Glory to Hong Kong: Court dismisses official’s request to ban song

The tune Glory to Hong Kong has become synonymous with pro-democracy demonstrations in the territory. More »

Explainer: How common cold viruses are being used in vaccines from Russia, China

(Reuters) – The modified common cold viruses behind high-profile COVID-19 vaccine candidates from China’s CanSino Biologics (6185.HK) and Russia’s Gamaleya Institute have been studied for decades, but are still not widely used. The following are some details o... More »

China grants country’s first COVID-19 vaccine patent to CanSino: state media

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s vaccine specialist CanSino Biologics Inc has won a patent approval from Beijing for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Ad5-nCOV, state media reported, citing documents from the country’s intellectual property regulator. It is the first ... More »

Asia shares push ahead as China markets jump

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares crept back toward recent peaks on Monday as Chinese markets swung higher, while investors waited to see if the recent sell-off in longer-dated U.S. Treasuries would extend and maybe take some pressure off the beleaguered dollar.... More »

Take Five: Impasse!

1/WALL STREET WATCHES WASHINGTON U.S. lawmakers negotiating a fresh dose of stimulus have reached an impasse. Trillions of dollars injected by the Federal Reserve and huge government spending increases have stemmed coronavirus-linked economic damage, fuelling ... More »

Huawei lawyers say U.S. evidence ‘unreliable’ in Meng extradition case

(Reuters) – Evidence used by the United States to justify the extradition of Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is “unreliable and defective” and should not be considered by a Canadian court, Meng’s lawyers argued in documents released to... More »

Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested under security law, bearing out ‘worst fears’

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai became the highest-profile person arrested under a new national security law on Monday, detained over suspected collusion with foreign forces as around 200 police searched the offices of his Apple Daily ne... More »

China imposes sanctions against U.S. lawmakers over Hong Kong

BEIJING (Reuters) – China said it would apply sanctions against 11 U.S. citizens including officials from Monday in response to Washington’s move on Friday to impose sanctions on 11 Hong Kong and Chinese officials whom it accused of curtailing political freedo... More »

Hong Kong reports 69 new coronavirus cases as local transmissions stay high

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong reported 69 new coronavirus cases on Monday, of which 67 were locally transmitted, as authorities battled to contain a resurgence of the virus over the last six weeks. Since late January, over 4,000 people have been infected in ... More »

Huawei to stop making flagship chipsets as U.S. pressure bites, Chinese media say

SHANGHAI/SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) – Huawei Technologies Co [HWT.UL] will stop making its flagship Kirin chipsets next month, financial magazine Caixin said on Saturday, as the impact of U.S. pressure on the Chinese tech giant grows. U.S. pressure on Huawei’s ... More »

Location of TikTok headquarters is a matter for ByteDance: PM Johnson’s spokesman

LONDON (Reuters) – The location of TikTok owner ByteDance’s headquarters is a commercial decision for the company to make, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, responding to a report that the firm could move to London. “It would... More »

Summer mood swings: markets turn higher on hopes of virus aid

LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks and the dollar rallied after a cautious European morning as thin summer trading led to sharp swings in the market, and worries about U.S. gridlock over the next round of coronavirus aid eased. In Europe, stocks were up 1.2% as t... More »

Hong Kong reports 80 new coronavirus cases, slight drop from previous highs

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong reported 80 new coronavirus cases on Monday, dropping below 100 infections for the first time in 12 days, as a team of Chinese officials began preparations for widespread testing in the global financial hub, which has seen a res... More »

Gold roars to record high, dollar dives again

LONDON (Reuters) – Gold soared to an all-time high on worsening ties between the United States and China, a sinking dollar and ultra-low interest rates on Monday, while stock markets faltered before a deluge of corporate earnings. Europe’s main stock markets w... More »

Hong Kong bans restaurant dining as it battles new wave of coronavirus

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong banned gatherings of more than two people on Monday, closed down restaurant dining and introduced mandatory face masks in public places, including outdoors, as it tries to rein in a new coronavirus outbreak. The measures, which ... More »

Global prospects dim for China’s tech champions as great powers clash

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – Huawei Technologies’ founder Ren Zhengfei’s global ambitions are marked in bricks and mortar at a new company campus in southern China, where the buildings are replicas from European cities. Zhang Yiming, founder of ByteDance, the ... More »

Exclusive: Global banks scrutinize their Hong Kong clients for pro-democracy ties – sources

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Global wealth managers are examining whether their clients in Hong Kong have ties to the city’s pro-democracy movement, in an attempt to avoid getting caught in the crosshairs of China’s new national security law, according to six people ... More »

China urges UK to avoid taking wrong path in Hong Kong affairs

BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Monday urged Britain to avoid making further steps down wrong path after reports that it was poised to suspend an extradition treaty for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the remark during a daily... More »

UK to ban Huawei from 5G network

LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government will ban Huawei from Britain’s 5G network by ordering telecoms companies to remove its equipment by 2027, Media Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Tuesday. Operators will not be able to purchase 5G comp... More »

Taiwan says Dalai Lama welcome to visit, a trip that would infuriate China

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan would welcome a visit by exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, its foreign ministry said on Monday, a trip that would infuriate Beijing which views him as a dangerous separatist. The Dalai Lama has not visited the Chinese-cl... More »

UK decision on Huawei not set in stone, British minister says

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s decision to allow China’s Huawei to play a limited role in building its 5G network is not “fixed in stone” and is being reviewed following the imposition of U.S. sanctions, culture minister Oliver Dowden said on Monday. Britain gra... More »

U.S. Congress urges Trump administration to get tougher on China’s Xinjiang crackdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – More than 75 U.S. senators and House members on Thursday urged the Trump administration to take a tougher stance on China over its crackdown in that country’s Xinjiang province and make a formal determination whether its treatment of Mus... More »

BOC Aviation cancels 30 Boeing 737 MAX but backs grounded jet

(Reuters) – Aircraft leasing company BOC Aviation (2588.HK) said on Tuesday it had cancelled an order for 30 Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX planes although its chief executive remained confident in the jet which has been grounded for more than a year. The lessor, which... More »

China passes national security law in turning point for Hong Kong

HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s parliament passed national security legislation for Hong Kong on Tuesday, setting the stage for the most radical changes to the former British colony’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule 23 years ago. Details of... More »

EU, Britain, Taiwan dismayed by China’s new security law for Hong Kong

BRUSSELS/TOKYO (Reuters) – The European Union expressed anger while Britain and Japan voiced concern on Tuesday after China passed a national security law for Hong Kong that threatens to usher in the starkest changes for the former British colony since its ret... More »

Britain urgently needs to see China law on Hong Kong, says UK PM’s spokesman

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain urgently needs to see the legislation China passed regarding Hong Kong to determine whether it has breached the joint declaration and then will set out its next steps, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday. “De... More »

Hong Kong May retail sales tumble as spending, tourism evaporate

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s retail sales in May slumped 32.8% from a year earlier, falling for the 16th consecutive month as the virus pandemic slammed the brakes on tourism and spending in the city. Months of anti-government protest have also weighed on... More »

UK PM Johnson says on Huawei: we must protect from ‘hostile state vendors’

LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that Britain needed to protect its critical national infrastructure from “hostile state vendors” when deciding what role China’s Huawei should play in the country’s 5G network. Britain is taking a... More »

U.S. starts paring back Hong Kong’s special status due to security law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States began eliminating Hong Kong’s special status under U.S. law on Monday, halting defense exports and restricting the territory’s access to high technology products as China prepares new Hong Kong security legislation. The... More »

Rainy day hastens sovereign wealth funds’ refocus to home

LONDON (Reuters) – Famed for snapping up glitzy real estate and stakes in troubled international banks during the global financial crisis, sovereign wealth funds are investing more at home, a trend set to accelerate in the wake of the economic carnage wrought ... More »

London Stock Exchange’s Rathi to head UK financial watchdog

LONDON (Reuters) – Nikhil Rathi, head of the London Stock Exchange’s UK division, has been appointed chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Britain’s finance ministry said on Monday. Rathi, a former finance ministry official, will play a key... More »

Global stocks shrug off fresh virus wave fears, dollar slips

LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks reversed earlier losses and the dollar slid on Monday as investors shrugged off worries that rising coronavirus infections in parts of Europe and the United States over the weekend could scupper a quick economic rebound. Torn be... More »

China set to complete Beidou network rivalling GPS in global navigation

BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese Beidou navigation network will be complete this month when its final satellite goes into orbit, giving China greater independence from U.S.-owned GPS and heating up competition in a sector long dominated by the United States. Th... More »

Hong Kong spearheads $5 billion Cathay Pacific rescue package

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong will lead a $5 billion rescue of Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK), which like other airlines has been hit by a global travel slump triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. The government’s involvement in the recapitalisatio... More »

Chinese telecom firms urge FCC not to revoke ability to operate in U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. units of China Telecom Corp’s (0728.HK) and China Unicom (0762.HK) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to revoke the company’s nearly two-decade old authorization to provide international telecommunications ser... More »

New work by Chinese dissident artist shows support for Hong Kong protests

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – A new work by Chinese dissident artist Badiucao in support of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters shows the image of a lone man standing in the path of a tank taken on Tiananmen Square in 1989. But in Badiucao’s version of the photograph,... More »

Smartphone shipments in China up 17% in April, signalling likely rebound: government data

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Smartphone shipments from China’s factories to vendors rose 17% in April compared to the same month a year ago, according to government data released on Tuesday. The numbers suggest an early domestic rebound for smartphone makers such as A... More »

Tencent Music misses quarterly revenue estimates, signals better second quarter

(Reuters) – China’s Tencent Music Entertainment (TME.N) narrowly missed market estimates for quarterly revenue on Monday as the COVID-19 crisis hurt the company’s social entertainment services business, sending its shares down 4.5% in extended trade overnight.... More »

Tim Hortons China says Tencent has invested, did not disclose amount

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Tim Hortons China said Tuesday it received an investment from Chinese tech giant Tencent, as the Canadian coffee brewer seeks to expand in the Chinese market. Tim Hortons said in a statement on its Weibo it will use the funds to upgrade d... More »

HK scientists say new antiviral coating can protect surfaces for 90 days

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Researchers at a Hong Kong university say they have developed an antiviral coating which could provide 90 days of “significant” protection against bacteria and viruses such as the one causing COVID-19. The coating, called MAP-1, took 10 y... More »

Asia shares rally as BOJ buys more bonds- U.S. crude skids

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Asian shares bounced on Monday as the Bank of Japan (BOJ) announced more stimulus steps to help cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus, but the recent weak run in the global oil price showed no signs of ending. MSCI’s broad... More »

Who’s Who of pop culture unites for ‘One World’ coronavirus special

(Reuters) – Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Beyonce and Oprah Winfrey on Saturday headlined a special broadcast of music, comedy and personal stories celebrating those around the world on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.... More »

Oil gains on OPEC+ deal, stocks stymied by pandemic worries

TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Global equities weakened on Monday as investors braced for more indications of economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic while oil prices rose in choppy trade following a landmark deal by OPEC and its allies to cut output. U.S. ... More »

Factbox: Coronavirus spread closes North American meat plants

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Major meat companies in the United States and Canada have closed plants temporarily due to cases of the new coronavirus and concerns about its spread. Here are some facilities that have shut or reduced production: * JBS USA [JBS.UL] shut a ... More »

‘Rice ATM’ feeds Vietnam’s poor amid virus lockdown

HO CHI MINH CITY (Reuters) – A Vietnamese entrepreneur in Ho Chi Minh City has invented a 24/7 automatic dispensing machine providing free rice for people out of work following an ongoing nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Vietnam... More »

Nintendo game pulled from Chinese platforms after Hong Kong protest

HONG KONG (Reuters) – A Nintendo Switch video game has been pulled off China’s grey market e-commerce platforms, Reuters’ checks show, after Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong used the game to protest against Beijing’s rule of the Chinese territory. The game, “Ani... More »

China firmly opposes U.S. action against China Telecom: foreign ministry

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that Beijing is opposed to any action by the United States to revoke China Telecom Corp’s authorisation to provide international telecommunications to and from the United States. Chinese foreign minis... More »

Dollar borrowing costs drop to lowest in decade in FX swap markets

LONDON (Reuters) – Dollar borrowing costs in the foreign exchange swap markets retreated further on Monday, with swap rates against the euro and pound falling to their lowest levels in more than a decade. These moves indicate recent emergency actions by global... More »

Euro zone investor morale hits all-time low on coronavirus – Sentix

BERLIN (Reuters) – Investor morale in the euro zone fell to an all-time low in April and the bloc’s economy is in deep recession due to the coronavirus, which is “holding the world economy in a stranglehold”, a survey showed on Monday. Sentix’s index for the e... More »

Stocks jump on virus slowdown hopes, but oil slips on oversupply

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Stocks jumped on Monday as investors were encouraged by a slowdown in coronavirus-related deaths and new cases, while oil prices skidded after Saudi-Russian negotiations to cut output were delayed, keeping oversupply concerns alive. Equity i... More »

Masks do reduce spread of flu and some coronaviruses, study finds

LONDON (Reuters) – Face masks could help limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to researchers who studied the effect of surgical masks on the transmission of other corona and flu viruses. In the study, the use of surgical masks by sufferers sign... More »

Asia shares suffer virus chills, central banks offer cold comfort

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Asian shares slid on Monday as fears mounted that the global coronavirus shutdown could last for months although markets regained some lost ground late in the session with Australia posting a standout jump. U.S. and European future... More »

Japan drugmaker Shionogi to tie up with Ping An as eyes China expansion

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Shionogi & Co (4507.T), creator of the blockbuster cholesterol treatment Crestor, said on Monday it would tie up with Ping An Insurance Group Co of China (601318.SS), selling a 2.05% voting stake for 33.53 billion yen ($311 million). ... More »

Factbox: Sports events around the world hit by coronavirus pandemic

(Reuters) – Major sports events around the world that have been hit by the coronavirus pandemic: OLYMPICS * The International Olympic Committee and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe concluded the Tokyo 2020 Olympics must be postponed and held no later than the... More »

Blackrock to freeze global hiring for a few weeks: source

LONDON (Reuters) – Blackrock (BLK.N), the world’s largest asset manager, will freeze global hiring for a few weeks, according to a source familiar with the situation. As the deadly coronavirus swept across the global economy, killing thousands of people, compa... More »

Bank of England cancels stress test of banks over coronavirus

LONDON (Reuters) – The Bank of England canceled this year’s stress test of major banks on Friday and said it may be hard to implement new global capital rules on time given the focus now on supporting lending to customers hit by the coronavirus epidemic. The d... More »

Hong Kong activates only a third of virus quarantine wristbands as thousands return home

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Many overseas arrivals in the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong are going unmonitored as they begin two weeks of mandatory self-quarantine, with only a third of the 6,000 electronic wristbands issued to them being activated, authorities sa... More »

Hedge fund manager apologizes for wiping saliva on Hong Kong metro rail

HONG KONG (Reuters) – A hedge fund manager in Hong Kong has publicly apologised after a parody video of him licking his finger and wiping it on a hand rail in a metro car went viral, sparking anger in the city which is grappling to contain an outbreak of the n... More »

Stampede to get out: bond ETFs get crushed in selloff

LONDON (Reuters) – A rush to sell global bonds in the past week has now rippled into the world of exchange-traded funds with some of the most actively traded seeing the most bulging gaps relative to the value of underlying holdings in years. Exchange-traded fu... More »

Spain plans extension of coronavirus state of emergency, mulls border shutdown

MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish ministers said on Monday that a state of emergency over the coronavirus which has shut down much of the country will have to be extended beyond an initial 15-day period, and the government was also considering closing borders. “Obvio... More »

Louvre museum closed again as workers fret over coronavirus

PARIS (Reuters) – The Louvre museum in Paris shut its doors to art lovers and tourists for a second day on Monday as management held talks with workers over the risks associated with coronavirus. Queues quickly formed in the rain outside the world’s most visit... More »

Lufthansa calls off flights to China until April 24 and Tehran until April 30

BERLIN (Reuters) – Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Monday that it was suspending flights to China until April 24 and to Tehran until April 30 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Lufthansa said it was also adjusting its flights to northern Italy. It said Austrian Airl... More »

Factbox: Sports events hit by the coronavirus epidemic

(Reuters) – The following is a list of international sports events hit by the outbreak of the new coronavirus: ATHLETICS ** The World Athletics Indoor Championships, scheduled for Nanjing from March 13-15, were postponed until next year. World Athletics is wor... More »

Wuhan closes makeshift hospital as new coronavirus cases in China drop sharply

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The Chinese city at the center of the coronavirus epidemic closed its first makeshift hospital, one of 16 hurriedly built to handle the epidemic, after it discharged the last recovered patients, state broadcaster CCTV reported on M... More »

HNA Group-controlled companies’ shares rise after government help sought

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Shares in HNA Group-controlled companies rose on Monday after the Chinese aviation and tourism conglomerate said it had asked the government to help it resolve liquidity risk caused by the coronavirus outbreak which has put heavy p... More »

Asian shares rebound as markets bet on coordinated policy stimulus

SINGAPORE/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares regained a measure of calm on Monday as markets bounced after a searing sell-off last week and as investors pinned hopes on a likely coordinated global monetary response to help soften the economic blow of the coronavi... More »

Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways to suspend all flights to South Korea over coronavirus concerns

HANOI (Reuters) – Bamboo Airways will suspend flights to South Korea from Feb. 26 over coronavirus concerns, the company said on Monday. Its flights between Da Nang and Nha Trang to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport will cease operations starting Feb. 26, ... More »

Cargill to challenge Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods with new plant-based burger

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Cargill Inc will launch plant-based hamburger patties and ground “fake meat” products in April, the company said on Monday, challenging Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods for sales in grocery stores, cafeterias and restaurants. The entry of C... More »

Italy’s UniCredit says Mustier to stay on as CEO

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s biggest bank UniCredit (CRDI.MI) said on Monday Chief Executive Jean Pierre Mustier had confirmed he would remain in his role, following media reports that he was being considered for the top job at rival HSBC (HSBA.L). UniCredit rece... More »

Shares drop, gold surges as investors scurry for safety

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Global shares and oil slid on Monday while safe-haven gold surged as the spread of the coronavirus outside China darkened the outlook for world growth with infections and deaths rising in South Korea, Italy and the Middle East. The large spi... More »

Belgian designer Raf Simons joins Prada as co-creative director

MILAN (Reuters) – Raf Simons will join Prada as co-creative director, marking the first time the Italian fashion house has hired an outsider to work with renowned head designer Miuccia Prada. Belgian-born Simons, 52, will join Prada on April 2, the group said ... More »

Factbox: Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyond

(Reuters) – Here are the latest developments around the coronavirus outbreak: *The death toll in mainland China reached 1,770 as of Sunday-end, up by 105 from the previous day, while there were 2,048 new cases, bringing the total count to 70,548. *In Hubei pro... More »

Russia says citizen aboard Diamond Princess cruise ship has coronavirus

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian woman who was on board the Diamond Princess cruise liner docked in Yokohama, Japan, has tested positive for coronavirus following examinations by the Japanese authorities, the Russian Embassy to Japan said on Monday. The woman will... More »

Virus time crime: Hong Kong police bust toilet paper gang

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Knife-wielding robbers in Hong Kong stole 50 packs of toilet paper rolls from a supermarket delivery man, police said on Monday, in a sign of the times for a city worried sick by the coronavirus outbreak across the causeway in mainland Ch... More »

Cathay Pacific flags ‘significant’ drop in first-half profit, capacity cuts due to coronavirus

(Reuters) – Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) is expecting a significant drop in its first-half results and has also cut capacity due to the coronavirus outbreak, it said on Monday. Severe travel restrictions as a result of a coronavirus outbreak in China, whic... More »

Facing uptick in virus infections, Japan moves to limit public crowds

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan said on Monday it would limit public crowds in Tokyo to prevent a further spread of the deadly coronavirus, scrapping the emperor’s birthday celebrations and closing next month’s Tokyo Marathon to all but elite professional runners. The... More »

Thailand raises $3.2 billion at 5G license auctions

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s telecoms regulator raised 100.52 billion baht ($3.2 billion) in 5G spectrum auctions on Sunday, with operators snapping up 48 licenses ahead of an expected commercial rollout later this year. Thailand’s top mobile operator, Advan... More »

China slowly gets back to work as nearly 100 more die from coronavirus

BEIJING (Reuters) – Workers began trickling back to offices and factories around China on Monday as the government eased some restrictions on working during a coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 900 people, most of them on the mainland. The death to... More »

Taiwan’s Foxconn gets OK to restart plant in Zhengzhou, China: source

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s Foxconn has received approval to resume production at a plant in the northern Chinese city of Zhengzhou that had been shuttered due to a coronavirus outbreak, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday. Abou... More »

Factbox: Some carmakers likely to restart China factories after shutting for coronavirus

(Reuters) – Automakers including Daimler, Tesla and Ford are likely to restart production in China on Monday after being forced to shut factories for more than a week following a widespread outbreak of the coronavirus. However, some have further delayed reopen... More »

China’s return to work lifts local stocks while rest of Asia trails

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares fell on Monday as the death toll from a coronavirus outbreak exceeded the SARS epidemic of two decades ago, though Chinese shares gained as authorities lifted some work and travel restrictions, helping businesses to resume opera... More »

Latest on coronavirus spreading in China and beyond

(Reuters) – Here are the latest developments around the new coronavirus outbreak: * China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Monday the death toll rose to 908, as employees began trickling back to offices and factories around China after the government... More »

Taiwan to bar entry of many Hong Kong, Macau residents to halt virus

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan expanded its restrictions on visitors from Hong Kong and Macau on Monday to freeze the entry of many residents from the two Chinese-run cities to help control the spread of the new coronavirus. Taiwan has been gradually stepping up it... More »

Tycoon Li Ka-shing gives $13 million to Chinese city at virus epicenter

HONG KONG (Reuters) – The Li Ka-Shing Foundation, a charitable organization founded by the Hong Kong billionaire, has donated HK$100 million ($12.9 million) to the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the new coronavirus that has killed more than 900 people... More »

SoftBank set for sharp quarterly profit drop amid pressure from Elliott

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s SoftBank Group (9984.T) is expected to post a slide in profits for the past quarter, deepening concern about its ability to secure funding for a second Vision Fund and giving activist fund Elliott Management more fodder for a shake-up... More »

Hong Kong art shows axed amid coronavirus fears

HONG KONG (Reuters) – International art organization Art Basel on Friday announced the cancellation of its high-profile Hong Kong annual show next month as the city grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. The fair had been due to take place from March 19 to 21... More »

China counts economic cost of virus as markets plunge, death toll up

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The economic and diplomatic costs of China’s coronavirus epidemic mounted on Monday with investors knocking $400 billion off the value of stocks and the government accusing the United States of over-reacting to the outbreak and whi... More »

Latest on the coronavirus spreading in China and beyond

(Reuters) – The number of deaths in China from the newly identified virus, which emerged in Wuhan city in the central province of Hubei in December, has risen to 361, as of Sunday, up 57 from the previous day, the National Health Commission said. Here are the ... More »

Huawei, Chinese chip makers keep factories humming despite virus outbreak

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Some technology firms in China have maintained operations to manufacture parts and products despite government calls in various cities and provinces for companies to halt work to help stop the spread of a new coronavirus. Chinese telecom g... More »

Virus worries wipe $420 billion off China’s stock market

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Investors erased $420 billion from China’s benchmark stock index on Monday, sold the yuan and dumped commodities as fears about the spreading coronavirus and its economic impact drove selling on the first day of trade in China si... More »

UK watchdog warns against ‘blanket’ suspension of credit cards

LONDON (Reuters) – Credit card firms must review how they treat customers that have been in persistent debt to help them save up to 1.3 billion pounds a year in lower interest charges, Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority said on Monday. New rules came into f... More »

Hong Kong medical workers strike to urge closure of China border to block virus

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hundreds of medical workers went on strike in Hong Kong on Monday to demand the government shuts the border with mainland China to prevent the spread of a coronavirus and ease pressure on a stretched health sector. The Hospital Authority ... More »

Chinese markets plunge as rising virus death toll fuels fears for global growth

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese stock and commodity markets fell heavily on Monday as the death toll from a coronavirus epidemic in China rose to 361 and investors retreated into safe-haven assets in the first trading session after an extended Lunar New Y... More »

As coronavirus misinformation spreads on social media, Facebook removes posts

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Facebook Inc (FB.O) said it will take down misinformation about China’s fast-spreading coronavirus, in a rare departure from its usual approach to dubious health content that is presenting a fresh challenge for social media companies.... More »

Macau to deny entry to visitors from Hubei unless they can show they are virus-free

BEIJING (Reuters) – Macau said on Monday it will deny entry to visitors from China’s Hubei province or those who visited the province 14 days prior to arrival unless they can provide documentation showing they are not infected with the virus that broke out in ... More »

New York surges ahead of Brexit-shadowed London in finance: survey

LONDON (Reuters) – New York remains the world’s top financial center, pushing London further into second place as Brexit uncertainty undermines the UK capital and Asian centers catch up, a survey from consultants Duff & Phelps said on Monday. Britain will leav... More »

Stocks, oil prices skid as China virus fears drive investors to safe havens

TOKYO (Reuters) – Shares tumbled on Monday as investors grew increasingly anxious about the economic impact of China’s spreading virus outbreak, with demand spiking for safe-haven assets such as the Japanese yen and Treasury notes. Japan’s Nikkei average .N225... More »

Firms in China extend holidays, ask staff to work from home as virus spreads

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – Big businesses across China are temporarily shutting stores or advising staff to work from home, to guard against the spread of a flu-like virus as the tally of deaths rose to 80, with more than 2,700 people infected. Companies are... More »

China’s theaters, studios protest against deal to stream movie online for free

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese theaters and film studios are protesting a deal by Huanxi Media Group to premiere its new movie “Lost in Russia” on Bytedance’s online platforms, with some saying it was “trampling” and “destroying” China’s cinema industry.... More »

Samsung says may invest $500 million to set up display factory in India

SEOUL/BANGALORE (Reuters) – South Korean flat screen maker Samsung Display plans to set up a factory in India with a $500 million investment as parent Samsung Electronics Co Ltd seeks to expand smartphone production there, a regulatory filing showed. The move ... More »

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