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Their screen found that home appliances, media and software sectors were among those that fit the bill. When it comes to individual stocks, HSBC looked for names where their estimates were most above the consensus. Top on the list is software company 360 Security, which HSBC's earnings estimate for the year is double the consensus. Baosight, another software company, also made the top 10, as did home appliance company Sanhua. But not all software stocks made the cut.

Persons: Price, That's, Ding Wenjie, There's, Ant, Didi, Ding, Goldman Sachs, Lei Meng, Meng, Steven Sun, iFlytek Organizations: HSBC, That's, China Asset Management, CNBC, Alibaba, UBS Securities China Equity, CSI, HSBC Qianhai Securities Locations: China, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen

☆ Alipay and WeChat Pay now accept Visa and Mastercard for all payments in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The move marks a revival of efforts by Alipay and WeChat Pay to accept foreign credit cards after they provided some limited access in late 2019. WeChat Pay is officially known as Weixin Pay in China. Alipay and WeChat Pay are dominant in digital payment services, accounting for a combined 91% market share. In 2019, Alipay and WeChat started allowing the use of foreign credit cards on their apps as Chinese regulators eased restrictions. A week later, an executive from Tencent said at a forum that the company would open wider its WeChat Pay system to international card organizations, such as Visa, starting in July.

Persons: Alipay, WeChat, ” Dennis Chang, Tencent, ”, Chen Qiru Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Mastercard, Ant Group, Visa, Club, Discover, World, Hangzhou, Alibaba, JCB, Greater China, “, Tencent Financial Technology, ”, People’s Bank of Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin, People’s Bank of China

☆ This exclusive chart reveals why the groundswell of buzz around 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' could help reverse Hollywood's box-office doldrums in spite of the actors' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This year, a number of films have flopped at the box office, including "Elemental" and "The Flash." A social-media analysis from Diesel Labs points to possible success for "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" — here's why. Temperatures are rising all around the world, with one notable exception: the box office, where this year's film openings have mostly been, at best, lukewarm. Social-media attention on forthcoming and recent film releases looks to be generally trending higher for titles like "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," and "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pt. This story has been updated to reflect new box office estimates and an estimate of how many moviegoers will see "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" on the same day.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mario Bros, tentpole, Indiana Jones, —, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, Michael O'Leary, David A . Gross, Tom Cruise's, Gross, Screenrant, Ruby Gillman, Mario, America's, Christopher Nolan's, Greta Gerwig's, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Reed Alexander Organizations: Diesel Labs, SAG, Writers Guild of America, www.diesellabs.com Diesel Labs, National Association of Theatre Owners, Warner Bros, Rotten, Entertainment Research, Variety, Disney, Mario Bros, Writers Guild, Wednesday, London Locations: Hollywood, North America

☆ New data reveals why the groundswell of buzz around 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' could help reverse Hollywood's box-office doldrums in spite of the actors' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This year, a number of films have flopped at the box office, including "Elemental" and "The Flash." A social-media analysis from Diesel Labs points to possible success for "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" — here's why. Temperatures are rising all around the world, with one notable exception: the box office, where this year's film openings have mostly been, at best, lukewarm. Social-media attention on forthcoming and recent film releases looks to be generally trending higher for titles like "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," and "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Pt. Diesel Labs’ data has found that social-media buzz about the forthcoming launches of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” is trending ahead of last year’s benchmark levels.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mario Bros, tentpole, Indiana Jones, —, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, David A . Gross, Tom Cruise's, Gross, Screenrant, Ruby Gillman, Mario, America's, Christopher Nolan's, Greta Gerwig's, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Reed Alexander Organizations: Diesel Labs, SAG, Writers Guild of America, www.diesellabs.com Diesel Labs, Warner Bros, Rotten, Entertainment Research, Variety, Disney, Mario Bros, Writers Guild, Hollywood Locations: Hollywood, London

☆ Missing genes in ‘mind-controlling’ worms pose an evolutionary puzzle
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

However, when the scientists compared their horsehair worm genomes with genomic information from other animals, something was missing, Cunha told CNN. Two live tangled freshwater horsehair worms, scientifically called Gordionus violaceus, were found in Germany. Mysteries remain about the worms’ movementsAs useful as cilia are, horsehair worms seem to be doing just fine without them, the scientists reported. To date, scientists have identified several hundred species of freshwater horsehair worms and five species of marine horsehair worms. Marine horsehair worms spend their entire lives in water, but freshwater species are only aquatic as adults.

Persons: —, australiensis, munidae, Tauana Cunha, Cunha, “, ”, “ It’s, Gonzalo Giribet, nematomorphs, Keiichi Kakui, Kakui, ” Kakui, Martin Sørensen, Ophiocordyceps, Bruno de Medeiros, California’s Organizations: CNN, Chicago’s Field, Harvard University, Hokkaido University, HBO, Field, Monument Locations: Germany, Japan, nematomorphs, California’s Muir

☆ In ‘Barbie’ vs. ‘Oppenheimer,’ the Real Winner May Be the Box Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Brooks Barnes | More About Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Fury of the Gods” and “Fast X.”The latest “Mission: Impossible” film arrived last weekend to solid results, but below what Hollywood had been expecting. “Oppenheimer” is based on the 2005 biography “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. “Both studios went all-in on original films, directed by notable auteurs with an interest in pushing the envelope,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior Comscore analyst. “Barbie” is aimed at women, while “Oppenheimer” has the edge with men. One represents what many cinephiles loathe about Hollywood: movies based on toys.

Persons: moviegoing, John Wick, Indiana Jones, ”, Mario, III, Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, Kai Bird, Martin J, Sherwin, Paul Dergarabedian, ” “ Barbie ”, — Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling —, Cillian Murphy, “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer ” Organizations: Hollywood, Mario Bros, “ Locations: United States, Canada

☆ Where have all the billion-dollar movies gone? So far, only Mario's been super this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Universal's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is the only movie released in 2023 to so far eclipse the $1 billion mark at the global box office. "If you would have given 10 people a release schedule at the beginning of the year and said, 'We will have just one billion-dollar movie out of all of these and can you pick which one it will be?' In years before the Covid-19 pandemic, and even last year, there were multiple megahits eclipsing $1 billion in global grosses. So far, it has generated $122.1 million at the domestic box office and $221.4 million globally. "The billion-dollar club seems to have become even more exclusive in 2023," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

Persons: Mario, Mike Polydoros, Indiana Jones, Shawn Robbins, Bob Iger, CNBC's David Faber, James Gunn's, Sony's, Gunn, Paul Dergarabedian Organizations: ANGELES, Mario Bros, PaperAirplane Media, Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Hollywood, Lucasfilm, Star, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros, Discovery's DC Studios Locations: filmdom

The gathering comes at a time when global investors and banks are warning that confidence is waning in China's economic outlook. Such a meeting, with a clear agenda to discuss challenges facing global fund managers investing in China, is rare, the three sources said, and reflected Beijing's keenness to shore up confidence among foreign investors. Weighed down by strict COVID measures, China's economy grew just 3% in 2022, one of its worst showings in decades. The meeting is organized by China's fund regulator Asset Management Association of China (AMAC). U.S. dollar-denominated fundraising by China-focused venture capital and PE firms this year also had its weakest first half year in the past decade, data from industry tracker Preqin showed.

Persons: Fang Xinghai, didn't, Andrew Collier, Premier Li Qiang, Xie Yu, Julie Zhu, Selena Li, Kim Coghill Organizations: U.S ., Reuters, Canada's, Ontario, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Management Association of China, ., Orient Capital Research, Ant, Premier, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, U.S, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong

☆ China takes major step in regulating generative AI services like ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

China also urges platforms to “participate in the formulation of international rules and standards” related to generative AI, it said. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have taken the world by storm. Generative AI refers to the technology that underpins platforms like ChatGPT. In the global race to build guardrails for how governments tap AI, China had gained a significant head start, US Senator Mark Warner warned last month. So far, Baidu, Alibaba and JD.com’s generative AI services are either in the trial stage or being tested by corporate users.

Persons: —, Olivier Morin, Mark Warner, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Cyberspace Administration, Ant, Baidu, Getty, China, Politico’s Global Tech Summit ., ” Citi, National Development, Reform Commission Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, AFP, United States

☆ Ant Group doesn't have to do a share buyback, says venture capital firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAnt Group doesn't have to do a share buyback, says venture capital firmMitchell Green of Lead Edge Capital, which invested in Alibaba Group affiliate Ant Group, explains why he's "always skeptical of selling into a company buyback."

Persons: Mitchell Green Organizations: Edge, Alibaba, Ant Group

The KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF is up 5.4% since Friday, while back home the CSI Overseas China Internet Index (.CSIH11136) is up nearly 3%. Yet China tech valuations have been gutted in the nearly 3 years since Ant was forced to shelve its initial share offering, and fund managers see plenty of headwinds, apart from just policy scrutiny. "The government has learned that the private sector - particularly the tech sector - is a critical partner in jump-starting growth. The government will continue to exert pressure on key tech companies even as they allow growth to resume," he said. For some sell-side analysts, though, China tech has turned a corner.

Persons: Jack Ma, Jon Withaar, Ant, Wong Kok Hoi, Wong, Kai Kong Chay, Derrick Irwin, Xi Jinping's, Alibaba's ADRs, Morgan Stanley, Min Lan Tan, Vidya Ranganathan, Kim Coghill Organizations: Group, Alibaba, HK, Pictet Asset Management, CSI China, CSI Overseas, CSI Overseas China Internet, Amazon Inc, APS Asset Management, Greater, Manulife Investment Management, UBS Global Wealth Management, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Asia, Hong Kong, Alibaba, CSI Overseas China, Singapore, Greater China, Boston

☆ China's state planner praises Tencent, Alibaba as attitude towards tech shifts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of Alibaba Group is seen at its office in Beijing, China January 5, 2021. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File PhotoBEIJING, July 12 (Reuters) - China's state planner on Wednesday praised Tencent (0700.HK) and Alibaba (9988.HK) in a statement detailing a study it had done on platform firms, in the latest sign authorities are warming up to the technology sector after a nearly three-year crackdown. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said platform companies had become key contributors to areas of tech innovation China was prioritising, such as semiconductors and autonomous driving. The commission's comments come after authorities signalled last week that a crackdown that began in late 2020 on the country's technology sector had ended with fines on Ant Group and Tencent. During the campaign, which wiped billions of dollars off the market value of China's top technology firms, regulators repeatedly criticised and punished these companies for violations ranging from failing to protect customer privacy to monopolistic behaviour.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Tencent, Tencent's, Xi Jinping, Qiaoyi Li, Brenda Goh, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, HK, National Development, Reform Commission, Ant, Index, Baidu, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, Hong Kong

☆ Premier urges Chinese tech giants to support economy as crackdown ends
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

After listening to suggestions from firms that also included PDD Holdings' (PDD.O) Pinduoduo and JD.com (9618.HK), Li told them authorities would seek to make regulation of platform firms more transparent and predictable. Shares in some U.S.-listed Chinese firms rallied in premarket trade, with Alibaba Group Holding gaining 2.2% and PDD Holdings rising 2.7%. Still Zhou Hao, economist at Guotai Junan International, said Wednesday's meeting was a "positive signal". "A sound development of the platform economy is very significant to investors too. Prudent development of platform firms is important to investors' long-term valuation," he added.

Persons: Li Qiang, Li, ByteDance's Douyin, Zhou Hao, Ella Cao, Brenda Goh, Ellen Zhang, Ethan Wang, Ryan Woo, Barbara Lewis, Mark Potter Organizations: Wednesday, HK, PDD Holdings, Alibaba, Ant, Reuters, Guotai, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, premarket

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