Escalating geopolitical tensions and the rapid growth of Chinese technology companies are prompting international investors to shift more assets to Hong Kong, according to the head of HSBC’s local unit. The trend is benefiting the bank’s wealth management business . HSBC had added nearly 2 million new individual customers in the city over the past two years, bringing its total customer base in Hon...
Escalating geopolitical tensions and the rapid growth of Chinese technology companies are prompting international investors to shift more assets to Hong Kong, according to the head of HSBC’s local unit. The trend is benefiting the bank’s wealth management business . HSBC had added nearly 2 million new individual customers in the city over the past two years, bringing its total customer base in Hong Kong to about 7 million, said Maggie Ng, CEO of HSBC Hong Kong, in her first media interview since taking the role in October. “Some of our international clients have contacted our bankers in recent days to seek advice on how to diversify their portfolios amid the geopolitical tensions,” Ng said. Advertisement Market participants said the conflict between the United States and Iran had prompted investors in the Middle East and Europe to consider reallocating part of their investments to Hong Kong and other Asian markets as a perceived safe haven. Ng said the bank had also seen capital inflows into Hong Kong and mainland Chinese stocks following the technological breakthrough of artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek in January last year, when it introduced low-cost, high-efficiency AI models. Advertisement “With geopolitical tensions continuing to escalate, and with strong growth opportunities among Chinese technology companies listed in Hong Kong, we expect capital inflows into the city to continue this year,” Ng said.
Strong quarterly results expected from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. may widen its market-capitalization lead over electric-vehicle maker BYD Co. , reinforcing the companies’ diverging trajectories. CATL may report a 32% year-on-year increase in sales for the December quarter, according to Bloomberg-compiled data, driven by strong energy storage orders from grid projects and artificial ...
Strong quarterly results expected from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. may widen its market-capitalization lead over electric-vehicle maker BYD Co. , reinforcing the companies’ diverging trajectories. CATL may report a 32% year-on-year increase in sales for the December quarter, according to Bloomberg-compiled data, driven by strong energy storage orders from grid projects and artificial intelligence data centers. In contrast, BYD is expected to report its worst quarterly sales decline in five years later this month, as intense competition and sluggish consumption in China weigh on demand. Read: CATL’s Sales Higher, Margin Stable in Storage Boom: 4Q Preview CATL and BYD were neck-and-neck in market capitalization until mid-2025, reflecting investors’ equally strong confidence in China’s battery and EV champions. Their paths began to diverge as sentiment improved toward upstream battery suppliers while the profit outlook for the EV sector deteriorated. The batter maker’s market value has climbed to 1.6 trillion yuan ($232 billion), putting it nearly $120 billion ahead of BYD. “CATL’s valuation premium suggests investors prefer battery‑focused models with greater exposure to energy storage system growth,” said Gary Tan , a portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments LLC. Signals that CATL is moving into “full ESS system integration, which could expand margins,” would be another catalyst, he said.
Two of the biggest stocks on sale right now are Microsoft (MSFT 0.43%) and Netflix (NFLX 0.10%). Both of these are long-term winners significantly off their highs. But of the two, which is the better buy right now? Let's dig in and take a look. Netflix just walked away from a massive deal First, we need to examine why each stock is down. Netflix's stock was down big based on its acquisition activi...
Two of the biggest stocks on sale right now are Microsoft (MSFT 0.43%) and Netflix (NFLX 0.10%). Both of these are long-term winners significantly off their highs. But of the two, which is the better buy right now? Let's dig in and take a look. Netflix just walked away from a massive deal First, we need to examine why each stock is down. Netflix's stock was down big based on its acquisition activity. It had been attempting to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for about $27.75 per share, over $80 billion. However, that deal went up in smoke. Paramount Skydance offered $31 per share to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, and its board deemed that offer superior to the one Netflix offered, so Netflix walked away from the merger. Following the announcement, Netflix's stock spiked because this is what was dragging the stock down in the first place. Expand NASDAQ : NFLX Netflix Today's Change ( -0.10 %) $ -0.10 Current Price $ 99.08 Key Data Points Market Cap $418B Day's Range $ 97.40 - $ 99.87 52wk Range $ 75.01 - $ 134.12 Volume 2.3M Avg Vol 51M Gross Margin 48.59 % Microsoft's tumble is a little less clear. Microsoft has been a leader in the artificial intelligence (AI) competition and has continued to post solid results quarter after quarter. Its last quarter was no exception, yet the stock still tumbled. Now it's down around 25% from its all-time high. To me, this is mostly the market showing its concerns about the massive AI spending going on and wanting to see a return on investment. However, that doesn't make any sense for Microsoft. Expand NASDAQ : MSFT Microsoft Today's Change ( -0.43 %) $ -1.75 Current Price $ 408.93 Key Data Points Market Cap $3.0T Day's Range $ 408.53 - $ 413.05 52wk Range $ 344.79 - $ 555.45 Volume 1.8M Avg Vol 33M Gross Margin 68.59 % Dividend Yield 0.85 % Microsoft isn't creating its own generative AI model. Instead, it's choosing to be an AI facilitator by offering several top models on its cloud computing platform, Azure. So every dollar it spends ...
Key Points Netflix is walking away from its deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Microsoft is being sold off due to its AI spending. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › Two of the biggest stocks on sale right now are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). Both of these are long-term winners significantly off their highs. But of the two, which is the better buy right now? Let...
Key Points Netflix is walking away from its deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Microsoft is being sold off due to its AI spending. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › Two of the biggest stocks on sale right now are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). Both of these are long-term winners significantly off their highs. But of the two, which is the better buy right now? Let's dig in and take a look. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Netflix just walked away from a massive deal First, we need to examine why each stock is down. Netflix's stock was down big based on its acquisition activity. It had been attempting to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for about $27.75 per share, over $80 billion. However, that deal went up in smoke. Paramount Skydance offered $31 per share to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, and its board deemed that offer superior to the one Netflix offered, so Netflix walked away from the merger. Following the announcement, Netflix's stock spiked because this is what was dragging the stock down in the first place. Microsoft's tumble is a little less clear. Microsoft has been a leader in the artificial intelligence (AI) competition and has continued to post solid results quarter after quarter. Its last quarter was no exception, yet the stock still tumbled. Now it's down around 25% from its all-time high. To me, this is mostly the market showing its concerns about the massive AI spending going on and wanting to see a return on investment. However, that doesn't make any sense for Microsoft. Microsoft isn't creating its own generative AI model. Instead, it's choosing to be an AI facilitator by offering several top models on its cloud computing platform, Azure. So every dollar it spends on capital expenditures is going to supply the computing power necessary...
Key Points Many investors are concerned about potential market volatility. ETFs can help diversify your portfolio and limit risk. A growth ETF can set you up for significant returns over the long term. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › Americans have no shortage of concerns around the economy right now. Nearly half of investors are worried about the risk of a recession, accordin...
Key Points Many investors are concerned about potential market volatility. ETFs can help diversify your portfolio and limit risk. A growth ETF can set you up for significant returns over the long term. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › Americans have no shortage of concerns around the economy right now. Nearly half of investors are worried about the risk of a recession, according to The Motley Fool's 2026 Investor Outlook and Predictions Report. Forty-five percent admit they're concerned about stubbornly high inflation, while 37% are also worried about a weakening labor market. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » To be clear, nobody knows how the market will perform for the remainder of 2026. But it never hurts to prepare for potential volatility anyway, and there are three Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) I'm loading up on to set my portfolio up for long-term success. 1. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI) aims to track the market as a whole, with a whopping 3,511 stocks across all sectors of the market. Broad-market funds like this can provide extra protection against market volatility. With so many stocks, it's less likely that a single company will significantly sway the ETF's performance. Even if an entire industry is hit especially hard, there are thousands of other stocks from more established sectors to help provide stability. For investors who are worried about an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, the diversification found in broad-market funds like the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF can help limit the impact of tech industry volatility. 2. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is similar to the Total Stock Market ETF in that it's a broad fund tracking a major market index. Howeve...
Japanese equities are set to decline following global peers as oil surged as the conflict in the Middle East escalates and as US employment stocked concerns about growth. Nikkei 225 Stock Average futures were at 52,220.00 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as of 8:16 a.m. Tokyo time, compared with the underlying gauge’s close of 55,620.84 on Friday. Oil surged above $110 a barrel as more major pro...
Japanese equities are set to decline following global peers as oil surged as the conflict in the Middle East escalates and as US employment stocked concerns about growth. Nikkei 225 Stock Average futures were at 52,220.00 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as of 8:16 a.m. Tokyo time, compared with the underlying gauge’s close of 55,620.84 on Friday. Oil surged above $110 a barrel as more major producers curbed production and US equity futures slumped. This comes as the conflict nears a one-week mark with Iran, with concerns about a prolonged war. Iran picked a new supreme leader and kept up attacks on several countries on the ninth day of the war in the Middle East. Arab states across the Persian Gulf continued to face incoming missiles and drones from Iran, which said it had the capacity to sustain the war for months. “The reported next leader of Iran is someone US President Donald Trump finds unacceptable, and there is no clear path toward a resolution in sight,” said Shoji Hirakawa , chief global strategist at Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory Co. “Japanese equities had been outperforming US stocks since the start of the year, which makes them more vulnerable to declines given how much they had already risen.” Sentiment was further soured as government payrolls report from the US showed that employers unexpectedly cut jobs in February and the unemployment rate rose. The nonfarm payrolls fell last month, one of the largest declines since the pandemic.
(RTTNews) - The Japanese stock market has climbed higher in two straight sessions, jumping more than 370 points or 0.7 percent along the way. The Nikkei now sits just above the 55,620-point plateau although the rally may stall on Monday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is negative on surging oil prices and the ongoing war in the Middle East. The European and U.S. markets were down and th...
(RTTNews) - The Japanese stock market has climbed higher in two straight sessions, jumping more than 370 points or 0.7 percent along the way. The Nikkei now sits just above the 55,620-point plateau although the rally may stall on Monday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is negative on surging oil prices and the ongoing war in the Middle East. The European and U.S. markets were down and the Asian bourses are expected to open in similar fashion. The Nikkei finished modestly higher on Friday following gains from the financial shares and automobile producers, while the technology companies were mixed. For the day, the index gained 342.78 points or 0.62 percent to finish at 55,620.84 after trading between 54,513.43 and 55,686.56. Among the actives, Nissan Motor accelerated 3.35 percent, while Mazda Motor perked 0.17 percent, Toyota Motor advanced 0.98 percent, Honda Motor rallied 2.13 percent, Softbank Group strengthened 1.60 percent, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial collected 0.90 percent, Mizuho Financial added 0.65 percent, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial gained 0.57 percent, Mitsubishi Electric tumbled 1.78 percent, Sony Group spiked 2.75 percent, Panasonic Holdings vaulted 1.46 percent and Hitachi lost 0.60 percent. The lead from Wall Street is weak as the major averages opened lower on Friday and remained under water throughout the trading day, ending near session lows. The Dow dropped 453.19 points or 0.95 percent to finish at 47,501.55, while the NASDAQ tumbled 361.31 points or 1.59 percent to close at 22,387.68 and the S&P 500 sank 90.69 points or 1.33 percent to end at 6,740.02. The sell-off on Wall Street came amid an extended surge by the price of crude oil. Crude oil has skyrocketed over the past week as the U.S.-Iran conflict spreads across the Middle East, leading to concerns about a global energy crisis. Crude oil prices surged on Friday after Qatar warned of a production halt in the gulf as the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has heavily disrupted energ...
The dollar strengthened against every major currency Monday as a deepening war in the Middle East pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel and boosted demand for havens. Demand for the greenback surged as crude markets faced the prospect of increased production curbs and the US threatened to deepen the conflict with Iran, denting risk sentiment. Meanwhile, Iran named a new leader and its armed forces...
The dollar strengthened against every major currency Monday as a deepening war in the Middle East pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel and boosted demand for havens. Demand for the greenback surged as crude markets faced the prospect of increased production curbs and the US threatened to deepen the conflict with Iran, denting risk sentiment. Meanwhile, Iran named a new leader and its armed forces suggested they had the capacity for sustained high-intensity war. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index climbed 0.5%, extending last week’s 1.3% gain. The Swedish krona, euro and Danish krone led losses , while the South African rand and Mexican peso dropped the most among major emerging market currencies. “The dollar has been seen as the ultimate safe-haven due to its liquidity, while also being buoyed by the rise in oil prices,” said Matthew Ryan , head of market strategy at financial services firm Ebury. “We favor continued upside in the dollar so long as the war drags on without an immediate end in sight.” The surge in oil prices has fanned inflationary fears for the Federal Reserve and other central banks, leading traders to trim bets on interest-rate cuts that had weighed on the US currency. The greenback is also benefiting from America’s position as the world’s biggest oil producer. The dollar has been one of the few traditional havens that have offered investors refuge as conflict in the Gulf region roiled markets. Treasuries, the yen, the Swiss franc and gold have come under pressure while the dollar has rallied. Long-Trusted Haven Trades Are Failing as Gold, Treasuries Fall What Bloomberg Strategists Say... “The early US dollar strength is broad enough to show that FX traders aren’t in the mood to discriminate about which currency may outperform. This is simply a grab for the only haven proving dependable in this crisis” Mark Cranfield , Markets Live strategist The yen weakened again Monday, falling about 0.4% in early Tokyo trading. The Japanese currency is now tradin...