Goldman Sachs has moved further into digital assets with a filing for the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, a proposed fund designed to give investors exposure to bitcoin-linked products while generating income by selling call options. The preliminary prospectus was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on April 14, and sets out a strategy aimed at current income alongside capital appreciation rather than a […]
SoftBank Group’s push to raise broader backing for a $40 billion loan tied to its investment in OpenAI is drawing fresh attention to how far global lenders are willing to support Masayoshi Son’s debt-heavy bet on artificial intelligence. More banks are being approached to join the financing, extending a syndication effort that began after SoftBank secured the bridge facility in March, in what has become a major […]
First-ever joint campaign for credit card unlocks enhanced digital investment solutions and exclusive lifestyle privileges for clients
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 April 2026 – As part of its strategy to lead in digital wealth, Citi is leveraging fintech to enhance its client value proposition. Citi is committed to driving Hong Kong’s fintech ecosystem by playing a unique role as both a strategic investor and a collaborator. This approach is exemplified by our partnership with Endowus, a leading digital wealth advisory and investment platform. After Citi Ventures invested in the platform in August 2023, this collaboration now sets the stage for our latest joint initiative.
Building on their established relationship, Citi Hong Kong and Endowus recently launched the “Invest with Clarity, Live in Prestige” campaign, their inaugural joint credit card promotion. Through this initiative, eligible Endowus clients who successfully apply for a new Citi Prestige Card and meet specific requirements during the promotion period will receive a HK$4,000* cash reward. This offer seamlessly integrates a rewarding investment journey with the elevated dining, travel and lifestyle privileges that come with the Citi Prestige Card.
This partnership marks a key milestone, and both Citi and Endowus look forward to exploring further collaborations, including expanding the campaign to other Citi Credit Cards and across a broader spectrum of products, aiming to continuously drive financial innovation and enhance client experience.
Sarah O, Head of Digital Growth & Cards and Unsecured Lending Sales, Citi Hong Kong, said, “Our strategic collaboration with Endowus exemplifies Citi’s commitment to harnessing the power of the fintech ecosystem to drive growth and innovation within our wealth business. The expanded partnership with Endowus showcases our unique, full-circle commitment to the fintech community. We are excited about the ongoing potential of this partnership to unlock even more innovative solutions for our clients.”
Steffanie Yuen, Managing Director and Head of Hong Kong, Endowus said, “Citi’s strategic backing as our shareholder, and recognition of our vision to help people invest with clarity significantly reflects a shared commitment to raising the bar for wealth management in Hong Kong. By pairing best-in-class digital investment tools with the lifestyle rewards of the Citi Prestige Card, we’re making it easier than ever for clients to invest well and live well. We look forward to deepening our partnership to build even more innovative experiences together for the clients we serve.”
Click HERE to download the photo Photo: Sarah O, Head of Digital Growth & Cards and Unsecured Lending Sales, Citi Hong Kong (Left) and Steffanie Yuen, Managing Director and Head of Hong Kong, Endowus (Right)
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Citi
Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has stepped up its backing of Lucid Group with a fresh $550 million investment through affiliate Ayar Third Investment Company, extending the sovereign wealth fund’s role as the electric vehicle maker’s financial anchor at a time when Lucid is trying to stabilise cash burn, repair operational strains and broaden its commercial reach. The commitment forms part of a […]
VinoBuzz closed angel round at US$10M valuation, gained 1,000+ registered users in two weeks of beta, and redefines wine discovery with 10‑second matching, 1‑minute event planning, and hour‑delivery of over 4,000 wines.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 April 2026 – VinoBuzz, the Hong Kong’s first AI‑agent and marketplace for wine, today announced it has raised an angel investment round at a US$10 million valuation. In just two weeks since its beta launch, the platform has already attracted over 1,000 registered users – a feat rarely seen in Hong Kong’s traditional, offline‑first wine industry. VinoBuzz is rapidly becoming the go‑to solution for busy professionals who demand speed, transparency, and personalization.
A technology revolution is sweeping Hong Kong. For food and dining, the city has Foodpanda and Keeta. For transportation, it has Uber. But for drinks – specifically wine – less than 10% of purchases are made online. The wine market remains one of the least digitized sectors in Hong Kong. VinoBuzz is changing that. As the leading tech platform for wine, the company is delivering a brand‑new experience built for the smart living era. Its tagline: “Drink Different.”
By combining AI agents with a unified multi‑merchant marketplace, VinoBuzz eliminates the three biggest pain points of wine buying: lack of knowledge, time-consuming, and opaque pricing. The platform offers three industry‑first features:
10‑Second Wine Matching – Users simply tell the AI their taste, occasion, and budget. In 10 seconds, VinoBuzz recommends the perfect bottle – no wine knowledge required.
1‑Minute Event Planning – For parties, corporate gatherings, or private dinners, input pax, theme, budget, and preferences. The AI instantly curates a complete beverage list and places the order.
Direct Wine Research (No Filter) – The fastest, smartest way to search any bottle available in Hong Kong. Users get unbiased, transparent information – no sales pressure, no hidden agenda.
“Hong Kong’s wine market is world‑class, but the buying experience has remained stuck in the last century – overwhelming, time‑consuming, and often intimidating,” said Zack Chen, CEO and Founder of VinoBuzz. “We built VinoBuzz to be the first true AI agent for wine: a personal sommelier that learns your taste, finds the perfect bottle in seconds, and delivers it within hours. This US$10 million valuation validates our vision and proves that the market is ready for a disruptor.”
VinoBuzz already lists over 4,000 unique wine SKUs from Hong Kong’s top importers and merchants, as one of Hong Kong’s top wine marketplaces. Orders are delivered via temperature‑controlled logistics as fast as 4 hours – making it one of the fastest and most convenient online wine purchasing options in the city. The platform’s rapid user acquisition, with 1,000+ registered users in only two weeks, expending its SKU to over 4000 wine bottles, signals a pent‑up demand for a modern, AI‑native wine marketplace in Hong Kong.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
VinoBuzz Limited
VinoBuzz is Hong Kong’s first AI agent and marketplace for wine. It combines a conversational AI sommelier with a unified multi‑merchant checkout and fast, temperature‑controlled delivery, making wine discovery and purchasing effortless for everyone – from complete beginners to seasoned collectors.
Hongkong Land and Gammon Construction introduce CarbonCure’s CO₂ mineralisation technology in Tomorrow’s CENTRAL project, a first for Hong Kong.
Injecting captured CO₂ into concrete reduces cement use by up to 7%.
Supporting Hongkong Land’s goal of cutting Scope 3 carbon intensity 22% by 2030, positioning Tomorrow’s CENTRAL as a sustainability leader.
Buildings Department approval of the CarbonCure concrete mix sets the stage for wider industry adoption.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – Hongkong Land and Gammon Construction have partnered to introduce CarbonCure to Hong Kong. Through this strategic collaboration, the companies are deploying the patented CO₂ mineralisation technology in Tomorrow’s CENTRAL project, marking its first use in Hong Kong. This alliance pioneers low-carbon building materials in the city and accelerates the wider industry’s transition.
(From left to right) Mr. Eddie Tse, Group Sustainability Manager, Gammon Construction; Ms. Ka Yan Chu, Assistant Technical Manager, Concrete Technology Services, Gammon Construction; Ms. Grace Lam, Senior Sustainability Manager, Hongko
Reducing cement‑related emissions without compromising performance
Embodied carbon accounted for 70% of Hongkong Land’s total carbon emissions in 2025, with industry research indicating that more than 80% of the embodied carbon in a typical new commercial building is associated with concrete, brick and steel. Cement production generates about 7% of global CO₂ emissions, more than three times that of civil aviation, making it a critical decarbonisation priority.
CarbonCure offers one of the most effective solutions, reducing cement content by 4–7% without compromising concrete quality or performance. The new technology injects captured CO₂ into fresh concrete during mixing, where it undergoes a chemical reaction to form a mineral, permanently trapping carbon within the material. When combined with a low-carbon concrete mix containing approximately 40% Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS), a 34% carbon emissions reduction is achieved compared to traditional non-green concrete.
Implementing this innovative technology supports Hongkong Land’s target of achieving a 22% reduction in Scope 3 carbon intensity by 2030. It also aligns with Tomorrow’s CENTRAL project’s sustainability objectives, including using 100% low carbon concrete, 100% green rebar, and 100% sustainable timber during construction, and to divert 75% of construction waste.
Tomorrow’s CENTRAL: a project with sustainability at its core
Tomorrow’s CENTRAL is Hongkong Land’s bold three-year plan to transform the LANDMARK retail portfolio. Announced in June 2024, the project is ambitious in its scope, encompassing extensive façade enhancements, retail renovations and office lift-lobby relocations From inception, sustainability has been the project’s guiding principle.
The CarbonCure concrete mix technology was deployed by Hongkong Land and Gammon in November 2025 after it was approved by the Buildings Department in September 2025 following a rigorous 18-month testing and preparation period.
Michael T. Smith, Group Chief Executive of Hongkong Land, said: “Sustainability is a key business priority for Hongkong Land. Using lower carbon concrete on Tomorrow’s CENTRAL helps to advance the goals of our Sustainability Framework 2030. As the first developer to apply this technology in Hong Kong’s premium commercial sector, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to innovation and encourage wider industry uptake.”
Eddie Tse, Group Sustainability Manager, Gammon Construction, said: “We are delighted to partner with Hongkong Land on Hong Kong’s first application of CarbonCure concrete. Their strong commitment to sustainability and openness to pioneering solutions have been instrumental in making this milestone possible. By permanently mineralising carbon within building materials and reducing cement use, lower carbon concrete represents a meaningful step forward in embodied‑carbon reduction. With this successful deployment, we look forward to extending similar innovations across the industry and collaborating with more clients to drive low‑carbon construction in Hong Kong.”
Hashtag: #HongkongLand
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Hongkong Land
Hongkong Land is a major listed property development, investment and management group. It focuses on developing, owning and managing premium and ultra-premium mixed-use real estate in Asian gateway cities, featuring Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products. With over US$50 billion in assets under management, Hongkong Land’s ultra-premium mixed-use real estate footprint spans over 1.97 million sq. m. lettable area in operation and 1.43 million sq. m. lettable area under development, with flagship mixed-use projects in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Its properties hold industry leading green building certifications and attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands. Established in 1889, Hongkong Land takes a long-term view, investing significantly alongside its capital partners and concentrating its portfolio where it can create the most value for tenants, customers and investors. Hongkong Land Holdings Limited has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Singapore and Bermuda. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – DFIQ Media Hong Kong, the retail media arm of leading Asian retailer, DFI Retail Group, today announced a strategic partnership with WPP MediaHong Kong that brings the power of Open Intelligence for Commerce to Hong Kong for the first time. The partnership establishes a new, privacy-first foundation for retail media collaboration in the market, enabling brands to activate high-value audiences and deliver more relevant, impactful advertising across DFI’s extensive retail ecosystem.
DFIQ Media Hong Kong and WPP Media Hong Kong announced a strategic partnership that brings the power of Open Intelligence for Commerce to Hong Kong for the first time. Pictured are Wee Lee Loh, Group Chief Digital & yuu Rewards Officer, DFI Retail Group (left) and Michael Beecroft, CEO of WPP Media North East Asia (right).
The partnership brings together DFIQ Media’s extensive omnichannel retail media ecosystem with WPP Media’s advanced programmatic and predictive intelligence capabilities. By integrating customer audience insights through InfoSum – WPP’s privacy-first, no-data-movement collaboration platform – advertisers can activate high-value audiences while ensuring strict data privacy and regulatory compliance.
Through this initiative, advertisers will gain access to aggregated customer insights from the yuu loyalty ecosystem and retail platforms across DFI Retail Group banners, enabling more precise and effective targeting strategies. These audience segments can be securely matched and activated via WPP Media’s Open Intelligence, and delivered through WPP Open – WPP’s agentic marketing platform. This enables brands to unlock new growth audiences, improve targeting accuracy, and access deeper performance insights across digital and in-store environments, including incremental sales, new-shopper contribution, and audience-level effectiveness.
“Retail media is the fastest growing media channel globally and rapidly becoming one of the most important channels for brands to connect with consumers in meaningful and measurable ways,” said Wee Lee Loh, Group Chief Digital & yuu Rewards Officer from DFI Retail Group. The partnership also includes WPP Media’s investment in DFIQ Media’s omnichannel retail media inventory. This includes digital advertising opportunities across the e-commerce and mobile apps of yuu, Wellcome, 7-Eleven, and Mannings, as well as DFIQ Media’s in-store digital screen network of more than 6,000 screens across these retail locations in Hong Kong. “Our collaboration with DFIQ Media represents an important step in shaping the future of commerce-driven media in Hong Kong,” said Michael Beecroft, CEO of WPP Media North East Asia.
Collectively, these retail touchpoints generate more than 60 million store visits every month, giving brands a powerful platform to connect with consumers across the full shopping journey — from digital discovery to in-store purchase.
“By partnering with WPP Media and leveraging privacy-safe technology from InfoSum, we are unlocking the next phase of retail media in Hong Kong – one that combines powerful first-party data with omnichannel activation across digital and physical retail environments,” said Chandana Sunder, Group Retail Media Director from DFI Retail Group.
WPP Media will also bring its advanced programmatic advertising, predictive modelling, and Open Intelligence capabilities to the partnership, enabling automated buying, real-time optimization, and sophisticated audience targeting powered by DFIQ Media’s retail signals.
“By connecting DFIQ Media’s rich retail audiences with our Open Intelligence framework, we can deliver high-yield, privacy-safe, and outcome-driven advertising solutions that reduce waste and drive measurable growth for brands,” said Kenny Ip, Vice President, Media and Partnership Management at WPP Media Hong Kong.
Together, DFIQ Media and WPP Media aim to push the boundaries of retail media innovation – building a more advanced and future-ready retail media landscape in Hong Kong. The partnership marks a significant milestone in next-generation retail media development, combining privacy-first data collaboration, predictive intelligence, and large-scale omnichannel activation to create new opportunities for brands to engage shoppers and measure incremental impact. Hashtag: #DFIRetailGroup #DFIQ #yuuRewards #Mannings #7-Eleven #Wellcome
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DFI Retail Group
DFI Retail Group is a leading Asian retailer driven by its purpose to ‘Sustainably Serve Asia for Generations with Everyday Moments’. As at 31 December 2025, the Group and its associates operated 7,580 outlets and employed more than 79,000 people across 12 markets. 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. DFI Retail Group and its associates operate a portfolio of well-known brands across five key divisions: health and beauty, convenience, food, home furnishings and restaurants.
DFIQ Media is the retail media arm of DFI Retail Group, connecting brands with millions of shoppers through a powerful omnichannel ecosystem that spans loyalty, e-commerce, and in-store media across leading retail banners. Established in 2025, it aims to deliver everyday omnichannel customer experience through full funnel media solutions powered by first party data intelligence.
Chevron has struck new agreements with Venezuela to expand oil production in the Orinoco Belt, tightening its focus on the country’s vast extra-heavy crude reserves at a time when Caracas is trying to pull foreign capital back into its energy sector and Washington has loosened some restrictions on dealings with the country’s oil industry. The agreements, reached with state oil company PDVSA, give Chevron a larger position […]
DUBAI, UAE — Red Rock Technology FZ-LLC has entered into an exclusive strategic agreement with Innobotics, securing sole rights to deploy and commercialize its robotics and automation technologies across the GCC, Africa and India. The agreement establishes a cross-regional infrastructure layer combining AI governance, automation and physical deployment systems, positioning Red Rock as a primary integrator in markets where food security, supply chain resilience and technological sovereignty […]
Deutsche Börse has moved further into digital assets with a reported $200 million investment in Kraken’s parent, Payward, a deal that would give the German exchange operator a 1.5 per cent fully diluted stake and extend a partnership the two sides unveiled in December. The transaction, first reported by Bloomberg and subsequently echoed by Reuters, is said to be due to close in the second quarter, subject […]
Greenlogue/AP QatarEnergy has announced a hydrocarbon discovery offshore the Republic of Congo, adding fresh momentum to its international upstream drive and strengthening the case for further low-cost development around existing West African production hubs. The find was made at the MHNM-6 NFW exploration well in the Moho G structure under the Moho offshore exploration and production licence. The well encountered a hydrocarbon column of about 160 metres […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism has signed a strategic agreement with HSBC Bank Middle East Limited aimed at drawing more multinational companies, institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals to the emirate, in a move that fits Dubai’s wider push to deepen capital inflows and strengthen its standing as a global business centre. The agreement was announced on April 13 and positions HSBC’s regional […]
China’s President Xi Jinping used talks in Beijing with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday to press for closer ties with Madrid, casting Spain as a useful partner at a time of what he described as a “crumbling” international order. The meeting placed Spain at the centre of China’s broader effort to keep channels open with Europe as trade frictions, security tensions and strategic rivalry with Washington continue to reshape diplomacy.
Sánchez, on his fourth trip to China in four years, arrived with a message that mixed engagement with caution. On the eve of meeting Xi, he told an audience at Tsinghua University that China should assume a larger role in tackling climate change, inequality, global health, responsible artificial intelligence and major conflicts, while also arguing that Europe must step up as the United States pulls back from several fronts. That language reflected Madrid’s attempt to deepen economic relations with Beijing without ignoring the strategic unease that still colours China’s ties with much of the West.
For Xi, Spain offers a politically valuable counterpart inside the European Union. Beijing has been looking for reliable European interlocutors as Brussels tries to defend industrial interests, scrutinise state-backed Chinese investment and manage disputes over electric vehicles and market access. Spain has often sounded less confrontational than some other European capitals. Sánchez has previously urged compromise over tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles and has continued to frame China as a strategic partner rather than only a rival. That posture does not place Madrid outside the EU mainstream, but it does make Spain one of the more open major economies for Chinese diplomacy.
Trade remains the hardest fact beneath the warmer language. Sánchez acknowledged in Beijing that China accounts for 74 per cent of Spain’s overall trade deficit, and Reuters reported that Spain’s deficit with China approached $50 billion in 2025 after more than doubling over four years. Madrid wants better access for agricultural and manufactured exports while preserving inward investment that could help its green transition and industrial base. Chinese capital has already been tied to projects in batteries, hydrogen and manufacturing in Spain, underlining why the government sees practical gains in staying engaged even as the imbalance in trade grows harder to ignore.
That commercial logic is colliding with a tougher geopolitical climate. Sánchez’s visit has drawn scrutiny because it comes as China seeks stronger European ties during a period of strain with Washington. Reuters reported before the trip that Sánchez’s independent line on China had already irritated U. S. President Donald Trump, while Spain also rejected sharp U. S. criticism of moves to expand trade with Beijing. Chinese officials, for their part, signalled before the visit that they wanted to use it to deepen strategic trust, cooperation and multilateral coordination. The result is a diplomatic balancing act in which Madrid is trying to protect its autonomy, retain access to both superpowers and avoid being forced into a binary choice.
The political symbolism runs beyond bilateral ties. Sánchez’s stop in Beijing follows a succession of other European leaders visiting China this year, suggesting that even governments wary of Beijing’s security posture and industrial policies still see a need for direct dialogue. China is encouraging that trend, presenting stable relations with Europe as proof that it is not isolated despite mounting tension elsewhere. Spain’s government has echoed part of that argument, with Sánchez saying in Beijing that Europe and China had prospered together before and could do so again. That sentiment fits neatly with Xi’s effort to frame China as a pillar of order against a backdrop of war, protectionism and institutional drift.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 April 2026 – Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), the world’s leading company for elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation, service and modernization, and WeMaintain today announced that they have closed an agreement under which Otis will acquire a majority stake in WeMaintain, a fast-growing, technology-enabled service company for the elevator and escalator industry. The investment reflects Otis’ continued focus on advancing service and service technology to deliver the best possible solutions for customers.
Otis and WeMaintain leadership teams. Pictured left to right is Nora LaFreniere, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Otis Worldwide Corporation; Judy Marks, Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President, Otis Worldwide Corporation; Jade Francine, Chief Growth Officer, WeMaintain; Benoit Dupont, Chief Executive, WeMaintain.
“Service is the foundation of our business, and innovation in how service is delivered is increasingly important as customers seek greater reliability and better visibility into performance,” said Judy Marks, Chair, CEO and President, Otis Worldwide Corp. “WeMaintain has built a strong technology platform and agile operating model that reflects how quality service is delivered in a fast-paced, digital and customer-centric environment. We are confident in their growth potential and believe this investment supports their continued success while creating long-term value for both organizations.”
“Otis’ investment allows us to stay focused on what we do best – continuing to build and advance our technology and scale our business as an independent company,” said Benoit Dupont, WeMaintain CEO. ” With the stability and support of the global industry leader, we are well positioned to strengthen our offering while maintaining the close customer relationships and high standards that have always defined our approach.”
Otis and WeMaintain will operate as separate entities, and WeMaintain will continue to offer its agnostic IoT and AI-based solution to its current and future customers.
Hashtag: #Otis #WeMaintain
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Otis
Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation, service and modernization of elevators and escalators, we move 2.5 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.5 million customer units worldwide – the industry’s largest Service portfolio. You’ll find us in the world’s most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 45,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.
About WeMaintain WeMaintain was founded in 2017 by Benoit Dupont and Jade Francine on the belief that building maintenance could be smarter, more transparent, and more impactful. We combine AI-driven insights, IoT-powered data, and on-the-ground expertise to deliver real-time visibility, enhanced operational efficiency, and increased asset reliability for building owners and operators.
With operations across Asia and Europe and more than 350 employees, we provide services and solutions for elevators, escalators, automatic doors, and fire safety systems.
Our human + tech approach sets a new standard for service quality, customer experience, and growth.
Dubai still delivers, even in the shadow of war. I’ve just arrived back in the city where we have our headquarters and several core offices, and what strikes me immediately is not disruption, but continuity. The US-Iran conflict has injected real tension into the region, with the Strait of Hormuz under pressure and the wider Middle East adjusting to a far more uncertain backdrop. Yet here in […]
By Nantoo Banerjee The country is experiencing a significant surge in commodity and transportation costs following geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf region and a weak Indian Rupee. Retail prices of daily essentials are rising rapidly. The prices of edible oils, pulses and packaged foods, including drinking water, have moved up since last month. Precious […]
JAKARTA, INDONESIA/ MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 April 2026 – Green and Smart Mobility Joint Stock Company (GSM) today announced the launch of its shared business platform, Green SM Platform, in Indonesia and the Philippines. This marks a strategic milestone following more than two years of international expansion, while opening up attractive livelihood opportunities for people across Southeast Asia’s urban centers.
From April 13, 2026, VinFast EV owners and renters in Indonesia and the Philippines can register to operate on the Green SM Platform.
Starting from April 13, 2026, owners and renters of VinFast electric vehicles in Indonesia and the Philippines can register to become service partners on the Green SM Platform. Developed within GSM’s fully electric mobility ecosystem, the platform is designed to expand driver and vehicle supply, while ensuring all operations are delivered under consistent, professional service standards.
Upon successful registration, driver partners will undergo structured training programs covering operational procedures and service standards to ensure a consistent and high-quality customer experience. The platform offers a competitive revenue-sharing model of up to 90%, along with performance-based incentive schemes, enabling driver partners to maintain stable income and pursue long-term development opportunities.
In parallel, Green SM Indonesia and Green GSM Philippines are introducing comprehensive support policies to help partners access vehicles more easily through VinFast electric vehicle purchase and rental programs. These initiatives reducebarriers to entry and accelerate the expansion of the driver network.
In Indonesia, partners can register for the program and quickly gain access to VinFast electric vehicle models such as VF 5, VF e34, VF 6, and Limo Green, enabling them to begin operation as soon as the required procedures . are completed. The model requires no loans or significant upfront investment, enabling drivers tobuild stable income streams.
In the Philippines, Green GSM is rolling out the program with VF 5 and Limo Green models, supported by comprehensivepolicies covering registration, insurance, and operations. This enables drivers to join the platform with ease and gradually build stable operations, with income potential aligned with local market conditions and business needs.
Notably, drivers operating VinFast electric vehicles will continue to benefit from free charging policies through March 31, 2029, significantly reducing operating costs and improving income efficiency.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Global CEO of GSM, said: “Green SM Platform is not only a step forward in service expansion, but also a solution to accelerate the transition to green mobility across Southeast Asia. By building an open platform with high service standards, we aim to rapidly increase the number of electric vehicles in operation, delivering a sustainable, modern, and reliable mobility experience for the community. This is a strategic move toward shaping a comprehensive green transportation ecosystem across the region.”
Amid growing demand for flexible employment in major cities, the Green SM Platform enables workers to quickly access vehicles, start earning, and generate stable income withoutlarge upfront investments or complex financing schemes. The platform rollout in Indonesia and the Philippines not only strengthens Green SM’s regional presence but also helps shape a sustainable urban mobility model, where technology, environmental responsibility, and livelihoods can grow in parallel.
Further information on the Green SM Platform, including partner registration and vehicle leasing programs, is available at:
South Korea’s exports rose 36.7 per cent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of April, extending a powerful trade run driven by semiconductor demand and offering fresh evidence that the country’s technology cycle remains firmly supported by global spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure. Outbound shipments reached $25.2 billion in the April 1-10 period, the highest ever recorded for the opening 10 days of a month, according to Korea Customs Service data carried by Yonhap on Monday.
The early-April figures reinforce a broader pattern already visible through the first quarter. South Korea, one of the world’s most closely watched export economies because of its central role in memory chips, displays and consumer electronics, has been benefiting from a steep recovery in semiconductor sales after a prolonged industry downturn. Reuters reported at the end of February that the country’s chip exports had jumped 160.9 per cent in that month alone, passing $20 billion for a third straight month as AI investment and stronger memory prices lifted demand.
Semiconductors were again the main engine in the latest 10-day release. Chip exports surged 152 per cent from a year earlier, underscoring how heavily South Korea’s trade performance is now tied to data-centre investment, high-bandwidth memory demand and the wider AI build-out led by large technology firms. That strength has helped offset a less even backdrop in other parts of the economy, where investment, household demand and external policy risks remain more mixed.
The export rebound matters well beyond monthly trade headlines. South Korea’s central bank raised its 2026 growth forecast to 2.0 per cent in February and signalled that a chip-led upswing was giving policymakers more room to hold interest rates steady while watching inflation and financial stability risks. Reuters also reported this month that central bank officials see strong semiconductor exports and an extra budget as factors easing downward pressure on growth, even as won weakness and higher energy costs complicate the inflation outlook.
Factory data has pointed in the same direction. A Reuters report on S&P Global survey findings showed South Korea’s manufacturing activity expanded in January at the fastest pace in nearly a year and a half, helped by stronger export orders from China, North America and Europe. Manufacturers reported improving optimism as orders strengthened in sectors such as autos and semiconductors, indicating that the recovery is not only statistical but also visible in production and order books.
Still, the trade picture is not free of risk. South Korea remains highly exposed to swings in global demand, to US trade policy and to supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East. Reuters polling before the March trade data showed imports rising sharply as higher oil prices pushed up the energy bill, even while exports surged on semiconductor strength. That combination can support headline trade values, but it also leaves the economy vulnerable to a renewed squeeze from commodity inflation and currency volatility.
Another uncertainty lies in concentration. The same chip boom that is lifting exports also raises dependence on a narrow cluster of products and companies. South Korea’s trade resilience is being powered largely by memory and advanced semiconductor demand, especially products linked to AI servers. Investment plans such as SK Hynix’s announcement in February of 21.6 trillion won in new facilities show confidence in long-term demand, but they also underline how central the semiconductor cycle has become to the country’s broader growth model.
For now, the momentum remains hard to ignore. Reuters polling ahead of the March data had already pointed to the fastest export growth in nearly five years, with shipments to the United States and China both showing strong gains alongside the semiconductor surge. Monday’s early-April figures suggest that pace has carried into the second quarter, strengthening the case that South Korea’s exporters are entering another period of outsized performance after a weak stretch in 2025.
TCL Electronics is exploring the sale of a stake in its television manufacturing business in India to local buyers, in a move that could help the Chinese consumer electronics group expand more deeply in one of the world’s fastest-growing electronics production bases, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg reported the company is working with an adviser and is seeking to raise at least $200 million from the proposed stake sale.
The deliberations point to a broader shift in strategy for global electronics groups operating in India, where policy support for domestic manufacturing, supply-chain localisation and greater local participation in ownership are increasingly shaping investment decisions. India approved more than $750 million in projects for electronic component manufacturing at the end of March and has set a target of lifting electronics output to $500 billion by fiscal 2031, up from $125 billion in the year to March 2025.
TCL has spent years building out its industrial footprint in the country. The group’s Tirupati manufacturing base, unveiled as its largest such facility outside China, was designed to produce TV and mobile phone screens at scale. Economic Times reported the plant was built with annual capacity for eight million large-sized TV screens and 30 million small-sized mobile screens.
That industrial push has since been reinforced by TCL CSOT India, the company’s display-panel arm, which said it had completed three production lines with monthly capacity of 1.2 million units and was moving towards full bonding, lamination and assembly operations with capacity reaching two million units a month. The company said the India operation was supplying panel modules to customers including Samsung, underscoring that the business is not only about selling finished televisions under the TCL brand but also about embedding itself in the wider supply chain.
A partial stake sale to domestic investors would therefore carry strategic weight beyond capital raising. It could give TCL stronger local alliances, improve regulatory comfort, and help the company navigate a market where manufacturing, sourcing and ownership are increasingly entwined with industrial policy. It may also position the business more favourably in dealings with state governments, suppliers and large retail channels as competition intensifies across the television segment. The company has not publicly announced any transaction, and the talks may not lead to a deal.
For TCL, India matters not just as a sales market but as a production and export platform. The company’s 2024 annual report showed it shipped 29 million televisions worldwide last year, with global market share by shipments rising to 13.9%, placing it among the top two TV brands globally, according to Omdia data cited by the company. The same report said TCL ranked among the top three in retail sales volume in nearly 20 overseas markets and recorded strong growth across emerging markets, including the Middle East and Africa.
Those figures help explain why TCL may be seeking a structure that allows it to preserve momentum in India while adapting to local realities. India is becoming harder to treat as a simple import destination. Policy incentives are encouraging assembly, component manufacturing and deeper supply-chain integration, while geopolitical tensions and tariff shifts are prompting multinational groups to diversify production beyond a single geography. For television makers, that means scale alone is no longer enough; local manufacturing depth and political acceptability also matter.
The move also reflects a wider pattern among Asian electronics manufacturers, many of whom have expanded capacity in India to reduce dependence on imports and align themselves with official manufacturing goals. Reuters reported in late March that New Delhi’s incentive programmes are aimed at cutting import dependence and strengthening local supply chains. That policy environment has created room for both foreign and domestic investors, but it has also made partnership structures more attractive than wholly externally controlled operations in sensitive or high-volume sectors.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai AD Ports Group is accelerating its effort to turn itself from a Gulf port operator into a broader trade and logistics network, using expansion in Egypt, Africa, Pakistan and the Mediterranean to win a larger role in global supply chains as companies seek more resilient routes and integrated cargo services. For the Abu Dhabi-based group, 2025 marked another year of record financial growth. […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has unveiled one of its largest single-market expansions in years, adding five mainland China destinations and 28 weekly flights as it deepens its joint venture with China Eastern Airlines and sharpens its focus on a corridor carrying growing weight in trade, tourism and cargo. The move will lift Etihad’s mainland China operation to 35 weekly services across six gateways, […]
DIAFA, the Abu Dhabi-based luxury hospitality investment platform affiliated with IHC Group, has completed a majority investment in Richard Caring’s hospitality portfolio in a deal described as ten-figure, placing a value of at least £1 billion on a collection of some of London’s best-known restaurants and private members’ clubs. The transaction brings The Ivy Brasseries, Caprice Holdings and The Birley Clubs under DIAFA’s control, while Richard Caring […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Qatar Islamic Bank has been named Qatar’s best private bank at the Euromoney Private Banking Awards 2026, handing the lender a prominent endorsement in a market where domestic banks and international wealth managers are competing more aggressively for high-net-worth clients seeking personalised advice, Shari’a-compliant products and stronger digital access. Euromoney’s national winners list for Qatar names QIB as the country’s best private bank […]
Greenlogue/AP Spring rain has reshaped the Aja Mountains in Hail into a greener, water-fed landscape, drawing fresh attention to one of the region’s best-known natural landmarks and reinforcing a wider push to turn northern Saudi Arabia’s scenery into a stronger tourism asset. Official reports on April 9 described vegetation spreading across ravines and valleys after rainfall, with seasonal grasses and wild plants softening the granite terrain […]