Gold prices surged beyond US$5,000 per ounce for the first time on 25 January, driving gains in mining stocks across Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland. Zijin Mining rose 7.1 percent in Hong Kong, while Zhongjin Gold surged 10 percent in Shanghai. Analysts attributed the rally to geopolitical tensions, United States shutdown risks and heightened safe-haven demand.
3.2%
Hong Kong’s economic growth rate in 2025, accelerating from 2.5 percent the previous year despite persistently weak retail consumption. Financial Secretary Paul Chan said growth was driven by strong exports and domestic demand, with merchandise exports rising 18.8 percent year-on-year in November 2025. The unemployment rate held at 3.8 percent, though pressure persisted in construction and food services.
Dual headquarters
The model proposed under Shenzhen Qianhai’s 2026 action plan to deepen cooperation with Hong Kong. Released in January, the blueprint positions Qianhai as a strategic partner rather than a competitor and aims to attract Hong Kong companies, including unicorns, by enabling cross-border deployment of capital, data and talent. Officials said the initiative supports closer integration with national development priorities while reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a global finance and innovation hub.
¥200 billion
The expanded size of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s RMB Business Facility following full utilization of its initial quota of ¥100 billion. Launched in October 2025 under a currency swap arrangement with the People’s Bank of China, the facility provides banks with lower-cost renminbi (RMB) funding for trade finance and corporate lending, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as the leading offshore RMB business hub.
560
The number of overseas and Mainland companies InvestHK helped establish or expand operations in Hong Kong in 2025, up 4 percent year on year. The projects attracted an estimated HK$69.4 billion in investment and created more than 10,700 jobs across finance, logistics, technology and tourism. Officials said the performance reflected sustained international investor confidence and Hong Kong’s role as a regional business and financial hub.
64.7%
The share of South-East Asian respondents who view taxation as a contribution to society, according to a December 2025 global survey by ACCA, IFAC, CA ANZ and the OECD. The study found public trust remains strongest in Asia, supported by digital public services and transparency, contrasting with wider confidence gaps across Europe and Latin America.
US$20 billion
The potential valuation of CK Hutchison’s global telecommunications assets under a proposed dual listing in London and Hong Kong. The group is weighing the move as early as the third quarter of 2026 following spinoff preparations. The plan follows regulatory approvals being cleared for its Vodafone-Three UK merger, and is aimed at unlocking shareholder value through capital market separation.
US$395 million
The amount luxury conglomerate LVMH agreed to sell its DFS Greater China travel-retail business in Hong Kong and Macau to China Tourism Group Duty Free. The transaction highlights a strategic recalibration of the luxury group’s regional exposure and reflects ongoing consolidation in the duty-free sector amid shifting travel patterns and consumer spending in Greater China.
800 million users
The scale OpenAI says justifies testing advertising in the free version of ChatGPT, according to its Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Friar defended ads as a “strong business model” needed to democratize access to artificial intelligence.
