财新传媒
2017年01月04日 10:11

IPOs: Sogou Tests IPO Market, But Does Anyone Care?

IPOs: Sogou Tests IPO Market, But Does Anyone Care?

Bottom line: Sogou is unlikely to make an IPO this year, despite new talk of potential for such a plan from its CEO, and may ultimately never list due to its lackluster performance. 

Sogou floats another IPO plan

Online search engine Sogou is testing the market yet again for a potential IPO, hoping to spin a story of opportunity to grab market share from scandal-tainted in...

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2017年01月03日 10:00

TELECOMS: Huawei Declares End to Growth at Any Cost

TELECOMS: Huawei Declares End to Growth at Any Cost

Bottom line: Huawei's revenue growth for 2017 is likely to drop by more than half from 2016's rate of 32 percent as it cuts its money-losing businesses, with the biggest slowdown likely to come in its smartphone unit.

Huawei to focus on profitability in 2017

Quality over quantity is a growing theme in China these days, as the nation puts aside its previous pursuit of high ...

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2016年12月29日 09:34

MEDIA: Top Shanghai Newspaper Folds, Tries to Transform

MEDIA: Top Shanghai Newspaper Folds, Tries to Transform

Bottom line: Closure of Shanghai's Oriental Morning Post was inevitable due to the decline of traditional media, and its online effort ThePaper stands a better than 50 percent chance of longer-term survival due to relatively good execution.

Oriental Morning Post yields to ThePaper

On this next-to-last work day before the New Year, I'm taking a break from the usual high-tec...

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2016年12月28日 11:43

TELECOMS: China Telecom Spins Off Content Unit

TELECOMS: China Telecom Spins Off Content Unit

Bottom line: China Telecom's sale of several key entertainment assets to a separately run and listed unit reflects the company's more dynamic nature compared with its 2 peers, as it tries to create services that can compete with private-sector rivals.

China Telecom spins off entertainment services

China Telecom (HKEx: 728; NYSE: CHA) is showing once more why it's a telco t...

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2016年12月27日 10:02

INTERNET: Tencent in High-Powered Mapping Investment with Europe's Here

INTERNET: Tencent in High-Powered Mapping Investment with Europe's Here

Bottom line: Tencent's new investment in Nokia's former mapping unit Here reflects the Chinese herd mentality to pile into new technologies, but also looks like a relatively savvy way to enter the space by pairing with experienced partners.

Tencent ties with mapping giant Here

Internet giant Tencent (HKEx: 700) doesn't want to be left behind in the race with rivals Baidu (...

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2016年12月26日 09:40

NEW ENERGY: LeEco Gets Pre-CES Shock with Faraday Defections

NEW ENERGY: LeEco Gets Pre-CES Shock with Faraday Defections

Bottom line: The departure of 2 recently hired executives from Faraday Future hints at chaos and uncertainty that has spread from struggling backer LeEco, a situation that only looks set to worsen.

Faraday Future execs depart

Cash-challenged online video company LeEco (Shenzhen: 300104) is getting an early shock in the run-up to the world's largest consumer electronics sho...

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2016年12月23日 09:48

IPOs: iQiyi Eyes 2017 Listing, Renren Finally Retires

IPOs: iQiyi Eyes 2017 Listing, Renren Finally Retires

Bottom line: iQiyi won't make an IPO next year even though Baidu would like to get the company off its books, while Renren's privatization marks one of the last buyouts for a US-listed Chinese firm from a wave dating back to last year.

iQiyi reportedly eyes 2017 IPO

The year 2016 is winding down as an unmemorable one for Chinese IPOs, thanks to a rocky start that cast a ch...

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2016年12月22日 09:44

E-COMMERCE: Alibaba Gets Christmas Coal from Washington

E-COMMERCE: Alibaba Gets Christmas Coal from Washington

Bottom line: Alibaba's Taobao marketplace is likely to be included on the annual US "notorious markets" for piracy list for the next 1-2 years, after its return to the list this year.

Alibaba's Taobao gets coal for Christmas

Christmas may be just around the corner, but the folks at e-commerce giant Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) won't be feeling much holiday cheer this year. That's ...

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2016年12月21日 09:42

CONSUMER: Bright Food Gets Indigestion from Weetabix

CONSUMER: Bright Food Gets Indigestion from Weetabix

Bottom line: Bright's plan to sell Weetabix 4 years after the purchase is mostly due to declining performance at the British cereal maker, with similar sales likely to follow for other poorly planned food purchases by Chinese buyers.

Bright loses appetite for Weetabix

After splashing into the global M&A headlines 4 years ago with its purchase of a well-known British breakf...

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2016年12月20日 09:44

CONSUMER: ZTE Hops Into Smart Cars, Gome Into Smartphones

CONSUMER: ZTE Hops Into Smart Cars, Gome Into Smartphones

Bottom line: ZTE's move into smart cars and Gome's into smartphones follow a typical Chinese pattern of herd mentality investing, and are both likely to fare poorly. 

ZTE buys car maker Granton

A couple of headlines are shining a spotlight on the herd mentality you often see among Chinese companies looking for the next big growth opportunity. One of those has telecoms stal...

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2016年12月19日 09:48

STOCKS: China Shareholders Grow Up at Gree, Huishan

STOCKS: China Shareholders Grow Up at Gree, Huishan

Bottom line: The acceptance by Gree's chairman of a surprise shareholder rejection over a controversial investment, and a muted sell-off in response to a short-seller attack on Huishan Dairy both signal growing maturity by Chinese stock investors.

China stock investors grow up

A couple of stock stories in the headlines as the new week begins are spotlighting a nascent but ...

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2016年12月16日 09:26

SMARTPHONES: Two Losers Unite in BlackBerry, TCL Alliance

SMARTPHONES: Two Losers Unite in BlackBerry, TCL Alliance

Bottom line: TCL's new licensing deal with BlackBerry will end up as a quiet failure due to TCL's weak R&D skills and lack of consumer appeal to the BlackBerry name.  

TCL, BlackBerry in licensing tie-up

When does adding two negatives yield a positive? The answer is "never", but dying smartphone makers BlackBerry (Toronto: BB) and TCL (Shenzhen: 000100) are hoping that may...

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2016年12月14日 09:44

SPORTS: Soccer Investing Reaches Fever Pitch with New IDG Joint Venture

SPORTS: Soccer Investing Reaches Fever Pitch with New IDG Joint Venture

Bottom line: IDG's new investment in a French soccer club and related joint venture providing soccer training and consulting in China looks like a savvy move to monetize growing demand for sports-related services.

IDG brings French soccer to China

Corporate China's recent love affair with sports shows no signs of easing as 2016 winds down, with word of a new investment tha...

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2016年12月13日 09:26

SMARTPHONES: Qihoo Calls Early on 2017 with Smartphone Buy

SMARTPHONES: Qihoo Calls Early on 2017 with Smartphone Buy

Bottom line: Qihoo's latest smartphones foray with its purchase of the obscure Blephone reflects the tenacity of founder Zhou Hongyi, but will quickly end in failure due to a late arrival and intense competition in the space.

Qihoo dives back into smartphones with Blephone

Security software maker Qihoo 360 just  doesn't change its mind when opinionated CEO Zhou Hongyi sets...

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2016年12月12日 09:36

MEDIA: Wanda's Worried Wang Sends Hollywood Message to Trump

MEDIA: Wanda's Worried Wang Sends Hollywood Message to Trump

Bottom line: Wanda's cautionary words to Donald Trump are unlikely to have much impact on the incoming US president, who is likely to take a more skeptical view of Chinese M&A in Hollywood.

Wanda appeals to Trump via MPAA

Wanda Group founder and chief Wang Jianlin is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to overseas buying as he tries to build up a global...

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2016年12月09日 09:30

INTERNET: Google Sort of Back in China with Developer Page

INTERNET: Google Sort of Back in China with Developer Page

Bottom line: Google's new launch of a China-based developers site marks a partial return to the Chinese web, but its higher-profile return to the consumer market with a Chinese Google Play app store probably won't come until next year.

Google launches China developer site

After more than a year of speculation, global search leader Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) is finally back in C...

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2016年12月08日 09:39

FINANCE: Tencent Sips with Starbucks; Alipay in Europe, Australia

FINANCE: Tencent Sips with Starbucks; Alipay in Europe, Australia

Bottom line: Starbucks' selection of WeChat before Alipay for in-store electronic payments is a symbolic victory for the former, while Alipay's aggressive global expansion could eventually help it to overtake UnionPay outside China.

WeChat ties with Starbucks

China's two leading mobile payments services are both in the headlines, led by word of a major new tie-up between T...

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2016年12月05日 09:33

VIDEO: Embattled LeEco Sued in HK as Bills Pile Up

VIDEO: Embattled LeEco Sued in HK as Bills Pile Up

Bottom line: A new Hong Kong lawsuit against LeEco by a small creditor over unpaid bills could mark the start of a new wave, which could ultimately snowball into a new crisis as its partners scramble to get back money they're owed before it's too late.

HK newspaper sues LeEco for unpaid debt

I've been skillfully avoiding writing about the embattled LeEco (Shenzhen: 300104)...

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2016年12月02日 10:00

SPORTS: Wanda Pedals to Guilin in China Sports Tour

SPORTS: Wanda Pedals to Guilin in China Sports Tour

Bottom line: Wanda's first major made-for-China sporting event, a bicycle tour of scenic Guangxi province, looks like a well-conceived initiative that could auger well for its longer-term effort to tap the Chinese sports market.

Wanda launch Guangxi cycling event

Following its opening of several massive theme parks across China, entertainment aspirant Wanda Group has just ...

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2016年12月01日 09:32

TELECOMS: Unicom Seeks New Life with BAT Magic

TELECOMS: Unicom Seeks New Life with BAT Magic

Bottom line: Unicom is likely to choose all 3 of the BAT companies as equity and strategic partners under Beijing's pilot program to invigorate big state-run companies, but none of the tie-ups will produce meaningful results.  

Unicom eyes BAT partnerships

China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU), the perennial laggard among China's 3 major telcos, is reportedly looking for new...

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