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Markets have always reacted to political decisions, but rarely with the intensity seen after Donald Trump's renewed push for tariffs in April 2025. The return of aggressive trade measures and their sudden reversal has not only shaken global stock markets but also reignited one of investors' biggest fears: uncertainty.

Trade wars have long been a tool of economic and political leverage, but their consequences can reshape global markets and industries. The latest escalation between the U.S. and China exemplifies this, as President Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, triggering swift retaliation of the largest Asian economy. After retaliative tariff imposition, China has recently also adopted fiscal and monetary policies to counter the negative impact on the economy. Analysts all around the world now closely watch to see who will emerge stronger.

A Chinese-made artificial intelligence model called DeepSeek has taken the tech world by storm, shooting to the top of Apple Store’s download charts and causing significant ripples across global financial markets. Its rise has stunned investors and even led to a massive selloff in some major tech stocks. What is DeepSeek and where it came from? Are fears about the ChatGPT replacement justified? And can other countries wipe out the lead of US companies?

China Construction Bank (CCB), one of the world’s largest banks, continues to expand its international footprint and drive innovation. Recent developments show CCB's commitment to fostering economic ties, advancing digital transformation, and promoting sustainability. The opening of new branches outside China, participation in sustainability-focused collaborations, reflect a forward-thinking strategy that combines cutting-edge technology with green finance.

One of the Chinese technology giants is trying to find its way back to the top. Alibaba Group has stepped the upwards trajectory of its total revenue, net income and the value of its stocks. In fiscal year Alibaba earned almost 10 bn USD in net income. Over 50 percent more than just two years ago.

Despite the recent short-term gain of the U.S. dollar, mainly due to escalating conflict in the Middle East, the greenback has experienced sustained weakening against other major currencies over the past couple of months. This trend began as interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve became more likely, resulting in the bigger than expected September cut, coinciding with signs of deterioration in the U.S. economy. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is increasingly trying to assert the yuan’s dominance in global markets. How likely is it to succeed?

The largest Chinese commercial bank announced a soft decrease of its operating and net profit in the first quarter of 2024. Despite such a development its stocks have gained almost 35 percent since the beginning of this year. The outlook for the rest of 2024 seems to be stable as the ICBC believes to achieve the objectives and tasks of the 14th five-year plan.

The leading distiller of Chinese baijiu liquor Kweichow Moutai reported solid first-half results that have sent its stocks higher for a while. On the other hand, Kweichow Moutai is facing the general concerns about the development of the entire Chinese economy. Is it an opportunity to buy, or are we witnessing the decline of the Chinese liquor producer titan?