Since October 2025, gold has become the highest-value U.S. export category, surpassing oil, pharmaceuticals, and aircraft parts, with February 2026 shipments possibly setting a volume record. Most of the gold flows to Switzerland for refining, Hong Kong (a conduit to China), and the UK's London Bullion Market. U.S. official gold reserves remain unchanged, indicating the exports are sourced from mine output and recycling rather than government stockpiles.
numismaticnews.net
· 2026-10-17
Manus, a Chinese AI startup, announced it has raised more than $500 million in its initial funding round since ending its $2 billion acquisition agreement with Meta. The funding was led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with participation from existing investors including Tencent and HSG. The company plans to expand its hiring efforts globally and has not disclosed its current valuation, though reports suggest it was in talks for a $4 billion valuation last month.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-08
A shipment of sensitive F-35 fighter jet parts from Australia to the U.S. was rerouted through Hong Kong due to a missed email warning from freight company DSV. The UPS agent responsible for the shipment did not see the instructions to avoid certain regions under ITAR regulations, leading to the parts passing through a Chinese territory. The components included stealth coatings and critical aircraft parts, raising concerns over security and compliance.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-08
A data analysis by Basin Data comparing escalator speed regulations across 139 cities in 58 countries found LA Metro's specified escalator speed of 90 feet per minute falls below the legal maximum allowed in every city examined. Among 42 cities with confirmed operating speeds, LA Metro and New York run among the slowest at roughly 0.46 meters per second, while Hong Kong and Singapore run escalators at about 0.75 meters per second, roughly 64% faster.
basin.la
· 2026-09-24
An Australian F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door being shipped to Lockheed Martin in the U.S. for inspection went missing after a stop in South Korea, then were rerouted through Hong Kong, according to Bloomberg. Chinese authorities took possession of the parts there and have not returned them, while Beijing's foreign ministry says it has no knowledge of the incident.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-24
A UPS shipment carrying an F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons bay door, both coated in radar-absorbing material, was rerouted from Australia to Hong Kong in late May instead of reaching the U.S., Bloomberg reported citing sources. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles confirmed Canberra is aware of the incident and is working with the U.S. and Lockheed Martin to investigate, though he said no sensitive parts were believed to be in the shipment. Lockheed Martin, UPS and the Pentagon have not commented.
cnbc.com
· 2026-09-24
Chinese AI startup Manus is reportedly negotiating a $500 million funding round valuing it at $4 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal, after resuming operations as an independent company. Prospective backers include IDG Capital, Boyu Capital, CATL, and returning investors Tencent, HSG and Zhenfund, with the company also weighing a restructuring ahead of a possible Hong Kong IPO.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-18
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, imprisoned since 2020, has been hit with fresh charges that will extend his detention beyond a planned January 2027 release date. Media mogul Jimmy Lai, 78, has also been imprisoned since December 2020 on democracy-related charges, and commentators warn both men risk being forgotten by the world after Beijing's crackdown crushed the 2019-2020 protest movement.
thenextmove.org
· 2026-09-11
Moonshot AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence startup, has confidentially submitted an IPO application to the Hong Kong stock exchange, according to people familiar with the matter. Details on the size of the offering or timing were not disclosed.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-03
Shein Global Holdings finally went public via a Hong Kong listing after previous attempts to list in New York and London fell through. Shares dropped as much as 9% in early trading before clawing back to roughly their IPO price by the end of the session.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-01
Shein Global Holdings, the fast-fashion company founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, is preparing to go public on the Hong Kong stock exchange next month. The IPO comes after the company shifted away from earlier plans for a US or London listing, and it is expected to price well below the valuation once floated for those attempts.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-24
Shein filed to raise as much as HK$13.86 billion (about $1.77 billion) by selling roughly 280 million Class B shares priced between HK$47.60 and HK$49.50 apiece, implying a valuation near $27 billion at the top end. Pricing will be finalized August 31, with trading set to begin September 1, following Chinese regulatory approval after earlier listing attempts in London and New York fell through.
cnbc.com
· 2026-08-24
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