Tobias

TCL Zhonghuan expects H1 2024 net losses of 4-4.5 billion yuan ($550-620 million), significantly wider than the previous year’s loss. The Chinese solar giant cited plunging prices and inventory writedowns driven by severe oversupply across the manufacturing chain. Although global PV demand remains resilient, inventory buildup and cooling demand caused sharp reversals after a temporary surge. As a key industry player, its financial distress reflects the solar sector’s turmoil after excessive expansion—current capacity is ~80% above demand, triggering failures and consolidation. Regulatory efforts aim to curb disorderly pricing and retire obsolete capacity, potentially strengthening the sector long-term.

China’s heatwave, nearing 40°C, is causing car protective films to bubble like “bubble wrap” on parked vehicles, described as “mobile jellyfish” when driven. Reactions mix amusement over the spectacle with safety concerns. Experts note film removal techniques can cause bubbles, but extreme heat in parked cars also tests material limits. This has spurred a 30% surge in film upgrades, potentially advancing the $2.1 billion vehicle wrap market.

Tianye Innovation, a key supplier to China’s major beverage brands, faces Beijing Stock Exchange disciplinary actions for financial disclosure failures. These include publishing significantly inconsistent 2024 profit figures without timely revisions or required warnings – initial figures were later slashed by 58-66%. This marks the company’s second recent compliance issue, alongside delisting risks flagged in June and an executive investigation. Its stock fell further after the sanctions announcement.

Zhang Xuefeng, a prominent education consultant, denied involvement with a circulated WeChat screenshot inviting parents to connect for college advice. He stated on Weibo he avoids events or photos with self-proclaimed “education experts” specifically to prevent misuse of his image. Zhang warned the screenshot was deceptive and shared an anecdote highlighting how strangers falsely claim connections to mislead parents and students.

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A charitable buyer in Wenquan spent ¥3,000 on 325 lbs of cherries for farmer support, paying ~¥3,000 more for JD.com’s cold-chain delivery. Despite promises, the cherries arrived spoiled, with recipients citing rot and sourness. The woman blamed JD’s failed temperature control (only ice packs used, not 0-4°C refrigeration) and sought ¥10,000 compensation. JD refused, stating its value-protection policy covers only punctual delivery, not spoilage, highlighting e-commerce cold-chain reliability concerns. (Word count: 95)

DeepSeek’s launch of its next-gen AI model R2 faces major delays due to data and hardware constraints, with user adoption plummeting to 3% from 50% earlier this year. The Chinese AI firm struggles to secure sufficient high-quality training data under domestic restrictions and faces GPU shortages, causing reliability issues like hallucinations. Despite operational challenges, DeepSeek has disrupted the global AI market through its open-source strategy, engaging over 1 million developers by offering accessible models. While its current setbacks highlight scaling difficulties, the company has already reshaped competitive dynamics against Western giants.

HKEX had its busiest trading day of 2025 on July 9, listing five companies and one ETF simultaneously. This marks a dramatic market recovery from 2023’s depressed IPO conditions, where valuations slumped and listings stalled. The recent debuts raised nearly HK$10 billion collectively. H1 2024 saw HK$106.7 billion raised from 40+ listings—a 689% YoY surge exceeding 2023’s full-year total. Cornerstone investors, involved in 36 of 42 recent IPOs covering 43.7% of funding, have seen significant returns, including HK$9.8 billion in paper gains from major listings like CATL and Mixue Bingcheng.

Jay Chou launched “周同学” on Douyin, gaining over 3 million followers **before posting any content**, showcasing immense influence. This follows his 2020 debut on Kuaishou (also as “Classmate Jay”), where followers exceeded 10 million in a week. Industry observers predict Douyin, with its larger user base, will likely surpass that benchmark. A key distinction noted is that his Douyin arrival sparks hopes for more direct artist-fan interaction compared to his team-managed Kuaishou presence. Fans and marketers anticipate potential authenticity.

Ge Huijie, former partner of singer Wang Feng, publicly disclosed undergoing an abdominal “sobriety implant” to treat alcohol addiction. The minimally invasive procedure places 10 naltrexone pellets under her skin, blocking alcohol’s euphoric effects for approximately 150 days and posing severe risks if alcohol is consumed. Although recognized as an emerging technological solution, medical experts caution that addiction is a chronic brain disorder requiring sustained therapy and support beyond the implant’s temporary effect. Her revelation highlights personal struggles and this medical approach’s limitations.

**Summary:** The US will impose 25% tariffs on all Japanese and South Korean imports starting August 1. This threatens global tech supply chains, especially memory chips where both nations dominate. Key exporters like Samsung, SK Hynix, Canon, Tokyo Electron, Renesas, and operations of US firms Micron/Western Digital face significant impact. Strict anti-circumvention rules and warnings against retaliation were issued. Companies manufacturing these goods within the US gain tariff exemption via expedited approvals.