Apple Inc. $AAPL has regained its lead in the Chinese smartphone market in May, according to preliminary data released by Counterpoint Research. The company’s iPhone sales saw a global year-on-year increase of 15% across April and May 2025 — the strongest two-month performance since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The rebound was fueled by a return to growth in Apple’s two largest markets, the United States and China, as well as notable sales momentum in Japan, India, and the Middle East.
European Union antitrust regulators have intensified their scrutiny of payment processing giants Visa Inc. $V and Mastercard Incorporated $MA. Following ongoing concerns, the European Commission has reached out to retailers and payment service providers with new questionnaires aimed at determining whether a standardized, consolidated disclosure of fees could resolve market inefficiencies and enhance tariff transparency. This development marks an expansion of the preliminary investigation, reflecting regulatory priorities on transparency and fairness in payment fees across the EU.
China’s industrial profits showed a notable increase in April 2025, according to official data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday. This growth has encouraged policymakers optimistic that recent economic stimulus measures are helping the country sustain its industrial sector despite persistent trade tensions with the United States. The escalation of the US-China trade conflict under President Donald Trump had raised significant concerns about the future trajectory of China’s export-driven growth amid weak domestic demand and deflationary pressures.
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, commonly known as Aramco $2223.SR, the world’s largest oil producer and the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s economy, is reportedly considering asset sales to free up capital. This move comes amid a sustained drop in global crude oil prices and the company’s ambition to accelerate international expansion. As the company adjusts its strategy in a challenging market environment, stakeholders are closely watching the potential implications for dividends and growth prospects.
In a pivotal development in the Asia-Pacific energy market, Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) has agreed to revise the pricing terms of its long-standing liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply contract with Sinopec. The announcement, made by Origin Energy, reflects the outcome of a contractual price review that will significantly alter the Japan Crude Cocktail (JCC) linkage from January 2025 onward.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD $002594.SZ announced on Wednesday the European debut of its 10th EV model, the Dolphin Surf, with the official launch event held in Berlin. This move marks BYD’s strategic effort to capture market share by offering competitively priced electric vehicles (EVs) in a rapidly evolving European market. The launch adds significant pressure on local automakers to develop affordable alternatives, as the demand for accessible EVs intensifies.
Aeva Technologies Inc. $AEVA has officially entered the aerospace sector by providing advanced 4D LiDAR sensors to Airbus UpNext, a subsidiary of European aerospace giant Airbus SE $AIR.PA. The announcement, made on Monday, underscores a critical step in Airbus’s long-term plan to enable autonomous taxiing of commercial aircraft, beginning with the A350-1000 test model.
The space technology sector is witnessing a remarkable surge in both innovation and investment, with private companies like Space Forge positioning themselves as key players in the rapidly expanding space economy. On Wednesday, the UK-based space-tech company Space Forge announced that it had successfully raised £22.6 million ($29.8 million) in funding, led by the NATO Innovation Fund. This funding marks a significant milestone for Space Forge, which is focused on producing materials in space for applications in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing. The company’s announcement comes as competition in space exploration and technology development intensifies globally, with the United States, China, Russia, and other European nations vying for leadership in the space race.
In a warehouse on the outskirts of Shanghai, dozens of humanoid robots are tirelessly performing routine tasks that range from folding T-shirts to preparing sandwiches. These robots, operated by the innovative Chinese startup AgiBot, are not just a glimpse into the future but a tangible step towards revolutionizing the way we work, live, and interact with technology. Operating for 17 hours a day, the warehouse generates vast amounts of data, which AgiBot plans to leverage for further robot training, ultimately aiming to create robots that will become ubiquitous in daily life.
According to Morgan Stanley, American hedge funds significantly increased their bullish positions on Chinese stocks last week, driven by optimism surrounding ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. This shift marks a renewed interest in Chinese equities, particularly as key stock indices like the MSCI China Index and the CSI 300 Index recorded notable gains in anticipation of these pivotal talks.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signaled a clear pivot toward full trade liberalization in ongoing negotiations with the United States, stating Sunday that Tokyo will seek the elimination of all tariffs. In a public appearance on Fuji Television, Ishiba emphasized that discussions with the U.S. are progressing steadily and characterized bilateral relations with President Donald Trump as “surprisingly good.”
Advanced Micro Devices $AMD is navigating a challenging duality—balancing regulatory pressure from intensified U.S. export controls against surprisingly resilient short-term demand. On Tuesday, the chipmaker announced that it anticipates a $1.5 billion decline in annual revenue, attributing the drop primarily to newly enforced U.S. licensing requirements for advanced AI chip exports to China. These restrictions are part of broader national security measures aiming to limit China's access to cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.
