Markets

Rumors of Jay Chou joining ByteDance’s Douyin with a **nine-figure yuan** signing fee sparked speculation, but officials denied the claims as “baseless misinformation.” Unofficial reports noted a verified private Douyin account (“@周同学”) linked to Chou, featuring his iconic branding. The artist previously demonstrated massive appeal on rival platform Kuaishou, gaining 10M+ followers in days (2020) and breaking viewership records with a 2022 concert livestream. The controversy underscores the high-stakes competition for celebrity partnerships in China’s $100B short-video sector, where A-list endorsements drive user engagement and ad revenue.

Air Lease Corporation announced Q2 2025 results featuring fleet growth, portfolio adjustments, and a $344M insurance settlement. The lessor owns 495 aircraft with 241 new orders through 2031, focusing on fuel-efficient models to meet emissions standards. Initiatives included 12 aircraft deliveries ($890M spent) and selling 4 older jets for $126M. The Russia-related insurance resolution removes financial uncertainty, potentially boosting shareholder returns. Analysts highlight AL’s 4.2-year average fleet age and $29B in committed rentals as competitive strengths, with 94% of current assets leased. The company maintains its role as a key aviation financier amid industry decarbonization efforts.

Tencent’s WeRead has upgraded its HarmonyOS app with a redesigned digital bookstore offering real-time bestseller tracking across 20+ genres, monthly releases, and a free e-book section. Technical enhancements include 29 font options, adaptive themes, image zoom, and cross-device optimization via Huawei’s AppGallery. As HarmonyOS gains traction, WeRead joins 5,000+ native apps in Huawei’s ecosystem, reflecting Tencent’s tighter collaboration with Huawei. The app maintains a 4.8/5 rating from 150,000+ users, integrating AI recommendations and multi-device sync, positioning itself as both content hub and OS tech showcase in China’s digital publishing market.

Baidu has initiated its 2026 campus recruitment, offering over 4,000 positions spanning 256 specialized roles across seven Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Dalian, and Hangzhou. Over 90% of openings are AI-related, including 90 newly created roles in multimodal systems, cross-modal algorithms, and large-scale model architecture. The recruitment features a dual-batch system: early applicants bypass written exams for accelerated interviews, while unselected candidates may reapply during the regular admission cycle. (79 words)

Nano One Materials Corp. (NNOMF), a Canadian battery tech innovator, leverages its wastewater-free One-Pot™ LFP production technology to address growing global demand beyond China, forecasted to claim 52% of cathode markets by 2035. Recognized by the International Energy Agency, its process bypasses China’s iron sulphate dominance and aligns with G7/EU critical mineral strategies. Despite China’s 95% market control, Nano One’s non-Asian facility and scalable licensing model position it to capitalize on projected 500% demand surge outside China. Challenges include securing partnerships and competing with China’s cost advantages. Policy tailwinds from G7 and Canada-EU initiatives underscore supply chain diversification urgency.

Shenzhen’s Skyworth Digital warns of 65%-76% year-on-year net profit slump for H1 2025 amid China’s smart device price wars, with core operational profit mirroring the plunge. Despite holding market share in 8K set-top boxes and VR solutions, average product prices fell 18-22% as market growth slowed to 4.7%. Increased R&D focuses on industrial metaverse and AIoT ecosystems, but analysts question if innovation can counter pricing pressures in commoditized hardware sectors.

By CNBC AI News, July 8 – WeChat Coral Safe, the content moderation arm of Tencent&#…

Huawei Music’s mid-year review highlights diverse listening habits and emerging trends. Tang Hanxiao and Lady Gaga led charts, showcasing popular new music. The platform analyzes listening across various scenarios like in-car and headphone use, and offers specialized content for spatial audio, hi-res, and cultural heritage music. With millions of tracks and advanced audio technologies, Huawei Music aims for immersive and diverse user experiences.

Pacific Bay Minerals is raising up to $2 million through a non-brokered private placement of 20 million units to fund the acquisition and exploration of the Pereira-Velho Gold Project in Brazil. Additionally, the company is seeking to extend the expiry of 7.3 million warrants and has appointed Elton Pereira as country manager for Brazil.

China has released a White Paper on Intelligent Driving Technology and Industrial Development, co-authored by CATARC, Tsinghua University, and Huawei. This document sets industry standards for intelligent driving, emphasizing safety, operational coverage (0-150 km/h), 360-degree protection, object recognition, all-weather performance, and human-intelligent driving integration. It aims to guide consumers towards trustworthy systems and clarify common misconceptions about smart driving features.