Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will shorten its boarding and gate closure times by five minutes to help ensure on-time departures. The airline said on Thursday that, from June 1, boarding gates at Hong Kong International Airport will now close 15 minutes before departure. The company said late-arriving or no-show passengers were a key cause of delays, as safety regulations required ...
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will shorten its boarding and gate closure times by five minutes to help ensure on-time departures. The airline said on Thursday that, from June 1, boarding gates at Hong Kong International Airport will now close 15 minutes before departure. The company said late-arriving or no-show passengers were a key cause of delays, as safety regulations required removing their checked baggage from the aircraft hold before departure. The boarding time will also...
China’s gasoline demand is expected to slide further this year, as the Iran war pushes up oil prices and accelerates a long-term shift away from the internal combustion engine. Gasoline consumption could shrink 5.5% this year, according to a forecast from GL Consulting, which has downgraded its estimate from a previous 5.2%. That would be the second-biggest contraction on record — and only after 2...
China’s gasoline demand is expected to slide further this year, as the Iran war pushes up oil prices and accelerates a long-term shift away from the internal combustion engine. Gasoline consumption could shrink 5.5% this year, according to a forecast from GL Consulting, which has downgraded its estimate from a previous 5.2%. That would be the second-biggest contraction on record — and only after 2022, when China’s draconian Covid lockdowns caused demand to collapse. GL said its lower forecast reflected the impact of increasing prices as the conflict in the Persian Gulf upends the oil and gas trade. It matches bleak predictions coming from other analysts — the International Energy Agency sees Chinese gasoline demand slowing “to a crawl” in this quarter, down by about 60,000 barrels a day compared with the same time last year. China is the world’s top crude importer, and yet in recent years the rapid electrification of its vehicle fleet and a switch to fuels including liquefied natural gas has crimped demand, leaving Beijing to confront overcapacity in oil refining. Read More: China’s Energy Imports Plunge as War Chokes Hormuz Shipments The jump in prices since the end of February has exacerbated the problem, prompting drivers to hold back at the pump, said Liao Na, founder of GL. Chinese retail gasoline prices climbed to about 9.56 yuan ($1.41) a liter in mid-April — near record highs, according to GlobalPetrolPrices data quoted by the IEA. To shield consumers from the impact of the war, China’s National Development and Reform Commission capped fuel hikes and later cut prices . “Higher prices at the pump, despite NDRC interventions to limit the increase, have had a chilling effect on gasoline and diesel demand,” said Michal Meidan , director of the China Energy Program at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, “That’s compounded by rising inflationary pressure, but also facilitated by the fact that in most Chinese cities there are convenient alternatives to driving...
China’s industrial policy is becoming more systematic and pervasive, shifting from targeting specific sectors towards covering all layers of production, a recent report by the US Chamber of Commerce and Rhodium Group released on Monday has found. The strategy, as laid out in the latest 15th five-year plan, now covers additional frontier technologies, such as biomanufacturing, embodied intelligence...
China’s industrial policy is becoming more systematic and pervasive, shifting from targeting specific sectors towards covering all layers of production, a recent report by the US Chamber of Commerce and Rhodium Group released on Monday has found. The strategy, as laid out in the latest 15th five-year plan, now covers additional frontier technologies, such as biomanufacturing, embodied intelligence and intelligent driving. Coverage has likewise expanded under the country’s “Made in China 2025”...
Bel Fuse ( BELFA ) ( BELFB ) has announced the pricing of an offering of 1.5M shares of its Class B common stock at $266.00 per share, a move expected to generate about $399.0M in gross proceeds, before expenses. Additionally, underwriters have a 30-day option to buy up to 225K more shares at the same price. The offering is scheduled to close on May 15, 2026. Bel plans to use the proceeds to reduc...
Bel Fuse ( BELFA ) ( BELFB ) has announced the pricing of an offering of 1.5M shares of its Class B common stock at $266.00 per share, a move expected to generate about $399.0M in gross proceeds, before expenses. Additionally, underwriters have a 30-day option to buy up to 225K more shares at the same price. The offering is scheduled to close on May 15, 2026. Bel plans to use the proceeds to reduce its debt, complete a 20% acquisition of Enercon Technologies, Ltd., explore other acquisitions or partnerships, and for general corporate purposes. More on Bel Fuse Bel Fuse Inc. (BELFA) Presents at Oppenheimer 21st Annual Industrial Growth Virtual Conference - Slideshow Bel Fuse Inc. (BELFA) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Bel Fuse Inc. (BELFA) Presents at Citadel SMID Cap Generalist Investor Conference 2026 - Slideshow Bel Fuse launches 1.3M share Class B stock offering Bel Fuse projects Q2 sales of $195M-$215M after $16M dataMate acquisition and segment realignment
China has renewed import licenses for hundreds of US beef plants, reviving trade in the meat as the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies meet in Beijing to stabilize commercial and geopolitical relations. The permits were renewed on Thursday and are usually valid for five years, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named as they’re not authorized to ...
China has renewed import licenses for hundreds of US beef plants, reviving trade in the meat as the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies meet in Beijing to stabilize commercial and geopolitical relations. The permits were renewed on Thursday and are usually valid for five years, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named as they’re not authorized to speak to media. China’s customs office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Beijing last year allowed import authorizations for hundreds of US meat plants to lapse after President Donald Trump waged an aggressive tariff war aimed at reordering global trade in America’s favor. That effectively tanked the trade, and US shipments of beef and related products to China dropped about 67% between 2024 and 2025, while total exports last year fell 12%, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The latest renewals come as Trump meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the first visit by a sitting American leader in nearly a decade, and is an early positive signal on what more could come out of the closely-watched summit. The two sides are also expected to agree on reviving trade in other agricultural products, like China’s purchases of American corn and soybeans. China’s domestic meat producers have been grappling with oversupply and weakening consumption, prompting Beijing to place quotas on beef imports as it seeks to protect the local industry. That’s dealt a blow to Brazil, which is already close to reaching its annual quota, and other major shippers including Australia and Argentina. The US, in the meantime, hasn’t used much of its allocations in China. The permit renewals for its plants could pave the way for US supplies to take a larger share of the world’s biggest beef market going forward. China is also a key destination for organ meats for which there’s little demand in the US, and the loss of those buyers has caused average prices for those products to drop...
Watches of Switzerland Group Plc revenues surged to a record last year and profit will come in higher than expected after strong sales in the vital US market. The company, one of the world’s top sellers of Rolex watches, said Thursday it now expects adjusted earnings before interest and tax of as much as £155 million ($210 million), ahead of previous guidance. This is on revenue that rose 13% to £...
Watches of Switzerland Group Plc revenues surged to a record last year and profit will come in higher than expected after strong sales in the vital US market. The company, one of the world’s top sellers of Rolex watches, said Thursday it now expects adjusted earnings before interest and tax of as much as £155 million ($210 million), ahead of previous guidance. This is on revenue that rose 13% to £1.8 billion in the 53 weeks to May 3. The US, a market Watches of Switzerland entered only eight years ago, now accounts for more than half of group sales, in an important milestone for a company that has pledged to double sales and profit by 2028. Shares of Watches of Switzerland rose as much as 13.7% in early trading in London. The stock is up more than 52% in the past 12 months. In a bullish tone for a company operating in a sector facing significant headwinds, Watches of Switzerland said it expects as much as 10% revenue growth in the current fiscal year and further growth in its adjusted earnings before interest margin. The upbeat update also marks a contrast to February when Watches of Switzerland said margins would be slightly lower as brands raised prices amid higher raw-material costs and US President Donald Trump ’s tariffs. Watchmakers are facing higher costs for key materials like gold at the same time consumer uncertainty is growing. Watches of Switzerland has “strong momentum”, according to Kate Calvert , an analyst at Investec Bank. “Watch demand remains robust, with a good pipeline of projects, the benefits from the recent acquisition, and a strengthening pre-owned and jewellery business.”