财新传媒
2017年05月30日 10:08

INTERNET: Alibaba Pumps Up Ele.me, Baidu Takeout in Play?

INTERNET: Alibaba Pumps Up Ele.me, Baidu Takeout in Play?

Bottom line: Alibaba could take control of Ele.me after the latter's latest fund-raising, and then make a bid for Baidu's take-out dining service, leaving just two major players in the sector as it nears a more sustainable state.

Alibaba set to swallow Ele.me?

The take-out dining wars have taken another interesting twist, with word that one of the oldest players, Ele.me, i...

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2017年05月26日 10:00

INTERNET: Sharing Economy Opens to Umbrellas

INTERNET: Sharing Economy Opens to Umbrellas

Bottom line: A new umbrella-sharing company reflects China's tendency to overzealously jump into new trends, in this case shared economy ventures, and is likely to fold within its first two years.

Startup sees big bucks in shared umbrellas

China is rapidly emerging as ground zero for new concepts in the sharing economy. Our streets have already become flooded with shared b...

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2017年05月24日 10:11

INTERNET: Sohu Brings Home Changyou, LeEco Slashes Jobs

INTERNET: Sohu Brings Home Changyou, LeEco Slashes Jobs

Bottom line: Sohu could privatize and sell itself after its Changyou buyout, while LeEco's mass layoffs could presage a shuttering of all its newer operations as it reverts to its original online video business.

LeEco slashes jobs

Two relatively large pullbacks are in the headlines as we reach the midpoint of the week, led by the latest privatization bid for online game sp...

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2017年05月22日 09:24

INTERNET: Ofo Withdraws from 14 Cities, Settles Complaint

INTERNET: Ofo Withdraws from 14 Cities, Settles Complaint

Bottom line: The departure of Ofo from 14 cities reflects growing frustration by local officials with bike sharing services, and could be followed by more expulsions until the industry consolidates to a single major player.

Ofo withdraws from 14 cities

The honeymoon seems to be rapidly ending for China's cash-rich shared bike services, with word that Ofo, one of the oldest...

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2017年05月18日 10:44

INTERNET: Alibaba Works on China's Railroad

INTERNET: Alibaba Works on China's Railroad

Bottom line: Alibaba's potential new partnership with China's rail operator could become a major new business opportunity, and could see the pair sign a strategic equity tie-up within the next year.

Alibaba ties with railway operator

Up until now, I've written about China's mixed-ownership reform program mostly in the context of China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU), the nat...

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2017年05月17日 10:24

VIDEO: Toutiao and YY Subsidize, Weibo Rules

VIDEO: Toutiao and YY Subsidize, Weibo Rules

Bottom line: Stellar earnings by Weibo and new funding for services from Toutiao and YY reflect the rapid rise in live broadcasting and short videos, in the latest boom for China's internet that will end with a bust in around 2 years.

Live streaming sucks up big funds

A trio of stories in the headlines are nicely spotlighting the oh-so-typical Chinese pattern of industries...

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2017年05月16日 10:19

RETAIL: Yum Delivers, Starbucks and McDonald's Devour E-Payments

RETAIL: Yum Delivers, Starbucks and McDonald's Devour E-Payments

Bottom line: Yum's purchase of a high-end take-out delivery service looks smart in targeting a higher margin, niche product in the competitive space, while McDonald's and Starbuck's rapid growth in mobile payments reflects rapid growth of the technology.

Yum buys take-out specialist Sherpa's

Three of the world's top restaurant chain operators are in the China headlines as ...

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2017年05月12日 10:45

VIDEO: Youku-Tencent Scuffle Spotlights Video Tensions

VIDEO: Youku-Tencent Scuffle Spotlights Video Tensions

Bottom line: A tussle that resulted in injuries to a Tencent worker by a Youku peer at an industry event reflects the big tensions that exist in China's online video sector due to years of stiff competition that shows no signs of easing.

Wine glass incident reflects tensions in online video

Stiff competition in a wide range of online industries is pretty much par for the c...

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2017年05月10日 10:26

FINANCIAL: Ant Financial Pushes Sesame Credit in New Tie-Ups

FINANCIAL: Ant Financial Pushes Sesame Credit in New Tie-Ups

Bottom line: Sesame Credit's new tie-ups with Unicom and a shared phone company are part of a string of deals to aggressively build up its credit rating business, and could add buzz to Ant Financial's future IPO.

Sesame Credit in 2 new deals

Lest anyone think Alipay is the only asset in financial services giant Ant Financial's portfolio, the company's newer Sesame Credit u...

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2017年05月09日 10:26

INTERNET: Baidu Sells Game Unit in Relentless March to A1

INTERNET: Baidu Sells Game Unit in Relentless March to A1

Bottom line: Baidu's sale of its mobile game unit represents a broader shedding of non-search assets as it moves into artificial intelligence, though it's far from clear how AI will provide a future business model.

Baidu continues AI migration

Search giant Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) is in yet another headline today that reflects its latest attempt at transformation from its orig...

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2017年05月04日 10:49

INTERNET: Meituan, JD Take Anti-Corruption Fight to Trenches

INTERNET: Meituan, JD Take Anti-Corruption Fight to Trenches

Bottom line: New anti-corruption moves at JD.com and Meituan-Dianping show the cleanup campaign is moving down to the grass-roots level, in a positive development that should help the companies as many seek to go abroad.

Meituan, JD.com in new anti-corruption snares

Anyone unfamiliar with China might find it peculiar and even worrisome that near simultaneous announcements ...

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2017年05月03日 11:25

INTERNET: Tencent Moves Up Value Chain, Opens Seattle Lab

INTERNET: Tencent Moves Up Value Chain, Opens Seattle Lab

Bottom line: Tencent's soaring market value reflects its leading position as a developer of social networking products, and its concurrent ability to monetize those products.

Tencent opens A1 lab in Seattle

It seems that Internet titan Tencent (HKEx: 700) can do no wrong these days, at least based on a recent run-up in its share price. Just a couple of weeks after China's ...

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2017年04月25日 10:12

INTERNET: Sohu Slide Continues, Time to Sell?

INTERNET: Sohu Slide Continues, Time to Sell?

Bottom line: Sohu founder Charles Zhang should privatize his company in the next year and then sell off the pieces, or risk see his dwindling empire slowly become worthless.

Sohu's incredible shrinking empire

You know you're a CEO when you can call results like those just released by Internet company Sohu (Nasdaq: SOHU) "solid". Of course that's my sarcastic assessment, af...

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2017年04月24日 09:51

SMARTPHONES: Coolpad Losses Balloon, No Help in Sight

SMARTPHONES: Coolpad Losses Balloon, No Help in Sight

Bottom line: Money-losing Coolpad is likely to get sold before the end of this year to raise cash for controlling stakeholder LeEco, or could end up getting shut down if no buyer comes forward.

Coolpad to post big H1 loss

It's a new week, and that means new chances to write about the struggles of companies in the orbit of fast-fading former video superstar LeEco (Shenzhen:...

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2017年04月13日 10:48

TELECOMS: Huawei in US Hot Seat Over Iran Sales?

TELECOMS: Huawei in US Hot Seat Over Iran Sales?

Bottom line: Huawei is likely to be found guilty of selling products to Iran in violation of US sanctions, and could be fined up to $2 billion but won't face additional punishment.

Huawei being probed for Iran violations?

When word first emerged four years ago that telecoms equipment maker ZTE (HKEx: 763; Shenzhen: 000063) was being investigated for selling American equipm...

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2017年04月11日 10:26

VIDEO: LeEco Turns Off Vizio Deal, Cuts US Staff

VIDEO: LeEco Turns Off Vizio Deal, Cuts US Staff

Bottom line: LeEco's scrapping of its Vizio purchase may be due to currency controls, but should be welcome by the company as a cash conserving move, and could presage a withdrawal of its investment in electric car maker Faraday Future.

LeEco scraps Vizio purchase

The first major pullback for cash-challenged LeEco (Shenzhen: 300104) is coming in the US, where the company i...

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2017年04月07日 10:12

FINANCE: Ant Makes Case, No New Offer, For MoneyGram Buy

FINANCE: Ant Makes Case, No New Offer, For MoneyGram Buy

Bottom line: Ant Financial's open letter to MoneyGram could hint at a new raised offer coming soon for the company, though rival suitor Euronet is likely to bid equally aggressively and has a slightly better chance of winning the contest.

Ant makes case to MoneyGram workers, US politicians

Three weeks after being surprised by an unsolicited counterbid for US money transfer...

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2017年04月06日 10:20

TELECOMS: China Telecom Displays Aggression, Unicom Conservatism

TELECOMS: China Telecom Displays Aggression, Unicom Conservatism

Bottom line: China Telecom's aggressive bidding for a government contract highlights its more entrepreneurial style, while Unicom's latest announcement on its private ownership plans reflects it conservative, bureaucratic style.

Unicom mixed ownership program crawls ahead

Two of China's trio of wireless telcos are in the news today, reflecting an effort by Beijing to breat...

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2017年04月05日 10:47

SMARTPHONES: Xiaomi Chases Value, Dumps Apple Approach

SMARTPHONES: Xiaomi Chases Value, Dumps Apple Approach

Bottom line: Xiaomi's adoption of Costco as its new role model and abandonment of Apple looks like a realistic move, and could better position the company to survive over the next 5 years amid a looming market shakeup.

Xiaomi eyes chic cheap image

Smartphone maker Xiaomi appears to be a company with an identity crisis, with reports that charismatic CEO Lei Jun has dumped f...

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2017年03月31日 10:05

SMARTPHONES: Oppo Lands in India Protest Storm

SMARTPHONES: Oppo Lands in India Protest Storm

Bottom line: A mass protest against Oppo in India over a Chinese manager's desecration of the national flag won't impact the company beyond a week or two, and reflects cultural sensitivity issues Chinese firms will face as they expand abroad.

Oppo under fire in India

Smartphone high-flyer Oppo is quickly learning the road to India isn't always so smooth, with word of a mas...

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