Hong Kong’s overall tax revenue rose 22 per cent to HK$458.3 billion (US$58.5 billion) last year, driven by a buoyant stock market and increased property transactions. Commissioner of Inland Revenue Benjamin Chan Sze-wai, on Monday announced the provisional tax figures for the year ending March 31. The increase was led by a 61 per cent surge in stamp duty to HK$102.6 billion, alongside a 20 per ce...
Hong Kong’s overall tax revenue rose 22 per cent to HK$458.3 billion (US$58.5 billion) last year, driven by a buoyant stock market and increased property transactions. Commissioner of Inland Revenue Benjamin Chan Sze-wai, on Monday announced the provisional tax figures for the year ending March 31. The increase was led by a 61 per cent surge in stamp duty to HK$102.6 billion, alongside a 20 per cent rise in profits tax to HK$212.6 billion and a 10 per cent increase in salaries tax to HK$97.7...
Sundry Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Applied Materials ( AMAT ) said it has agreed to acquire the NEXX business from ASMPT Limited. The deal is expected to close in the coming months, subject to customary conditions, and does not require regulatory approval. Following completion, the NEXX team will join Applied’s Semiconductor Products Group and remain based in Billerica, Massachus...
Sundry Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Applied Materials ( AMAT ) said it has agreed to acquire the NEXX business from ASMPT Limited. The deal is expected to close in the coming months, subject to customary conditions, and does not require regulatory approval. Following completion, the NEXX team will join Applied’s Semiconductor Products Group and remain based in Billerica, Massachusetts. NEXX supplies large-area advanced packaging deposition equipment for the semiconductor industry. The addition of the NEXX team and products will broaden Applied’s portfolio of panel-level advanced packaging technologies, which are designed to enable chipmakers and systems companies to build larger-body AI accelerators for higher energy-efficient performance. More on Applied Materials Applied Materials: The Next Correction Candidate Applied Materials: A Picks And Shovels Play On The AI Chip Revolution The Margin Machine: Why Applied Materials Is Outgrowing Its Peers Lam Research saw 'impressive' share gains in Q1, BofA says; Hua Hong orders may cease Semi equipment manufacturers dip despite Taiwan Semiconductor's high capex plans
London ( UKX ) -0.14%. Germany ( DAX:IND ) +0.05%. The S&P Global Germany Manufacturing PMI was revised slightly higher to 51.4 in April. France ( CAC:IND ) -0.52%, France's S&P Global Manufacturing PMI rose to 52.8 in April. In other parts of Europe, t he S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI climbed to 52.2 in April. Switzerland’s procure.ch–UBS Manufacturing PMI rose to 54.5 in April. The S&P G...
London ( UKX ) -0.14%. Germany ( DAX:IND ) +0.05%. The S&P Global Germany Manufacturing PMI was revised slightly higher to 51.4 in April. France ( CAC:IND ) -0.52%, France's S&P Global Manufacturing PMI rose to 52.8 in April. In other parts of Europe, t he S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI climbed to 52.2 in April. Switzerland’s procure.ch–UBS Manufacturing PMI rose to 54.5 in April. The S&P Global Italy Manufacturing PMI climbed to 52.1 in April. The S&P Global Spain Manufacturing PMI rose to 51.7 in April. Sweden’s Swedbank Manufacturing PMI rose to 57.2 in April. Austria’s unemployment rate rose to 7.5% in April. Producer prices in Hungary rose by 1.2% Y/Y in March. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ( STOXX) moved 0.20% lower to 610.3 as traders returned from a long weekend to renewed tariff threats from U.S. President Trump. Automakers led the declines after Trump announced plans to raise tariffs on European Union car and truck imports to 25%, up from 15%, effective this week. European leaders are gathering in Armenia to discuss key issues like energy security and democratic resilience, but the summit is being overshadowed by escalating tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump. The euro traded near $1.17 in early May as investors assessed Middle East tensions. Bitcoin climbed above $80,000 in early May, reaching its highest level since February. In the bond market, the yield on the US 10-year Treasury was up 2 basis points to 4.39%. UK's 10-year yield was flat at 4.95%. Germany's 10-year yield was up 2 basis points to 3.05%, hovering near multi-year highs. Currencies: ( EUR:USD ) ( GBP:USD ) ( CHF:USD ) ETFs: (NYSEARCA: EWG ), (NYSE: GF ), (NYSEARCA: EWI ), (NYSEARCA: EWQ ), (NASDAQ: FGM ), (NASDAQ: DAX ), (NYSEARCA: FLGR ), (NYSEARCA: FXB ), (NYSEARCA: EWU ), (NASDAQ: FKU ), (BATS: EWUS ), (NYSEARCA: FLGB ), (NYSEARCA: GREK ) More on Europe EUR/USD, GBP/USD Overview - FX Picks Up Again, U.S. Dollar Tumbles After The ECB And BOE EUR/USD Drifted Down To 1.1665/1635...
A 67-year-old driver has been arrested after his vehicle reportedly lost control at a border checkpoint in a traffic accident that killed his 62-year-old wife. Police received a report at 4.41am on Monday that a private car had rammed into multiple traffic cones and a kiosk before coming to rest on its side on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge near 80 Shun Wan Road. The car, bearing the number pla...
A 67-year-old driver has been arrested after his vehicle reportedly lost control at a border checkpoint in a traffic accident that killed his 62-year-old wife. Police received a report at 4.41am on Monday that a private car had rammed into multiple traffic cones and a kiosk before coming to rest on its side on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge near 80 Shun Wan Road. The car, bearing the number plate ZZ9**2, was headed towards Hong Kong when the accident took place, with the driver and passenger...
asbe/iStock via Getty Images Bar and coin buying drove Q1 demand Global demand hit a new record high value Total Q1 gold demand, including OTC, was 2% higher y/y at 1,231t. This modest growth in volumes combined with gold’s exceptional price rise, generated a 74% jump in the value of quarterly demand to a record US$193bn. Bar and coin demand of 474t (+42%) was the second highest quarter on record....
asbe/iStock via Getty Images Bar and coin buying drove Q1 demand Global demand hit a new record high value Total Q1 gold demand, including OTC, was 2% higher y/y at 1,231t. This modest growth in volumes combined with gold’s exceptional price rise, generated a 74% jump in the value of quarterly demand to a record US$193bn. Bar and coin demand of 474t (+42%) was the second highest quarter on record. Asian investors led the charge, hoovering up gold investment products. Buying of gold-backed ETFs continued in Q1 (+62t), but at a lower rate than the very strong Q1’25 (+230t) following sizable outflows from US funds in March. Amid record high gold prices, jewellery demand volumes remained under pressure (-23% y/y), while levels of spend again increased (+31%), signalling continued positive sentiment towards gold jewellery. Central banks bought 244t (+3% y/y) of gold on a net basis in Q1 despite a visible uptick in selling activity during the quarter. Demand for gold used in technology edged 1% higher to 82t, fuelled largely by the continued growth in AI infrastructure. Highlights The LBMA (PM) gold price set a new quarterly average record of US$4,873/oz. The price hit a historical high of US$5,405/oz in January, followed by a notable correction. During Q1, the gold price returned 6%. The supply of gold increased in Q1 by 2% y/y to 1,231t. Modest growth in mine production together with a 5% uptick in recycling generated the increase. Investment demand now far exceeds fabrication. Weaker jewellery demand alongside growing investor interest in gold has changed the composition of demand in recent years. Outlook Geopolitics remain front and centre in our outlook for gold demand in 2026. Our view remains that investment and central bank demand will be supported by ongoing geopolitical risk, with further investment impetus from elevated inflation and persistent high gold prices. Jewellery demand will remain under pressure for similar reasons, albeit that spending will likely re...
Richard Drury/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction Back when I last covered Regency Centers ( REG ), I reiterated their Hold rating, highlighting their quality and strong AFFO per share growth for another quarter, with a very solid >7% dividend hike, maintaining a robust growth pipeline amid macro uncertainty. Following another strong quarter, REG remains a Hold, as their common stock seems...
Richard Drury/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction Back when I last covered Regency Centers ( REG ), I reiterated their Hold rating, highlighting their quality and strong AFFO per share growth for another quarter, with a very solid >7% dividend hike, maintaining a robust growth pipeline amid macro uncertainty. Following another strong quarter, REG remains a Hold, as their common stock seems to trade at a well-warranted premium given their quality and organic growth potential, great credit rating and sustainable dividend yield, while their preferred stocks continue to look like an opportunity. Strong Start to 2026 Regency Centers IR REG reported an overall solid start to the year, with a slight miss on FFO , recording same property percent leased flat at a solid 96.6%, with strong rent spreads on the 1.5 million square feet they renewed (12.1% blended rent spread on a cash basis and 24.3% straight-line), with the AFFO reaching $197.53 million, meaning about $1.056 per share compared to ~$1 per share a year ago, highlighting the resilience and strength of their grocery-anchored centers during the current macro pressure. During the quarter, REG continued its portfolio development/redevelopment activity, highlighting ~$1 billion worth of start opportunities for 2026 to 2028 (after >$825 million from 2023 to 2025), with the latest in-process project pipeline standing at about $635 million and a strong ~9% stabilized yield, all while also highlighting the ~$42 million opportunity from the current spread between the same property leased vs. commenced occupancy (SNO; signed not opened). Regency Centers IR For 2026, REG reiterated most of their prior guidance, expecting 3.25% to 3.75% same property NOI growth while hiking the development and redevelopment spend to $350 million plus $25 million in acquisitions, expecting a ~5.9% cap rate with zero dispositions. Regency Centers IR Financially, based on REG's latest report , we continue to see an overall solid position f...