Fitch Cuts China Outlook to Negative on Steady Rise in Debt (5 min read)

Fitch Ratings changed China's outlook to negative, citing potential increased debt as the government tries to boost the economy amid a real estate slowdown. Despite China's pushback, Fitch's decision highlights concerns about China's economic stability. China's public debt has risen sharply, but its ability to borrow in its own currency mitigates the risk of a debt crisis. Foreign ownership of China's bonds is low, limiting the impact of Fitch's outlook change.

Aluminium and nickel prices surge after sanctions on Russian supply (2 min read)

Aluminum saw its biggest one-day gain since 1987, surging up to 9.4%, following new UK and US sanctions that block the trade of new Russian supplies of key industrial metals, including nickel and copper, on major exchanges. The sanctions, aimed at Russian aluminum, nickel, and copper, drove prices up as markets anticipate tighter supplies. However, Russian producers, like Rusal, claim they can still meet global demand due to their robust logistics and production capabilities.

Tesla to slash global workforce more than 10% as it faces price war: ‘Difficult decision’ (4 min read)

Tesla is cutting over 10% of its global workforce, affecting at least 14,047 employees, as part of a cost-reduction and productivity boost. This decision comes amid a challenging period for Tesla, marked by its first year-over-year drop in quarterly car deliveries since 2020 and increased competition, particularly from Chinese EV manufacturer BYD. CEO Elon Musk describes the layoffs as a necessary step for the company's next growth phase.

Apple Faces Worst iPhone Slump Since Covid as Rivals Rise (4 min read)

Apple's iPhone shipments dropped nearly 10% in the first quarter. This marks the steepest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic and was driven by weakened sales in China, where competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi are gaining ground. This downturn comes despite a broader rebound in the global smartphone market, where overall shipments grew by 7.8%. Apple also lost its place as the largest phone maker in the world to Samsung after this slump.

Hong Kong regulators approve launch of spot bitcoin and ether ETFs (2 min read)

Hong Kong regulators have approved the launch of spot bitcoin and ether ETFs, following similar moves in the US. It would also be the first in the world to approve a spot ether ETF. Three ETF providers, including ChinaAMC, Harvest Global, and Bosera International, have received approval. The approval marks Hong Kong's attempt to establish itself as a regulated crypto hub, though it's uncertain if mainland Chinese investors will have access.

ETFs surge to dominant position in US model portfolios (5 min read)

ETFs now dominate the US model portfolio market, accounting for 51% of its assets. This growth in ETFs within model portfolios—standardized investment packages used by financial advisers—is boosting their already rapid expansion. Despite ETF’s benefits, such as cost-efficiency and simplifying investment decisions, there are concerns about potential market instability during rebalancing, which can trigger large capital flows.

3 investments to consider with inflation rising (3 min read)

As US inflation surprisingly edged back up over the past months, this article highlighted gold, silver, and real estate as a potential hedge against it if the trend continues. Gold is finite and tends to rise in value during inflationary periods. Silver, used in industries like healthcare and renewable energy, may also see growth. Real estate can provide both an inflation hedge and income. More on the rationale behind each asset is available in the article.

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