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As audiences increasingly consume content through AI-powered search, personalized recommendations, and immersive digital experiences, #legend is investing in artificial intelligence to enhance editorial excellence, deepen audience engagement, and create greater value for readers, luxury brands, and business partners.

“AI is not replacing creativity; it is enhancing it,” said Bruce Rockowitz, Chairman of Legend Publishing. “Luxury has always been about delivering exceptional experiences. By embracing AI, we can better understand our audience, produce richer content more efficiently, and connect brands with consumers in more meaningful ways.”

Central to the transformation is a new AI-powered editorial ecosystem built to support journalists and creative teams. Editors will be assisted with research, multilingual translation, trend analysis, and workflow efficiencies, freeing them to concentrate on the original storytelling and high-quality journalism that have defined the publication since its founding.

Readers will also notice a more personalized experience. #legend will introduce intelligent content discovery across its digital platforms, surfacing articles, luxury products, travel destinations, events, and business insights tailored to individual interests. For the brand’s commercial partners, this translates into more targeted, measurable, and meaningful marketing opportunities backed by real audience data.

For luxury brands working with #legend, AI-powered analytics will offer a clearer window into audience behavior, campaign performance, and emerging consumer trends, enabling stronger strategies and more accountable investment.

The company will also accelerate the production of premium marketing content, social campaigns, newsletters, video and multilingual editorial through generative AI, supporting its continued growth across Asia without compromising the editorial standards the brand is known for.

Recognizing that readers increasingly discover content through conversational AI rather than conventional search, #legend is investing in publishing infrastructure built for this new reality. By strengthening structured content, digital discoverability, and intelligent search capabilities, the platform is cementing its place as a trusted voice for luxury and lifestyle content wherever readers choose to find it.

Across the business, the benefits are expected to be tangible: faster production cycles, stronger reader engagement, sharper advertising performance, and more confident, data-informed decision-making at every level of the organization.

Through it all, the qualities that built #legend’s reputation remain non-negotiable. Authentic storytelling, trusted journalism, and premium experiences are not features of the old model to be discarded. They are the foundation upon which everything new will be built.

“Our future lies at the intersection of innovation and creativity,” Rockowitz added. “By combining human expertise with intelligent technology, we are building a smarter media platform that will continue to inspire readers, empower brands, and shape the future of luxury publishing in Asia.”

Hashtag: #legend

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About #legend

#legend is Hong Kong’s premier digital destination for fashion, beauty, culture, and the extraordinary lives of the city’s most influential figures. Founded in Hong Kong, #legend has grown from a local publication into an influential voice in Asian luxury lifestyle media. The platform covers Culture, Watches & Jewellery, Fashion, Travel, Wellness, Design, Beauty, and related verticals, through print, digital, social media, and event experiences, with a mission to celebrate creativity, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence, connects influential audiences with the people, brands, and ideas shaping the future of luxury living.

For more information, visit: https://hashtaglegend.com/about

The benchmark closed at 61,434.19, down 930.73 points, or 1.49%, after briefly dropping to 60,448.90. The index moved through a range of almost 2,700 points, having reached a session high of 63,138.04 during early trading.

The intraday slide from the high exceeded 1,700 points, reflecting unusually volatile trading rather than a fall of that size from Tuesday’s closing level. The index had ended the previous session at 62,364.92 after losing more than 2,500 points.

Semiconductor companies led the decline as investors questioned whether the vast sums being invested in AI infrastructure would generate returns quickly enough to justify elevated technology valuations. The selling was amplified by weakness in South Korea and Taiwan, whose markets contain some of the world’s largest memory-chip and contract-manufacturing companies.

Asian chipmakers had benefited from expectations that spending on data centres, advanced processors and high-bandwidth memory would continue expanding. Those assumptions are now facing closer scrutiny as capital expenditure rises, borrowing costs remain high and earnings expectations become more difficult to exceed.

The shift was visible in South Korea, where the Kospi suffered another severe fall and chip heavyweights came under sustained pressure. Taiwan’s benchmark also declined as investors sold shares exposed to the global semiconductor supply chain.

Tokyo-listed equipment makers and chip-related companies were caught in the same retreat. Their large influence on the price-weighted Nikkei magnified the index’s movements, leaving the broader market vulnerable to concentrated selling in a small group of expensive stocks.

Investors were also awaiting quarterly results from major US technology companies, including businesses whose spending plans have become central to demand forecasts for advanced chips. Any indication that data-centre expenditure is slowing could deepen concerns about the durability of the AI investment cycle.

The Nikkei’s decline followed a powerful rally that had carried the benchmark above 70,000 earlier in July. Despite the pullback, the index remained substantially higher than a year earlier, showing how quickly valuations had expanded during the AI-driven advance.

Currency movements added another layer of uncertainty. The yen remained near its weakest level against the dollar in about four decades, despite gaining slightly during Wednesday’s trading. A weaker currency generally supports exporters by increasing the yen value of overseas earnings, but an extreme decline raises import costs and complicates monetary policy.

Japan depends heavily on imported energy and raw materials. The yen’s depreciation, combined with higher oil prices, threatens to intensify inflation and squeeze household spending. It has also increased speculation that authorities may intervene in foreign-exchange markets.

Markets are watching for any disruption to the yen carry trade, in which investors borrow cheaply in Japan and direct the funds towards assets offering higher returns elsewhere. A sudden strengthening of the yen can force traders to unwind those positions, producing rapid declines across equities, bonds and currencies.

The Bank of Japan begins a two-day policy meeting on Thursday. Traders are assessing whether persistent currency weakness and rising energy costs could push officials towards tighter policy, even as instability in equity markets increases the risks surrounding another rate move.

Oil prices climbed more than 3% as conflict in the Middle East threatened shipping and energy supplies. Higher crude prices added to inflation concerns ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy announcement and reduced investors’ willingness to hold high-valuation growth stocks.

The dollar remained supported near a one-month high as traders considered whether the Federal Reserve could maintain a restrictive policy stance. Higher US yields tend to pressure technology valuations by reducing the present value of expected future earnings.

Onsite solar installation to cut FCC Philippines’ energy costs by 30% compared to grid electricity prices, supporting the automotive supply chain manufacturer’s cost competitiveness and energy resilience in Laguna.

LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 July 2026 – FCC (Philippines) Corp., a subsidiary of Japan’s FCC CO., LTD. and a key global supplier to leading automotive and motorcycle brands including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki, Ford, Harley-Davidson, BMW, among others, has signed a long-term solar agreement with Peak Energy to power its clutch systems facility in Laguna with onsite renewable energy.

The system is expected to generate approximately 1,500 MWh in its first year of operation from a
1 MWp onsite solar installation, delivering electricity to FCC Philippines at a price approximately 30% lower than grid tariffs. This is expected to avoid approximately 650 tons of CO₂ annually, equivalent to avoiding the consumption of almost 252,000 liters of gasoline.

Under the 15-year agreement, Peak Energy will design, finance, construct, own and operate the solar system, with FCC Philippines purchasing the electricity generated at no upfront capital cost. The structure allows FCC Philippines to access clean, competitively priced power while Peak Energy manages construction and ongoing operations and maintenance.

FCC CO., LTD. is the undisputed global leader in the motorcycle clutch market, with more than 50% global market share, and a leading supplier of automotive clutch components worldwide. The company and has manufactured in the Philippines since 1993, supplying integrated clutch systems not only to the four of the world’s four largest motorcycle OEMs, but also to other established global brands across both the two-wheel and four-wheel industries. Global automotive supply chains are under growing pressure to reduce embedded emissions, and the agreement gives FCC Philippines a concrete way to strengthen its competitiveness within that supply chain.

The agreement builds on Peak Energy’s track record with Japanese-parented manufacturers across the region, including JTEKT (Toyota Group) in Japan, AICA in Thailand and Yokogawa in Singapore. FCC Philippines’ decision to choose Peak Energy reflects the same standard of engineering excellence and delivery experience that has earned these manufacturers’ trust, technical rigor, disciplined project execution and a track record of on-time, on-budget delivery that meets the exacting quality expectations Japanese corporates apply to their partners across Asia.

As industrial demand for lower-cost, predictable power grows, the Philippine market is naturally redirecting capacity toward developers with the financial strength, engineering capability and technology to execute and operate assets credibly at scale, supported by a Department of Energy target of 35% renewable energy share by 2030.

“Industrial buyers in the Philippines are increasingly looking for power that’s cheaper than the grid and shielded from imported fuel prices,” said Gavin Adda, CEO of Peak Energy. “This project delivers both, at a 30% discount to grid tariffs. We are glad to see FCC moving toward a developer with the financial strength and engineering capability to deliver at scale.”

“This solar project represents an important milestone in FCC’s journey toward a more sustainable future,” said Tsuyoshi Nakada, President of FCC (Philippines) Corp. “As part of the FCC CO., LTD., Group’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, we continue to invest in initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint while strengthening the resilience of our operations. We are pleased to partner with Peak Energy in advancing these shared sustainability goals.”
Hashtag: #Japan #Automotive #Irarwar #Iran #Philippines #redalert #energy #energycosts #Scope2 #sustainability

https://www.peakenergy.asia/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/peak-energyasia

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Peak Energy

Headquartered in Singapore, Peak Energy develops, owns, and operates renewable assets across Asia Pacific (APAC). With over 300 MW of operating assets and 2 GW worth of projects in development, Peak Energy is the fastest growing renewable energy developer with a portfolio spanning Japan, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. With activities encompassing the full range of renewable energy business models – including utility-scale development, off-site PPAs, onsite PPAs, and energy storage applications – Peak Energy is a one-stop partner for corporates seeking to decarbonize their operations in APAC. We believe in establishing long-term partnerships with our corporate customers, to accompany them in their decarbonization journey, through cleaner, cheaper energy.

An experienced team handles the complete life cycle of our energy assets from origination and development through to operations and decommissioning, employing state-of-the art technology and the industry best practices, respectful of the environment and following world-class HSE standards.

Our business practices, technological and HSE standards are standardized across APAC, but we are implemented and operate locally, with teams in seven countries, and lasting partnerships with local customers, EPCs, vendors, channel partners.

Peak Energy is wholly owned by Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets with approximatively USD 88 billion of assets under management. Our financial and technical strength coupled with our relationships in local markets allows us to optimize our capital deployment in high quality assets.

For more information, please visit https://www.peakenergy.asia.

About FCC (Philippines) Corporation

Established in 1993 at Laguna Technopark in Biñan City, Laguna, FCC (Philippines) Corp. is a subsidiary of Japan’s FCC CO., LTD., a global leader in automotive and motorcycle clutch systems. The company manufactures and assembles clutch engine components for leading global automotive and motorcycle brands and has a workforce of more than 600 personnel at its Laguna facility. As part of its commitment to sustainable growth, FCC CO., LTD., continues to strengthen its core clutch business while expanding into electrification-related technologies by leveraging its core expertise in die casting, press, and joining technologies to support the evolving mobility industry.

Highlights

• Underlying profit from continuing businesses¹ grew 44% to US$117 million
• Reported profit was US$118 million, compared to a US$38 million loss in the prior year period
• Like-for-like (LFL) subsidiary sales growth from continuing businesses² improved to 3%
• Health & Beauty sustained strong LFL sales; Convenience and Home Furnishings returned to growth
• E-commerce and DFIQ Media contributed to approximately 35% of sales growth
• Return on capital employed improved to 12%, up from 9% as of December 2025
• Interim dividend of US¢6.20 per share, up 77% year-on-year. Maintain full-year dividend payout of 70%
• Raised full-year organic revenue³ growth guidance to be between 3.0% and 4.0%, and underlying profit to be between US$285 million and US$305 million
• Announced 100% interest acquisition of Cody Hong Kong (Cody HK), one of the leading outdoor advertising solution providers in Hong Kong

Group Chief Executive

DFI RETAIL GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED

HALF-YEAR RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2026

OVERVIEW

The Group delivered strong performance in an evolving macroeconomic climate, underpinned by disciplined execution and a focus on driving higher returns. A portfolio built on everyday essentials, combined with a strong value proposition with convenience, continues to resonate with customers against the backdrop of oil price volatility. For the first half of 2026, subsidiary LFL sales growth from continuing businesses⁴ further improved to 3%. This was driven by sustained strong momentum in the Health & Beauty segment, as well as a return to growth in both the Convenience and Home Furnishings businesses. Price reinvestment, supported by a reset in sourcing strategy, drove Food volume growth with Wellcome’s basket price now trading at a discount relative to the Greater Bay Area⁵, compared to a premium in the prior year.

The Group’s commitment to retail excellence, a lean overhead structure and expanded omnichannel touchpoints enables us to serve our customers with better pricing and better experience. The DFI Omni Platform further strengthens this by seamlessly integrating our extensive store network with digital capabilities, delivering greater convenience and personalisation while unlocking new value pools through rich, cross-format data insights. Developing and scaling high-margin revenue streams, including retail media (DFIQ Media) and insights monetisation (DFIQ Insights), will diversify our profit base and support long-term value creation.

To enhance operational efficiency and improve productivity of team members, the Group introduced GenAI-powered tools in the first half of 2026, with plans to scale deployment across operating markets in the coming months. In parallel, AI capabilities are increasingly embedded across core retail functions, including assortment optimisation, promotion planning and demand forecasting, to drive better, more data-driven decisions.

The Group undertook a thorough review of the cost structure with the aim of driving sustainable savings and improving long-term cost efficiency. This has led to a reallocation of resources and costs toward format-level operations, driving greater agility and responsiveness to evolving market conditions, while continuing to reduce central selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs through overhead optimisation. Combined with improving digital economics, underlying operating profit from continuing businesses⁶ grew 14% year-on-year in the first half of 2026. Improved operating performance and lower financing costs contributed to an 11% increase in underlying profit attributable to shareholders, or 44% from continuing businesses⁷ only.

The Group maintained a healthy balance sheet with a net debt position of US$22 million as of 30 June 2026. Return on capital employed further improved to 12%, up from 9% as of December 2025.

The Group declared an interim dividend of US¢6.20 per share, representing a significant increase of 77% compared to the same period last year. This enhanced interim dividend distribution underscored the Board’s confidence in the Group’s underlying business momentum and strong cash flow generation, while ensuring sufficient capital for future growth in line with our 70% payout policy.

OPERATING PERFORMANCE

Overall
For the first half of 2026, underlying subsidiary revenue from continuing businesses⁶ was US$4.1 billion, up 4% year-on-year and 3% on a LFL basis. The growth was driven by strong performance in the Health & Beauty division, as well as a return to growth in the Convenience and Home Furnishings segments. Total revenue, including Maxim’s, was US$5.6 billion. Excluding divestments⁷, total revenue increased by approximately 4%.

Overall underlying profit attributable to shareholders from continuing businesses⁷ grew 44% year-on-year to US$117 million, primarily driven by improved operating profit and lower financing costs.

Underlying subsidiary profit from continuing businesses⁶ was US$101 million, reflecting a 49% year-on-year increase, primarily driven by earnings recovery in the Home Furnishings and Food segment with lower SG&A expenses as a result of overhead reduction.

Underlying profit from associates was US$16 million, down from US$30 million in the prior comparable period, which included share of profits from Robinsons Retail ahead of its disposal. Excluding this, profit contribution from associates was up 22% year-on-year due to robust sales growth and effective cost optimisation at Maxim’s.

The Group reported operating cash flow after lease payments of US$178 million, 16% higher than the prior year period, driven by underlying operating profit growth. Free cash flow for the period was a net inflow of US$85 million, down 5% year-on-year, due to increased capex investment in priorities that will further strengthen the Group’s competitive position while driving long-term value for shareholders.

Digital
Capturing a significant share of daily essential customer missions in Hong Kong, the DFI Omni Platform – powered by yuu – enables deeper customer engagement across offline and online touchpoints, maximises data capture and unlocks incremental margin opportunities beyond core retail through DFIQ Media and DFIQ Insights. Overall digital turned profitable, with e-commerce and DFIQ Media contributing to approximately 35% of total revenue growth in the first half of 2026. This was supported by improved underlying e-commerce economics, a rising online sales penetration⁸ to 6.9% and 3 times in DFIQ Media revenue compared to first half of 2025. As of June 2026, more than 10,000 digital media-ready screens were available across DFI outlets.

Subsidiaries
Sales for the Health & Beauty division were US$1.4 billion, up 8% year-on-year from continuing businesses⁹, 7% in constant currency, or 6% on a LFL basis, with continued market share gains across key operating markets. Mannings and Guardian deepened their leadership as the trusted advisors for wellness through an enhanced, wellness-focused assortment and continued roll-out of skin and scalp assessment services across a wider store network. The recently announced exclusive distribution partnership with Holland & Barrett, a leading UK health and wellness retailer, will further expand customer access to trusted wellness solutions in Hong Kong and Singapore, followed by a broader rollout across selected Asia markets in the coming years. In Hong Kong and Macau, Mannings delivered 5% LFL sales growth, driven by increased basket size and robust tourist store sales amid higher visitor arrivals. In Southeast Asia, Guardian achieved strong LFL sales growth of 9%, supported by higher basket sizes and improved promotional efficiency, with Indonesia and Vietnam delivering close to 20% LFL growth. Excluding the impact of cost reallocation and closure of Mannings China offline stores, divisional profit increased moderately by 2% to US$109 million. Margin declined primarily due to increased strategic promotions to drive stronger sales and market share in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia where health & beauty retailers did not benefit from the SARA Cash Aid Programme.

Total Convenience sales were US$1.2 billion, up 4% year-on-year or 2% on a LFL basis, as continued growth in higher-margin categories, including ready-to-eat (RTE) and exclusive collectibles, more than offset the decline in lower-margin cigarette volumes. Hong Kong LFL sales returned to growth in the second quarter following ten consecutive quarters of decline, supported by RTE and an expanded non-food assortment, including limited-edition collectibles and K-pop merchandise. Excluding cigarettes, LFL sales were up 3% for the period. In Singapore, effective promotional campaigns and collectible product launches drove strong LFL sales growth of 8%. In South China, continued store network expansion through a capex-light franchise model – including a net addition of 112 stores since June 2025 to nearly 1,980 locations – contributed to 12% sales growth year-on-year or 6% on constant currency basis. LFL sales were 1% higher compared to the prior year period, driven by the successful launch of Own Brand in key categories of frozen products and packaged drinks. The team remains focused on driving footfall and sales through further expansion of the RTE offering across both offline and online channels. This includes a broader rollout of the Food Bar to 453 stores as of June 2026, up from 325 at year-end 2025, and strong overall online sales growth of more than 35%. Excluding cost reallocation impact, profit for the division increased by 2% to reach US$37 million.

Reported sales for the Food division from continuing businesses¹⁰ were US$1.1 billion, up 1% year-on-year. LFL sales returned to positive growth of 0.5% in the second quarter of 2026. In Hong Kong, investment in reduced pricing on core basket items, a stronger fresh proposition, and Own Brand offering drove 2% increase in total volume and 0.5% LFL sales growth in the first half of 2026. As of June 2026, Wellcome’s “Everyday Value” range has expanded to nearly 500 items, offering savings of up to 40%, bringing its basket price down from a premium to a discount relative to the Greater Bay Area. The team also accelerated omnichannel growth with more than 35% growth in online order volume. In Cambodia, Lucky reported strong double-digit sales growth, with profit more than doubling year-on-year. The plan to open 50 new stores over the next few years remains on track. Macau Food sales remained challenging as a result of cross-border grocery shopping. Excluding the impact of cost reallocation and the divestment of Singapore Food, overall divisional profit increased by 27% year-on-year to US$17 million.

The Home Furnishings division delivered strong recovery in performance during the first half of 2026, with LFL sales growth of 4%, compared to a decline of 6% in the prior year period. Price reinvestment in core value SKUs, a stronger focus on locally relevant ranges and IKEA Food innovation drove increased footfall and items per baskets, resulting in a 3% LFL sales growth in Hong Kong and 5% in Taiwan. IKEA Food remains a critical traffic and revenue driver, accounting for 15% of total sales. In Indonesia, while offline sales momentum remained soft, LFL sales trend improved on a strengthening IKEA’s omnichannel proposition with online sales penetration reaching 24%. Sales recovery and effective cost optimisation measures contributed to 85% growth in overall divisional profit, excluding cost reallocation impact.

Associates
The Group’s share of Maxim’s underlying profits was US$16 million for the first half of 2026, up 15% year-on-year, underpinned by continued cost optimisation and operational efficiency measures. Sales for the period increased by 4%, driven by strong restaurant performance in Southeast Asia and a return to growth in the Chinese mainland, partially offset by weaker sales in Hong Kong.

RECENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS

On 30 June 2026, the Group announced the acquisition of 100% interest in Cody Hong Kong (Cody HK), one of the leading outdoor advertising solution providers in Hong Kong, for a cash consideration of HK$30.2 million (approximately US$3.8 million) from ARN Media Network Limited (ASX: A1N), subject to customary adjustments.

The acquisition advances DFI’s strategy to build a full-funnel advertising solution in Hong Kong through DFIQ Media. By integrating Cody HK’s strategic assets – including multi-year exclusive advertising rights with Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) and Hong Kong Tramways (HKT) – with DFI’s extensive store network, growing online user base, and closed-loop measurement capabilities, DFIQ Media strengthens its ability to deliver high-impact advertising solutions to a broader advertiser base across online, in-store, and outdoor channels.

Subject to satisfaction of third-party consents, the transaction is expected to complete in the second half of 2026.

PEOPLE

On 6 July 2026, the Group announced four senior leadership appointments effective from 1 August 2026. These moves reflect the Group’s continued focus on strengthening its leadership pipeline and driving the next phase of growth with experienced, proven leaders.

Andrew Wong will be appointed Chief Executive Officer, DFI IKEA. Formerly CEO of Health & Beauty, Andrew brings extensive experience in driving customer-led growth, operational discipline and in-store digitalisation across multiple markets. His earlier leadership of franchise operations at Jardine Restaurant Group positions him well to lead the IKEA business into its next phase of development.

Curtis Liu, having most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Food, will be appointed Chief Executive Officer, Health & Beauty. His proven leadership in driving customer value repositioning in Hong Kong, combined with deep operational retail knowledge and digital experience at JD.com, positions him well to drive continued momentum and omnichannel growth in Health & Beauty.

Tom van der Lee will be appointed Chief Executive Officer, Food. Tom has played an instrumental role as Group Chief Financial Officer, driving financial discipline and supporting key strategic decisions across the Group. His prior experience at FrieslandCampina, a global food company, and his broad financial leadership across DFI banners in Southeast Asia supported his strong commercial grounding to lead the Food business.

Kaizhi Wu will succeed Tom as Group Chief Financial Officer. Kaizhi currently serves as Group Finance Director, Planning & Reporting, based in Hong Kong. Prior to joining DFI, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Yonghui Superstores Co., and earlier held senior roles at Jardine Matheson, Fosun Group and PwC in London. Kaizhi will join the Group’s Management Committee upon assuming his new role.

OUTLOOK

The Group remains confident in our ability to navigate the evolving trading environment, supported by sharpened business priorities, a strong balance sheet and low-cost operating model. Financial outlook outlined at the Investor Day in December 2025 remains intact as DFI continues to execute our multi-year strategic initiatives that are critical to driving sustainable revenue and earnings growth. These initiatives include strengthening our value proposition, strategically expanding store network, enhancing omnichannel capabilities and accelerating digital asset monetisation through data-driven insights. In particular, the growing DFI Omni Platform will deepen our customer engagement, further reinforce our core retail strength and enhance overall earnings resilience in the long term.

Despite an elevated oil price outlook for the remainder of the year, the Group expects to deliver stronger profitability supported by enhanced operational efficiency. As a result, the Group revises up its full-year organic revenue growth¹¹ outlook to be between 3.0% and 4.0% (up from previously 2.0% to 3.0%), and underlying profit attributable to shareholders to be between US$285 million and US$305 million (up from previously US$270 million and US$300 million).

Scott Price
Group Chief Executive

—————–
¹ Excluding impacts of divestment of Singapore Food business, closure of Mannings China and disposal of minority stake of Robinsons Retail
² Excluding impacts of divestment of Singapore Food business and closure of Mannings China
³ Excluding Singapore Food and Mannings China
⁴ Excluding impacts of divestment of Singapore Food business and closure of Mannings China
⁵ Based on a third-party assured price comparison of a 200-item comparable basket between DFI and Shenzhen
⁶ Excluding impacts of divestment of Singapore Food business and closure of Mannings China
⁷ Excluding impacts of divestment of Singapore Food business, closure of Mannings China and disposal of minority stake of Robinsons Retail
⁸ Excluding cigarettes under Convenience and IKEA Food
⁹ Excluding Mannings China
¹⁰ Excluding Singapore Food business
¹¹ Excluding Singapore Food and Mannings China
Hashtag: #DFIRetailGroup #Mannings #Guardian #7-Eleven #Wellcome #MarketPlace #IKEA #yuu #Maxim’s

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

DFI Retail Group

DFI Retail Group (the Group) is a leading Asian retailer, driven by its purpose to ‘Sustainably Serve Asia for Generations with Everyday Moments’.

At 30 June 2026, the Group and its associates operated 7,659 outlets across 12 markets, of which 5,593 stores were operated by subsidiaries. The Group, together with its associates, employed over 81,000 people, with more than 43,000 people employed by subsidiaries. The Group had reported revenue of US$8.9 billion in 2025.

The Group is committed to delivering quality, value and service to consumers across the region through trusted brands, strong local market positions, and a broad retail ecosystem supported by extensive store networks, digital capabilities and efficient supply chains.

The Group and its associates operate a portfolio of well-known brands across five key divisions. The principal brands are:

Health and Beauty

• Mannings in Hong Kong and Macau S.A.R.; Guardian in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Convenience

• 7-Eleven in Hong Kong and Macau S.A.R., Singapore and Southern China.

Food

• Wellcome and Market Place in Hong Kong S.A.R.; San Miu in Macau S.A.R.; Lucky in Cambodia.

Home Furnishings

• IKEA in Hong Kong and Macau S.A.R., Indonesia and Taiwan.

Restaurants

• Hong Kong Maxim’s group on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau S.A.R., Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Group’s parent company, DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited, is incorporated in Bermuda and has a primary listing in the equity shares (transition) category of the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group’s businesses are managed from Hong Kong. DFI Retail Group is a member of the Jardine Matheson group.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said uncertainty over whether companies can sustain vast spending on data centres, advanced chips and computing infrastructure has become a significant risk to the economic outlook. The warning reflects growing scrutiny of whether revenue generated by AI services can justify the scale of capital committed by technology groups.

MAS Managing Director Chia Der Jiun said the global economy should continue to benefit from AI-related expenditure in the near term, but the longer-term impact remains difficult to assess. A sudden reduction in investment could affect manufacturing, trade and financial asset prices, particularly in economies closely linked to electronics supply chains.

The assessment carries particular significance for Singapore, where technology-related production has driven much of the economic expansion this year. The economy grew by about 6 per cent during the first half of 2026, while AI-linked electronics accounted for more than 70 per cent of export growth. Semiconductor production, data-centre equipment and related services have helped offset pressure from trade restrictions, higher energy costs and geopolitical instability.

MAS expects economic activity to remain firm during the second half of the year, supported by technology, construction and financial services. However, it cautioned that tighter global financing conditions or a reversal in AI expenditure could undermine the durability of that growth and ease inflation more rapidly than expected.

The warning comes as the world’s largest technology companies raise spending on processors, servers, power systems and data centres. Capital expenditure by major AI-linked companies is projected to rise by more than 75 per cent to around $700 billion in 2026. Large technology groups are also turning increasingly to debt markets to finance the buildout, strengthening the connection between AI investment, credit conditions and the wider economy.

Fitch Ratings has identified an AI market correction as an emerging global credit risk, citing elevated valuations, concentrated investment and uncertainty over future returns. Amazon and Alphabet are among companies whose combined bond issuance has reached about $182 billion, underlining the growing role of borrowed funds in supporting infrastructure spending.

Supporters of the investment surge argue that generative AI could raise productivity, reduce costs and create new markets comparable to earlier technological transformations. Demand for advanced chips and cloud capacity remains strong, while business investment data continue to show momentum. US orders for core capital goods rose 0.9 per cent in June, and shipments increased 1.9 per cent, their strongest gain in four and a half years, helped by spending on computers and electronic equipment.

Questions persist over how quickly that spending will generate sustainable profits. Data centres require large quantities of electricity, specialised chips and cooling infrastructure, while rapid improvements in computing equipment can shorten replacement cycles. Companies may face pressure to keep investing even before earlier projects achieve their expected returns.

Academic research indicates that the AI boom combines strong technological foundations with pockets of speculative vulnerability. Enterprise adoption, revenue growth and productivity improvements support parts of the valuation expansion, but investment has outpaced monetisation in some segments. Private-market valuations are also concentrated among a limited number of companies, increasing the risk that a reassessment of growth expectations could spread rapidly.

Global equity markets are already showing greater sensitivity to concerns about returns from AI spending. Semiconductor shares have faced selling pressure, while technology indices have retreated from earlier peaks. Investors are closely examining earnings from leading cloud and chip companies for evidence that demand remains strong enough to support infrastructure budgets.

Singapore is vulnerable to such shifts because of its position in global electronics, finance and trade networks. A decline in chip orders could affect factory output and exports, while a fall in technology valuations could weaken investment sentiment and household wealth. Financial institutions could also face losses through corporate lending, bond holdings and market exposure.

MAS has separately highlighted cybersecurity threats arising from AI and quantum-computing advances. AI tools can improve fraud detection and network monitoring, but they can also make phishing, impersonation and hacking attempts more convincing. The authority has established an industry task force to help financial institutions strengthen their defences as technology-driven risks become more sophisticated.

The company also unveiled a new engineering proposition, “Accelerating Breakthroughs”, designed to address growing product complexity, shorter innovation cycles, supply-chain pressures and geopolitical disruption. The initiative aims to give customers a working environment in which designs can be tested, refined and prepared for the market.

The centre will bring together Tech Mahindra engineers, clients, technology partners and other industry participants to develop and validate products and systems. It combines engineering expertise with artificial intelligence, digital twins, model-based engineering and collaborative product-development processes.

Unlike a conventional demonstration facility, the centre has been structured as an operational engineering environment. Visitors will be able to examine how ideas pass through product development, teardown analysis, validation, testing, supply-chain assessment and other stages before reaching commercial readiness.

The facility will also demonstrate how engineering information can be connected throughout a product’s lifecycle. Digital-thread technology will link design, manufacturing, testing, maintenance and performance data, while digital twins will allow companies to simulate physical products or systems before making costly changes in real-world environments.

Artificial intelligence will be used across engineering workflows to accelerate analysis, detect design problems, assist decision-making and improve the use of product data. The approach reflects a wider shift among technology services companies from primarily supplying skilled personnel towards delivering integrated engineering platforms, laboratories and measurable business outcomes.

Rohit Madhok, global head of engineering services at Tech Mahindra, said engineering had always involved solving constraints and that the centre would provide a living environment where ideas could be developed, stress-tested, dismantled, reimagined and validated.

“The next generation of breakthroughs will come from simplifying complexity, orchestrating ecosystems, and augmenting human ingenuity with technology,” Madhok said.

Clients and partners will be able to work directly with the company’s engineering teams on structured experiments. The centre is intended to reduce the distance between an early-stage concept and a product that can be manufactured, deployed or scaled.

The initiative targets industries facing rapid technological change and increasingly connected products, including automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, energy, consumer goods, transportation and communications. Manufacturers in these sectors are investing in software-defined products, predictive maintenance, automation and digitally connected supply chains.

Tech Mahindra’s engineering portfolio covers product design and development, software-defined vehicles, embedded systems, product lifecycle management, testing, manufacturing systems and after-market support. Its capabilities also extend to aerospace structures and avionics, rail signalling, industrial asset management and connected consumer products.

The company operates more than 50 engineering centres and has developed over 50 technology platforms and solutions, along with more than 25 proprietary tools and frameworks. It says the centres have helped customers lower capital expenditure and improve the use of engineering resources.

The Hyderabad launch comes as global technology providers increase investments in physical experience centres that allow customers to evaluate artificial intelligence and digital engineering applications before committing to large transformation programmes. Such facilities are becoming important sales and delivery assets because enterprises increasingly demand evidence of operational value rather than isolated technology demonstrations.

Engineering research and development has also become a major growth area for technology service providers as manufacturers seek outside expertise in connected products, cloud platforms, chip design, autonomous systems and industrial artificial intelligence. Shorter product cycles have placed pressure on companies to conduct design, simulation, validation and manufacturing preparation simultaneously rather than sequentially.

Model-based engineering is central to that transition. It replaces fragmented documents and manual handovers with digital models that can be shared across engineering functions. When combined with a digital thread, the method can improve traceability and allow teams to understand how a design alteration affects manufacturing, compliance, costs and product performance.

The new centre will support Tech Mahindra’s effort to position itself as a strategic engineering partner rather than only an information technology outsourcing provider. The company offers consulting, enterprise applications, business process services, network services, customer-experience design, artificial intelligence, analytics, cloud infrastructure and engineering services.

MATRADE Calls For Entries

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 July 2026 – The prestigious MIHAS Awards 2026 is back! Exhibitors compete for one of the halal industry’s most prestigious recognitions by showcasing their excellence, innovation and leadership in advancing the global halal economy, and MATRADE is calling for entries before the deadline closes.

Applications commenced in July 2026 and will remain open until 10 August 2026. The awards recognise outstanding MIHAS 2026 exhibitors that have demonstrated exceptional achievements in business growth, product and service excellence, innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation, while contributing to the continued advancement of the global halal industry.

This year, 15 awards will be presented across three flagship categories, reflecting MIHAS’s commitment to recognising excellence across the evolving halal business ecosystem:

• MIHAS Excellence Awards: Recognising outstanding achievements in Product Excellence, Service Excellence and Emerging Star categories.
• MIHAS Innovation, Sustainability & Digitalisation Awards: Honouring exhibitors that have successfully leveraged advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and other digital solutions to drive innovation, operational excellence, sustainability and long-term business growth.
• WiEX @ MIHAS (Anugerah Wira Ekonomi Wanita): Celebrating exceptional women-led businesses across Product, Service, and Innovation, Sustainability and Digitalisation categories.

Commenting on this, Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Chairman of MATRADE, said the awards continue to play an important role in elevating industry standards and recognising forward-thinking companies that are shaping the future of halal trade.

“The MIHAS Awards have become a hallmark of excellence within the global halal industry, recognising businesses that continuously raise the bar through innovation, resilience and sustainable growth. As the halal economy continues to expand beyond traditional sectors, companies must embrace innovation, sustainability and digitalisation to remain relevant and competitive.”

“This year’s awards place even greater emphasis on future-ready businesses that are embracing digital transformation, sustainability and emerging technologies to create lasting value. Through the MIHAS Awards, we aspire to inspire more companies to innovate, compete globally and contribute to the continued growth of the international halal economy,” he added.

The MIHAS Awards 2026 are open to all exhibitors of MIHAS 2026, including both Malaysian and international participants. For Malaysian participants, companies must also be registered as MATRADE members. Applicants must meet the prescribed financial eligibility criteria, with average annual sales exceeding RM500,000 for product categories and RM250,000 for service categories.

For the MIHAS Excellence Awards, companies must have participated in MIHAS on at least three occasions, while nominees for the Emerging Star category must have exhibited at least once previously. Applicants for the WiEX Awards must be exhibitors within the WiEX Pavilion.

Following the submission deadline on 10 August 2026, entries will undergo a comprehensive evaluation process, beginning with a pre-assessment stage at the end of August, followed by pitching sessions before an independent panel of judges in early September. Winners will be announced during the official MIHAS Awards 2026 Ceremony on 26 September 2026.

In addition to receiving industry recognition, winners will enjoy a comprehensive range of promotional and branding benefits designed to enhance their visibility in international markets. These include feature stories on the MATRADE Success Stories Portal, a complimentary one-year listing in the Malaysian Brand Directory and media interview engagements, a 15 per cent discount on future MIHAS exhibition booth rentals, as well as an exclusive MIHAS 22nd Edition corporate jacket.

As the world’s largest international halal trade exhibition, MIHAS continues to serve as a catalyst for business growth, innovation and cross-border partnerships, connecting businesses with opportunities across the global halal value chain. MATRADE encourages all eligible exhibitors to seize this opportunity to gain international recognition and showcase their achievements on one of the world’s most influential halal business platforms.

Interested exhibitors may submit their applications through the official MIHAS portal at www.mihas.com.my by 10 August 2026.
Hashtag: #MIHAS2026 #Awards #MATRADE

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026

Since it began in 2004, the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) has grown into a major platform for Halal trade and has helped strengthen the global industry’s position in Halal standards, governance, and market access. Recognised as a Guinness World Records holder and hosted by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) as organiser, MIHAS now covers 14 sectors, from food and beverages and pharmaceuticals to Islamic finance, modest fashion, personal care, technology, services, and Muslim-friendly tourism. The 22nd edition of MIHAS, themed “Shaping Trust, Driving Resilience”, will focus on regulated-by-design governance and technology-enabled trade.

About MATRADE
The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) was established on 1 March 1993 as the national trade promotional arm under Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).

MATRADE’s primary role is to assist Malaysian exporters in developing and expanding their export markets. Aligned with Malaysia’s commercial diplomacy efforts, MATRADE is the nation’s trade facilitator and champion of Malaysian-made products and services on the global stage.

The round brings HiDream.ai’s total financing over the past three months to more than RMB 2.1 billion and marks its entry into unicorn status

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 July 2026 – HiDream.ai, a global large-model AI technology company, has announced the completion of a RMB 1.5 billion Series C financing round. The round was co-led by the National Social Security Fund Sichuan Revitalization Sci-Tech Innovation Fund, ICBC Capital, Hongyi Asset Management and Dunhong Capital.

New investors including Xiamen ITG Capital, Shanghai Film New Vision Fund, Hubei Yangtze River Industry Investment Group, Huace Film & TV, Hangyuan Capital, Chuangyunhai Capital, Huafu Investment, Yuhang Financial Holding, Bank of Communications Capital and Wakamatsu Fund also participated. Existing shareholders including Hefei Industrial Investment, Fortune Capital, Kingpo Investment, Jinhua Capital, Zhongzhe Capital and Caixin Capital continued to back the company.

The round brings together national-level long-term capital, regional government-backed investment platforms, industry investors and venture capital firms. HiDream.ai said the funding will support its development of native omni-modal world models and the expansion of its product and commercial ecosystem.

The Series C follows two earlier rounds completed within the past three months, bringing HiDream.ai’s total financing during the period to more than RMB 2.1 billion. With the latest round, the company has entered unicorn status.

“Forward-looking judgment on AI technology and continued innovation in large-model architecture have always been core to HiDream.ai’s growth,” said Mei Tao, founder and CEO of HiDream.ai. “We believe the evolution from multimodal AI to native omni-modal world models is an essential path toward AGI. With this funding, we will continue building the foundation for native omni-modal world models and work with global developers and partners to expand the boundaries of intelligence.”

Long-term Capital Backs HiDream.ai’s AI Roadmap

The round includes national-level long-term capital, technology-focused financial investors and multiple regional government-backed investment platforms.

The participation of the National Social Security Fund Sichuan Revitalization Sci-Tech Innovation Fund as a co-lead investor reflects growing institutional support for foundational AI technologies and critical AI infrastructure.

Regional investment platforms including Hefei Industrial Investment, Xiamen ITG Capital, Yuhang Financial Holding and Hubei Yangtze River Industry Investment Group also participated or increased their exposure, providing support across capital, industrial resources and application scenarios.

Existing shareholder Hefei Industrial Investment has backed HiDream.ai across three consecutive rounds, underscoring long-term confidence in the company and its alignment with Hefei’s strategy to develop a hard-tech and AI innovation hub.

HiDream.ai said support from long-term institutional capital and regional government-backed investors will help provide full-cycle backing for model research, product development and industrial deployment.

Industry Investors Deepen Content and Entertainment Partnerships

The Series C round also introduced leading film and entertainment industry investors, including Shanghai Film New Vision Fund and Huace Film & TV.

HiDream.ai said these partnerships will expand its access to film and entertainment resources, production scenarios and high-quality content data, supporting innovation in AI-native content production.

The company has been working with Shanghai Film Co., Ltd. on next-generation content production, cinema scenario upgrades, AI-powered cross-screen marketing, and AI-enabled large-screen production standards and workflows.

HiDream.ai also plans to collaborate with Huace Film & TV on AI agent-assisted content creation, corpus co-development, premium content co-production and full-chain IP development.

Together with earlier cooperation with Hubei Yangtze River Film Group, the addition of Shanghai Film New Vision Fund and Huace Film & TV further expands HiDream.ai’s role in China’s film and entertainment ecosystem and provides richer data and application scenarios for its video models.

From Native Omni-modal Models to World Models

HiDream.ai is among China’s earliest companies focused on multimodal generative AI. Built on its self-developed HiDream model family, the company has developed a portfolio of AI products and a global commercial network across content creation, marketing, and film and entertainment production.

Earlier this year, HiDream.ai’s native omni-modal HiDream-O1 model series, based on its original UiT, or Unified Transformer, architecture, achieved leading results on the text-to-image leaderboard of Artificial Analysis, a global independent AI model evaluation and analytics platform. The open-source version ranked first globally, while the closed-source version ranked among the global top three, positioning HiDream.ai among the leading players in visual generative AI.

At the product and commercialization level, HiDream.ai is pursuing a dual-engine strategy combining foundation models and AI agents. Built on the HiDream-O1 model series, its “1+1+3” framework includes one foundation model, one Token Hub platform for standardized model capability output, and three application areas: commercial marketing, film and entertainment production, and content creation.

At WAIC 2026, HiDream.ai introduced vivago R1, a multimodal creative agent with long-form video generation and editing capabilities. The “R” in R1 stands for long-horizon reasoning, reflecting a shift in AI-assisted creative production from generating isolated assets to planning, orchestrating and executing longer creative workflows.

HiDream.ai’s products currently serve users in more than 100 countries and regions, including over 50 million professional users and more than 40,000 enterprise customers. The company said these commercial deployments validate the practical application of its native omni-modal architecture and provide a foundation for future scale.

HiDream.ai said its long-term vision is to move from multimodal AI to omni-modal AI and ultimately world models — systems capable of understanding, reasoning about and constructing dynamic environments. The company will continue advancing both large-model technology and AI agent products, accelerating the shift of AI from a tool to an intelligent partner.

Hashtag: #HiDreamAI

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About HiDream.ai

HiDream.ai is a large-model AI technology company focused on native omni-modal intelligence and world-model development. Built on its self-developed HiDream model family, the company develops foundation models, AI agent products and AI applications across commercial marketing, film and entertainment production, and content creation.HiDream.ai’s products serve users in more than 100 countries and regions, including over 50 million professional users and more than 40,000 enterprise customers.

A July poll showed approval for Takaichi’s Cabinet dropping to 57% from 69% in June, as households grew more dissatisfied with rising living costs. Other surveys have also pointed to weakening support, though the level varies considerably among polling organisations.

The decline has placed greater scrutiny on the government’s economic strategy. Takaichi has defended an expansionary programme built around public and private investment in strategic industries, arguing that stronger productivity and economic growth will ultimately restore confidence in the currency.

Market strategists see a growing risk that weaker ratings could push the administration towards measures offering faster political relief. These could include reductions in consumption taxes, expanded subsidies or additional spending aimed at cushioning households from food and energy inflation.

Such steps may prove popular with voters but could unsettle investors unless the government provides a credible funding plan. Japan already carries one of the world’s largest public debt burdens, exceeding twice the size of its economy, while higher interest rates are raising the cost of servicing that debt.

The yen has been trading near 160 to the dollar, increasing the price of imported fuel, food and industrial materials. Its weakness has become a political problem because the benefits to exporters and tourism are being offset by pressure on household purchasing power.

Takaichi has rejected the argument that government policy alone determines exchange rates. She has said stronger investment, competitiveness and economic expansion are essential to rebuilding market trust, while acknowledging that currency movements reflect a range of domestic and international factors.

Investors remain sensitive to any indication that the government could pursue fiscal expansion while discouraging tighter monetary policy. The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark rate to 1% in June, the highest level in more than three decades, and economists expect another increase before the end of 2026 if inflation or yen weakness intensifies.

The central bank is expected to keep rates unchanged at its next policy meeting while signalling that further tightening remains possible. Its challenge is to contain import-driven inflation without weakening an economy facing demographic pressures, soft consumption and a heavy public debt load.

More than four-fifths of economists surveyed this month expect the policy rate to reach 1.25% by December. A rise could support the yen by narrowing the interest-rate gap with the United States, but it would also put upward pressure on government borrowing costs.

Long-dated government bond yields have already climbed to levels not seen for decades. Traders are demanding higher returns as the central bank reduces its dominance of the bond market and investors reassess the sustainability of fiscal policy in an inflationary environment.

Takaichi’s growth blueprint envisages about ¥370 trillion in public and private investment through 2040 across 17 strategic sectors. Artificial intelligence, semiconductors, defence, energy security and advanced manufacturing are among the areas targeted for support.

The government says the programme will raise productivity, reduce vulnerabilities in critical supply chains and lift Japan’s underlying growth rate. Critics argue that its scale and financing remain insufficiently defined, increasing the possibility of additional bond issuance or pressure for higher taxes later.

A proposed temporary suspension of the consumption tax on food has emerged as a particularly sensitive issue. The measure could ease household costs but would also reduce government revenue unless accompanied by spending cuts or alternative funding.

Political pressure is building inside the ruling Liberal Democratic Party as lawmakers consider how to reverse the erosion in public confidence. Speculation about a Cabinet reshuffle has increased, although Takaichi has given no indication that she plans to retreat from her investment-led strategy.

Her political position remains stronger than the approval figures alone suggest. The Liberal Democratic Party secured a commanding majority in the February election, giving the government substantial room to pass legislation. However, falling popularity could make lawmakers less willing to support policies seen as worsening inflation or market instability.

Foreign-exchange traders are watching whether the government steps up verbal warnings or direct intervention to support the yen. Previous interventions have produced only temporary gains when they were not backed by a sustained change in interest-rate expectations or fiscal policy.

Japan’s large pool of domestic savings and the substantial holdings of government debt by local institutions continue to provide stability. The country also possesses sizeable foreign reserves and remains a major external creditor.