President Donald Trump has ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed Lake America for United States federal purposes, creating an unusual cartographic problem for technology companies mapping a single body of water shared with Canada. The executive order signed on August 27 directs the Interior Department and the US Board on Geographic Names to change the federal designation within 30 days and update the Geographic Names Information System, […]
The Kospi closed 1.79% lower at 6,788.88, shedding 123.49 points and snapping a three-session advance. Samsung Electronics dropped 3.38% to 257,000 won, while SK hynix fell 4.45% to 1.653 million won as investors locked in gains following an earlier technology rally fuelled by strong results from Nvidia. Foreign and institutional investors sold a combined 2 trillion won of Seoul-listed shares, while retail investors were net buyers.
The retreat highlighted growing caution over valuations in artificial intelligence-linked stocks. Nvidia had jumped nearly 9% in the previous Wall Street session after delivering strong quarterly results and indicating that spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure remained robust. The performance initially lifted technology stocks across the region, but enthusiasm faded in Seoul as attention shifted towards interest rates and the outlook for global bond yields.
Warsh’s first keynote address as Federal Reserve chair at the annual Jackson Hole symposium became the central focus for markets. Investors were looking for guidance on how the central bank would respond to persistent inflation pressures and whether policymakers were moving closer to raising borrowing costs. Interest-rate futures before the speech indicated roughly a one-third probability of an increase at the September meeting, with markets pricing in a move by December.
Bond markets have become particularly sensitive to Federal Reserve communication after longer-term Treasury yields climbed amid concerns that inflation could remain above target. The 30-year US Treasury yield was around 5.2% on Friday after briefly exceeding 5.3%, its highest level since 2007. The 10-year yield stood near 4.67%, while the two-year yield was about 4.23% before Warsh addressed the gathering.
Elsewhere in Asia, market performances were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei advanced around 0.5%, supported by technology shares and inflation data that reinforced expectations of further monetary tightening by the Bank of Japan. Tokyo consumer inflation for August remained close to the central bank’s 2% objective, keeping expectations of another interest-rate increase alive.
Taiwanese shares gained about 1.2%, benefiting more directly from Nvidia’s strong performance because of the island’s extensive semiconductor supply chain. Hong Kong shares moved slightly lower during part of the session, while mainland Chinese equities traded in a narrow range. The CSI 300 slipped about 0.1% at one stage and the Shanghai Composite edged higher, with investors also preparing for purchasing managers’ index data due next week.
Australia’s ASX 200 gained around 0.5%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index advanced modestly. The Nifty 50 also moved higher as technology shares supported a rebound after two sessions of losses. Regional investors nevertheless avoided large positions as the direction of US monetary policy remained the dominant influence on risk appetite.
Currency markets were similarly restrained. The dollar index hovered around 99.1 and was on course for a weekly gain. The Australian dollar performed strongly after hotter inflation data led traders to reassess the interest-rate outlook, touching a three-month high near $0.72 and extending what was set to become a ninth consecutive weekly advance.
Oil prices provided some relief for equities after falling sharply during the week. Brent crude traded around $89.6-$89.7 a barrel and was heading for a weekly decline of more than 5%, partly reflecting developments involving Iran and Oman over administration of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Lower energy prices eased one source of inflation concern, although geopolitical risks remained embedded in commodity markets.
Gold slipped towards $4,590 an ounce as traders awaited clearer signals on US rates. The broader MSCI Asia-Pacific index outside Japan was little changed, showing how the powerful Nvidia-led technology trade was being offset by uncertainty over monetary policy, elevated chip valuations and higher bond yields.
The reserves increased by $12.42 billion in the week ended August 21, extending their rise for an eighth consecutive week. The latest accumulation pushed the stockpile above the previous record of about $728.5 billion reached in February and marked an increase of roughly $63 billion over eight weeks.
Foreign currency assets, which form the largest part of the reserves, rose by $9.48 billion during the week to $591.33 billion. Gold reserves climbed by $2.80 billion to $114.22 billion, reflecting valuation gains as well as changes in reserve holdings.
Special Drawing Rights increased by $112 million to $18.85 billion, while the country’s reserve position with the International Monetary Fund rose by $26 million to $4.93 billion. Total reserves were $38.22 billion higher than at the end of March and about $38.61 billion above their level a year earlier.
The sharp build-up follows measures introduced by the Reserve Bank of India in June to strengthen capital inflows during a period of pressure on the rupee and heightened uncertainty in global financial and energy markets. The steps provided favourable foreign-exchange swap arrangements for overseas deposits and borrowing programmes, encouraging banks and companies to bring additional dollars into the country.
Nearly $73 billion was mobilised through the programmes between early June and August 21, with foreign currency non-resident bank deposits accounting for about $65 billion. The scale of the response prompted the central bank to bring forward the closure of the special swap facility linked to these deposits.
Deposits mobilised until August 31 remain eligible under the scheme, while banks can complete qualifying swaps with the central bank until September 11. Facilities supporting external commercial borrowings and overseas foreign currency borrowing are scheduled to remain available until December 31.
The programme allows eligible foreign-currency funds to be swapped with the Reserve Bank of India, enabling the central bank to absorb dollars while supplying rupee liquidity to participating institutions. The structure reduces hedging costs for banks and borrowers and has made overseas fund-raising more attractive at a time when global borrowing conditions remain demanding.
Banks have also stepped up offshore debt issuance. Union Bank of India returned to the dollar bond market this month after a 12-year absence, raising $600 million through three-year and five-year securities. State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda have also raised dollar funds, while other lenders have used international financial centres and overseas markets to secure foreign-currency financing. Banks collectively raised more than $11 billion through offshore bond issuance from June into August.
The inflows have helped stabilise the rupee after months of pressure from portfolio withdrawals, elevated oil prices and uncertainty surrounding global interest rates. The currency ended Friday at about 95.38 to the dollar, gaining around 0.3% over the week as dollar supplies increased ahead of the closure of the deposit window.
The Reserve Bank of India has continued to intervene in foreign-exchange markets to limit excessive movements rather than defend a specific exchange rate. Its enlarged reserves provide greater capacity to sell dollars when needed while absorbing incoming foreign currency when supply becomes unusually heavy.
The strengthened reserve position is particularly significant because India remains dependent on imported crude oil and other commodities priced in dollars. A larger foreign-exchange buffer can soften the impact of sudden increases in energy prices, capital outflows or global market disruption, although sustained intervention can also influence domestic liquidity.
External risks remain substantial. Oil prices have stayed elevated amid geopolitical disruptions, while changes in US monetary policy could influence capital flows towards emerging markets. A stronger dollar or higher US interest rates could again increase pressure on the rupee and other Asian currencies.
For policymakers, the surge in reserves also creates a balancing challenge. Large dollar purchases add rupee liquidity to the financial system, potentially requiring the central bank to absorb excess funds through other instruments. At the same time, allowing the rupee to strengthen too sharply because of temporary inflows could affect exporters and create greater currency volatility once those flows diminish.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Venezuela is weighing whether to leave OPEC, raising fresh questions about the producer group’s cohesion only months after the United Arab Emirates ended its membership and further weakening the organisation’s hold over global oil supply. No final decision has been taken in Caracas, but the possibility has emerged during discussions with US officials as Venezuela seeks to rebuild its battered petroleum industry and […]
Boston Scientific is battling a worldwide operational disruption after a cyberattack disabled key information systems used to process and ship medical-device orders, raising concerns over delays in equipment needed for cardiac and other hospital procedures. The Massachusetts-based medical technology group detected the attack on August 25 and activated its incident-response protocols, bringing in outside cybersecurity specialists to investigate and contain the intrusion. Systems supporting customer orders and […]
Issac John The Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum concluded in Tashkent with a proposition that carries important implications for the UAE: Central Asia wants its historic trade routes transformed into new corridors for money, payments, technology and investment. For a country whose prosperity has been built partly on functioning as the commercial and financial crossroads between East and West, that raises an intriguing question. Does the […]
Kuwait and Pakistan have signed a new defence co-operation agreement expanding military training, operational co-ordination and security assistance as Gulf states reassess their strategic relationships during the prolonged Iran war. The Protocol Agreement-2026 was signed on Thursday, August 27, during Kuwaiti Defence Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Saleem Al-Sabah’s visit to Pakistan. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif signed for Pakistan after talks focused on bilateral security ties […]
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today held the Launching Ceremony of the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the “AI+” initiative, and supporting the HKSAR Government’s policies of “industries for AI, AI for industries” and “AI for All”. Coordinated by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme aims to promote the widespread adoption of AI across society. As one of the programme implementation partners, HKPC will lead the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” sub-programme, focusing on practical business applications, talent development, and inclusive technology adoption. The initiative will provide targeted support to SMEs, professionals, labour groups, and underprivileged communities through a range of training courses, hands-on application programmes, and industry-academia-research collaboration, promoting AI literacy and the practical deployment of AI technologies.
Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, officiated at the ceremony, joined by Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, and Mr Mohamed Butt, MH, Executive Director of HKPC. The event also brought together representatives from leading international and Chinese Mainland technology enterprises, chambers of commerce, and industry leaders, who shared successful case studies and practical insights, fostering collaboration across sectors to advance Hong Kong’s AI ecosystem.
Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said: “AI has become a key factor in global industrial upgrading and driving the development of the digital economy. Helping SMEs to achieve digital transformation and enhance competitiveness through AI is one of the focal points of the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme. This time, HKPC as the third implementing organisation for the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme, leverages its years of experience serving businesses to provide targeted and professional support to SMEs, helping them seize opportunities in the AI era. I hope that through the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme, AI will not only serve as an empowering tool to enhance corporate value and competitiveness but also transform into a super dividend that benefits SMEs and the general public. Let ‘AI for All’ become Hong Kong’s vision for ‘Upgrading for All’ and ‘Opportunities for All’.”
Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, said: “AI should not be a privilege reserved for large enterprises. It should become a productivity tool that every business, every employee, and people from all walks of life can leverage. HKPC has long been committed to helping enterprises, particularly SMEs, enhance productivity, drive digital transformation, and convert innovative technologies into tangible business value. We focus on integrating AI technologies across different industries by providing practical, scalable and replicable solutions that support smart transformation. As one of the implementation organisations of the ‘AI for All’ Inclusive Programme, HKPC will centre its efforts on ‘AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment’, connecting Government, industry, academia, technology partners and social service organisations to help enterprises, SMEs, professionals and underprivileged communities acquire AI capabilities and transform AI into real productivity and business value, thereby advancing Hong Kong’s high-quality development and digital inclusion.”
“AI for All” Officially Launches with “Business Empowerment” Series to Drive Widespread AI Adoption
To advance the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, HKPC has launched the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” training series, centred on practical business applications. Through a two-year training and promotion programme, HKPC will work with technology companies, chambers of commerce, labour groups and community partners to help SMEs, professionals, working individuals, labour organisations, underprivileged groups and the general public acquire AI knowledge and application skills. The initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of AI and support digital and smart transformation across industries, sectors and communities through three key focus areas:
1. Business and Industry Upgrading: Through AI-focused programmes such as “AI+ Industry Boost Training” and “SME AI Connect”, enterprises can rapidly adopt AI technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness. Key training topics include:
2. Human Resources and Leadership: HKPC will continue conducting the “Hong Kong Enterprise AI Application Trends Survey” and share insights through “AI Talent Winning Tips”, helping organisations understand AI talent management and application trends while preparing for future workforce needs. Key topics include:
3. AI for ALL: Through the free online learning platform “AI BiteClass”, HKPC will provide convenient AI learning resources for SMEs, professionals, senior citizens and underprivileged communities, enabling people from all backgrounds to access AI fundamentals and the latest application trends anytime, anywhere. Key topics include:
“AI BiteClass” Debuts at Launch Ceremony, Bringing Global Technology Expertise to Hong Kong
As part of the launch event, HKPC presented a live edition of the “AI BiteClass”, featuring experts from HKPC and leading global technology companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, Huawei Cloud, Lenovo, Samsung, Tencent Cloud and Microsoft. The sessions shared practical AI techniques and real-world application cases tailored for SMEs. Through concise yet insightful presentations, the guest speakers highlighted the best practices and implementation strategies for AI, demonstrating how businesses can leverage AI to drive growth and enhance operational efficiency.
Looking ahead, the “AI BiteClass” will introduce a range of free online courses covering popular topics such as generative AI, AI agents, workflow automation, data analytics and enterprise transformation. Members of the public will be able to access practical AI learning resources at any time through the online platform or via iAM Smart.
HKPC has long positioned itself as a “technology adopter and enabler”, committed to helping enterprises transform innovation into tangible business value. Since 2024, HKPC has organised more than 600 AI training sessions, serving over 32,000 participants, including SMEs, large enterprises, HR professionals, industry leaders, students, educators and members of the public. These efforts have played a pivotal role in fostering a more competitive AI application ecosystem in Hong Kong.
A series of “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” activities will be rolled out progressively. Enterprises and members of the public are welcome to register via iAM Smart and stay updated on the latest programmes. Through collaboration with global technology enterprises, industry organisations and community partners, HKPC aims to bring AI into businesses, workplaces and communities, advancing the vision of “AI for All” while empowering enterprises and co-building Hong Kong’s intelligent future. For details, please visit: https://www.hkpcacademy.org/en/aiforall/
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Hashtag: #HKPC
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The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a statutory body established in 1967, dedicated to enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of Hong Kong enterprises through world-class applied R&D, innovative technology services, and integrated manufacturing solutions. As a market-oriented, international R&D organisation, HKPC leverages its deep expertise and extensive industry experience in key areas such as AI, advanced manufacturing, life and health technology, green technology and new energy to drive new industrialisation and support the growth of emerging and future industries.
HKPC focuses on addressing businesses challenges and industrial technology needs, promoting the full integration between technological and industrial innovation. Through technology transfer, product innovation, intellectual property protection and commercialisation of R&D outcomes, the Council fosters collaboration with the local business community as well as top global R&D institutions, delivering added value to industries and advancing the development of new productive forces. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city.
To help enterprises capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths in international connectivity to expand into global markets, HKPC offers comprehensive overseas expansion services tailored to critical areas including product development, technology, manufacturing, and management, enabling businesses to successfully go global from Hong Kong.
HKPC is also committed to providing timely and practical support to SMEs and startups with timely and practical , assisting them in accessing Government funding programmes. Through its FutureSkills training initiatives, HKPC helps both industry and academia stay ahead in latest digital and STEM technologies, nurturing a future-ready talent pool for Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: www.hkpc.org/en.
Hong Kong: A Strategic Choice for Global Ambitions
A recipient of two prestigious entrance scholarships, Clarrence is currently enrolled in CUHK’s Integrated Bachelor of Business Administration (IBBA) programme. A graduate of SMAK 1 BPK Penabur Jakarta, she saw the city as a gateway to global opportunity. “I think of Hong Kong as a financial hub, a bridge between countries. For someone who wants to study international business or finance, Hong Kong is the answer.”
She first encountered CUHK at her secondary school’s education fair and was drawn to its world-class standing (ranked second in Hong Kong and 18th globally). “I fell in love with CUHK’s environment, the buildings, the nature and all the diversity. The various organisations and events sealed it. For me, CUHK is just right.” On top of her University Admission Scholarship and top-up scholarship by the CUHK Business School, her commitment was further recognised with two scholarships upon admission: the Shum Wai Yau and Kong Fook To Belt and Road First-in-the-Family Tertiary Education Admission Scholarship and the United College CUHK Golden Jubilee First-in-the-Family Tertiary Education Admission Scholarship.
Building Belonging in the CUHK Community
Since arriving on campus, the transition was not without challenges. Language barriers initially meant she missed updates and campus events, but CUHK’s support network for international students helped her find her footing. The atmosphere, she says, is family-like, giving students space to stay connected to home while building friendships across borders. A mentorship programme also gave her early exposure to Hong Kong’s professional landscape. “It really opened my eyes to the real job market here,” she said.
From Classroom to the Global Stage
Clarrence’s ambitions are clearly defined: a Big Four internship, an exchange semester, and a career in Hong Kong before returning to make her mark in Indonesia. “For business, Hong Kong is the answer, and CUHK’s reputation as one of the top universities in the world says it all. With the scholarship opportunities on top of that, it’s truly a win-win.”
CUHK’s Integrated BBA Programme
Offered by the region’s first business school, CUHK’s Integrated BBA programme gives students the freedom to shape a curriculum around their ambitions. Key highlights include:
Graduates leave with analytical, communication and ethical decision-making skills, and access to a network of over 45,000 Business School alumni worldwide.
For more information about CUHK’s Integrated BBA programme, visit https://admission.cuhk.edu.hk/programme/ibbac/
Hashtag: #CUHK
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By TN Ashok India has built fighter aircraft, warships, tanks and some of the world’s most sophisticated missiles, but one weakness has repeatedly haunted its defence-industrial ambitions: engines. The country has been able to design and manufacture airframes, yet propulsion technology has remained heavily dependent on foreign suppliers. The latest agreement between the state-owned Hindustan […]
The article HAL-Safran helicopter engine deal: India breaks import trap? appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
“The less developed a region is, the more it needs to pursue an innovation-driven development strategy.” This message, voiced at the conference, reflects the clear-eyed resolve of a provincial capital city.
That resolve is underpinned by real strengths.
Here, the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre has shortened dairy-cattle breeding evaluation from four years to just 45 days and cultivated China’s first probiotic strain for infants and young children derived from Chinese breast milk, helping the “Dairy Capital of China” advance towards becoming a global dairy hub. A major scientific facility for aerospace, sky-to-ground, cross-scale metrology, benchmarked against international leaders, is rising in Horinger New District. Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region’s first new-energy industrial large model open to the world. Meanwhile, a domestic enterprise—the only one currently able to produce 4N5 high-purity germanium products consistently—is helping quantum technology and calcium-titanium mineral photovoltaics overcome key raw-material bottlenecks. From a single microbial strain to a beam of light, technological and industrial innovation are converging here and reinforcing one another.
Even more compelling is the city’s tangible commitment.
Municipal fiscal investment in science and technology will double in 2026 and double again in 2027. Newly recognised national-level innovation platforms will receive a one-off research grant of RMB 3 million, while each “Qingcheng Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent” may receive up to RMB 500,000 in research support. By 2030, Hohhot aims to introduce an additional 10 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 50 high-level innovation teams. Through a policy approach of “enjoy benefits without application and receive them directly and swiftly”, the city will provide inclusive computing-power vouchers, model vouchers and token vouchers to technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises—lowering barriers to innovation and demonstrating the city’s sincerity in supporting innovators.
Openness is a defining feature of Hohhot.
Drawing on the Hohhot Area of the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the city is building an international science and technology cooperation base with countries along the Belt and Road. It is also deepening coordination with Beijing’s Haidian District through a “two-hour innovation circle”, exploring a new pathway in which research and development take place elsewhere while results are transformed and applied in Hohhot. Hohhot understands that innovation cannot thrive as an undertaking enclosed behind walls.
Like the Mongolian horse, it is resilient, diligent and determined—never resting until the goal is achieved. This is the character of the city: the breadth and inclusiveness of the grasslands, combined with the courage and pioneering spirit to open northwards, explore new frontiers and put ideas into action.
From the “Dairy Capital of China” to China’s “Cloud Valley”, from the pastures of Chilechuan to the computing-power clusters of Horinger, this green city is becoming a city of innovation.
Hohhot extends an invitation to the world: here there are supportive policies, real-world application scenarios and a genuine commitment to partnership—together with a vast landscape in which to join hands with those who strive and build for the future.
Hashtag: #Hohhot
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DUBAI, UAE – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – The Middle East’s EV market is growing quickly, but it remains far from saturated. Electric car sales in the region reached about 75,000 units in 2025, up more than 40% year on year, according to the International Energy Agency[1]. The UAE alone accounted for almost half of regional EV sales, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar together represented nearly 45% of regional demand.
SUV performance that means business
The Middle East has a long-standing appetite for SUVs, and the VF 8 speaks that language in electric form. Its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system produces up to 402 horsepower and 620 Nm of torque in the Plus version, while the Eco delivers 349 horsepower and 500 Nm.
The numbers translate into brisk performance, with the VF 8 Plus targeting 0-100 km/h in less than 5.5 seconds and the Eco at 5.9 seconds. Both versions use an 87.7-kWh usable battery, with claimed NEDC ranges of up to 476 km for the Plus and 493 km for the Eco. DC fast charging from 10% to 70% takes a listed 31 minutes.
Going electric does not require giving up the urge to put your foot down. Actual range and performance will vary with driving style, passengers, load, tires, weather and road conditions.
A cabin that takes comfort seriously
Performance may get attention, but the cabin is where drivers spend most of their time. The VF 8 comes with a 15.6-inch infotainment display, two-zone automatic climate control, air-quality control and cabin filtration with an air ionizer.
The Plus adds 12-way powered driver’s seat adjustment with heating, ventilation and memory, alongside a heated and ventilated front passenger seat and heated, ventilated and reclining rear seats. A panoramic sunroof, heated power-adjustable steering wheel and 10-speaker audio system with a subwoofer round out the package.
The technology continues through the companion app, which supports remote vehicle controls, driver profiles, driving statistics and vehicle diagnostics. Over-the-air updates can also deliver software improvements without a workshop visit.
Ownership support that lasts beyond the test drive
A fast-growing EV market also means buyers are asking practical questions surrounding ownership: charging, servicing, repairs and battery longevity.
The VF 8 addresses those concerns with a 10-year or 200,000-km vehicle warranty and a 10-year unlimited-kilometer battery warranty. The package also includes five years or 100,000 km of free service, 24/7 mobile services and roadside assistance, access to DC fast charging and a parts supply target of 24 hours in key markets.
VinFast is also expanding the infrastructure behind that promise. At its 2026 Global Business Conference, the company signed MOUs with 29 aftersales partners, including partners serving the Middle East, and set a target of more than 1,100 service workshops globally in 2026.
For a region where EV adoption is accelerating, the VF 8 arrives with a familiar formula: SUV proportions, plenty of power and a cabin designed for comfort. The electric bit is new; the reasons to want the car are rather more familiar.
Hashtag: #VinFast
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – The Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong (IFPHK), in collaboration with YF Life Trustees Ltd. (YF Life Trustees), today launched the “IFPHK x YF Life: Hong Kong–Macau Retirement Expense Index” (Index). While the Index has been tracking retiree living expenses since its inception in 2020, this year marks the first time IFPHK and YF Life Trustees have partnered to expand the study to cover both Hong Kong and Macau, providing a broader regional benchmark.
The findings show that retiree inflation in Hong Kong has continued to outpace general inflation. The Index rose to 131.6 in 2026, up from 127.0 in 2023 and 100 in 2020, while average monthly spending increased to about HK$15,090 in 2026. On an annualised basis, the Hong Kong Retirement Expense Index grew by more than 5% per annumfrom November 2020 to May 2026, compared with about 1.8% per annum for Hong Kong’s Composite CPI over the same period, showing that retiree living costs have effectively appreciated close to three times faster than Hong Kong’s general Composite CPI over the same period, underscoring how retirement-specific inflation — driven by travel and dining — is materially outpacing headline price trends.
Furthermore, the study reveals that more than 72% of retirees carry at least one regret regarding their retirement preparation. Most commonly, respondents feel they should have started saving or investing earlier and learned about financial planning sooner, while many continue to express concerns about medical costs, inflation, longevity risk and the risk of outliving their savings.
Dr. Paris Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of IFPHK, stated: “The findings show that satisfaction alone does not mean retirees are fully prepared. More than 72% say they have regrets, and the most common regrets point clearly to the need to start saving, investing and planning earlier. At the same time, retiree inflation has been rising faster than headline inflation, which means future retirees need more robust and flexible plans to protect their purchasing power over time. Through this expanded collaboration with YF Life, we aim to provide deeper regional insights to help future retirees plan with greater confidence.”
He added: “Turning regret into action requires starting earlier, integrating healthcare protection into retirement planning, viewing MPF as a steady retirement paycheck, and engaging qualified financial planners to address estate planning gaps. More importantly, retirement planning should shift from a rigid, set-and-forget approach to a flexible plan that adapts to each retiree’s evolving needs—what we call moving from a ‘fixed plan’ to a ‘flexible, evolving strategy’. Our goal is to help future retirees achieve sustainable and wellplanned golden years.”
Mr. Alvin Tse, Chief Executive Officer of YF Life Trustees, stated: “As the exclusive Project Sponsor of this expanded regional study, YF Life is proud to collaborate with IFPHK on this critical benchmark for Hong Kong and Macau. The 2026 data clearly shows that while retirees desire active lifestyles, they are heavily squeezed by medical inflation and the fear of outliving their wealth. To bridge this gap, retirees must shift away from viewing retirement savings as a static lump sum. By maximizing the flexibility of the MPF through phased withdrawals and mixed-asset strategies, alongside pairing them with lifetime annuity-style income streams and robust medical protection, individuals can effectively convert accumulated assets into a predictable, lifelong paycheck. True financial peace of mind comes from building an integrated fortress that safeguards against both market volatility and longevity risk.”
Key Highlights of the Study:
Hashtag: #IFPHK #YFLife #RetirementPlanning
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The “IFPHK x YF Life: Hong Kong–Macau Retirement Expense Index” was jointly launched in 2026 by the Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong (IFPHK) and YF Life Insurance International Limited. Since 2020, the Index has been the only long-term, retirement-specific benchmark tracking retirees’ actual living expenses. As the first study of its kind by IFPHK, the Index tracks and measures long-term changes in retirees’ actual living expenses with reference to the Composite Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the expenditure weightings published by the Government.
In the Hong Kong survey conducted in June 2026, NielsenIQ (NIQ) interviewed 304 retirees aged 55 to 74 with monthly personal income of at least HK$20,000 before retirement and not receiving means-tested social security or charitable support.
IFPHK was established in June 2000 as a non-profit organization for the fast–growing financial industry. The Institute is the sole licensing body in Hong Kong authorized by Financial Planning Standards Board Limited to grant the much-coveted and internationally recognized CFP® certification and AFP® certification to qualified financial planning professionals in Hong Kong and Macau. Currently there are more than 236,000 CFP certificants in 29 regions; the majority of these professionals are in the U.S., China, Japan, Canada and Brazil. As at 28 February 2026, Hong Kong had approximately 3,238 CFP certificants.
At present, IFPHK has 5,298 members in Hong Kong including 956 Qualified Retirement Adviser (QRA) holders; and represents financial planning practitioners in diverse professional backgrounds such as banking, insurance, independent financial advisory, stock broking, accounting, and legal services.
YF Life Trustees is a member of YF Life Insurance International Limited (YF Life), and was among the first group of institutions approved as a Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) scheme trustee. The company specializes in providing MPF services and is committed to creating long-term value for its scheme members.
The major indirect shareholders* of YF Life Insurance International Limited (“YF Life”) include Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (“MassMutual”), which itself has over 170 years of experience and is one of the Five Largest US Life Insurance Companies**, as well as Yunfeng Financial Holdings Limited, among others. YF Life is a long-term strategic partner of Barings. We stay at the forefront of Hong Kong’s insurance industry with our superior global investment capabilities, extensive partnership network, and fintech innovation.
* MassMutual and Yunfeng Financial Holdings Limited have indirect shareholdings in YF Life.
** The “Five Largest US Life Insurance Companies” are ranked according to the results of “Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual)” and “Insurance: Life, Health (Stock)”on total revenues for 2025, and based on the FORTUNE 500 as published on June 3, 2026.
Quarterly Profitability: A Rare Milestone in Hong Kong’s AI Sector
In capital markets, ambitious visions must ultimately be backed by real financial performance—and Deepexi’s interim results provide clear proof of execution.
For the first half of 2026, the company generated RMB 284.0 million in total revenue, marking a 115.0% year-over-year increase. Its AI business served as the primary growth engine, contributing RMB 226.0 million—an impressive 209.2% year-over-year surge—bringing AI revenue to 79.6% of total corporate turnover.
Even more noteworthy is the marked improvement in profitability. First-half gross profit reached RMB 160.0 million, up 120.5% year-over-year, with gross profit margin expanding to 56.5%. Crucially, during the second quarter of 2026, Deepexi posted a standalone quarterly net profit of approximately RMB 30.1 million, officially crossing the breakeven threshold.
In Hong Kong’s technology sector, pure-play enterprise AI companies capable of achieving quarterly net profitability while sustaining high R&D investment remain exceptionally rare. This milestone underscores Deepexi’s operational efficiency, scalable software delivery, and self-sustaining monetization engine.
This scarcity value is equally evident in the company’s revenue composition and vertical reach. Industrial manufacturing accounted for more than 50% of total revenue, while retail and consumer goods contributed 30%, alongside expanding footholds in healthcare and smart transportation. In manufacturing, for example, equipment troubleshooting and predictive maintenance involve dense engineering schematics, real-time IoT sensor telemetry, and extensive historical maintenance logs—all of which Deepexi translates into structured logic that AI models can readily interpret. This deep vertical expertise and proprietary data accumulation create a formidable competitive barrier that general-purpose AI vendors cannot easily match.
Beyond the “SaaSpocalypse”: Deepexi’s AI-Native Platform Defies the Software Valuation Reset
The first quarter of 2026 witnessed what market observers have dubbed the “SaaSpocalypse”—a tectonic shift in which approximately $2 trillion in market capitalization was erased from B2B software equities, driven by a fundamental fear that agentic AI would cannibalize the traditional per-seat licensing model. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) plunged nearly 21% year-to-date, and enterprise software multiples (EV/Sales) cratered from a 5.6x average at the end of 2025 to 4.2x by mid-March.
Investors have pivoted decisively toward AI-native infrastructure—companies that manage the data and underlying plumbing of autonomous systems—while penalizing traditional application-layer SaaS vendors reliant on human-centric interfaces. As a recent Windsor Drake analysis notes, “AI-native agentic platforms clear 14x to 22x revenue, with private rounds at 20x to 30x,” while legacy standalone RPA trades at just 2.5x to 5x. The market is now rewarding AI-native architecture and measurable workflow ownership.
Deepexi sits squarely on the winning side of this divergence. Unlike traditional SaaS vendors whose revenues are tied to human seat counts—and thus vulnerable to agentic displacement—Deepexi’s token-based, consumption-driven model aligns directly with the agentic AI future. The company’s DeepWorks enterprise Agent platform does not sell per-seat licenses; it sells AI productivity, enabling enterprises to deploy autonomous agents that replace repetitive administrative work, not software seats. As the market shifts from “AI as a feature” to “AI as a replacement,” Deepexi’s business model is structurally insulated from the seat-compression forces that have punished legacy software vendors.
Focus on Enterprise AI Applications and Proprietary Domain Data
To ensure AI truly meets real-world enterprise demands, generic foundational models are insufficient on their own. Deepexi’s core competitive edge lies in its specialized “Data + AI” dual-engine architecture, anchored by the FastData enterprise data intelligence platform, the FastAGI agentic AI suite, and the Deepexi Enterprise Large Model Platform, supported by its proprietary Deepology ontology dataset containing over 2,000 vertical industry skills.
At the foundational layer, the FastData platform—powered by the FastData Foil fusion engine—acts as an intelligent lakehouse that tokenizes structured, semi-structured, and complex unstructured enterprise data into standardized formats ready for large model training and inference. Building upon this data foundation, the FastAGI platform and DeepWorks Enterprise Agent Platform provide organizations with a flexible, modular AI operating system.
Featuring a pluggable architecture, the platform connects seamlessly to leading open-source foundation models such as DeepSeek and Zhipu AI, giving enterprise clients complete autonomy while eliminating vendor lock-in. This “model-agnostic” approach is a key differentiator in an environment where enterprises increasingly demand flexibility to choose the best model for each use case, rather than being locked into a single provider.
Through native Model Context Protocol (MCP) frameworks and specialized agents—ranging from operational decision-making agents to productivity and autonomous workflow execution agents—Deepexi embeds intelligence directly into core business operations. DeepWorks is fully integrated with mainstream workplace collaboration suites such as DingTalk, Feishu, and Tencent Meeting, allowing employees to summon AI copilots directly for automated weekly reporting, data synthesis, and cross-departmental coordination—effectively turning AI into an indispensable daily productivity tool.
In an enterprise AI market where 42% of organizations already have AI agents in production and 72% are deploying across production and pilots combined, Deepexi’s proven, governed agentic workflows are no longer an experiment—they are core infrastructure.
Strategic Partnership with Huawei Cloud: Tackling Compute and Data Bottlenecks
In the commercialization of enterprise AI, computing costs and access to high-quality domain data represent two of the industry’s most critical bottlenecks. On August 12, Deepexi announced a strategic alliance with Huawei Cloud to jointly launch enterprise data intelligence solutions, providing strong operational backing for the company’s long-term expansion.
The partnership combines the complementary strengths of both technology leaders. Huawei Cloud provides underlying Ascend AI computing clusters and distributed cloud infrastructure, while Deepexi brings its deep expertise in enterprise data governance, data tokenization, and vertical AI agent deployments. By integrating with Huawei’s domestic Ascend compute clusters, Deepexi not only secures stable, long-term computing power but also significantly drives down token processing costs. This cost efficiency establishes ideal conditions for exploring usage-based, token-metered commercial billing models—precisely the kind of consumption-based pricing that aligns with the agentic AI future.
Crucially, falling AI costs are widely expected to accelerate enterprise adoption of autonomous agents. Deepexi’s partnership with Huawei Cloud positions the company to capture this demand wave with a cost structure that improves as token volumes scale—a powerful margin-expansion dynamic that stands in stark contrast to the fixed-cost burden of traditional SaaS.
Strong Institutional Backing Highlights Long-Term Investment Value
Reflecting strong capital market confidence, Deepexi announced on August 17 the successful placement of 14,286,000 new H-shares at HK$35.00 per share, raising net proceeds of approximately HK$488.0 million. Successfully closing a sizeable placement amid broader market volatility demonstrates strong institutional recognition of Deepexi’s proven business model, robust unit economics, and profitability trajectory.
The company’s strategic shareholder structure provides a solid foundation for long-term growth. It is supported by prominent independent investors, including Hillhouse, 5Y Capital, and BAI, as well as industry-focused investors such as Shanghai AI. These partnerships enhance Deepexi’s industry reputation, drive technological innovation, and strengthen its market competitiveness.
The newly raised funds are earmarked primarily for continuous R&D in next-generation enterprise agent systems and token productivity platforms—positioning the company to capture the $206.5 billion AI agent software market projected for 2026, which Gartner expects to grow to $376.3 billion in 2027.
Investment Thesis: Why Deepexi Stands Apart
1. AI-Native Architecture in an Agentic World. Unlike legacy SaaS vendors facing seat compression, Deepexi’s token-based model is structurally aligned with the agentic AI future. The company doesn’t sell software seats—it sells AI productivity.
2. Rare Profitability in Enterprise AI. Quarterly GAAP profitability at a 56.5% gross margin, with projected revenue CAGR of 95.5% through 2027, places Deepexi among the most financially disciplined enterprise AI companies globally.
3. Model-Agnostic, Vendor-Neutral Platform. In an environment where enterprises demand flexibility, Deepexi’s pluggable architecture—supporting DeepSeek, Zhipu, and other open-source models—eliminates lock-in and captures value regardless of which foundation model wins.
4. Proprietary Data Moat. With over 2,000 vertical industry skills and deep expertise in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and transportation, Deepexi’s domain-specific data capabilities create barriers that general-purpose AI vendors cannot replicate.
5. Strategic Compute Partnership with Huawei Cloud. Long-term, cost-effective compute access, combined with token-metered pricing models, positions Deepexi for sustained margin expansion as token volumes scale.
6. Institutional Validation. Backing from top-tier investors and a successful HK$488 million placement amid market volatility signal strong institutional confidence in Deepexi’s business model and growth trajectory.
The enterprise AI market has decisively shifted from early conceptual exploration into a new era of commercial execution and tangible financial delivery. Backed by mature product suites across FastData and FastAGI, proprietary vertical ontologies, strategic cloud partnerships, and an official transition to net profitability, Deepexi Technology has proven that enterprise AI can deliver both transformative technology and sustainable profits.
Hashtag: #DeepexiTechnology
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Deepexi Technology is China’s leading provider of enterprise large model AI application solutions. Through its FastData enterprise data intelligence solution and FastAGI enterprise AI solution, it empowers enterprises to integrate their data, decisions and operations efficiently at scale. Deepexi ranked fifth in China’s enterprise large model AI application solution market in terms of revenue in 2024. Its solutions have achieved large-scale commercialization across multiple verticals, including consumer goods, manufacturing, healthcare and transportation. As of June 30, 2025, Deepexi Technology served a cumulative total of 283 enterprise customers across various industries.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those projected. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is travelling to Tehran on Thursday for talks aimed at lowering regional tensions and reopening a diplomatic channel between Iran and the United States. Sheikh Mohammed, who also serves as Foreign Minister, is expected to meet senior Iranian officials and discuss steps that could reduce the risk of further escalation. Doha has […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai US allies believe mines remain in the Strait of Hormuz despite President Donald Trump’s declaration that American forces have cleared the strategic waterway, exposing a widening difference over the security of one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Allied assessments indicate that US forces have removed or destroyed some Iranian mines in international waters but have probably not eliminated the entire threat. […]
The Group continued to accelerate the large‑scale commercial deployment of its AI capabilities, building system‑level AI capabilities around the framework of “one model system, one Token Factory, and one Agent Harness” to advance AI from intelligence generation toward end‑to‑end task execution and transform these capabilities into scalable commercial value.
Dr. Xu Li, Chairman of the Board and CEO of SenseTime, said: “SenseTime’s three-pillar core capability framework, built around ‘one model system, one Token Factory, and one Agent Harness’, uses a unified model system to continuously push the boundaries of intelligence, leverages infrastructure and optimization capabilities to reduce Token costs and strengthen cost‑based pricing power, and deploys agents deeply integrated into enterprise and individual workflows to deliver complete task execution capabilities. This framework enables SenseTime to move beyond pure price competition and create sustainable commercial value through differentiated technologies and services. At the same time, it allows us to expand our user base, drive recurring revenue growth, and lay a solid foundation for the Group’s high‑quality development.”
One Model System: Advancing Native Multimodal Intelligence and Long‑Horizon Agents with Global Leading Performance
In 2026, SenseTime released a series of models at a rapid pace, spanning native multimodal unification, visual perception and reasoning, controllable generation, long‑horizon agents, spatial intelligence, and physical world models. These included the NEO‑Unify architecture; SenseNova U1, U1.5 and U1.5‑Lite; SenseNova Vision; the office‑focused multimodal agent SenseNova 6.8‑Flash‑Lite; the content creation model SenseNova U1‑Pro; the spatial intelligence model SenseNova SI‑8B; and the Kairos 3.1 world model co‑developed with Ace Robotics. Across multiple core benchmarks, these models matched or outperformed leading international models, including Gemini, GPT, and DeepSeek. Less than four months after the U1 series was open‑sourced, the three projects had collectively garnered more than 11,000 stars on GitHub.
SenseTime is advancing from digital intelligence toward physical AGI through the closed‑loop framework of “architectural innovation, system capabilities, and high‑value delivery,” continuously translating technological breakthroughs into real-world applications and commercial value.
Token Factory: Upgrading from Compute Provisioning to Scaled Intelligence Production
SenseTime’s SenseCore is evolving into a production‑oriented Token Factory. Through integrated model and infrastructure optimization, as well as capabilities in model adaptation, inference optimization, heterogeneous scheduling, energy management and global service delivery, the Token Factory not only expands Token output and lowers unit costs, but also continuously enhances the reasoning, understanding, generation, and execution capabilities embedded in each Token.
In July 2026, SenseCore delivered an average daily Token service volume of 2.4 trillion, representing a YoY increase of approximately 22 times. As of the date of this announcement, the Group’s total deployed computing power had reached 48,000 Petaflops (P).
The Token Factory provides strong support for SenseTime in advancing the performance boundaries of its foundation models and scaling their commercial deployment. It has tripled the training speed for long‑context Agent models, increased image and video generation efficiency sixfold, improved reinforcement learning training efficiency, and shortened the cycle from model R&D validation to large‑scale deployment to just one week. In addition to supporting the SenseNova foundation model, the Token Factory now serves four external foundation model providers, establishing differentiated capabilities across high‑complexity computing domains, including AI for Science (“AI4S”), video generation, embodied intelligence, world models, and city‑level intelligent applications.
In addition, the Group remains committed to advancing the domestic compute ecosystem, increasing the MFU (Model Floating‑Point Utilization) of mainstream domestic chips by up to 2.5 times compared with the baseline levels established by chip manufacturers. SenseNova U1 has achieved Day 0 adaptation across more than ten domestic chip platforms.
Through compute‑energy synergy, the Company continues to reduce the unit cost of intelligence. During the Reporting Period, its Compute‑Energy Synergy Agent achieved load forecasting accuracy of 96% and generated cumulative electricity cost savings of more than RMB12 million. For every 10,000P of computing power, annual carbon emissions were reduced by 24,000 tons.
Agents Accelerate Adoption Across Enterprise and Consumer Markets, Delivering Value Through Workflow Integration and Enhanced Everyday Experiences
Building on its model and Token capabilities, SenseTime connects models, knowledge, tools, and workflows through a unified Agent Harness, transforming underlying AI capabilities into end-to-end task delivery solutions for enterprise and individual users.
The Group’s agents are rapidly expanding across both enterprise and personal workflows. During the Reporting Period, they served more than 1,000 enterprise customers across over 20 key industries, including education, government, marketing, logistics, banking, and insurance. The Office Agent, Raccoon, has served major enterprises including Lenovo, Ping An Technology, China’s three major telecommunications operators, JD.com, and Kylin Software. Total users increased more than fivefold YoY, enterprise users grew more than sixfold, and monthly active users on the cloud platform increased nearly tenfold. In addition, the video‑generation agent Seko reached a daily video production volume of 10,000 minutes. Content created on the platform has amassed an estimated 1.5+ billion views across short‑video platforms, including 10 short-form dramas that have each surpassed 100 million views. AI productivity solutions are also expanding beyond large organizations to serve smaller teams and One‑Person Companies (OPCs). In the consumer market, the Kapi series of agents, covering use cases such as health, finance, and content creation, has surpassed 45 million cumulative users.
Computer Vision remains a strategic gateway for the Group’s expansion into industry verticals and overseas markets. During the Reporting Period, revenue from the business reached RMB500 million, accounting for approximately 17% of the Group’s total revenue. The business extended across more than 20 countries and regions and served more than 4,500 customers worldwide, with recurring customers contributing 67% of revenue.
Bridging Digital and Physical Intelligence, Unlocking Ecosystem Value
SenseTime continued to invest in frontier areas, including world models and embodied intelligence, intelligent terminals, smart healthcare, and chips. The increase in the valuation of certain AI ecosystem investments generated fair‑value gains, contributing to the Group’s first‑ever IFRS profit and reflecting the gradual realization of financial value from our ecosystem assets. Beyond short‑term investment returns, the more significant long‑term value of these ecosystem investments lies in enabling the Group gain early access to frontier domains, continuously acquire real‑world tasks, data, and feedback, and further strengthen SenseTime’s unified multimodal models and system‑level delivery capabilities.
SenseTime is deepening its “Three-pillar Framework”: one model system to raise the ceiling of intelligence and expand agents’ ability to handle complex tasks; one Token Factory to improve quality and efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance global delivery capabilities; and one Agent Harness to integrate multimodal models with the Token Factory, enabling AI to complete end‑to‑end tasks in real-world scenarios.
Looking ahead, SenseTime will continue to advance the iteration of multimodal agents, driving the evolution of the Token Factory from pricing based on Token volume to pricing based on task outcomes. The Group will also deepen the application of multi‑agent collaboration across enterprise, individual, and OPC workflows, delivering efficient and reliable productivity solutions to users.
Hashtag: #SenseTime
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Founded in 2014, SenseTime is a leading artificial intelligence (AI) software company, committed to its mission of “creating a better AI-empowered future through original innovation”. The Company continues to lead cutting-edge AI research while accelerating the large-scale commercialization of AI technologies.
Leveraging deep academic expertise and strong in-house innovation capabilities, SenseTime continues to enhance its industry-leading multimodal, multi-task general AI capabilities, while fostering a vibrant developer ecosystem through structured open-source initiatives.
SenseTime’s business spans Generative AI, Vision AI, and emerging innovation-driven segments. Underpinned by SenseCore, its next-generation AI infrastructure, the Company integrates computing power, algorithms, and platforms to enable scalable AI deployment. Building on this foundation, SenseTime has developed the SenseNova foundation model series, delivering cost-efficient capabilities across a wide range of general AI tasks. SenseTime continues to lead the global Vision AI market, ranking No.1 worldwide by market share. Its SenseFoundry platform integrates years of accumulated computer vision expertise with advanced multimodal foundation models, providing stable and efficient Vision AI solutions to industries worldwide.
SenseTime is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, with operations spanning more than a dozen countries and regions.
JPMorgan Chase has evaluated launching its own stablecoin as major banks reconsider their approach to blockchain-based money amid growing demand for digital payments and clearer US regulation. The deliberations mark a potential shift for the world’s largest bank by market capitalisation, which has so far concentrated on tokenised bank deposits rather than issuing a conventional stablecoin. JPMorgan already operates JPM Coin, a dollar-denominated deposit token designed for […]
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2026 – Vinhomes Green Paradise, the 2,870-hectare coastal urban development in Can Gio, has become the first greenfield project worldwide to receive the Interim Custom ISO 37122 Smart City Certification from the World Council on City Data (WCCD), even before the arrival of its first residents.
The milestone reinforces Vinhomes’ pioneering “ESG++” model for the project, a framework that moves beyond traditional environmental, social and governance pillars to explicitly incorporate Regeneration and Climate Adaptation as core design principles.
By placing the adjacent UNESCO-recognized Cần Giờ Mangrove Biosphere Reserve at the center of its urban strategy, rather than treating it as peripheral landscape, Vinhomes is demonstrating that large-scale coastal development can simultaneously address biodiversity loss, carbon sequestration and long-term climate resilience.
A measured response to the global urban health crisis
The urgency of rethinking urban models is underscored by global health data. According to the Health Effects Institute’s State of Global Air 2025 report, air pollution was linked to 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, overtaking tobacco to become the second-leading global risk factor for death and the leading cause of death for children under five after malnutrition. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 89% of the 4.2 million annual premature deaths attributed to outdoor air pollution occur in low- and middle-income countries, precisely the regions experiencing the fastest urban growth.
This reality has redirected global capital flows. Grand View Research projects the global smart-city market to reach USD 3.76 trillion by 2030, compounding at nearly 30% annually, one of the fastest expansion rates across any industry sector. In this context, the question is no longer whether smart cities are worth building, but which developments can demonstrate independently verifiable performance.
Vinhomes Green Paradise has addressed this global benchmark through its Interim Custom ISO 37122 Smart City Certification, awarded by the World Council on City Data (WCCD), which validates its smart infrastructure and data-driven urban governance against international standards.
Moving beyond conventional standards, the project operates under an elevated philosophy known as ESG++, integrating two commitments that extend well past standard corporate reporting: Regeneration and Climate Adaptation. Under the pillar of Regeneration, the development goes beyond traditional conservation by actively restoring local coastal ecosystems through targeted mangrove reforestation, biodiversity preservation and community environmental education.
Concurrently, its Climate Adaptation strategy re-engineers urban infrastructure to proactively withstand long-term environmental hazards such as sea-level rise, storm surges and coastal erosion, ensuring the city is built for future resilience rather than simply reacting to present conditions.
Community perspectives reflect the broader appeal of this approach. Ho Chi Minh City-based content creator FABO Nguyen, speaking to CNBC, described his affection for the city’s dynamism alongside growing concerns about air quality and congestion. For him, and for many urban residents weighing similar trade-offs, the Vinhomes Green Paradise model offers a forward-looking alternative that does not require leaving the region, but instead redefines what a sustainable, livable urban environment can look like.
Mangrove forests as climate infrastructure
What sets Vinhomes Green Paradise apart from most coastal megaprojects globally is not merely its size, but its ecological adjacency. The development borders the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-recognized site spanning over 75,000 hectares, one of southern Vietnam’s most valuable natural assets.
Recent scientific research has revalued the role of mangroves in climate regulation. A study published in Nature Communications indicates that while mangroves account for just 0.36% of global forest area, they sequester carbon per hectare at nearly four times the rate of mature terrestrial forests, making them among the most efficient natural carbon sinks on Earth. According to the Blue Carbon Initiative, a single hectare of mangrove forest can store carbon equivalent to approximately 1,500 tons of CO₂, a figure no concrete structure can replicate.
Against a backdrop where global mangrove cover has declined by as much as 67% in some estimates, Vinhomes has adopted a preservation-first strategy. The Vinhomes Green Paradise master plan limits building density to just 16% of the total area and establishes a dedicated Forest Regeneration and Climate Adaptation Fund. These measures treat the adjacent mangrove ecosystem not as passive scenery but as active, natural defensive infrastructure against coastal erosion and storm surges, precisely the approach that climate scientists are urging coastal cities worldwide to adopt.
This ecological commitment aligns with measurable economic value. JLL’s research across Asia Pacific, based on an analysis of nearly 3,100 Grade A office buildings in 14 cities, shows that green-certified buildings can command rental premiums as high as 28% over non-certified equivalents in the region’s tightest markets, with supply continuing to lag behind occupier demand. Sustainability, in other words, has ceased to be simply a virtue and has become a measurable asset class.
Similarly, the global energy transition reinforces the viability of Vinhomes Green Paradise’s renewable-energy targets. The Global Wind Energy Council forecasts offshore wind capacity to nearly triple from 83 GW in 2024 to approximately 238 GW by 2030, while the International Energy Agency projects global renewable capacity to grow by 4,600 GW over the same period, equivalent to adding the combined current generation capacity of China, the European Union and Japan. Against this backdrop, Vinhomes Green Paradise’s ambition to run on offshore wind, solar and battery storage reflects a broader global trajectory rather than an isolated pledge.
A blueprint for 21st-century urbanization
Taken together, the ISO 37122 certification, the ESG++ framework, the strategic integration of the Can Gio mangrove ecosystem and the economic revaluation of green assets, Vinhomes Green Paradise presents a coherent response to a defining question in contemporary real estate: how to build cities that are both worth living in and built to endure.
The project’s recognition as the first Official Participant in New7Wonders’ global “7 Wonders of Future Cities” campaign further underscores its international relevance. Vinhomes Green Paradise serves as a notable reference point for coastal urban development, illustrating how economic growth and ecological preservation can be integrated in regional contexts.
Hashtag: #Vinhomes
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Vinhomes is Vietnam’s largest residential real estate and integrated township developer. The company pioneers the development of synchronized, modern large-scale townships, delivering premium living standards and unlocking sustainable investment opportunities for domestic and international clients.
By Subrata Majumder In the post Japanese Yen appreciation era, Japanese overseas investment shifted to China and ASEAN for low-cost manufacturing, leaving India behind. The trajectory is now witnessing movement in the reverse gear, owing to US President Trump’s high reciprocal tariff. Japanese investment has surged in India, leaving China and ASEAN behind. While Japanese […]
The article Trump’s high-tariff regime revives Japanese investment in India appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai International Airport’s passenger recovery accelerated through the second quarter, with traffic climbing month by month as airlines restored capacity and international connections began returning after severe disruption to Gulf aviation earlier this year. DXB handled 13 million passengers between April and June. Monthly volumes increased from 3.5 million in April to 4.5 million in May and 5 million in June, a rise […]
Issac John Uzbekistan has emerged from the three-day Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum with an audacious ambition: to establish Tashkent as Central Asia’s financial technology gateway and, increasingly, as a bridge between the region and the $6 trillion global Islamic finance industry. The question is whether this is achievable — or is it just another aspirational hub strategy in an increasingly crowded financial geography. There […]
The Finalists’ collections showcase innovative approaches to tackling textile waste, transforming discarded leather offcuts, secondhand hardware and industrial waste through reconstruction and upcycling techniques, while exploring next-generation materials such as biodegradable fruit leather and ethical non-livestock wool to reimagine raw materials for circular fashion.
Organised by Redress and supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as Lead Sponsor, the Redress Design Award invites the public to discover the tactile beauty of circular fashion through its latest photoshoot and cast their votes to champion sustainable fashion while empowering the next generation of circular design talents.
The photoshoot: sensory storytelling
Photographed by acclaimed Hong Kong creative Paul Sunga with hair by Davines and makeup by MakeupBees, the photoshoot celebrates the creative decisions behind each Finalist’s collection, highlighting the unique textures, craftsmanship and natural imperfections of their materials while underscoring why design matters: 80% of a garment’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage[1].
“The Finalists of the Redress Design Award are proving that thoughtful design can transform textile waste into something beautiful. Getting up close to these garments, you see how every material choice, texture and technique tells a story, reminding us that the biggest opportunity to reduce fashion’s environmental impact begins at the design stage. I can’t wait for people to discover these collections through the photoshoot and vote for their favourite,” says photoshoot photographer Paul Sunga.
The Finalists’ collections are transported from overseas to Hong Kong for the photoshoot and upcoming Grand Final using DHL Express’ GoGreen Plus service. This service helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a Book & Claim mechanism, where the environmental attributes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) are allocated to participating shipments. Made from alternative raw materials with a lower-emission energy profile, such as used cooking oil, waste and hydrogen, SAF can reduce the air transport shipments’ lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by around 80 percent compared with conventional jet fuel.
Find out who wins at the grand final show
The People’s Choice Award winner will be announced at the Redress Design Award 2026 Grand Final Fashion Show, along with the coveted first prize including a week-long trip to the UK to connect with leading voices in sustainable fashion through a visit to Simple Approach’s Manchester operations to gain insight into responsible fashion design, development, and manufacturing, and an intensive experience with the team at luxury womenswear brand Roksanda to work on an upcycling design project.
The Redress Design Award 2026 Grand Final Fashion Show is open to an exclusive in-person audience and will be livestreamed globally on 2 September 2026 (Wednesday), at 5pm HKT / 11am CET via Facebook and WeChat. Save the date here.
Alumni showcase at centrestage open to public
Redress will also present a total of six Redress Alumni brands as part of both the Grand Final Fashion Show, and at a showcase of Alumni brands at CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong from 2–5 September 2026 (Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–7pm) supported by DHL. Industry professionals and the public alike are all welcome to come, meet designers, and see up close their sustainable, waste-reducing collections.
The Redress Design Award 2026 Photoshoot Credits
Hashtag: #Redress
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Redress (www.redress.com.hk) is a Hong Kong-based, Asia-focused environmental NGO with a mission to accelerate the change to a circular fashion industry by educating and empowering designers and consumers so as to reduce clothing’s negative environmental impacts.
www.redressdesignaward.com) is the world’s leading sustainable fashion design competition that educates and empowers emerging fashion designers about circular design techniques to reduce fashion’s negative environmental impacts. Organised by Hong Kong-based, Asia-focused environmental NGO Redress since 2011, the competition partners with academic institutions globally and attracts designer applicants from over 50 countries and regions to win prizes that connect them with global-leading fashion businesses to accelerate the change to a circular fashion industry. www.ccida.gov.hk), formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) since 2009, was established in June 2024. CCIDA is a dedicated office under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative sectors with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate development of the arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. CCIDA’s strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary collaboration, promoting industrialisation of the arts, culture and creative sectors under the industry-oriented principle, and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and our positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.
