Some shipping companies are discreetly moving operations out of Hong Kong and taking vessels off its flag registry. Others are making contingency plans to do so.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing reported full-year profits of HK$13.1bn (US$1.7bn) on Thursday, topping the previous record of HK$12.5bn set in 2021 amid a pandemic-era trading boom. Fourth-quarter profits rose 46 per cent year on year to HK$3.

Shares of China’s largest bubble tea chain Mixue jumped 24% on market debut after a heavily oversubscribed initial public offering.

Hong Kong stocks rose for a third day on Friday, putting the benchmark gauge on course for its biggest weekly gain in almost two months amid optimism that China will ratchet up support for the nation’s economic growth and technology innovation.

Reports indicate that Chinese AI chip manufacturer Biren Technology is considering an initial public offering in Hong Kong with a target of raising US$300 million. The company is currently in discussions with China International Capital Corporation,

The United States imposed sanctions on six entities based in Hong Kong and China on Wednesday that it accused of being involved in an Iranian drone procurement network, as the Trump administration implements its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran.

Traders rotate out of stocks and into bonds on worries about entrenched inflation in the US and the Trump administration’s tariffs.

The flash sale of a Hong Kong-owned global ports business highlights geopolitical volatility, executives and analysts said.

China’s second-largest carmaker lists China International Capital Corp, Huatai Securities and GF Securities as joint IPO sponsors.

An unannounced trip by former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to Hong Kong has set off speculations that he may be trying to evade a possible arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over his bloody crackdown on drugs.