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☆ China factory activity unexpectedly shrinks in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Ellen Zhang | Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s manufacturing activity unexpectedly shrank in April, official data showed on Sunday, raising pressure on policymakers seeking to boost an economy struggling for a post-COVID lift-off amid subdued global demand and persistent property weakness. That missed expectations of 51.4 tipped by economists in a Reuters poll and marked the first contraction since December, when the official manufacturing PMI was at 47.0. The world’s second-biggest economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter thanks to robust services consumption, but factory output has lagged amid weak global growth. The manufacturing sector, which employs about 18% of China’s workforce, remains under pressure due to slack global demand. The composite PMI, which includes manufacturing and non-manufacturing activity, dropped to 54.4 from 57.0.

☆ China factory activity unexpectedly cools in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Ellen Zhang | Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ China's ride-hailing giant Didi reports 19% drop in revenue in 2022, citing Covid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A logo for Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi is illuminated outside company headquarters on Jan. 21, 2022 in Hangzhou, China. Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global on Saturday reported a 19% year-on-year fall in 2022 revenue, as the country's Covid lockdowns and a regulatory crackdown took a toll. China imposed stringent Covid restrictions across the country last year that had hammered its economy. Net loss attributable to Didi Global narrowed to 23.78 billion yuan in 2022, compare with the net loss of 49.34 billion yuan in 2021, helped by factors such as investment gains, the report said. Its China mobility business swung to a loss in 2022, though Didi said it has returned to growth this year, citing a rapid recovery in travel across China after the ending of Covid curbs.

☆ Fried food is linked to increased risk of anxiety and depression
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A research team in Hangzhou, China, found that frequent consumption of fried foods, especially fried potatoes, was linked with a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher risk of depression than in people who didn’t eat fried foods. These results “open an avenue in the significance of reducing fried food consumption for mental health,” according to the paper published Monday in the journal PNAS. Frequent consumption of fried foods was linked to higher risk of anxiety and depression. Dr. Walter Willett said the results “should be regarded as very preliminary, especially the connection with fried food and acrylamide.”“The health effects of fried food will depend greatly on what food is fried and what type of fat is used for frying,” said Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. It's also possible that some people with mental health issues reach for fried food.

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) (LSEG.L) and UK trade officials visited several cities in China to promote UK capital markets recently. Wilson Xu, a banking veteran from CITIC Securities pioneering the Stock Connect programme, said liquidity will improve when there is a critical mass of Chinese listings. The Shanghai-London Stock Connect was launched in 2019 and the link was expanded last year to include Shenzhen and Switzerland. Even arrangements by SIX to allow roughly 2.5 hours of trading in a session for Chinese GDRs didn't help. Chinese companies, however, have been positive in public disclosures about their forays in Europe which have given them an alternative channel to raise funds and access foreign currency for their operations abroad.

☆ These are the 10 fastest-growing millionaire hotspots worldwide — and three are in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hangzhou in China is one of the cities where wealth has grown the fastest in the past decade, a new report says. Hangzhou in China comes out on top of the list assessing the fastest-growing millionaire hotspots. Two further Chinese cities, Shenzhen and Guangzhou are also in the top 10, coming in third and seventh place respectively. Andrew Amoils, head of research at wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth, which worked on the report with Henley & Partners, links the jumps to various factors. "The US's dominance over the global tech sector has probably played a role in European cities struggling.

☆ Global rice shortage is set to be the largest in 20 years – here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The global rice market is set to log its largest shortfall in two decades in 2023, according to Fitch Solutions. "At the global level, the most evident impact of the global rice deficit has been, and still is, decade-high rice prices," Fitch Solutions' commodities analyst Charles Hart said. That would mar the largest global rice deficit since 2003/2004, when the global rice markets generated a deficit of 18.6 million tonnes, said Hart. "The global rice production deficit situation will increase the cost of importing rice for major rice importers such as Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and African countries in 2023," said Tjakra. "It is our view that global rice production will stage a solid rebound in 2023/24, expecting total output to rise by 2.5% year on year," Fitch's report forecast, hinging on India being a "principal engine" of global rice output over the next five years.

☆ These are the 10 cities worldwide where the number of millionaires is rising the fastest. 3 American cities made the list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Chinese city topped Henley & Partners' list of cities where the number of millionaires is rising the fastest. Two further Chinese cities, three US cities, and two Indian cities, also ranked in the top ten. The top ten also includes two further Chinese cities, three US cities, two Indian cities, and one city in each Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates. Austin, meanwhile, is the highest-ranking US city on Henley & Partners' list, coming second. New York City, meanwhile, has the most residents worth $1 million or more, at around 340,000, per Henley & Partners' report.

In February, the first full month since China's border reopened, Australia recorded 40,430 short-term visitors from China, government data showed. Government marketing body Tourism Australia declined to comment. Trade promotion office Austrade said Tourism Australia's managing director visited China in March to meet strategic partners such as airlines and the body would "continue to work closely with its key distribution partners in the market to realise tourism opportunities between Australia and China". China was Australia's biggest source of foreign students until 2019, but students of other nationalities have filled its foreign student ranks since Australia reopened its border in 2021. "When Chinese tourists return en masse, I'm worried that the supply will not catch up with demand," he said.

HOUSTON/PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela, April 4 (Reuters) - Venezuela's oil exports rose in March to the highest monthly average since August, boosted by a resumption of loadings after an export freeze and by rising cargoes assigned to Chevron Corp (CVX.N), according to documents and shipping data. State oil company PDVSA has reinstated two export contracts after a January freeze by new boss Pedro Tellechea: a medium-term contract with Hangzhou Energy, and another with Portugal-based Adinius Sociedade de Servicios, the documents showed. Oil swap deals with Chevron, Cuba's state company Cubametales and Iran's Naftiran Intertrade Co (NICO) - and most exports of oil byproducts - have continued flowing without interruption during the freeze. Chevron received and exported about 115,000 bpd of Venezuelan heavy crude to the U.S., an increase from about 80,000 bpd in February. Oil exports averaged 774,420 bpd in March, the highest since August, as state company PDVSA reinstated supply contracts that allowed it to ship more crude and fuel in supertankers.

☆ A less obvious area in A.I. could be an $11 billion opportunity, Bernstein says — and names 4 stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Goldman Sachs estimates that generative AI in particular will drive almost $7 trillion in global economic growth over the next decade, with a total addressable market (TAM) of $150 billion. Nvidia is another top pick on Wall Street, with the chipmaker seen as the "grand marshal" of the AI parade . Bernstein, for one, said it believes the world is witnessing an "exciting inflection" of AI adoption in manufacturing. Stock picks In a note on March 28, Bernstein analyst Jay Huang named a raft of stock picks with "outperform" ratings to ride the AI opportunity in manufacturing, including Japanese electronics firm Keyence . The bank identified three areas in which AI is utilized in in the manufacturing process: industrial machine vision, robot guiding and industrial software.

Venezuelan oil resumed flowing to the U.S. in January under a Treasury Department license granted to Chevron that allowed it to expand output there and export the oil. Refiners including Valero and Phillips 66 (PSX.N) have bought cargoes from Chevron, according to U.S. Customs and shipping data. Chevron's license - and approvals granted to European firms Eni (ENI.MI) and Repsol (REP.MC) - allow only for oil or debt swaps. Chevron's resumption of Venezuelan crude imports has not led to an increase in the country's overall exports this year, according to PDVSA schedules and Refinitiv Eikon data. 2 U.S. oil company exported some 86,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil in February.

☆ Alibaba's breakup lifts hopes China's regulatory winter is thawing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The move represented a light at the end of the tunnel for many investors who had seen a wave of regulatory blitzes as a major cloud hanging over China's private sector. Reuters GraphicsAlibaba said on Tuesday it would split into six units - Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group. He was spotted on Monday in Hangzhou, home to Alibaba, just one day before the company announced the restructuring. Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK), China's largest gaming company, saw shares rise as much as 5.1%. Alibaba's split may pave the way for other Chinese tech giants to undergo similar restructuring, CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said.

☆ Alibaba's breakup plan lifts hopes China's tech crackdown is ending
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The group's Hong Kong-listed shares jumped as much as 16.3%, tracking a 14.3% rally in its U.S.-listed shares overnight . Its e-commerce rival JD.com Inc (9618.HK) rose 7% and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) gained 5%. That compared with a 2.3% jump in benchmark Hang Seng Index (.HSI) and a 3.2% gain for the Hang Seng Tech Index (.HSTECH). Brian Tycango, who tracks China's tech sector at Stansberry Research, says that in addition to enabling higher valuations, the restructuring better protects individual divisions from future government regulation. "Any new regulations will likely not affect the whole company now - just the particular division that that regulation covers," Tycango told Reuters.

☆ Alibaba's Hong Kong shares surge 16% on split-up plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 29 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares of Alibaba Group (9988.HK) soared on Wednesday, marking a vote of confidence from investors after the company announced a major restructuring plan. Shares of Alibaba's e-commerce rival JD.com Inc (9618.HK) were up 7%, and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) jumped 5% on Wednesday morning. That compared with a 2.3% jump in benchmark Hang Seng Index (.HSI) and a 3.2% gain for the Hang Seng Tech Index (.HSTECH). One day before the re-organization was announced, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, who had been out of mainland China since late 2021, was spotted visiting a primary school in Hangzhou, the city where Alibaba is headquartered. Reporting by Josh Horwitz in Shanghai and Donny Kwok in Hong Kong; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alibaba's revamp puts renewed focus on Ant Group's suspended IPO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"I truly believe [Alibaba is] aiming for a bigger target," said Kingston Securities Executive Director Dickie Wong. "In terms of the bigger picture, obviously would be Ant Group [being] re-introduced into the equity market," he told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Wednesday. HANGZHOU, CHINA - OCTOBER 27: A logo of Ant Group is seen at the company's headquarters on October 27, 2020 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. To be clear, there was no mention of Ant in Alibaba's announcement for its overhaul overnight. KraneShares' CIO Brendan Ahern said investors it's likely investors will be focusing Ant's IPO.

☆ Asia's 'best restaurants' list is out — and it's no surprise which country made the list 17 times
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

William Drew, director of content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, said Japan's strong performance is "no surprise." The top 50 restaurants in AsiaThis year commemorates the 10th anniversary of the "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" list. Asia's top 50 restaurantsThe list of "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" for 2023 are: 1. Ten restaurants that ranked among Asia's best 50 restaurants last year fell into the 51-100 ranking this year. Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023Labyrinth also rose 29 spots to No.11, winning the "Highest Climber" award.

HONG KONG, March 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - In the biblical parable of the prodigal son, a repentant wastrel returns home to a forgiving and beneficent father. In China, Alibaba (9988.HK) founder Jack Ma's homecoming and rehabilitation appears to be part of an official campaign to revive flagging private sector investment. However, if officials believe the mere sight of Ma in public will revive business confidence, that hope has a whiff of desperation. Ma the prodigal entrepreneur has returned, but perhaps not for long. Shares of Alibaba rallied as much as 4% in Hong Kong following the SCMP report before closing flat at HK$85.25 on March 27.

☆ Jack Ma returned to China to visit a private school he founded, 2 years after he first vanished from public view amid Beijing's tech crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Monday, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma visited a private school he founded in Hangzhou, China. Ma first vanished from public view after angering authorities in 2020 amid Beijing's tech crackdown. The private school caters to students from kindergarten to high school. Ma returned to China amid signals that Beijing may be taking a friendlier stance toward private enterprises after more than two years of a widespread tech crackdown. His visit follows a top Chinese central banker's comments in January that Beijing's tech crackdown was coming to a close.

☆ Alibaba is splitting into six to prepare for IPOs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Alibaba Group plans to split its business into six main units covering e-commerce to cloud in the biggest restructuring of its 24-year history. Five of the business units will explore fundraising or initial public offerings, the company said Tuesday. The six units are Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group, it said in a statement. Daniel Zhang will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group (BABA), which will follow a holding company management model, and concurrently serve as CEO of Cloud Intelligence Group. The restructuring “does inject an element of flexibility and adaptability into the company, which currently is something of a behemoth,” he added.

☆ Alibaba to break up empire into six units, seek IPOs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Josh Horwitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The six units are Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group, it said in a statement. Daniel Zhang will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, which will follow a holding company management model, and concurrently serve as CEO of Cloud Intelligence Group. Each business group and other investments will retain the flexibility to raise outside capital and seek an initial public offering, it said, with the exception being Taobao Tmall Commerce Group that handles its China commerce businesses and will remain an Alibaba Group wholly owned unit. Each business group, he said, had to actively tackle the rapid changes in the market and each Alibaba employee had to "return to the mindset of an entrepreneur." The restructuring "does inject an element of flexibility and adaptability into the company, which currently is something of a behemoth," he added.

☆ Alibaba founder Jack Ma returns to China, ending year-long sojourn abroad -SCMP
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, March 27 (Reuters) - Alibaba (9988.HK) founder Jack Ma has returned to China, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Monday, ending a more than year-long sojourn overseas that was viewed by industry as reflecting the sober mood of China's private businesses. Ma, one of China's best known entrepreneurs, left mainland China in late 2021 and has been seen in photographs in Japan, Australia and Thailand in the months since. Once one of the country's most outspoken businessmen, he retreated from the public limelight in late 2020 after criticising China's regulatory system that was later blamed for triggering a wide-ranging regulatory crackdown by Beijing. Alibaba shares in Hong Kong rose more than 4% after the SCMP report was published. It added that he returned to China after a brief stop in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong/Beijing CNN —Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Alibaba (BABA) and once one of China’s most prominent entrepreneurs, has made a rare public appearance in the country. Ma visited the city of Hangzhou and was seen meeting with students and teachers at the Alibaba-funded Yungu School. That intervention by regulators followed a speech from Ma in which he criticized China’s banks and financial regulators. In a statement to CNN about the trip, the Jack Ma Foundation said the Alibaba founder “travels very often in China and overseas.”“Mr. He paid a visit to Hangzhou Yungu School today and had a chat with teachers there on education,” a spokesperson said.

☆ Alibaba founder Jack Ma back in China after months abroad in sign Beijing may be warming to tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been seen in public in China after the first time in several months. The billionaire's reapprance may suggest Beijing is softening its stance toward the technology sector after an 18-month crackdown. Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been spotted in China after spending months abroad in a potential sign that Beijing is warming to technology giants again after a roughly 18-month crackdown on the sector. Ma has been traveling outside of China over the past few months and has been spotted in Spain, Japan and Thailand. "In so doing, the government intends to signal its warmth towards private sector and investors—if even Jack Ma is perceived as having been pardoned, everyone else should feel safe and welcome," Sun said.

☆ Huawei Bets on Another Premium 4G Phone
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Dan Strumpf | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A Huawei store in Hangzhou, China, earlier this year. HONG KONG—Would you buy a premium-priced smartphone that doesn’t have 5G? Huawei Technologies Co. thinks its customers will, at least in China. More than two years after U.S. sanctions wrecked the Chinese tech giant’s once-dominant global smartphone business, Huawei has stuck with a regular schedule of new flagship phone launches and is gearing up to debut its latest on Thursday.

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