China
China is set to kick off its big policy meeting. What will be the key announcements?
Key Points Beijing is expected to set GDP growth target at around 4.5% to 5% this year, inflation target unchanged at 2%, budget deficit of 4%. The world’s second-largest economy faces persistent challenges at home amid a consumption downturn and prolonged real estate slump. Source
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Middle East war sends natural gas prices soaring, raising growth shock risk for Europe and Asia
A prolonged surge in natural gas prices triggered by the ongoing war in the Middle East risks denting European growth and hitting some Asian economies hard, analysts have warned. Global gas prices have soared this week amid fears of a lengthy disruption to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz — a key shipping route […]
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Why Iran should not count on allies Russia and China to come to its aid
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) welcomes Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov (L) and Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazeem Gharibabadi before a meeting regarding the Iranian nuclear issue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on March 14, 2025. – | Afp | Getty Images As U.S. and Israeli strikes entered their third day, […]
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Khamenei’s death raises questions about Trump’s China trip
Key Points U.S. strikes on Iran raised doubts about Trump’s planned visit to China. Prediction markets showed increased bets on a greater likelihood of a delayed Trump trip. Analysts said trade talks may outweigh geopolitical tensions for both sides. Source
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Forget DeepSeek. China’s already released 5 new AI models and UBS prefers this one
As speculation over a new version of the DeepSeek AI model grows, several other Chinese tech companies have released their own generative artificial intelligence models in the past few weeks. They range from Alibaba’s Qwen 3.5 to ByteDance’s video-generating Seedance 2.0. But what’s caught the eye of AI users — and UBS stock analysts — […]
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Iran may ‘lash out harder’ as Khamenei’s death puts Tehran on a war footing, leaving the world bracing for what’s next
TOPSHOT – A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) Afp | Getty Images The escalating conflict in the Middle East is fueling fears that Washington’s pursuit of regime change in Iran, and Tehran’s retaliation, could destabilize regions from the Gulf to […]
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Congress pushes back against Nvidia, White House with chip export limits
Republican lawmakers are pushing to place limits on the ability of U.S. companies to sell advanced semiconductors to China — an effort that has run afoul of some key figures in the Trump administration. The effort also pits China hawks on the Hill against Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has repeatedly made the pitch to […]
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Nvidia still hasn’t sold its U.S.-approved China AI chips — and it’s worried local AI rivals could take over
Key Points Nvidia said it has yet to generate any revenue from chip sales to China. Chip sales have come under scrutiny from both Washington and Beijing amid a tech race. Chinese AI firms gained ground through IPOs and lower-cost tech. Source
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China holiday spending sends a strong signal on consumer stimulus plans
People watch performances to welcome the ‘God of Wealth’ during Lunar New Year festivities at Qianmen Street in Beijing, China, on February 21, 2026. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer market is recovering — just enough that policymakers likely won’t need to roll out the large-scale stimulus that investors have long […]
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