Chinese Speculators

Business

Zegna Charts Steady Course Amid Leadership Shift and China Volatility, Fueled by DTC Momentum

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group reported a resilient 2025, with full-year revenues reaching €1.92 billion. A strong fourth-quarter acceleration, driven by a 10% surge in direct-to-consumer sales, underscores the luxury group's strategic pivot away from wholesale. While the Americas and EMEA regions showed robust growth, Greater China remains a volatile market as the company navigates a planned leadership transition and industry headwinds.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Affluent Foundation's Pivot to Finance: A Bold Bet or a Valuation Bubble?

Hong Kong-listed construction firm Affluent Foundation Holdings (SEHK:1757) has unveiled plans to enter the regulated financial services sector, sending its shares on a meteoric rise. As the stock trades at a significant premium, analysts question whether the market is pricing in future success or overlooking execution risks.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

U.S. Government Acquires Strategic Stake in MP Materials to Bolster Rare Earth Independence

In a significant move to secure domestic supply chains for critical minerals, the U.S. government has taken a direct 15% equity position in MP Materials. This strategic investment, paired with expanded federal contracts, aims to reduce reliance on foreign sources for rare earths essential to defense and green energy technologies.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Beyond the Blue Chips: Three Penny Stocks Drawing Investor Scrutiny Amid Market Optimism

As major indices climb, a segment of investors is turning their gaze to high-risk, high-reward penny stocks. We examine three companies—FingerMotion, PodcastOne, and MOGU—that are on the radar, weighing their potential against significant financial challenges.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Revvity Beats 2025 Forecasts on Diagnostics Strength, Offers Cautious 2026 Outlook

Life sciences and diagnostics firm Revvity (RVTY) closed 2025 with results surpassing internal targets, driven by robust diagnostics performance. While management provided initial 2026 guidance, it remains conservative, banking on market stabilization rather than a broad recovery.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Scotch Whisky Tourism Faces Headwinds as Rural Distilleries Scale Back Visitor Operations

Scotland's celebrated whisky tourism sector is showing signs of strain, with major players closing visitor centres and cutting hours amid staffing challenges and shifting demand, even as new investments open their doors.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Burger King China Shifts to Local Control: CPE Invests $350M for Majority Stake in Ambitious Expansion Drive

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) has formed a joint venture with private equity firm CPE, ceding majority control of Burger King's China operations in a deal aimed at turbocharging growth. The partnership targets a more than tripling of restaurants to over 4,000 by 2035, leveraging local expertise and capital.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Oil Prices Retreat, Dragging ConocoPhillips Shares Lower as Geopolitical Tensions Ease

Despite OPEC+ maintaining production cuts, crude benchmarks fell sharply on Monday, pulling energy stocks like ConocoPhillips down with them as immediate fears of a supply disruption in the Persian Gulf subsided.

Feb 2, 2026

World

China Eases Dairy Tariffs on EU Imports, Industry Seeks Further Dialogue

Beijing has lowered punitive tariffs on key EU dairy products, offering some relief to exporters like Arla and Lactalis. While welcomed as a de-escalation, European trade bodies argue the remaining duties are unjustified and call for continued negotiations to resolve the trade dispute.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

USA Rare Earth Shares Surge on Reports of $1 Billion Federal Stockpile Plan

Shares of USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) climbed over 6% Monday morning following reports of a proposed U.S. government initiative, dubbed 'Project Vault,' aimed at securing a strategic reserve of critical minerals, including rare earths, to counter potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Baidu's Self-Driving Bet Gains Traction, Fueling Investor Debate on Future Value

As Baidu pivots from its search engine roots, its heavy investments in autonomous vehicle technology are beginning to yield operational results, reshaping analyst views and sparking fresh valuation discussions amidst fierce AI competition.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Sony's Slump: Is the Tech Giant Undervalued After Recent Market Pressure?

Sony Group's shares have faced significant headwinds, declining over 15% in the past month. As the stock hovers around ¥3,397, analysts are divided on whether this represents a buying opportunity or a sign of deeper challenges in its gaming and sensor divisions.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Corn Market Stumbles into February as Prices Slip Amid Mixed Fundamentals

Corn futures extended their recent slide to start the week, pressured by a stronger dollar and ongoing adjustments in trader positioning. Despite robust export commitments, concerns over South American harvest progress and speculative activity are keeping the market on the back foot.

Feb 2, 2026

US

Lankford's 'Federal Fumbles' Report Targets Millions in NIH Grants for Transgender Animal Studies, Fetal Tissue Research

Senator James Lankford's annual oversight report details what he calls wasteful federal spending, including controversial NIH-funded projects on transgender-related animal testing and aborted fetal tissue research, reigniting debates on scientific priorities and fiscal responsibility.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Porsche's Electric Sports Car Ambitions Stall as Budget Pressures Mount

Under new CEO Michael Leiters, Porsche is reportedly considering axing its planned all-electric 718 Boxster and Cayman line. The potential move, driven by development hurdles and soaring costs, signals a strategic recalibration as the automaker grapples with a sales slowdown in China and the financial weight of revising its EV roadmap.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Market Turbulence Hits Havens: Precious Metals Plunge, Bitcoin Stumbles as February Opens

A sharp reversal in gold and silver prices, coupled with a slide in Bitcoin and Asian equities, rattled investors at the start of February, raising questions about the sustainability of recent market rallies.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Tesla's European Slump Deepens as Budget Model Strategy Fails to Gain Traction

Tesla's sales decline in Europe continues despite new lower-cost models, while industry buzz swirls around a hotly denied report of potential Ford-Xiaomi collaboration. Meanwhile, U.S. dealers show surprising pragmatism toward the EV transition.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

From Motor City to Ghost Town: Joe Rogan and Bernie Sanders Decry Detroit's Industrial Collapse

Podcaster Joe Rogan and Senator Bernie Sanders dissect the stark decline of Detroit's auto industry on a recent episode, highlighting abandoned factories, job offshoring, and a city where homes can sell for pennies. The conversation underscores the human cost of deindustrialization and the fierce global competition now facing American automakers.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Alibaba Bets Big on AI: A ¥30 Billion Push for Qwen and Homegrown Chips Aims to Redefine Its Future

Alibaba Group is making a massive, multi-billion yuan bet to integrate its Qwen AI assistant across its ecosystem and develop its own AI chips, signaling a strategic pivot to reduce foreign dependency and deepen user engagement amid intense competition.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Lucid's Arctic Triumph: Winter Range Victory Spotlights EV Efficiency Battle

Lucid Air Grand Touring secures the top spot in a grueling Nordic winter range test, providing a much-needed technical validation for the luxury EV maker amidst a challenging market climate.

Feb 2, 2026