HK, US stocks top stories

BUZZ-Intel falls after report Nvidia stopped testing company's 18A chipmaking tech

Chipmaker Intel’sshares fall 3.6% to $35.04 premarket AI chip designer Nvidiahas halted tests to manufacture on Intel’s 18A chipmaking node after running initial tests, Reuters reportsSuccess of the 18A chip manufacturing tech is seen as instrumental to Intel’s turnaround strategyAnalysts’ average rating on the stock is “hold”, their median PT is $23 - data compiled by LSEGINTC up ~81% YTD

GLOBAL MARKETS-Global shares hover near record highs; gold, silver scale new highs

Global shares hover near record highs, driven by AI gains, while gold and silver hit new highs. U.S. economy grows faster than expected, boosting risk sentiment. Goldman Sachs forecasts above-consensus global GDP growth for 2026. Asian stocks rise, yen gains amid intervention risk. Oil prices steady but set for third year of decline.

After breaking through the 4500 mark, gold is still in the "early stage" of a bull market? Wall Street prophet Yardeni: It is expected to hit 10,000 USD by 2029!

Gold prices have repeatedly hit new highs, rising approximately 67% this year, and have outperformed U.S. stocks for the 25th consecutive year. Ed Yardeni predicts that under the framework of the "Roaring 2020s," gold could rise to $10,000 per ounce by 2029, becoming a core asset that combines both defense and growth. Although it is relatively expensive compared to cash and bonds, there is still upside potential for stocks, with silver also strengthening in tandem

During the Christmas holiday, metals surged collectively, with gold, silver, and copper reaching new highs. Unexpected economic data dampened interest rate cut expectations, leading to a decline in global stock markets

U.S. stock index futures fell collectively, and most Asian stocks declined. Commodities were strong, with gold briefly breaking through the historical high of $4,500, silver continuing its strong upward trend after surpassing $70/ounce, platinum rising over 3% to reach a new high, London copper breaking through $12,220/ton to set a new record, and London tin and spot palladium rising over 2% and 4% respectively. Chicago wheat futures have risen for five consecutive trading days. The Japanese yen and South Korean won strengthened, while the U.S. dollar and cryptocurrencies faced pressure

After more than a year of "three consecutive promotions," Lu Wei has taken office at the Postal Group, and this state-owned bank may welcome new executives

Lu Wei has been appointed as the Deputy General Manager and a member of the Party Leadership Group of China Post Group Co., Ltd., succeeding Liu Jianjun. After Liu Jianjun stepped down, the position of President of Postal Savings Bank of China has attracted significant attention. Lu Wei has a rich financial background, having held important positions at CITIC Bank and CITIC Trust

Report: CATL's Yichun Jianxiawo lithium mine is expected to resume production around the Spring Festival

CATL's Yichun Jianxiawo lithium mine is expected to resume production around the Spring Festival. In August this year, the project suspended mining operations due to the expiration of its mining license

NVIDIA suspends testing of Intel's 18A process, Intel's stock price falls nearly 1% in pre-market trading

Intel's U.S. stock pre-market fell nearly 1%. According to reports, NVIDIA has suspended testing of Intel's 18A manufacturing process. Risk warning and disclaimer: The market has risks, and investment should be cautious. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account individual users' specific investment goals, financial conditions, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their specific circumstances. Investment based on this is at one's own risk

Intel's U.S. stock pre-market fell nearly 1%, reportedly due to NVIDIA suspending tests on Intel's 18A manufacturing process

CZBANK "welcomes" a new president, Lu Linhua has been nominated

CZBANK announced that Lv Linhua has been nominated as the new president, succeeding Chen Haiqiang. Lv Linhua previously served as the vice president of Zhejiang Rural Commercial Bank and has extensive experience in financial regulation. Chen Haiqiang has been nominated as the chairman. CZBANK stated that it will complete the relevant procedures as soon as possible. CZBANK is a national joint-stock commercial bank headquartered in Hangzhou

The Resilience of the U.S. Economy and the Triple "K" Divergence

In the third quarter of 2025, the U.S. economy grew beyond expectations, with a seasonally adjusted annual rate of GDP growth at 4.3%. The resilience of the economy mainly comes from the growth in personal consumption, public spending, and exports. Personal consumption expenditure contributed 2.39% to GDP, supported by the wealth effect from the capital markets. Government consumption expenditure and investment increased by 0.55% quarter-on-quarter, with significant increases in defense spending. The global economic recovery drove a quarter-on-quarter increase in exports of 2.13%

Nvidia Stock Is Up 31% in 2025, But Here's Another Super Semiconductor Stock to Buy in 2026, According to Wall Street

Nvidia stock rose 31% in 2025, but Micron Technology outperformed with a 229% increase. Analysts recommend buying Micron in 2026 due to its strong demand for AI memory solutions. Micron's revenue and earnings are soaring, with a projected 132% revenue increase in Q2 2026. Analysts have a price target of $308.11, suggesting a 16% rise, with a high target of $500 indicating an 88% potential return.

From "politics" to "finance," this western rural commercial bank welcomes a post-80s executive

Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank announced the appointment of Liu Yi as vice president, with qualifications pending approval from regulatory authorities. Liu Yi previously served as the deputy district head of Jiangbei District in Chongqing and is currently a member of the Party Committee of Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank was established in 2008 and went public in 2010 and 2019. Its main businesses include inclusive finance, corporate finance, and financial market operations. As of September 30, 2025, the total assets amounted to CNY 16.558 trillion, with operating income of CNY 21.658 billion and net profit of CNY 10.925 billion. The market carries risks, and investment should be cautious

LOF hits the limit up again during trading! Silver arbitrage is "trending," with alerts for "erroneous orders" and "abnormal trading" issued!

The epic short squeeze in silver has ignited a speculative frenzy, with the National Investment Silver LOF being targeted by funds, leading to consecutive surges and premiums soaring to 68%, even triggering a "fat finger" incident. The fund side urgently stepped on the brakes to limit purchases as a warning, but the high premiums and T+2 mechanism have amplified the illusion of arbitrage, and the liquidity trap is pushing this celebration towards the eye of a risk storm

Sanofi plans to acquire American vaccine company Dynavax for $2.2 billion, strengthening its adult vaccine portfolio

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has agreed to acquire the American vaccine company Dynavax for approximately $2.2 billion to strengthen its adult vaccine pipeline. However, its experimental drug for multiple sclerosis, tofacitinib, was unexpectedly rejected by the FDA, posing a significant blow to the company's pipeline. Its star product Dupixent is facing patent expiration, and the company is actively investing in research and development and seeking merger and acquisition deals to explore new sources of revenue

RMB appreciation, a boost from the "foreign exchange settlement wave"?

Recently, the rapid appreciation of the renminbi has been attributed by the market to the "year-end settlement rush," but the Shenwan Hongyuan report points out that during the fastest appreciation period in October and November, the bank settlement rate actually declined, and multiple market indicators did not show characteristics of a settlement rush. The report believes that the initial phase of this appreciation was mainly guided by the central bank's counter-cyclical adjustment, while recently it has synchronized with the weakening of the US dollar. Although seasonal settlement patterns may still provide support in January, the risk of a US dollar rebound and the central bank's intention to "smooth" the exchange rate may affect the pace at which the renminbi breaks through the "7" level

This year's return is 97%. HSBC Jintrust's Chen Ping: The AI cycle will last at least 10 years, does not recognize the AI bubble theory, TMT is still a buying point, optimistic about AI hardware, particularly optimistic about optical modules/optical communication

HSBC Jintrust Fund Manager Chen Ping shared his views on the current technology sector market at the 9th Value Investment Forum. He believes that the market atmosphere is good, and growth stocks, especially in the AI field, are attractive, with TMT still being a buying point. Chen Ping is optimistic about AI hardware, particularly optical modules/optical communication, and does not agree with the AI bubble theory, believing that the AI cycle will last at least 10 years