Year: 2025

Growing economic risks and uncertainties pushed first-quarter demand for gold to the highest level since 2016, with prices expected to remain strong for the rest of the year, according to two outlook reports. Advertisement “The broader economic landscape remains difficult to predict, and that uncertainty could provide upside potential for gold,” Louise Street, senior markets analyst at the World Gold Council, said in a reported released on Wednesday that showed global gold consumption increased by 1 per cent year on year to 1,206 tonnes in the first three months of…

The US Senate confirmed long-time China critic David Perdue as the new US ambassador to China on Tuesday, a key role amid escalated bilateral tensions and a high-stakes tariff showdown between the world’s two largest economies. Advertisement Perdue, 75, a former US senator for the state of Georgia and a veteran business executive, was confirmed in a 67-29 vote that included some support from across the aisle. Known for his views of China as a global threat, Perdue joins US President Donald Trump’s China team, which is already filled with…

China’s newly passed private sector law bans “profit-driven” enforcement that unfairly targets the non-state sector, according to the full text of the legislation, underscoring Beijing’s determination to rein in local authorities and allay private entrepreneurs’ concerns as the country faces increasing economic pressure at home and abroad. Advertisement Compared with the initial draft released last year, the final version of the 78-article Private Economy Promotion Law adds more weight to addressing long-standing complaints about cross-regional enforcement and includes specially added clauses to reinforce accountability for officials directly responsible for failures…

French utility group Suez is reviewing its Chinese water-infrastructure assets, people familiar with the matter said, as the company looks at potential ways to streamline its global operations. Advertisement The BlackRock-backed company is working with HSBC Holdings to study options for the business, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. It has approached a select group of potential buyers to gauge their interest, according to the people. A transaction could value the China water business at more than US$1 billion, some of the people…

A corruption investigation into Wang Jianjun, a well-known deputy at China’s top securities regulatory body, has sent a new round of shock waves through the country’s financial sector. Advertisement The top political disciplinary and anti-corruption body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said on Wednesday that Wang, 57, was suspected of “serious violations of discipline and laws” – a standard euphemism for corruption. In this position, which he held since 2021, Wang, oversaw financial institutions, market and bond regulations. He previously spent more than five years at the Shenzhen…