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Audi is turning to a smaller electric vehicle to regain momentum in Europe, unveiling the A2 e-tron as competition intensifies from lower-cost Chinese automakers.
The new model, presented in Paris on Monday, brings back the A2 badge used by Audi in the
Beijing has reached for its chequebook.
The Chinese finance ministry is advancing a 360 billion yuan (€46.1bn) package to businesses, announced on Sunday through statements from the companies involved and reported by state news agency Xinhua, making it one of the larger interventions in China’s financial system this year as growth slows.
The Chinese banks take the bulk of it, roughly 290 billion yuan (€37.2bn), intended to preserve their capacity to keep lending as Beijing presses them to increase support for economic activity.
Xinhua reported the injection would strengthen the institutions’ “sound operating capabilities, risk resistance capabilities and ability to serve the real economy.”
The Agricultural Bank of China is pursuing a private placement of A-shares worth up to 160 billion yuan (€20.5bn) and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China up to 100 billion yuan (€12.8bn), with the finance ministry among the investors.
Unusually, so is the China National Tobacco Corporation, which operates the state tobacco monopoly and the Export-Import Bank of China which will receive 30 billion yuan (€3.85bn).
Insurers account for the remaining 70 billion yuan (€9bn).
China Life Insurance Group, the country’s largest life insurer, gets 35 billion yuan (€4.5bn) and China Taiping Insurance Group 7 billion yuan (€900mn).
The People’s Insurance Company of China plans to raise up to 15 billion yuan (€1.9bn) through a private placement to the ministry, China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation receives 10 billion yuan (€1.28bn), and China Reinsurance Group is raising 3 billion yuan (€385mn).
Insurers have been squeezed from two directions as years of low interest rates have eroded investment returns, while the government has directed them to put money into Chinese equities.
The currency has been moving in the same direction.
The Chinese yuan reached its strongest level against the US dollar since January 2023 on Monday, trading at around $0.149, a firmer exchange rate that also happens to blunt a long-standing American complaint about Chinese currency management, weeks before talks in Washington.
The capital injection is not the only move Beijing is making this month.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is reportedly preparing to bring a large delegation of business executives to his Washington visit on 24 September, according to sources cited by news agencies.
It would be a notable departure from customary practice.
Xi rarely travels with corporate leaders, many of whom lost standing after the regulatory crackdowns on technology, education and property that began in 2020, and the last comparable delegation accompanied him to the US more than a decade ago, in 2015.
Washington’s response has also been curious.
“The White House is not tracking a Chinese CEO delegation,” a US official said, without explaining what tracking meant in this context, leaving the statement short of either confirmation or denial.
The gesture would be reciprocal in any case.
When US President Donald Trump visited Beijing in May, he brought a roster of American CEOs including Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Jensen Huang. Bringing Chinese counterparts to Washington would signal a willingness to invest and trade with the US, while handing the White House potential economic wins before November’s midterm elections.
Expectations for the summit itself remain modest, with the two sides still divided over which products should count as non-sensitive under trade arrangements.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are due to meet in early September to work on deliverables.
Robert Way
Hyperscalers and Nvidia (NVDA) had become a much larger source of long-duration debt issuance relative to the U.S. Treasury in 2026, according to a chart posted by Global Macro.
The chart showed hyperscaler and Nvidia debt issuance, including special-purpose vehicles, had risen
Nelson_A_Ishikawa
Japan likely sold a portion of its U.S. Treasury holdings to finance its currency intervention over the past month, as its foreign reserves posted their largest decline in August.
Tokyo’s reserve assets totaled ~$1.21T at the end of August, down 6.2% from a
Zhihu (ZH) announced that it has entered into a subscription agreement to invest RMB1.5B (approx. $210M) as a limited partner in Tianjin Lisi Xingshen Equity Investment Partnership (Limited Partnership).
The proposed capital commitment, payable in cash via capital calls, will give Zhihu
Joe Raedle/Getty Images News
At least five people were killed and five others injured Sunday when an Amazon Air (AMZN) cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport, struck several vehicles and caught fire, officials said.
Miami-Dade Aviation identified the aircraft as a
Utilities flash oversold signal as Treasury yields dim dividend appeal
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Amid considerable uncertainty over global economic growth, the prospect of higher interest rates and long-term government bond yields, and volatile energy prices, business activity worldwide has come under pressure.
Trade disruptions resulting from higher customs duties, supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical conflicts, and mounting challenges facing major international institutions have further compounded these pressures.
These conditions underscore the need for resilient businesses that are not only financially strong but also supported by robust supply chains and capable of navigating challenging market conditions.
Against this backdrop, mergers and acquisitions have emerged as powerful drivers of growth, competitiveness and economic transformation. Yet their success depends on far more than agreeing on valuations and commercial terms. Regulatory complexity, cultural integration, corporate governance, due diligence, and the alignment of people and strategy can ultimately determine whether a transaction creates lasting value or falls short of its objectives.
Global M&A activity strengthened significantly in 2025, with announced deal value reaching approximately SR17.3 trillion ($4.6 trillion), an increase of 49 percent from 2024 and the strongest annual performance since 2021.
Saudi Arabia also recorded substantial transaction activity. The General Authority for Competition, which originated as the Competition Council in 2004, received 427 economic concentration applications valued at approximately SR2 trillion in 2025. It issued a record 269 no-objection decisions, up 33 percent from 2024.
Several major transactions illustrate the growing role of M&A in Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation. In the financial sector, the 2021 merger of the National Commercial Bank and Samba Financial Group created Saudi National Bank, combining two leading institutions to achieve greater scale, operational efficiency and competitiveness.
In the industrial sector, Saudi Aramco completed its $69.1 billion acquisition of a 70 percent stake in SABIC from the Public Investment Fund. Together, these transactions demonstrate how M&A can help consolidate industries, achieve economies of scale, integrate supply chains, develop strategic capabilities and support the Kingdom’s economic diversification objectives.
Against this backdrop, the Riyadh Chamber organized the “Legal Aspects of Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions and Investment Opportunities Forum” on Aug. 31, bringing together representatives from public- and private-sector entities.
The forum provided a valuable platform for regulators, investors, business leaders, legal advisers, compliance officers, board members, governance professionals and SMEs to exchange perspectives, enhance regulatory awareness and explore ways to reduce transaction risks and support sustainable corporate growth in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
I had the privilege of moderating the forum’s third session, titled “The Regulatory and Supervisory Framework for Mergers and Acquisitions in the Kingdom.” The session examined the role of regulatory authorities in reviewing M&A transactions and promoting competition, the regulatory framework governing transactions involving listed companies, and the support provided by relevant authorities for investment deals. It also explored M&A as a strategic tool for driving the growth and long-term sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Ultimately, an M&A transaction should not be pursued simply to achieve expansion or increase market share. Companies should first establish a clear strategic rationale and determine whether the transaction can create sustainable economic value, improve operational efficiency, foster innovation, strengthen competitiveness and build more resilient supply chains.
Expected synergies should be realistic, measurable and supported by a credible post-transaction integration plan.
Thorough due diligence is equally important. It should extend beyond financial performance and valuation to cover legal obligations, regulatory approvals, tax exposure, operational risks, contractual commitments, governance arrangements, workforce implications, corporate culture, cybersecurity, data protection, intellectual property, and environmental and social responsibilities.
Companies should also assess whether they have the financial and managerial capacity to complete the transaction and integrate the businesses effectively without disrupting existing operations.
Particular attention must be paid to the transaction’s impact on market competition. A deal that creates economic value for the parties involved may nevertheless harm consumers or the broader market if it creates or reinforces a dominant position, restricts market access, raises barriers to entry, reduces consumer choice or weakens competitive pricing.
Early engagement with relevant regulatory authorities can help identify such concerns, clarify notification and approval requirements, and reduce the risk of delays or legal challenges.
Supply chain considerations should also form part of the assessment. While an M&A transaction may improve security of supply, increase access to essential inputs and reduce operational vulnerabilities, companies must ensure that it does not create excessive dependence on a single supplier, market, technology or distribution channel.
Ultimately, a successful M&A transaction requires more than regulatory approval and financial completion. It should deliver tangible and sustainable benefits to shareholders, employees, customers and the wider economy.
Clear governance, transparent decision-making, full compliance with the applicable legal and regulatory framework, and continuous monitoring of post-transaction outcomes are therefore essential to ensuring that a deal achieves its strategic objectives while supporting fair competition and long-term market development.
X: @TalatHafiz