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SHANGHAI, CHINA – MARCH 01: Skyscrapers stand at the Pudong Lujiazui Financial District on March 1, 2022 in Shanghai, China.Xiao Yang | Visual China Group | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets opened higher Tuesday, after Wall Street’s tech stocks rebounded on a rally in Google parent  and hopes of a Fed rate cut.Optimism about Alphabet’s standing in the AI race started last week after the tech giant announced its upgraded AI model, Gemini 3. The stock closed 6.31% higher Monday. Other AI-related stocks, such as Broadcom and Micron Technology, also popped higher, building on a wider rebound that started on Friday, when the head…

Prime office rents in Hong Kong’s Central business district rose modestly in November – the first time in three and a half years – on the back of an overall improvement in vacancy rates, which helped buttress the negotiating stance of landlords, according to property consultancy JLL.Rents in Central inched up 0.1 per cent to HK$72.90 (US$9.36) per square foot from October, as the number of empty offices decreased slightly to 13.1 per cent from 13.4 per cent, JLL said. The last time that rents in Central recorded an increase was in May 2022, it said.That reflected how tenants in…

Few figures embody the AI frenzy more than Jensen Huang, the CEO of chip giant Nvidia, whose market value has surged by 300% over the past two years.   Amid this feverish momentum, Huang sought in his first remarks during the latest earnings call to calm concerns over an inflating bubble.   “There’s a lot of talk about an AI bubble… but from our perspective, we see something completely different,” he told shareholders.   As the debate over an AI bubble deepens, it’s clear that those with the most to gain from continued AI spending are the ones dismissing fears…

As China’s traditional spirits and premium wines grapple with declining consumption, a significant shift is under way across the beverage landscape. This three-part series examines the challenges faced by Maotai town as its once-coveted baijiu loses its lustre, the impact of economic shutdowns on European wine imports, and the rise of craft beer as a budget-friendly alternative for consumers seeking quality without breaking the bank.On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, when the rainy season has typically come to an end and the waters of the Chishui River run clear, baijiu distilleries in Maotai town in China’s Guizhou…

Earlier this month, the US Democrats, whom many had written off, swept the local and state elections. From Zohran Mandani becoming New York mayor and Abigail Spanberger becoming Virginia governor to two statewide wins in Georgia’s public service commissioner races, the Democrats had a good run. The winning message was, ironically, what lost them the last presidential election: affordability.President Donald Trump has since sounded the alarm that Republicans must reclaim the issue of affordability. He has proposed a 50-year mortgage and a cheque of at least US$2,000 for every American not on a high income.The absurdity of a 50-year mortgage…

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early Tuesday, striking residential buildings and energy infrastructure, according to video footage and local authorities.A residential building in the central Pechersk district and another in Kyiv’s eastern district of Dniprovskyi were badly damaged, Mayor Vitalii Kitschko said.Video footage posted to Telegram showed a large fire spread through multiple floors of the nine-story building in Dniprovskyi. At least four people were injured, the head of Kyiv city administration, Tymor Tkachenko, said.Ukraine’s energy ministry said that energy infrastructure had been hit, without specifying what type or the extent…

Copper prices slipped during US trading on Monday, weighed by a slightly stronger dollar and growing bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut.   Three-month copper futures on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.2% to 10,780.5 dollars per metric ton as of 4:40 p.m. Mecca time.   Markets now assign a 78% probability of a 25-basis-point Fed rate cut in December, up from roughly 41% a week ago, according to CME FedWatch.   UBS sees structurally tighter supply and higher copper ahead   UBS expects copper prices to move higher next year, citing tightening supply conditions driven by persistent mine…

Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed Beijing’s steadfast support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, sending a congratulatory letter on the eve of the embattled leader’s birthday that pledged continued backing for the South American country’s sovereignty amid mounting regional tensions and US military pressure.In the message, released by Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry over the weekend, Xi described China and Venezuela as “intimate friends, dear brothers and good partners”.He vowed to keep supporting Caracas in “safeguarding its sovereignty and national security, the dignity of the nation, and social stability”.The Chinese leader also used the letter to condemn foreign interference in Venezuelan affairs,…

Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Market update : The S & P 500 is on pace for its second positive session in a row as it claws back some of its losses from the past few weeks. Technology leads the market as Alphabet jumps on the positive buzz surrounding its new AI model, Gemini 3. The news is good for Alphabet, but it’s even better for its primary custom AI chip provider, Broadcom , which makes…

U.S. stocks climbed on Monday, supported by a strong rebound in the technology sector, particularly AI-linked names, alongside rising expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut at next month’s meeting.   Fed Governor Christopher Waller said he favors a rate cut in December, though he noted that the January decision may be more challenging due to the backlog of delayed economic data.   His remarks followed comments from New York Fed President John Williams on Friday, who signaled that the central bank may have additional room to ease policy.   Williams said that monetary policy “remains moderately restrictive,” though less…