China’s Trade Services Surge as 2026 CIFTIS Nears, Exposing Hidden Currents

August 28, 2026
(SeaPRwire) -By: Oliver Hawthorne, a Principal Correspondent permanently stationed at an international technology review. The official machinery for 2026 CIFTIS is essentially locked, yet the underlying commercial currents reveal more than the polished communiqué. Services exports already jumped 17.6 percent in the first half of 2026, hitting 3.8 trillion yuan. This momentum suggests a decisive shift, where trade in goods no longer monopolizes policy focus. The fair’s debut of platforms for overseas expansion indicates a strategic recalibration toward global service influence. The event will host over 90 countries and more than 1,800 companies from September 9 to 13 in Beijing. It promises stages for quality services and deeper entry into the Chinese market. Financial technology, digital healthcare, and environmental protection will showcase cutting-edge progress. These sectors are not merely thematic choices but responses to tightening global standards. Practical support for Chinese firms abroad is framed as a service trade expansion tool. Underpinning this is a clear directive to align services trade with the 15th Five-Year Plan’s goals. Trade and investment cooperation quality is now a central metric for evaluation. The state is weaving big data, cloud computing, and AI into the trade fabric deliberately. This integration aims to transition service offerings from basic to high-value propositions. Domestic reforms are thus calibrated to amplify international competitiveness. Growth in services exports will likely sustain a positive trajectory through the year. The ministry’s data points to robust export momentum as a stabilizer. Yet global demand fluctuations and regulatory shifts remain latent risks. Market participants must calibrate strategies beyond headline optimism. The real test lies in converting showcased capabilities into durable contracts. Author bio: Oliver Hawthorne, a Principal Correspondent permanently stationed at an international technology review, dissects policy mechanics and commercial undercurrents with precise, unvarnished context.
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Beyond Marketing Hype: Geely’s RMB 50 Billion GTA Architecture and the Structural Shift in Electrified Off-Road Hardware Business

Beyond Marketing Hype: Geely’s RMB 50 Billion GTA Architecture and the Structural Shift in Electrified Off-Road Hardware

August 28, 2026
(SeaPRwire) - By: Ethan GallagherTraditional off-road vehicles face a severe engineering bottleneck. Heavy ladder frames ruin daily driving comfort on city roads. Standard unibody frames bend under brutal trail stress. Automakers usually force buyers to choose between structural stiffness and daily refinement. Geely claims to solve this dilemma in Shangrao on August 28, 2026. They unveiled the Zhanjian 700 with aggressive software and hardware integration claims. Industry veterans doubt whether code can replace raw physical steel. Digital chassis tuning cannot hide flawed mechanical geometry. Electric motors create immense torque management challenges in deep mud. Integrating heavy battery packs complicates structural rigidity calculations. Off-road electrification remains a difficult hardware puzzle for legacy engineering teams. Real off-road performance requires structural durability above all else. Shiny marketing promises often collapse when tires hit real boulders. High expectations meet harsh physical realities on terrain tracks.On paper, the official announcement presents an impressive engineering milestone. Geely invested over RMB 50 billion across CMA, SEA, and GEA vehicle architectures. Their new GTA platform merges unibody construction with an integrated frame. This design cuts total vehicle weight and opens up cabin space. Power comes from the EM-T hybrid powertrain. It uses three motors, four-wheel drive, and differential locking. Xingtui AI Drive manages precise torque distribution dynamically across wheels. Yet the underlying industry subtext tells a harsher operational story. Fusing frames directly into unibodies simplifies factory assembly lines. However, serious trail damage will create expensive repair bills for vehicle owners. Managing three electric motors under heavy thermal load requires aggressive software control. Xingtui AI is not just luxury software. It is a vital safety layer preventing electric motor overheating off-road. Software algorithms must compensate for complex mechanical friction points during hill climbs. Power management becomes tricky when all four wheels lose traction simultaneously. The physical chassis must endure violent forces without structural twisting or frame failure.The public release highlights radical emergency features for harsh wilderness conditions. An emergency flotation mode uses sonar and twin propulsors in deep water. An onboard oxygen system supplies air directly during high-altitude travel. It even includes a dedicated sleeping mode for overnight camping trips. Satellite communications send text messages, images, and emergency signals without cellular coverage. Validation required 659 test vehicles over 6.11 million kilometers of testing. Tests covered 80 off-road scenarios across 7,933 validation items. Engineers added 433 specialized checks for electrified off-road vehicles. Behind these figures lies a deliberate competitive strategy. Extreme features like propulsors create strong social media buzz for suburban buyers. But 6.11 million testing kilometers reveal real technical anxiety behind the scenes. Battery packs short-circuit in deep water without extreme waterproofing protocols. Internal combustion engines lose power rapidly in thin mountain air. Geely deploys 10,000 test vehicles annually across 16 global test bases. They log over 100 million kilometers across 5 major global regions. Opening their Shangrao validation system to partners sets future global standards before legacy rivals adapt.Legacy tier-one suppliers are losing their historical leverage over vehicle dynamics. Geely controls the platform, AI chassis code, and validation networks internally. This structural shift bypasses traditional component suppliers completely. Modular architectures eliminate third-party software integration bottlenecks. Supply chain power is shifting directly to unified platform owners. Legacy parts makers can no longer command high profit margins on off-the-shelf gear. Rival automakers without custom electrified off-road platforms face immediate margin erosion. Slow iteration speed will destroy legacy brands in the electrified utility market. Hardware control and proprietary software stack now dictate auto industry dominance.Author bio: Ethan Gallagher, a Silicon Valley Hardware Architect and Infrastructure Strategist specializing in vehicle compute platforms, hardware-software integration, and modular automotive architectures.
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Deepening Implementation of Technological Innovation, Accelerating Transformation of Productive Forces ACN Newswire

Deepening Implementation of Technological Innovation, Accelerating Transformation of Productive Forces

August 28, 2026
HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Legend Holdings Corporation (“Legend Holdings” or the “Company”; Stock Code: 3396.HK) announced the unaudited condensed consolidated interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2026 (the “Reporting Period”). During the Reporting Period, the Company recorded revenue of RMB362.935 billion, representing a 29% year-on-year increase, primarily driven by the significant revenue growth of its subsidiaries Lenovo and Levima Advanced Materials; net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB2.230 billion, up 219% year-on-year, driven by the recovery in portfolio value of the industrial incubations and investments segment. Excluding the impact of a one-off item, net profit attributable to equity holders of Legend Holdings was RMB5.812 billion, a year-on-year increase of 834%.In the first half of 2026, Legend Holdings remained committed to technological innovation as the key driver for high-quality development and continued to enhance its distinctive technological innovation system. The Company actively drove the coordinated advancement of “anchoring diversified-industries operations in technology-focused core businesses, extending ecosystem coverage through technology innovation funds, and driving the very early-stage industrialization of forward-looking technologies.” This expedited the transformation from scientific and technological achievements into real productive forces, and drove a steady improvement in the Company's core competitiveness, with significant performance growth, laying a solid foundation for the Company’s sustainable development.RMB 10 Billion in R&D Investment, Together with a Solidified Technology FoundationDuring the Reporting Period, Legend Holdings’ total R&D investment exceeded RMB10 billion, a historical record high for its midyear report. Its portfolio companies continued to deliver steady growth with solid fundamentals. Lenovo capitalized on the surge in hybrid AI, with all three major business segments delivering double-digit revenue growth and reaching record highs for the same period. AI has become Lenovo’s core growth engine, with AI-related revenue increasing by 64% for the same period and accounted for 36% of Lenovo’s total revenue. Levima Advanced Materials posted significant performance growth and made breakthroughs in a number of major projects. Among them, the m-Xylylene Diisocyanate (XDI) project was listed under the National Key R&D Program. Built on Levima’s technical expertise and R&D experience, the PEEK project has entered the construction phase. Both projects are expected to be completed and put into operation in 2027, filling domestic technology gaps.Technology Ecosystem Bearing Fruit, and 12 Portfolio Companies Successfully ListedLeveraging years of dedicated efforts in technology innovation, Legend Holdings has cultivated a robust ecosystem spanning emerging and future industries. This ecosystem is now delivering tangible returns, not only driving significant performance growth for the Company, but also accumulating momentum for long-term development. During the Reporting Period, the industrial incubations and investments segment’s depth of technology asset pipeline and ability to realize value from these assets both improved. In the first half of 2026, the Legend Holdings Family Group supported the listing of 12 portfolio companies. These listed companies spanned sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare. More than 30 additional portfolio companies are currently in the pre-listing pipeline. The Company invested in over 80 technology projects in the first half of the year across frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, optical interconnects, embodied artificial intelligence, chips and semiconductors, biopharmaceuticals, and commercial aerospace. To date, Legend Holdings has invested in over 300 AI-related companies. The Company has also established a systematic presence in other frontier fields, having invested in over 110 companies in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, over 60 companies in sustainable industries and future energy, and more than 50 companies in embodied artificial intelligence.Fostering Industry-Academia-Research Collaborative Innovation and Exploring New Pathways for Commercializing Original TechnologiesResponding to the call to “accelerate the translation from technological advances into productive forces”, Legend Holdings leverages its Forward-Looking Technology Research Institute to actively promote industry-academia-research collaborative innovation and explore new pathways for the commercialization of pioneering technologies. In the first half of the year, Legend Holdings established the Advanced Photonic Integration Joint Laboratory with a National Key Laboratory at Peking University. Together with the research team, the Company published co-authored papers and filed joint patents, while making preparations to establish a dedicated operating entity. In addition, led by the Chinese Information Processing Society of China (CIPS), and jointly initiated by Legend Holdings and other organizations, the Industry University Research Working Committee of the Chinese Information Processing Society of China was established, focusing on frontier areas of artificial intelligence. The Committee translates real-world industry needs into concrete workstreams. The Company has built a “Covalent Innovation” model that brings real-world industry needs into the earliest stages of R&D, enabling businesses and researchers to jointly set priorities and develop solutions. It aims to create a replicable pathway for translating more creative innovation into new quality productive forces.ESG Practices Gaining Authoritative Recognition, Corporate Responsibility Underpinning the Foundation for SustainabilityLegend Holdings prioritizes ecological conservation and green development. Lenovo has repeatedly received authoritative recognition both domestically and internationally in the ESG field. It has retained the highest global 3A rating in the MSCI ESG Ratings and received the EcoVadis Platinum Medal, its highest distinction, for two consecutive years. It was also included in the Fortune China ESG Impact List for five consecutive years. Its green operations continued to deliver strong results: over 90% of the electricity used in Lenovo’s global operations came from renewable energy sources. More than 360 million kilograms of end-of-life products have been recovered and reused. In photovoltaic materials, Levima Advanced Materials operates two major product lines for photovoltaic adhesive film materials, EVA and POE, with an annual production capacity exceeding 350,000 tons. In new energy battery materials, the company has built a comprehensive portfolio. In green investment, Legend Holdings has invested in more than 60 companies across new energy, energy decarbonization and so on. The Legend Star CEO Training Program has been running for over 18 years, nurturing up to 1,429 startup founders with 77 listed companies, 217 national-level specialized and innovative “Little Giant” enterprises, 930 High-and New-Technology Enterprises (HNTE), and more than 460,000 jobs created.Looking ahead, Legend Holdings will continue to closely align with national strategic needs, adhere to the main thread of technological innovation driving high-quality development, steadily improve its distinctive technological innovation system, deepen its focus on technology as its core business, and accelerate the promotion of the transformation of scientific achievements into real productive forces, making unremitting contributions to Chinese modernization and self-reliance and strength in science and technology. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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MoneyHero Sets September 11 Date to Prove AI Aggregation Can Actually Print Money

August 28, 2026
By: Damian Finch (SeaPRwire) - Another fintech earnings call lands on the calendar with predictable corporate pageantry, masking the brutal unit economics underneath. MoneyHero Limited has officially locked in Friday, September 11, 2026, before market opens, to drop its second quarter 2026 financial metrics. The platform will host an 8:00 a.m. EDT conference call, matching an 8:00 p.m. slot in Hong Kong and Singapore. For an operation boasting roughly 3.9 million Monthly Unique Users across Greater Southeast Asia, the upcoming numbers represent more than a routine disclosure. They serve as a glaring litmus test for whether digital aggregation models can scale without bleeding customer acquisition capital. The market noise surrounding automated financial matchmaking often obscures the raw mechanics of customer retention churn. Advertisers bid aggressively for high-intent traffic in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines, yet cost-per-acquisition metrics remain notoriously volatile. When platforms rely on heavy consumer-facing brands like MoneyHero, SingSaver, Money101, Moneymax, and Seedly to capture demand, the margins face a constant squeeze from rising digital ad rates. B2B engines like Creatory try to offset this pressure by funneling partner traffic, but the underlying bid mechanics demand constant optimization to prevent margin decay. Scaling across multiple fragmented regulatory jurisdictions introduces severe friction for any cross-border digital insurance brokerage and personal finance aggregator. Maintaining over 270 commercial partner relationships requires continuous engineering investment just to keep API integrations stable against shifting banking protocols. Meanwhile, high-profile backing from heavyweights like Peter Thiel and Richard Li provides a formidable financial safety net, yet private capital cannot indefinitely subsidize user acquisition loops that fail to achieve organic stickiness. Every promotional campaign launched across the regional brand portfolio must prove its direct contribution to lifetime value before the next reporting cycle. Anti-steering behaviors from traditional financial institutions and aggressive publisher distribution lock-ins further complicate the growth trajectory for regional aggregators. Banks increasingly prefer proprietary acquisition channels, forcing comparison platforms to fight harder for every conversion in the insurance and lending verticals. Regulatory scrutiny on digital brokerage disclosures adds another layer of compliance overhead that eats directly into operating cash flows. If the upcoming September disclosure fails to demonstrate sustainable margin expansion alongside user growth, the market will quickly punish platforms relying heavily on borrowed liquidity. As September 11 approaches, institutional investors will dissect the balance sheet not for its growth narrative, but for tangible proof of operational efficiency and conversion quality. The real question is whether the platform's tech stack can monetize those millions of unique monthly visitors without getting trapped in a race to the bottom for customer acquisition. Platform monetization loops inevitably decay the moment user acquisition costs outpace lifetime value. Author bio: Damian Finch, a growth-equity analyst tracking enterprise SaaS metrics and marketplace economics.
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Cryofocus Announces 2026 Interim Results: Loss Narrows 37.9% to RMB 16.9 Million, Gross Margin Improves to 68.5% ACN Newswire

Cryofocus Announces 2026 Interim Results: Loss Narrows 37.9% to RMB 16.9 Million, Gross Margin Improves to 68.5%

August 28, 2026
HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Cryofocus Medtech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (“Cryofocus” or the “Company,” stock code: 6922.HK), a leading innovative medical device platform specializing in minimally-invasive interventional cryotherapy, today announced its interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2026. During the Reporting Period, the Company continued to expand its product pipeline, with a significant 37.9% narrowing of its loss for the period to RMB 16.9 million. Gross profit margin improved to 68.5% from 67.1% in the same period last year, while cash and cash equivalents surged 69.2% to RMB 59.3 million compared to the end of 2025, underscoring enhanced operational quality and financial resilience.Product Pipeline Continues to Expand, Commercial Footprint WidensAs a pioneer in the field of minimally-invasive interventional cryotherapy in China, Cryofocus has established a comprehensive product portfolio covering both vascular intervention and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). As of June 30, 2026, the Company had a total of 25 products and product candidates, of which 11 had been commercialized. These include the Atrial Fibrillation Cryoablation System, Malignant Stenosis Cryoablation System, Cryoadhesion System, Bladder Cryoablation System, and Pulmonary Nodule Localization Needle, among others.In January 2026, the Company’s Endoscopic Additional Working Channel Catheter received approval from the Zhejiang Medical Products Administration, further enriching its commercial product matrix. Meanwhile, several high-value product candidates have entered the critical confirmatory clinical trial stage and are expected to receive approvals sequentially between 2027 and 2029. These include:- Vascular Intervention:Cryofocus Renal Denervation System (Cryo-RDN System): Designed to be the world’s first cryoablation product specifically targeting hypertension. It was granted Breakthrough Device designation by the U.S. FDA in December 2022.- Respiratory Intervention:COPD Cryospray System, Peri-Pulmonary Nodule Cryoablation System, Asthma Cryoablation System, and Benign Stenosis Cryoablation System: These products form a matrix of investigational devices targeting the same hospital department. As they receive approvals in the coming period, the synergistic effect of this product matrix is expected to amplify.The Company’s R&D team comprises 40 professionals. As of June 30, 2026, Cryofocus held 179 patents and 35 patent applications domestically and internationally, continuously deepening its technological moat.Loss Narrows Significantly, Gross Margin Improves Against HeadwindsAlongside steady progress in its product pipeline, the Company delivered impressive financial metrics. For the first half of 2026, Cryofocus recorded revenue of RMB 40.7 million and gross profit of RMB 27.9 million. The loss for the period amounted to RMB 16.9 million, a decrease of RMB 10.3 million or 37.9% from RMB 27.2 million in the same period of 2025.Against the backdrop of an active adjustment in revenue scale, the Company’s overall gross profit margin rose from 67.1% to 68.5%, primarily driven by process improvements and optimizations for certain products. This indicates that structural improvements in the product mix and enhanced production efficiency have effectively offset the impact of revenue fluctuations on profitability.Comprehensive Cost Optimization Boosts Operating Efficiency Significantly The substantial narrowing of losses was underpinned by the Company’s holistic cost control measures:- Administrative expenses decreased by 34.0% from RMB 33.7 million to RMB 22.3 million, mainly due to reductions in staff costs and share-based payments.- Selling and distribution expenses fell by 14.5% from RMB 9.2 million to RMB 7.8 million.- Research and development expenses declined by 15.1% from RMB 17.9 million to RMB 15.2 million.- Finance costs dropped by 22.7% from RMB 1.1 million to RMB 0.8 million.Furthermore, other income and gains surged over 550% from RMB 0.5 million to RMB 3.2 million, primarily attributable to an increase in government grants. The combined effect of comprehensive cost optimization and growth in non-recurring income enabled the Company to achieve a sharp compression of losses despite a temporary decline in revenue.Cash Reserves Surge 69.2%, Strengthening Capital PositionAs of June 30, 2026, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents stood at RMB 59.3 million, an increase of RMB 24.2 million or 69.2% from RMB 35.0 million as of December 31, 2025. This growth was mainly driven by the completion of an H-share placing in January 2026, under which the Company issued 5,595,000 H-shares and raised net proceeds of approximately HK$29.73 million.Additionally, the Company’s current ratio improved from 1.5 to 1.7, the quick ratio rose from 1.0 to 1.2, and the gearing ratio decreased from 64.7% to 61.8%, reflecting enhanced short-term solvency and overall financial safety.Outlook: Committed to Becoming a Global Minimally-Invasive Interventional Cryotherapy Medical Device Platform, Bringing Benefits to Patients and Physicians WorldwideIn the first half of 2026, the Company proactively adjusted its sales strategy to align with evolving industry demands, leading to a temporary dip in revenue. However, earnings quality improved markedly, signaling a positive trend of “structural revenue adjustment with clear profit elasticity.”Looking ahead, the Company will:- Rapidly advance the clinical development and commercialization of its product candidates based on cryotherapy technology;- Continue to focus on minimally-invasive interventional cryotherapy and further expand its product portfolio leveraging its technology platform;- Persistently research and develop various underlying and supporting technologies; and- Selectively expand its global footprint.With high-value products such as the Cryofocus Renal Denervation System, COPD Cryospray System, and Peri-Pulmonary Nodule Cryoablation System entering the regulatory submission and launch cycle, coupled with a significantly strengthened cash position and continuous loss reduction, Cryofocus is steadily accelerating toward its vision of becoming a “global minimally-invasive interventional cryotherapy medical device platform.” Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Analogue Announces 2026 Interim Results ACN Newswire

Analogue Announces 2026 Interim Results

August 28, 2026
HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Analogue Holdings Limited (“Analogue” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) (stock code: 1977), a leading provider of electrical and mechanical (“E&M”) engineering solutions, and information and communications technology services for smart cities, today announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 (the “Period”) with interim contracts-in-hand continuing their record-setting performance, providing a solid foundation for the business over the next three years and beyond.Business Highlights- Interim contracts-in-hand surged by 34.9% to HK$17,649.3 million, attaining yet another record high- Revenue was HK$3,036.6 million, up by 5.7%, primarily driven by steady project execution in the Building Services and Environmental Engineering segments- Profit attributable to owners of the Company increased 88.1% to HK$152.0 million. The increase was partly attributable to the disposal of an approximately 3% equity stake in Nanjing Canatal Data-Centre Environmental Tech Co., Ltd.(Shanghai Stock Code: 603912)- The Group maintained a strong cash position, with bank balances and cash at HK$1,214.1 million- Interim dividend amounted to HK4.9 cents per share, with a year-on-year increase of more than 88%- Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been integrated into Analogue’s interconnected smart ecosystem to create value for customers, by realising a smart platform for buildings, and advanced operational solutions for water and sewage treatment, as evidenced by the prestigious accolades across both the research and adoption categories at the inaugural Construction Industry Council AI Award 2026 and at the ASHRAE Region XIII Technology Award 2026Chairman Dr Mak Kin Wah said, “Building on our outstanding achievement of record-high contracts-in-hand in 2025, the Group maintained steady business performance in the first half of 2026. By integrating research, development and application of AI technologies, we have achieved optimised operations and enhanced quality that earn wide recognition from the industry. Committed to innovation, the Group will further promote integration of AI, Digital Twin, and the Internet of Things (“IoT”), develop cross-technology integrated solutions, and enhance performance in engineering operations, safety, and sustainable development, to create greater value for clients.”“Our commitment to business ethics, quality, safety, health and environmental sustainability remains at the core of everything we do, guiding our decisions, shaping our culture, and contributing to a more sustainable future."Business Review: Building Services- This segment remains the largest revenue contributor, with revenue reaching HK$1,649.6 million.- Interim contracts-in-hand reached a record-high level of HK$7,996.6 million, with order intake standing at HK$1,348.8 million and many of the tenders submitted in the Period due for determination in phases later this year.- Many projects in the Northern Metropolis, including Fanling and Kwu Tung housing projects and various hospitals, were prioritised for commencement and progress in execution.- The Group’s expertise in Building Information Modelling (BIM), Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and Modular Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MiMEP) continued to gain market traction and helped secure major contracts.- Leveraging our comprehensive interdisciplinary capacity and new engineering techniques, this segment maintained our industry leadership, and was broadening our market reach to different parts of Asia.Environmental Engineering- This segment achieved record-high interim contracts-in-hand, which surged substantially by 78.3% year-on-year to HK$8,164.2 million. Order intake stood at HK$910.1 million with active ongoing tendering activities and many of the tenders submitted in the period due for determination in phases later this year. Segment revenue increased by 17.2% year-on-year or HK$123.2 million.- A number of projects, including a landmark engineering contract to reprovision critical sewage treatment works to caverns, were prioritised for commencement and execution.- New term contracts for sewage and E&M systems were also added to the recurrent operation, maintenance, and facility management services provided by the segment.- By deploying AI and Digital Twin under our industry-recognised AlgoWater® brand, the segment continued to strengthen our industry leading position by advancing in intelligent automation, predictive asset management, and real-time process optimisation that significantly enhance treatment efficiency and energy savings for industrial operations.- Continued to pursue project opportunities with partners in the Chinese Mainland and different parts in Asia and Europe.Information, Communications and Building Technologies (“ICBT”)- Segment revenue amounted to HK$290.9 million. Contracts-in-hand totalled HK$830.8 million. Order intake was HK$269.9 million.- As an early mover backed by its own R&D capability and extensive project experience, this segment was well positioned to continue to advance innovation. A robust digital foundation was established through the Digital Plant and Centralised Management Platform (CMP) that enables real-time insights and data-driven decisions.- Integration of IoT and advanced Building Management System (BMS) under our acclaimed DigiFusion® AI Smart Building Platform delivers optimised operational efficiency and enhanced tenant experiences in smart buildings and city infrastructure, as well as resource circularity for our clients.Lifts and Escalators- Revenue and contracts-in-hand were at HK$255.9 million and HK$657.7 million respectively.- Order intake totalled HK$278.4 million, with ongoing tendering activities in different parts of the world.- Transel Elevator & Electric Inc. (TEI), the associate company in the United States, maintained its strength as one of the largest independent lift and escalator companies in New York and continued to expand in the southeastern part of the country, strengthening our market positioning and future growth.- Competitiveness was strengthened with enhanced automation in production lines and strict quality controls, to anchor the end-to-end business model from design, through manufacturing, to installation and maintenance services.- The product portfolio was broadened in line with the expanding international market reach and enhanced with next-generation product innovations.For further details of the 2026 Interim Results, please refer to the announcement filed with The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.About Analogue Holdings LimitedEstablished in 1977, Analogue Holdings Limited is a leading provider of electrical and mechanical (“E&M”) engineering solutions and information and communications technology (“ICT”) services for smart cities, with headquarters in Hong Kong and operations in the Chinese Mainland, Macau, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore and Malaysia. Serving a wide spectrum of customers from public and private sectors, the Group provides multidisciplinary and comprehensive E&M engineering and technology services in four major segments, including Building Services, Environmental Engineering, Information, Communications and Building Technologies (“ICBT”) and Lifts & Escalators.The Group also manufactures and sells lifts and escalators internationally and has entered into an alliance with Transel Elevator & Electric Inc. (“TEI”), one of the largest independent lifts and escalators companies in New York, the United States. The Group’s associate partner, Nanjing Canatal Data-Centre Environmental Tech Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Stock Code: 603912), specialises in precision environmental control technologies and related energy-saving and temperature control equipment for data centres. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Himalayan Silence: What the Nepal Flood’s Missing Numbers Reveal About Cross-Border Crisis Politics Hot News

Himalayan Silence: What the Nepal Flood’s Missing Numbers Reveal About Cross-Border Crisis Politics

August 28, 2026
(SeaPRwire) - By: Marcus Sinclair A flash flood in the Himalayas should be a natural disaster. It quickly became a geopolitical stress test. When a glacial lake on the Bhote Koshi river breached its banks, Nepal and China did something unexpected. They paused. Rescue teams stood down. Helicopters hovered at altitude. Authorities at both sides assessed the risk and then resumed operations. The lake had dropped roughly ten meters. The immediate deluge threat faded. But the numbers tell a different story. Nepal reports 469 dead. Nearly 1,500 remain missing. China, reporting from the Gyirong Port side, confirms only three dead and 558 missing. The gap between those figures is not a statistical artifact. It is an information blackout wearing the mask of crisis management. Consider the logistics. More than 13,000 army and police personnel are engaged across the Nepal side. Helicopter missions pulled hundreds from mud-choked buildings over 48 hours. The Gyirong Port, now buried under debris, received a one-kilometer withdrawal order. Beijing has not updated its casualty figures since Thursday. Meanwhile, 667 tourists are unaccounted for on Nepal's side, including 127 Nepalis. India cannot reach 290 of its nationals. An 80-member pilgrim group from Tamil Nadu vanished at the border checkpoint minutes before the flood hit. These are not abstract statistics. These are people with passports, return flights, and families waiting at airports in Delhi, Dhaka, and Guangzhou. The real cost here is not measured in cubic meters of water or meters of lake recession. It is measured in trust erosion. Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction Authority stated the risk was not as severe as initially thought. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported the same assessment. Both sides want the world to see coordinated crisis response. What the world actually sees is two governments managing information flow the way they manage border crossings. China controls access to the Gyirong side. Nepal controls access to the valley below. Neither side is sharing a unified casualty picture. That silence is deliberate. In the Himalayas, disaster data is strategic data. The India angle matters too. New Delhi's inability to locate 290 citizens inside Nepal raises uncomfortable questions about consular reach in disputed or semi-closed border regions. The Tamil Nadu pilgrim group adds a religious diplomacy layer. Mansarovar is a shared sacred site. When disaster strikes a pilgrimage route, it becomes a soft power contest as much as a humanitarian operation. China hosts the northern approach. Nepal manages the southern corridor. Neither government is competing for credit, but both are avoiding accountability for gaps in their sectors. Here is the endgame deduction. Cross-border disaster response in the Himalayas will remain fragmented until a unified information protocol exists between Kathmandu, Beijing, and New Delhi. Until then, missing-person figures will be weaponized by silence. Rescue operations will be optimized for visibility, not completeness. And the next glacial lake outburst will expose the same fracture lines. The water recedes. The politics do not. Author bio: Marcus Sinclair is a Senior Fellow at a prominent European geopolitical and security think tank, specializing in South Asian cross-border dynamics and humanitarian governance.
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COSCO SHIPPING Ports Announces 2026 Interim Results ACN Newswire

COSCO SHIPPING Ports Announces 2026 Interim Results

August 28, 2026
HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (“COSCO SHIPPING Ports” or “CSP” or the “Company”, SEHK: 1199), the world’s leading ports logistics service provider, today announced the interim results of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) for the 6 months ended 30 June 2026.2026 Interim Results Highlights- Total throughput increased by 7.9% YoY to 80,157,047 TEU- Equity throughput increased by 7.0% YoY to 24,492,008 TEU- Revenue of the Company increased by 12.3% YoY to US$905,344,000- Gross profit increased by 9.3% YoY to US$239,507,000- Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company increased by 28.5% YoY to US$233,672,000- Declared a first interim dividend of US2.360 cents per shareFINANCIAL REVIEWIn the first half of 2026, the global shipping market was under dual pressure from route network restructuring and compressed profitability. In the face of these challenges, COSCO SHIPPING Ports has sustained its overall operational resilience by continued deepening of its lean operation management and constant optimisation of its resource allocation and business processes. In the first half of 2026, revenue of the Company increased by 12.3% YoY to US$905.3 million; gross profit increased by 9.3% YoY to US$239.5 million. During the period, the profit attributable to equity holders of the Company greatly increased by 28.5% YoY to US$233.7 million.OPERATIONAL REVIEWOverall PerformanceFor the six months ended 30 June 2026, the Group’s total throughput increased by 7.9% YoY to 80,157,047 TEU (1H2025: 74,295,971 TEU). Total throughput from terminals in which the Group has controlling stake increased by 2.5% YoY to 16,893,574 TEU (1H2025: 16,482,018 TEU), accounting for 21.1% of the Group’s total, and the total throughput from non-controlling terminals increased by 9.4% YoY to 63,263,473 TEU (1H2025: 57,813,953 TEU), accounting for 78.9% of the Group’s total.During the period, the Group’s total equity throughput increased by 7.0% YoY to 24,492,008 TEU (1H2025: 22,879,575 TEU). The equity throughput from terminals in which the Group has controlling stake increased by 2.6% YoY to 9,941,962 TEU (1H2025: 9,691,543 TEU), accounting for 40.6% of the Group’s total, and the equity throughput from non-controlling terminals increased by 10.3% YoY to 14,550,046 TEU (1H2025: 13,188,032 TEU), accounting for 59.4% of the Group’s total.ChinaDuring the period, total throughput of the terminals in China increased by 4.7% YoY to 59,019,217 TEU (1H2025: 56,390,125 TEU) and accounted for 73.6% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of terminals in China increased by 4.8% YoY to 16,915,369 TEU (1H2025: 16,136,373 TEU), accounting for 69.1% of the Group’s total equity throughput.Bohai RimDuring the period, total throughput of the Bohai Rim region increased by 6.4% YoY to 27,483,548 TEU (1H2025: 25,835,742 TEU) and accounted for 34.3% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of the Bohai Rim region increased by 6.0% YoY to 6,989,982 TEU (1H2025: 6,594,957 TEU) and accounted for 28.5% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Driven by the increasing investment demand in artificial intelligence, exports of high-tech products recorded steady growth, contributing a 4.8% YoY increase in the total throughput of Dalian Container Terminal Co., Ltd. to 2,695,849 TEU (1H2025: 2,572,124 TEU).Yangtze River DeltaDuring the period, total throughput of the Yangtze River Delta region increased by 3.6% YoY to 8,684,169 TEU (1H2025: 8,379,156 TEU) and accounted for 10.8% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of the Yangtze River Delta region increased by 6.2% YoY to 2,558,738 TEU (1H2025: 2,408,543 TEU) and accounted for 10.5% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Wuhan CSP Terminal Co., Ltd. (“CSP Wuhan Terminal”) continued to reinforce its competitive edge as a rail-water intermodal transport hub while expanding its Yangtze River feeder network, driving a 34.6% YoY increase in total throughput to 198,577 TEU (1H2025: 147,515 TEU).Southeast Coast and OthersDuring the period, total throughput in the Southeast Coast and Others region decreased by 2.8% YoY to 2,704,696 TEU (1H2025: 2,783,306 TEU) and accounted for 3.4% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of Southeast Coast and Others region increased by 3.0% YoY to 2,131,636 TEU (1H2025: 2,070,554 TEU) and accounted for 8.7% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal Co., Ltd. continued to strengthen its terminal hub capability, and through the introduction of new route services in the first half of the year, the total throughput increased by 6.8% YoY to 1,366,387 TEU (1H2025: 1,279,547 TEU).Pearl River DeltaDuring the period, total throughput of the Pearl River Delta region increased by 6.5% YoY to 15,577,680 TEU (1H2025: 14,633,421 TEU) and accounted for 19.4% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of the Pearl River Delta region increased by 4.6% YoY to 4,237,042 TEU (1H2025: 4,052,292 TEU) and accounted for 17.3% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Driven by trade demand from emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Guangzhou South China Oceangate Container Terminal Company Limited successfully introduced multiple new shipping routes, driving a 7.4% YoY increase in total throughput to 3,221,826 TEU (1H2025: 3,001,192 TEU).Southwest CoastDuring the period, total throughput of the Southwest Coast region decreased by 4.0% YoY to 4,569,124 TEU (1H2025: 4,758,500 TEU), accounting for 5.7% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of the Southwest Coast region decreased by 1.2% YoY to 997,971 TEU (1H2025: 1,010,027 TEU) and accounted for 4.1% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Due to market volatility and changes in cargo mix, total throughput and equity throughput in the Southwest Coast region recorded a YoY decrease.OverseasDuring the period, total throughput in overseas terminals increased by 18.0% YoY to 21,137,830 TEU (1H2025: 17,905,846 TEU) and accounted for 26.4% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput in overseas terminals increased by 12.4% YoY to 7,576,639 TEU (1H2025: 6,743,202 TEU) and accounted for 30.9% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Piraeus Container Terminal Single Member S.A. (“Piraeus Terminal”) recorded a 2.9% YoY decrease in total throughput to 1,995,150 TEU (1H2025: 2,054,895 TEU), due to softening market demand in the Mediterranean region and adverse weather conditions. CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal L.L.C. (“CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal”) recorded a 44.3% YoY decrease in total throughput to 442,977 TEU (1H2025: 795,758 TEU), affected by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. COSCO SHIPPING Ports Chancay PERU S.A. (“CSP Chancay Terminal”) has been actively advancing corridor development, deepening synergies with the parent Company’s dual-brand operations, and continuously enhancing its route network layout. In the first half of the year, the terminal achieved a route network of three main lines and five feeder lines, further strengthening its regional connectivity and driving a 68.2% YoY increase in total throughput to 201,773 TEU (1H2025: 119,945 TEU).PROSPECTSSince the beginning of 2026, amid continued deep adjustments to the global economic and trade landscape and rising geopolitical uncertainties, COSCO SHIPPING Ports has remained committed to high-quality development as its overarching priority. The Company has consistently strengthened its core hub layout and global network resilience, while fully leveraging synergies with COSCO SHIPPING Group and the Ocean Alliance. In the first half of the year, the Company’s total throughput and profit attributable to equity holders maintained a YoY increase, with steady improvements in operational quality and efficiency.Looking ahead, international institutions including the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund have successively downgraded their global economic growth forecasts. The World Bank projects that global economic growth will moderate from 2.9% in 2025 to 2.5% in 2026, while the IMF has revised its 2026 global growth forecast down to 3%, reflecting the impact of tensions in the Middle East. Changes in the global trade policy environment and fluctuations in energy prices have placed certain pressure on merchandise trade growth. Against this backdrop, the Chinese economy has demonstrated strong resilience. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, in the first half of the year, the total value of goods imports and exports reached RMB25.47 trillion, representing a YoY increase of 16.9%. Of this, exports amounted to RMB14.73 trillion, a YoY increase of 13.4%; imports totaled RMB10.74 trillion, a YoY increase of 22.1%. China’s trade with emerging markets such as ASEAN and Latin America has continued to deepen, while the share of high-value-added products, including electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products, has steadily increased. These developments have provided strong support for the development of the port industry.In the face of heightened external uncertainties, the Company will remain customer-centric and continue to optimise its global terminal network resource allocation. It will accelerate investment in emerging markets, regional markets and third-country markets, pursuing controlling stakes in strategic hubs while taking minority stakes in key gateway ports as market conditions permit. The Company will also enhance its main and feeder network layout to achieve interconnected and coordinated development across its terminals. It will accelerate the development of port-side logistics parks and supply chain extension services, building integrated resource synergies to provide customers with efficient and convenient port logistics supply chain solutions.Centred on its core port operations, the Company will continue to deepen lean operations and enhance its overall competitiveness. It will reinforce hub port development, raising the service capacity of key hubs including CSP Wuhan Terminal, Piraeus Terminal, CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal and CSP Chancay Terminal. In response to the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East, the Company will closely monitor developments, refine contingency plans and information-sharing mechanisms, and continue to optimise feeder network layouts and multi-modal logistics corridors to enhance supply chain resilience. This will enable it to provide more reliable port logistics services to regional customers and effectively address challenges arising from external changes. Under the new landscape of shipping alliances, the Company will strengthen its route network through targeted marketing, actively respond to market changes and route adjustments, continue to introduce new routes and secure additional calls. By improving service quality, it will reinforce its competitive advantage and sustain steady growth in its core business.In terms of green and low-carbon development, the Company will actively cultivate new quality productive forces in the port and shipping industry and lead the sector’s transformation and upgrading. It will continue to advance full-process automation at its terminals, deepen the application of AI and other technologies across all aspects of port operations, and accelerate digitalisation to enable data connectivity and collaborative synergy across systems. The Company will also extend its traditional cargo-handling business towards integrated logistics services, actively developing integrated “shipping + port + logistics” service offerings. With a focus on building green and low-carbon ports, it will further enhance its energy management platform, expand the use of clean energy, and actively participate in the green fuel supply chain to develop full-chain green and low-carbon products, setting industry benchmarks and building new advantages for sustainable development.About COSCO SHIPPING Ports (https://ports.coscoshipping.com)COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (Stock Code: 1199) is a leading ports logistics service provider in the world and its terminals portfolio covers the five main port regions and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South America and Africa, etc. As at 30 June 2026, COSCO SHIPPING Ports operated and managed 394 berths at 40 ports globally, of which 245 were for containers.Building on the brand philosophy of “The Ports for ALL”, COSCO SHIPPING Ports has established its corporate mission of “Connecting Different Worlds” and is committed to maintaining a customer-centric approach to continuously improve the service and capacity of its global network and enhance the strategic positioning of key node ports and optimise logistics resource distribution. Leveraging ports as a conduit to connect global shipping services and serve global trade, the Company is dedicated to establishing a platform for mutual benefits and shared successes for all stakeholders involved with a vision of becoming “the leading global port logistics service provider with a customer-oriented focus”.Please visit the Company’s website (https://ports.coscoshipping.com) and the designated website of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (https://www.hkexnews.hk) for 2026 Interim Results Announcement. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Salmonella Outbreak Ties to Ukrainian Eggs: UK’s Tariff Exemption Is a Supply Chain Time Bomb Hot News

Salmonella Outbreak Ties to Ukrainian Eggs: UK’s Tariff Exemption Is a Supply Chain Time Bomb

August 28, 2026
(SeaPRwire) - By: Jeremy Vance The UK’s latest salmonella outbreak isn’t just a public health scare—it’s a case study in how geopolitical goodwill can override basic food safety protocols. Health officials are dancing around the elephant in the room: their working hypothesis points directly to Ukrainian eggs, even as official statements cling to vague language about “possible imported egg links.” The Telegraph’s source from Dutch investigations lays it bare, but UK authorities are hesitant to call out the country’s largest egg import partner. Over the past year, 259 people across the UK have contracted salmonella, with one fatality. Cases span three closely related strains, spiking sharply in recent weeks. Almost half of those infected—from infants to nonagenarians—needed hospital care. Salmonella triggers severe intestinal symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps. For people with weakened immune systems, it can be fatal. Investigators trace infections to small cafes, restaurants, and takeaways, not home-cooked meals. The UK produces 89% of its eggs domestically, which health officials confirm are safe. Only 11% come from imports, and Ukraine supplies nearly a third of those. Since February 2022, Ukrainian eggs have enjoyed a tariff exemption in the UK, set to last until 2028—even though the EU reimposed trade barriers last year. This isn’t the first red flag: in July, EU authorities linked Ukrainian instant noodles to a salmonella outbreak affecting 100+ people across 12+ states, and Azerbaijan found the bacteria in Ukrainian frozen chicken earlier. Geopolitical support for Ukraine has clearly taken precedence over rigorous food safety screenings. The EU’s decision to reimpose barriers suggests it found systemic issues with Ukrainian food production, but the UK chose to keep tariffs waived. Small food businesses, already squeezed by rising costs, jumped at the chance to source cheaper Ukrainian eggs, often skipping thorough safety checks to save money. This created a perfect storm for contamination to spread. The fallout goes beyond immediate health risks. The NHS is bearing the brunt of hospitalizations, while small eateries face reputational damage and potential customer boycotts. Consumers will grow wary of imported eggs, but replacing Ukrainian supplies would mean higher egg prices across the board. The UK’s policy has painted it into a corner: backtrack on tariffs and face political criticism, or keep the exemption and risk more outbreaks. Unless the UK revisits its tariff exemption policy and enforces stricter border checks on Ukrainian food imports, more salmonella outbreaks will hit vulnerable diners in the coming months. Author bio: Jeremy Vance, a global fast-moving consumer goods supply chain auditor with 15 years of experience tracking cross-border food safety risks.
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The Pentagon Tried to Blacklist Anthropic for Saying No. A Federal Judge Just Drew the Line. Hot News

The Pentagon Tried to Blacklist Anthropic for Saying No. A Federal Judge Just Drew the Line.

August 28, 2026
(SeaPRwire) - By: Julian Holbrooke The Pentagon blacklisted an AI company for refusing to deploy its models on autonomous weapons. A federal judge just handed the company a 59-page ruling that reads like a textbook case of executive overreach. Judge Rita Lin called the designation "arbitrary and capricious." She said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth "overstepped his authority." She ruled the action was unlawful retaliation under the First Amendment. And she said Anthropic was denied due process under the Fifth. The empty invocation of national security, Lin wrote, "is not a blank check to punish and retaliate against government critics." The official Washington line was straightforward. Anthropic refused to drop safeguards on military AI use. Hegseth designated the company a "supply-chain risk to national security." President Trump ordered federal agencies to cease using Anthropic technology on February 27, branding it a "radical Left AI company." Hegseth declared Pentagon partners could no longer conduct commercial activity with Anthropic. When Anthropic pushed back, he compared the company's red lines to "Boeing giving us airplanes and telling us who we can shoot at." He called CEO Dario Amodei an "ideological lunatic." The language was deliberately provocative. The intent was deterrence. Make an example of one company, and the rest will comply. The Boeing analogy was not accidental. It framed Anthropic's safety conditions as interference with military operations. The message to every other AI lab was clear. Bend, or get blacklisted. The real story sits underneath that language. Anthropic had a Pentagon agreement worth up to $200 million. Claude was deployed for various military operations. The company was deeply embedded. Amodei's position was not ideological extremism. He supported military use of Claude. He simply argued it should not be used for mass domestic surveillance or guiding fully autonomous weapons. Current frontier models are not reliable enough for the latter task. The Pentagon wanted "any lawful use" access with no conditions. The defense establishment knew Anthropic was the better model. One defense official told Axios in February, "the problem for these guys is they are that good." Lin acknowledged the Pentagon "is undisputedly free to select the AI vendor of its choice." But she drew the line. The government can fire a vendor. It cannot weaponize the designation process to punish protected speech. The pendulum has shifted. The supply-chain-risk designation is no longer a free tool for executive retaliation. Any AI company drawing red lines now has constitutional leverage. The designation is subject to judicial review. The "arbitrary and capricious" standard is not a formality. Anthropic has another lawsuit pending in Washington, DC over a supply-chain designation that could bar it from civilian government contracts. That one will test the same playbook against a different agency. The Pentagon can still shop for other vendors. But the precedent is set. Naming a company a national security threat because it publicly criticizes the government is retaliation, not regulation. Author bio: Julian Holbrooke, an overseas international relations analyst who frequently contributes to major European daily newspapers.
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Fosun International Delivers 160.3% YoY Profit Growth in 1H2026

August 28, 2026
HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - On the evening of 27 August, Fosun International announced its 2026 interim results. During the Reporting Period, its total revenue reached RMB86.96 billion; profit attributable to owners of the parent reached RMB1.72 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 160.3%; overseas revenue reached RMB49.16 billion, with its share of total revenue rising to 56.5%; total debt to total capital ratio decreased to 55.7%.These figures show that Fosun’s results fall in the upper-middle range of the Company’s profit alert (profit attributable to owners of the parent is expected to range from approximately RMB1.5 billion to RMB1.8 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 127% to 172%) issued on 29 July. This marks Fosun’s return to a growth trajectory following the completion of a systematic realignment of “repairing the roof on a sunny day”.Over the past few years, Fosun has taken a rather unconventional path. Since 2022, in response to the severe market disruption caused by the pandemic, the Company has advanced its business streamlining and core business-focused strategy, divesting assets and businesses and generating cumulative cash proceeds of approximately RMB75 billion. In March 2026, pursuant to the principle of prudence, Fosun made one-off, non-cash impairment provisions and value revaluations on certain real estate projects with impairment indicators and goodwill and intangible assets of certain non-core business segments. The move drew considerable market attention at the time. At the Company’s 2025 annual results presentation at the end of March, Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International, explained, “This is about ‘repairing the roof on a sunny day’, allowing Fosun to focus its resources and efforts more effectively on core, high-growth areas.”The market has now responded to Fosun’s “repairing the roof on a sunny day” initiative. From the announcement of profit alert in early March to 25 August, before its interim results announcement, Fosun’s share price rose sharply from HKD3.6 to HKD5.41, representing an increase of more than 50%. The market has gradually recognized and priced in the Group’s “risk clearance” efforts.More importantly, the earnings growth driven by the Group’s businesses has begun to materialize. At the 2026 interim results presentation held in Hong Kong on 28 August, Guo Guangchang said: “The strong results recovery we delivered in the first half of the year reflects the outcome of the strategic adjustments we have made over the past few years. Our ‘repairing the roof on a sunny day’ strategy has paid off, allowing us to put historical burdens behind us. These results mark the beginning of Fosun’s continued progress along a trajectory of steady growth.”Solid Core Businesses, with Pharmaceuticals and Insurance Posting Strong ResultsFirst, let us look at Fosun’s core businesses. In the first half of 2026, its four core businesses — Fosun Pharma, Yuyuan, Fosun Insurance Portugal (Fidelidade), and the Tourism segment — generated a total revenue of RMB63.88 billion, accounting for 73.5% of the Group’s total revenue, further demonstrating the results of its core business-focused strategy.Among them, the pharmaceutical and insurance segments delivered particularly strong performance.In the first half of the year, Fosun Pharma achieved operating revenue of RMB20.377 billion. Revenue from innovative drugs recorded a year-on-year increase of 13.84%, with their contribution to pharmaceutical business revenue rising to 33.35%, establishing innovative drugs as a key growth driver. Its innovative biopharmaceutical platform, Henlius, reported revenue of RMB3.5882 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 27.3%, while net profit amounted to RMB430.4 million, up 10.3% year-on-year, sustaining growth momentum in revenue and profit. Commercialization of innovative drugs continued to gain traction. During the Reporting Period, Fosun Pharma had a total of 20 indications of 7 innovative drugs approved for launch both domestically and overseas. With their revenue share on a steady rise, innovative drugs have become the main growth engine driving the pharmaceutical business forward.The insurance segment delivered a stellar performance, with Fosun’s domestic and overseas insurance companies all posting broad-based improvements. Fidelidade’s overall market share in Portugal reached 30.1%, and its international business accounted for 26.7% of its consolidated total business. In the first half of the year, Fidelidade recorded net profit attributable to owners of the parent of EUR165 million, up 23.8% year-on-year, maintaining steady growth.In Chinese mainland, Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance recorded gross written premiums of RMB8.38 billion in the first half of 2026, up 52.2% year-on-year. Net profit reached RMB780 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 270% and exceeding its net profit for the full year of 2025. Fosun United Health Insurance reported a 36.2% year-on-year increase in revenue and net profit of RMB572 million. Peak Reinsurance’s reinsurance revenue and gross written premiums increased by 25% and 11.8% year-on- year, respectively, while net profit after tax reached USD89.70 million. In April 2026, Moody’s upgraded Peak Re’s rating from Baa1 to A3, with a “stable” outlook.Guo Guangchang said at the results presentation: “Integrating our insurance business with industries in which we have established competitive advantages has been a strategic priority for Fosun for over three decades — a critical linkage we have long sought to unlock. I believe we have now achieved it. This integration will significantly strengthen our industrial operational capabilities and future profitability, providing sustained momentum for Fosun’s development.”“Successfully navigating another cycle” is how the market has described Fosun’s latest round of adjustments. A closer look reveals how Fosun has successfully navigated the cycle. On the one hand, the Group has continued to streamline its business to generate cash proceeds. In the first half of the year, the Group generated proceeds equivalent to more than RMB12.0 billion from the divestment of non-strategic and non-core assets. Its total debt to total capital ratio was reduced to 55.7%, while its cash, bank balances and term deposits amounted to RMB61.214 billion. On the other hand, the innovation and globalization strategy that the Group has been pursuing for years has entered a value-realization phase, serving as the core engine driving profit recovery.Integrated Innovation Strategy Bears FruitSince innovative drugs took off in the domestic market in 2025, Fosun has repeatedly broken into the spotlight, with multiple innovative drug business development (BD) drawing significant market attention. In fact, as the saying goes, “One minute on stage takes ten years of hard work off stage”. This series of innovation achievements is the result of Fosun’s forward-looking innovation strategy established nearly two decades ago.Notably, for more than a decade, Fosun has built a globally integrated innovation system across its core business areas, combining “independent R&D + investment incubation + ecosystem collaboration”, and has consistently made substantial investments in technology innovation. In the first half of this year alone, investment in technology innovation reached RMB4.2 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.7%.In the first half of this year, Fosun saw a series of innovations come to fruition. HANSIZHUANG, independently developed by Henlius, received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for its perioperative indication in gastric cancer, pioneering a postoperative “chemo-sparing” regimen and making it the world’s first and only anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved for this indication. Its core pipeline asset, HLX43, as a potential best-in-class (BIC) broad-spectrum anti-tumor PD-L1 ADC, has demonstrated preliminary clinical efficacy characterized by high efficacy and low toxicity across multiple solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with over 1,500 patients enrolled globally. To date, Henlius has 10 products approved in over 60 countries and regions, and has benefited over 1.1 million patients.In addition, FUMAINING (luvoxmetinib tablets), independently developed by Fosun Pharma, was approved for the treatment of paediatric and adolescent patients with relapsed or refractory Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), continuing to fill the gap in the treatment of rare diseases. In terms of neurodegenerative diseases, Fosun Pharma expanded its global collaboration with AriBio on AR1001, extending its rights to develop and commercialize the product to key markets including the U.S., Europe and Japan. Meanwhile, post-marketing confirmatory clinical trials for sodium oligomannate capsules have progressed steadily, with more than 1,000 patients enrolled as of 31 July 2026. In addition, HT001, an oral NLRP3 inhibitor for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in-licensed by Hengtai Bio, an investee and incubated company of Fosun Pharma, commenced its Phase I clinical trial in Australia.Fosun’s innovation achievements demonstrate the forward-looking nature of its innovation strategy and its ability to identify the right opportunities in R&D. As Guo Guangchang remarked at the results presentation, through years of effort, Fosun has built globally integrated innovation capabilities rooted in China. This distinctive strength of Fosun is expected to create greater value for all in the years ahead.“Fosun has never pursued innovation behind closed doors. Instead, we leverage our resource-integration capabilities and a global perspective to drive smart innovation, bringing together the best technologies, teams and supply chains from around the world to solve real problems. This is how we unlock vast market potential,” said Guo Guangchang.Unlocking Value through Global OperationsGlobalization has been another forward-looking strategic move for Fosun. Since its listing in Hong Kong in 2007, when many Chinese companies were still focused primarily on their domestic markets, Fosun had already begun expanding overseas ahead of its peers.Nearly two decades later, as a growing number of Chinese companies embrace the view that they must go global or risk being left behind, and seek to capture overseas markets by taking their products overseas, Fosun has already established a profound business presence in more than 40 countries and regions. With local teams operating overseas, it has successfully operated a number of companies within the Fosun ecosystem. “Global operations” have become a defining feature of Fosun’s globalization strategy and a core engine underpinning the development of its businesses.Guo Guangchang said at the interim results presentation that Fosun continues to strengthen its global operational capabilities. On the one hand, it is helping Chinese products and services enter overseas markets. On the other hand, it is introducing high-quality products and services from around the world into China. Drawing on the global resource-mobilization capabilities it has built over the years, Fosun is able to identify high-quality projects and technologies worldwide and rapidly mobilize the resources needed to advance them.In the first half of 2026, Fosun’s overseas revenue reached RMB49.16 billion, accounting for 56.5% of total revenue, up 3 percentage points as compared to the same period of 2025 and marking a record high in the proportion of overseas revenue.In the field of pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Fosun made substantial progress in the global expansion of innovative drugs and commercial business development. Henlius’ HANSIZHUANG was approved for three new indications in the European Union (EU), while HLX11 (pertuzumab injection) was approved in the EU and HLX14 (denosumab injection) was approved in Canada. At the beginning of 2026, Fosun Pharma entered into a strategic partnership with Eisai for HANSIZHUANG, with an aggregate potential consideration exceeding USD300 million, underscoring how the global value of Chinese innovative drugs is being repriced by international markets.In the first half of the year, Yuyuan generated revenue of RMB532 million in Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR in the first half of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 285.83%, while revenue from the Japanese market reached RMB306 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.09%. Laomiao has 15 stores in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, overseas markets and duty-free channels. Club Med has also continued to expand its global footprint, with Club Med Urban Oasis Hangzhou Longwu already open and Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari now in soft opening.Leveraging Fosun’s global ecosystem, Fidelidade in the insurance segment has expanded its business from Portugal to Portuguese-speaking countries and markets across Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Its international business now accounts for 26.7% of its consolidated total business, with continued growth in Portuguese-speaking countries. Meanwhile, Peak Reinsurance has maintained steady growth thanks to its global business footprint.The guiding principle behind Fosun’s globalization strategy is “Combining Global Resources with China’s Capabilities”, deeply integrating China’s manufacturing capabilities, service capabilities, and innovation dividends, with global markets. Starting with leveraging China’s growth momentum to establish its business presence, and progressing to a two-way engagement of “mutual empowerment between China and the world”, Fosun has now entered the 3.0 phase of “global organization + local operations”. In this phase, Fosun “truly operates with a global perspective”, having developed the ability to foster cross-regional, cross-cultural, and cross-organizational synergies within its business ecosystem and support the continued growth of its overseas revenue.At the interim results presentation held on 28 August, Guo Guangchang said: “Fosun’s future development goal is to ‘spur the horse to full speed’. We have already positioned ourselves on a trajectory of steady growth. Going forward, we will continue to advance innovation-driven and global development in industries where we have established competitive advantages, building on our momentum and accelerating further.” Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Concord New Energy Announces 2026 Interim Results: Strategic Transformation Begins to Deliver Results, Firmly Advancing Business Globalization

August 27, 2026
EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 28/08/2026 / 12:07 UTC+8 (27 August 2026, Hong Kong) Concord New Energy Group Limited (“CNE” or "the Group", Stock Code: 0182.HK, SEG.SG) announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 (the "Period"). During the Period, the Group advanced its project development, achieved notable progress in commercial development cooperation across China, successfully commissioned solar power projects in Singapore and New Zealand, and launched post-investment management for its first renewable energy private fund—marking a milestone in the Group’s evolution into a dual role of “operator + professional asset manager”. Asset optimization progressed steadily, while administrative expenses and financing costs declined further. However, due to a combination of adverse factors—including intensified wind and solar curtailment in China, suboptimal resource conditions during the first half of the year, declining electricity prices, and the phase-out of tax incentives—profit attributable to equity holders of the Group decreased year-on-year. During the Period, the Group achieved revenue of RMB1,258 million, representing a decrease of 10.2% compared to the corresponding period last year. Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company amounted to RMB101 million, with basic earnings per share of RMB1.29 cents. Despite the revenue decline, the Group's cash flow remained robust, with operating cash flow reaching RMB1,306 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 25.5%. As of 30 June 2026, the Group's cash and bank balances increased to RMB1,988 million, representing a significant increase of 54%. In the first half of 2026, the Group seized power demand opportunities arising from surging global AI investment, establishing a presence in AI data center (AIDC) development and related integrated energy solutions in the United States, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Through customized clean power solutions, the Group is advancing the integration of renewable energy and storage projects into AIDC infrastructure, and its innovative AIDC energy solutions business is gradually maturing. At the same time, the Group is actively pursuing long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for renewable energy projects in mature markets where electricity demand is expanding rapidly and appetite for green power is strong, thereby enhancing the projects' earnings certainty and improving project bankability. The Group also accelerated the conversion of its pipeline projects in China into tangible outcomes. During the Period, it signed commercial development agreements covering an aggregate capacity of 1,070 MW, while grid connection and pre-construction preparations for several other projects are progressing in an orderly manner. During the Period, the Group continued to optimize its asset portfolio. The renewable energy private equity fund established by the Group in partnership with Taikang Insurance completed its first acquisition, comprising wind power assets with an aggregate capacity of 401 MW. The fund has formally entered the post-investment management phase, marking a milestone in the Group's transformation toward a dual role as both an operator and a professional asset manager. Meanwhile, the Group also completed the divestment of a 70 MW solar PV project to a third party. During the Period, the attributable installed capacity of operational projects transferred to the renewable energy private fund and other divested assets totaled 351 MW. As of 30 June 2026, the Group's attributable installed capacity of wind and solar PV power plants amounted to 4,586 MW, of which grid-parity projects accounted for 3,324 MW, representing 72.5% of the total attributable installed capacity. Facing challenges in the industry operating environment, the Group continued to strengthen its safety management system. During the Period, no general or major safety incidents occurred, and power plant operations remained safe and stable. The Group continued to improve the operational performance of its power plants. During the Period, 12 of the Group's power plants ranked in the top 20% of the China Electricity Council's 2025 operational benchmarking assessment for wind and solar PV facilities, including four sites awarded a 5A rating. In terms of electricity marketing, the Group closely tracked and studied evolving power sector policies and trading rules, and developed software modules leveraging AI and proprietary algorithms to enable automated trading, price spread forecasting, and cross-departmental data collaboration, thereby enhancing the electricity marketing business. Capitalizing on these professional trading capabilities, the Group's operating power plants achieved settlement tariffs above the market average in most provincial power markets. During the Period, the Group completed green electricity transactions totaling 660 million kWh, representing an increase of 27% year-on-year. Concurrently, newly signed green certificate sales contracts reached RMB16.3 million, surging 92% compared to the same period last year. During the Period, the Group continued to deepen partnerships with multiple global financial institutions. Capitalizing on favorable domestic market conditions, the Group refinanced and optimized existing debt across multiple channels, reducing its comprehensive financing rate by a further 8 basis points from the end of 2025 to 3.43%, falling below China's 5-year-plus Loan Prime Rate (LPR) of 3.50% for the first time. The Group achieved financial close for its solar PV projects in South Korea and New Zealand, while project financing for solar PV and BESS projects in the United States and Singapore is progressing on schedule. Mr. Liu Shunxing, Chairman of Concord New Energy Group Limited, commented: "Amid profound shifts in the new energy industry, the Group has remained steadfast in advancing its strategic transformation in recent years, achieving tangible progress in global business expansion, asset portfolio optimization, operational efficiency enhancement, and cost reduction. We will actively capitalize on the historic opportunities arising from the rapid advancement of AI, positioning AIDC development and integrated energy solutions as a primary focus of our transformation, and driving the iterative upgrade of our overall business. Looking ahead, the Group will continue to execute its established strategy, uphold prudent operations, disciplined investment, and a quality-first approach, steadily advance globalization, deepen asset optimization, and vigorously expand our professional services while strengthening power marketing capabilities to drive revenue growth. We remain committed to delivering stable and sustainable long-term returns to our shareholders." 28/08/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com
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Redion Holiday Barometer 2026: Singapore Sets a Global Benchmark for the Most Insured Travelers as Expectations for Travel Support Rise ACN Newswire

Redion Holiday Barometer 2026: Singapore Sets a Global Benchmark for the Most Insured Travelers as Expectations for Travel Support Rise

August 27, 2026
SINGAPORE, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Singapore has emerged as the world’s most mature travel protection market, with 86% of travelers covered by travel insurance when they travel, the highest rate recorded globally according to the latest Holiday Barometer 2026 report by Redion (formerly Europ Assistance) and Ipsos. Alongside strong risk awareness among Singaporeans, the findings highlight growing expectations for comprehensive protection for a broader scope of travel risks, with real-time assistance and seamless digital support increasingly viewed as essential elements of the travel journey.As one of the region's most active outbound travel markets with frequent, high-spending travelers and digitally engaged consumers, Singapore offers a glimpse into how traveler expectations are evolving amid growing awareness of global risks. The increasing demand for reassurance through travel protection and assistance is posing a challenge for insurers and travel providers beyond driving insurance penetration towards delivering broader protection, stronger assistance capabilities and more integrated travel solutions that support travelers throughout their journeys.Travel protection has become a standard expectationSingapore ranks highest globally for travel insurance and protection coverage, with 86% of travelers covered when traveling and more than half (51%) intending to continue subscribing to travel insurance in the future. This market maturity is reflected in the types of risks Singaporeans choose to protect against, including loss of personal belongings, transportation accidents and health-related incidents, suggesting that travelers increasingly value comprehensive protection that extends beyond basic policy coverage.Singaporeans also remain among the world’s highest-spending travelers, with an average leisure holiday budget of USD 2,818. Yet affordability and company reputation remain important purchasing considerations when selecting travel protection, indicating that consumers are willing to invest in coverage when it offers clear value, trusted service and meaningful benefits.Virginie Babinet, CEO Travel Insurance & Assistance – Redion Group, said, "Building on the record levels seen last year, the desire to travel remains strong and undiminished, despite tougher trade-offs and the cost of living remaining a top global concern. What is changing, however, is the travel landscape itself. Security considerations are weighing more heavily on destination choices, with decisions increasingly shaped by risk considerations. At the same time, artificial intelligence is now a genuine planning tool for a growing number of travelers worldwide, as demonstrated by the distinct jump in numbers, particularly in emerging and high growth markets."Hassen Bennour, CEO of Redion Asia Pacific, said, “Singapore continues to set the pace for travel protection in the region, with 86% of travelers already covered, among the highest levels in the world. What is changing, however, is what travelers now expect this protection to deliver. Beyond coverage, Singaporeans want broader multi-risk protection, embedded assistance and reassurance that travels with them across every trip. At the same time, artificial intelligence is helping travelers plan faster, but confidence in the final decision still rests with human expertise. For insurers and industry partners, this is where the next opportunity lies: pairing digital speed with trusted human guidance to meet the standards of one of the most demanding travel markets globally."AI and digital tools help Singaporeans travel smarter, but human control still leadsSingapore's strong digital adoption is also reshaping how travellers research, plan and manage their journeys. Nearly half (45%) of Singaporeans have used AI in holiday planning or booking, primarily to research destinations, compare travel options and build itineraries. A similar proportion (48%) would consider allowing AI to make bookings on their behalf, provided they retain the ability to review and approve decisions before purchase.The same trend is emerging in travel insurance. While the use of AI to compare travel insurance products remains relatively limited today, many travelers (47%) expect to rely on it more in the future because of the convenience and speed it offers. Interest is also growing in digital services that complement insurance policies, including emergency assistance, 24/7 customer support, real-time alerts, mobile access and digital claims services.The implication is evident that AI is preferred as a tool in the planning process, but decision-making and the trust that comes with it still needs a human checkpoint built into the journey. Rather than replacing human involvement, the findings suggest that travelers want digital convenience supported by visible human oversight, combining the speed of technology with the confidence of expert guidance.Frequent outbound and experience-driven travelers expect reassurance throughout the journeySingaporeans remain among the region’s most active travelers. More than 9 in 10 take at least one leisure trip annually, while the majority (84%) intend to travel internationally, despite persisting geopolitical uncertainty. Travel is increasingly experience-driven, with nearly 7 in 10 preferring city destinations, citing relaxation, exploration and local food and cultural discovery among their key motivations. Combined with high travel spending, these behaviors reflect a market that increasingly prioritizes quality experiences alongside value.As travellers invest more in their trips, expectations around protection and support naturally rise. The research found that concerns around natural disasters, epidemic outbreaks, terrorism and travel disruptions continue to influence travel decisions. Rather than discouraging travel, these concerns are driving demand for greater reassurance, flexibility and support before, during and after each journey. This creates opportunities for insurers and travel providers to embed safety, assistance and peace of mind into the overall customer journey as enablers of worry-free travel experiences.With most travelers taking their longest trips during the year-end period, particularly in November and December, the final quarter remains a critical window for travel providers to engage consumers through premium offerings, bundled experiences and integrated protection solutions. As expectations around travel continue to evolve, Singapore's world-leading level of protection coverage underscores a broader shift in how travellers view insurance and assistance. Increasingly, travellers are seeking protection that delivers peace of mind throughout the entire journey, supported by digital convenience, responsive assistance and trusted expertise whenever they need it.About Redion (formerly Europ Assistance)Redion is a world leader in assistance, travel insurance and employee benefits. The name, revealed in 2026, reflects the full maturity of the global Care platform that has been operating under Generali Care, bringing together Europ Assistance and Generali Employee Benefits (GEB). Operating in more than 190 countries, with over 12,000 employees and €5.8 billion in annual business volume, Redion delivers services spanning travel insurance, emergency and medical assistance, employee protection (life, disability, accident, medical), health and mobility solutions, as well as global B2B2C and embedded insurance programmes. Within its employee benefits offering, Redion builds on a global network of 224 active partners to provide multinational clients with protection, health, pension and wellbeing solutions across markets, combining global scale, local expertise and deep technical capabilities.For media enquiries, please contact:Benedict Gerald Rozario, Marketing & Communication, Redion East AsiaM: +60-12 979 7238E: benedict.rozario@eastasia.redion.comNadzwan Tahir, Senior ExecutiveNarro CommunicationsM: +60-18 399 1646E: nadzwan@narrocomms.com Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Modern Dental Group Announces 2026 Interim Results ACN Newswire

Modern Dental Group Announces 2026 Interim Results

August 27, 2026
RESULTS HIGHLIGHTS:- The Revenue for the six months ended 30 June 2026 was approximately HK$2,032.5 million, representing an increase of approximately 10.8% as compared to the same period in 2025. The growth in revenue was primarily attributable to the continued organic growth of the Group—driven by the accelerating adoption of digitalization across the global dental industry, particularly in Europe and Australia—alongside the stabilization and operational turnaround of the Mainland China market. This expansion was partially offset by a revenue decline in North America, which was impacted by a softer macroeconomic environment affecting high-value discretionary procedures, as well as management’s strategic decision to rationalize loss-making Dental Service Organization (DSO) accounts to optimize customer mix and protect margins.- The Gross Profit Margin for the six months ended 30 June 2026 was approximately 58.1%; the gross profit was approximately HK$1,180.9 million, reflecting an increase of approximately 17.4% as compared to the same period in 2025.- The Group’s EBITDA for the six months ended 30 June 2026 was approximately HK$ 560.7 million, representing an increase of approximately 22.8% as compared to the same period in 2025.- The Group’s Net Profit for the six months ended 30 June 2026 was approximately HK$ 377.6 million, representing an increase of 30.8% as compared to the same period in 2025.- Basic earnings per share for the six months ended 30 June 2026 amounted to HK40.07 cents, representing an increase of approximately 31.9% as compared to the same period in 2025.- The Board declared an interim dividend of HK14.0 cents per ordinary share for the six months ended 30 June 2026.ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:- For the six months ended 30 June 2026, the Group’s digital solution cases that are produced from its Mainland China, Thailand and Vietnam production facilities increased to approximately 627,773 cases, reflecting an increase of 29.2% as compared with the same period in 2025 as a result of our clients’ continued adoption of intra-oral scanners.HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - 27 August 2026, Modern Dental Group Limited (“Modern Dental” or “the Group”, stock code: 03600.HK), a leading global dental prosthetic device provider, is pleased to announce the unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June, 2026 (“the Period”).In the first half of 2026, the global macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, with geopolitical tensions and potential tariff changes continuing to create headwinds. However, the Group’s geographically diversified production footprint and global distribution network position us strongly to navigate these challenges. Unlike many competitors reliant on single-country manufacturing, our operations across China, Vietnam and Thailand (including the newly acquired Hexa Ceram) provide superior resilience and flexibility. This strategy, combined with our ability to adapt quickly to local market conditions, enables the Group to mitigate risks and capitalise on opportunities across regions.The dental industry has continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience, underpinned by irreversible demographic trends, including aging populations and increasing awareness of oral health, which drive consistent long-term demand. Building on our well performance, the Group is well placed to sustain momentum and further strengthen its market leadership.Digitalisation remains an irreversible industry trend that is accelerating consolidation of the dental prosthetics industry. We are at the forefront of this transformation, with digital solution cases now representing approximately 35–43% of total volume. Our centralized digital workflows, intra-oral scanner partnerships, proprietary solutions and global education centers have enhanced operational efficiency, reduced turnaround times and delivers superior customer experiences. These initiatives create high entry barriers and will continue to drive margin expansion and market share gains in the coming years.European BusinessesDuring the period under review, the European market recorded a revenue of approximately HK$1,093.3 million, representing an increase of approximately HK$173.0 million as compared with the six months ended 30 June 2025. This geographic market accounted for approximately 53.8% of the Group’s total revenue. The increase of revenue from the European market was attributable to the increase in sales order volume driven by the launch of new products, such as digital dentures, and our state-of-the-art digital workflows.North American BusinessesDuring the period under review, the North American market recorded a revenue of approximately HK$331.3 million, representing a decrease of approximately HK$34.4 million as compared with the six months ended 30 June 2025. This geographic market accounted for approximately 16.3% of the Group’s total revenue.The top-line contraction in North America was primarily driven by a softer macroeconomic environment, which temporarily weighed on consumer sentiment and demand for high-value discretionary cosmetic procedures. In response, management proactively initiated a strategic rationalization of loss-making Dental Service Organization (DSO) accounts aimed at optimizing the customer mix, protecting gross margins, and focusing resources on higher-margin accounts.Concurrently, the Group’s diversified production footprint across the US, China, Vietnam, and Thailand continues to afford significant supply chain agility to navigate trade and tariff complexities—a key differentiator in the market. Demonstrating the resilience of this strategy, our US import business unit delivered a 1.4% period-on-period sales growth in the first half of 2026. This performance underscores how the accelerating trend toward clinical digitalization and the cost-competitiveness of our imported product lines have effectively mitigated and offset the impact of US tariffs.Greater China BusinessesDuring the period under review, the Greater China market recorded a revenue of approximately HK$300.0 million, representing an increase of approximately HK$6.8 million as compared with six months ended 30 June 2025. This geographic market accounted for approximately 14.8% of the Group’s total revenue.Regional performance reflected diverging market dynamics across territories. In local currency terms, sales in Mainland China increased by approximately 0.9% year-on-year, signalling that the market has largely bottomed out from the initial impact of Volume-Based Procurement (VBP) policies and prolonged price competition. To protect sustainable profitability, the Group deliberately pivoted away from low-margin segments to focus on serving mid- to high-value customers. Conversely, sales in the Hong Kong market decreased by approximately 8.5% in local currency year-on-year. This contraction was primarily driven by a temporary reduction in local patient visits, as cross-border dental consumption increased due to aggressive promotions for dental treatments offered by Mainland China clinics targeting Hong Kong residents.Despite these near-term shifts, the Group remains optimistic about the mid- to long-term outlook for the Greater China region. Government procurement measures in Mainland China are expected to standardize prosthetic pricing and enhance market transparency, creating a more level playing field where the Group’s leading brand reputation, production scale, and operational efficiency serve as distinct competitive advantages. To capture evolving market demand, the Group is actively expanding its product portfolio, particularly in mid-end offerings and products.Australian BusinessesDuring the period under review, the Australian market recorded a revenue of approximately HK$162.8 million, representing an increase of approximately HK$24.9 million as compared with the six months ended 30 June 2025. This geographic market accounted for approximately 8.0% of the Group’s total revenue. The increase in revenue from Australia was primarily driven by strong adoption of digital dental products and anti-snoring devices, and wins in dental service organization (DSO) customers.Other MarketsOther markets primarily include Indian Ocean countries, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. For the six months ended 30 June 2026, these markets recorded a revenue of approximately HK$145.2 million, representing an increase of approximately HK$27.4 million as compared with the six months ended 30 June 2025. This geographic market accounted for approximately 7.1% of the Group’s total revenue. The increase in revenue from Other markets was primarily driven by the strong revenue contributions from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. The scaled manufacturing hubs in Thailand and Vietnam have enhanced regional supply efficiency, broadened product availability, and strengthened the Group’s competitive footprint in the region.Future Prospects and StrategiesLooking ahead, the Group remains committed to reinforcing its worldwide leading position through a multi-dimensional approach. We will continue to pursue selective acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships to expand and complement our product offerings, particularly in our high-growth clear aligner, Trioclear, while strengthening our distribution and sales networks. Ongoing investments in mass-scale production facilities, AI, automation, research and development, and digital innovation will drive efficiency gains and secure our position at the forefront of the industry.With the Board’s extensive experience and prudent governance, the Group is well positioned to seize new business opportunities while remaining strict financial discipline to safeguard Shareholders’ interests. The Board expresses its sincere gratitude to our dedicated employees, loyal customers, suppliers, and business partners for their unwavering commitment. Their collective efforts have been instrumental in delivering another year of record results and will continue to support the Group’s long-term success.About Modern Dental GroupModern Dental Group Limited (Stock code: 03600.HK) is a leading global dental prosthetics provider, distributor and consultant with a focus on providing custom-made prostheses to customers in the growing prosthetics industry. Our product portfolio is broadly categorized into three product lines: fixed prosthetic devices, such as crowns and bridges; removable prosthetic devices, such as removable dentures; and other devices, such as orthodontic devices, sports guards, clear aligners, and anti-snoring devices.Modern Dental Group has a global portfolio of respected brands, including Labocast, Permadental and Elysee Dental in Western Europe, YZJ Dental in China, Modern Dental Lab in Hong Kong, Modern Dental USA and MicroDental in the United States, Modern Dental Pacific in Australia and New Zealand, Modern Dental SG in Singapore, Modern Dental TW in Taiwan, Apex Digital Dental in Malaysia and Hexa Ceram in Thailand. We have grown these brands by providing premium and consistent quality products and superior customer service. We have more than 80 service centers in over 30 countries and serve over 35,000 customers. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Merdeka Gold Delivers Strong Q2 Production Ramp-Up as Pani Gold Mine Advances Toward Full-year Growth ACN Newswire

Merdeka Gold Delivers Strong Q2 Production Ramp-Up as Pani Gold Mine Advances Toward Full-year Growth

August 27, 2026
HONG KONG, August 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - 27 August 2026, PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk (“Merdeka Gold” or the “Company”; IDX: EMAS; HKEX: 6228), the owner and operator of the Pani Gold Mine, reported a sharp improvement in its first-half financial performance, as the ramp-up of the Pani Gold Mine began to translate into stronger revenue and positive EBITDA.Revenue increased to US$28.2 million in 2Q26 from US$2.6 million in 1Q26, reflecting higher gold sales volume as mining, processing and sales activities at Pani Gold Mine continued to increase.For the first half of 2026, Merdeka Gold booked revenue of US$30.9 million, compared with US$83,786 in the same period last year, as the Pani Gold Mine began generating meaningful gold sales.Gold production increased more than eightfold quarter-on-quarter to 15,594 ounces in 2Q26, bringing first-half production to 17,412 ounces. Gold sales also increased sharply to 6,439 ounces in 2Q26, compared with 516 ounces in 1Q26.The stronger sales contribution lifted Merdeka Gold’s operating performance, with gross margin reaching 44% and EBITDA reaching US$17.0 million in the first half of 2026.Mr. Boyke P. Abidin, President Director of PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk, said, “Merdeka Gold’s first-half performance shows that Pani is beginning to contribute meaningfully to the Company’s financial results. Following the strong ramp-up of the heap leach operation during the second quarter, production is expected to be significantly weighted toward the second half of 2026 as mining rates, stacking volumes and gold recoveries continue to improve. Our focus remains on accelerating production, improving operating performance and executing the next phase of growth with discipline.”Beyond the near-term production ramp-up, Merdeka Gold is progressing the next phase of growth at the Pani Gold Mine through the development of its Carbon-in-Leach (“CIL”) project. The CIL pad for the CIL tanks and pre-leach thickener was completed by the end of June, with the overall CIL pad scheduled for completion by the end of December 2026. The CIL facility is expected to come on stream in 2028, strengthening Pani’s long-term production growth profile.With the Pani Gold Mine now generating meaningful revenue and positive EBITDA, Merdeka Gold enters the second half of 2026 with stronger operating momentum. Production is expected to increase significantly as mining rates, stacking volumes and gold recoveries continue to improve, supporting higher sales volumes and stronger operating performance. At the same time, continued progress on the CIL project will lay the foundation for the next phase of Pani’s growth.About PT Merdeka Gold Resources TbkPT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk (“Merdeka Gold”; IDX: EMAS; HKEX: 6228) is an Indonesian gold mining company majority-owned by PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk (IDX: MDKA). The Company was listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in September 2025 as part of the Group’s strategy to strengthen its capital structure and enhance transparency.Merdeka Gold’s primary asset is the Pani Gold Mine in Gorontalo, Indonesia, one of the largest primary gold development projects in the country, with mineral resources of 7.0 million ounces of gold and an estimated mine life of approximately 15 years.Production is supported by a Heap Leach facility with an initial capacity of 8 million tonnes per annum. The Pani Gold Mine commenced initial mining activities in October 2025, achieved first gold production in February 2026, and completed its first gold sales in March 2026.The Company also plans to develop a Carbon-in-Leach facility, targeted to commence operations in 2028 and scale up to a capacity of 12 million tonnes per annum by 2029, enabling peak production of approximately 545,000 ounces of gold per year by 2031.DisclaimerThis document: (i) is for information purposes, (ii) may or may not contain certain “forward-looking statements”, (iii) does not constitute or form part of any offer for sale or subscription of or solicitation or invitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, or sell any securities of PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk (“EMAS” or the “Company”) and its subsidiaries (together referred to as “EMAS Group”) or to enter into any transaction under Indonesia Capital Markets Law or any other prevailing laws in any jurisdiction. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events, or developments that EMAS Group believe, expect, or anticipate will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “seek”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “targeting”, “expect”, “project”, and “intend” and statements that an event or result “may”, “will”, “can”, “should”, “could”, or “might” occur or be achieved and other similar expressions including the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those with respect to permitting and development timetables, mineral grades, metallurgical recoveries, and potential production, reflect the current internal projections, expectations, or beliefs of EMAS Group based on information currently available to EMAS Group. Statements in this document that are forward-looking and involve numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results are based on EMAS Group’s current beliefs and assumptions regarding many factors affecting its business (including affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein); statements in documents are provided to allow potential investors and/or the reader understand EMAS Group management’s opinions in respect of future. There can be no assurance that (i) EMAS Group have correctly measured or identified all the factors affecting its business or the extent of their likely impact, (ii) the publicly available information with respect to these factors on which EMAS Group’s analysis is complete and/or accurate, and/or correct and/or (iii) EMAS Group’s strategy, which is based in part on this analysis, will be successful. EMAS Group expressly undertakes no obligation to update and/or revise any such forward-looking statements if circumstances or EMAS Group management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and extra cautions on capital market trading.No Representation, Warranty or LiabilityWhilst it is provided in good faith, no representation or warranty is made by EMAS and/or any of its affiliates, its advisers, consultants, agents, employees, or any of its authorised representatives as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or reasonableness of the information in this document and/or provided in connection with it, including the accuracy or attainability of any forward-looking statements set out in this document. EMAS Group does not accept any responsibility to inform you and/or update of any matter arising and/or coming to EMAS Group’s notice after the date of this document which may affect any matter referred to in this document. Any liability of EMAS Group and/or any of its affiliates, consultants, agents, employees, or any of its authorised representatives to you or to any other person or entity arising out of this document pursuant to any applicable law is, to the maximum extent permitted by law, expressly disclaimed and excluded. This document is not guarantee of future performance, and undue reliance should not be placed on them as they involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ significantly from any projections of future performance and/or result expressed and/or implied by such forward-looking document. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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The World’s Leading Minds in Biotechnology Will Meet in Riyadh This September

August 27, 2026
Sixty confirmed speakers and moderators from eleven countries are named for the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit, from 14 to 16 September, as the full scientific program is published. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – August 27, 2026 – (Cambonet) – The Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit has published the scientific program for its fourth edition, and the names on it belong to the people currently deciding what medicine will be able to do in the next twenty years. Sixty confirmed speakers and moderators from eleven countries are named across three days, from 14 to 16 September 2026, at the Sofitel Riyadh Hotel and Convention Centre. Among them are Prof. Jin-Soo Kim of KAIST, whose work on mitochondrial DNA editing reaches beyond CRISPR; Dr. Matthew H. Porteus of Stanford University, engineering genetic circuits into cell-based medicines; Dr. Alex Shalek of MIT; Prof. Vijay Kuchroo of Harvard Medical School; Prof. Keith T. Flaherty of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and President of the American Association for Cancer Research; Prof. George F. Gao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; President Mitsuo Ochi of Hiroshima University; and Dr. Zdenko Herceg of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. They are joined by the people who move science into the world. Dr. Steve Yang, Co-CEO of WuXi AppTec, and Mr. Alec Reynolds of Flagship Pioneering open the program on global partnership. Mr. Kasim Kutay, Chief Executive Officer of Novo Holdings, speaks on where capital should go next. Dr. Hyun-Young Park, Deputy Minister of the Korea National Institute of Health, delivers the closing keynote. Alongside them stand the Saudi institutions building a biotechnology sector in real time: KAIMRC, Lifera, HUMAIN, SPIMACO, KAUST, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and Astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi on what the human immune system does in space. The program runs across six tracks: artificial intelligence in biotechnology, multi-omics, biotech investment, immunology, bioengineering and synthetic biology, and biotech workforce development. Its defining feature is that discovery and delivery share the same stage. Genome editing and population genomics sit beside regulation, domestic manufacturing, and procurement, and in several sessions the scientists and the regulators are on the same panel. That is the premise of the Kingdom’s National Biotechnology Strategy, which targets $34.6 billion in non-oil GDP from biotechnology by 2040: a discovery is worth only as much as the system available to carry it to a patient. “Biotechnology is where the health of every nation will be decided over the next twenty years. Saudi Arabia has chosen not to watch that happen from a distance. We are building the laboratories, the manufacturing, the regulatory ecosystems, and above all, the bio-workforce talent. And we are building it in partnership with the world, under one roof. That is what this Summit is for. Its themes highlight where medicine and biotechnology converge to shape the future of biosciences. Discoveries and breakthroughs are transforming how we care for patients. The diversity of emerging technologies and therapies is creating significant opportunities to explore, advance, invest, and translate scientific progress into better health outcomes. Please join us in Riyadh this September.” H.E. Prof. Bandar bin Abdulmohsen Al-Knawy, Chief Executive Officer of Health Affairs, Ministry of National Guard, and President, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences The Summit is organized and supervised by the Ministry of National Guard, represented by its Health Affairs sector, and hosted by King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), with the Ministry of Investment and Invest Saudi serving as strategic partners. The fourth edition is expected to welcome more than 15,000 visitors, over 200 biotechnology and healthcare brands, and delegations from more than 70 countries, under the theme Building the Foundations of Biotechnology Excellence. The full scientific program is attached and available at rgmbs.org, where registration is open for delegates, exhibitors, and industry partners. Follow the Summit at #RGMBS2026. For further information regarding summit programing visit: https://rgmbs.org/program#conference-agenda About the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit The Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s flagship platform for medical biotechnology, convening the global scientific, investment, and policy communities in Riyadh. Organized and supervised by the Ministry of National Guard, represented by its Health Affairs sector, and hosted by KAIMRC and KSAU-HS, the Summit advances the goals of the National Biotechnology Strategy and supports the Kingdom’s emergence as a global destination for health innovation. The fourth edition takes place from 14 to 16 September 2026 in Riyadh. For Media Inquiry Email: PR@legends.sa Telephone: +966 559 810 777
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Nissin Foods Announces 2026 Interim Results ACN Newswire

Nissin Foods Announces 2026 Interim Results

August 27, 2026
Financial HighlightsFor the six months ended 30 June 2026(HK$ million)20262025ChangeRevenue2,071.02,014.2+2.8%Gross Profit731.0677.0+8.0%Gross Profit margin35.3%33.6%+1.7ppProfit attributable to owners of the Company175.2157.0+11.6%Net profit margin8.5%7.8%+0.7ppAdjusted EBITDA330.8303.2+9.1%Earnings per share (HK cents)16.7915.05+11.6%HONG KONG, August 25, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Nissin Foods Company Limited (“Nissin Foods” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”; Stock code: 1475) has announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 (“the reporting period”).During the reporting period, the Group delivered solid profit growth, primarily driven by the resilient performance of its instant noodle business. Revenue increased by 2.8% year-on-year from HK$2,014.2 million in 2025 to HK$2,071.0 million in 2026, reflecting continued momentum in its core instant noodle business and broader store coverage in the Chinese Mainland. Gross profit increased by 8.0% year-on-year from HK$677.0 million to HK$731.0 million. Gross profit margin improved by 1.7 percentage points from 33.6% year-on-year to 35.3%, driven primarily by the continued expansion of the higher-margin core instant noodle business, the effective execution of raw material procurement strategies which helped mitigate the impact of raw material price volatility, and improved production efficiency.Profit attributable to owners of the Company increased by 11.6% from HK$157.0 million in 2025 to HK$175.2 million in 2026, representing a net profit margin of 8.5% for the period. The Group’s basic earnings per share increased from 15.05 HK cents to 16.79 HK cents for the period. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 9.1% from HK$303.2 million to HK$330.8 million, representing the Adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.0% for the period, reflecting improved profitability at the operating level.Review and Prospects of Different Business RegionsDuring the reporting period, revenue from the Hong Kong and other regions operations remained stable, increasing by 0.2% to HK$793.5 million (2025: HK$792.3 million), mainly attributable to the continued steady performance of the instant noodle business in the Hong Kong market and increased demand in other regions. Revenue from Chinese Mainland operations increased by 4.5% (in local currency: -0.1%) to HK$1,277.5 million (2025: HK$1,221.9 million), mainly attributable to the increased sales volume of instant noodles and the positive impact of foreign currency translation.In Hong Kong, the instant noodles business delivered steady growth, driven by the resilient performance of flagship brands including Demae Iccho, Hokkaido Iccho, Cup Noodles and Cup Noodles BIG. To further enrich its instant noodle portfolio, the Group introduced a range of new SKUs, such as Nissin Stir Cup Noodles Seafood Flavour Instant Noodle and Nissin Viet Signature Beef Flavour Pho Noodle, and Demae Iccho Scallop and Salt Soup Flavour Instant Noodle. Continuing its IP promotion strategy, the collaboration with Japanese virtual singer “Hatsune Miku” also enhanced brand awareness and strengthened engagement with younger consumers.As for non-noodle business, the Group expanded its premium frozen food portfolio with the launch of the “Doll Dim Sum” series. The Group also introduced a series of limited-edition products to capture seasonal demand and drive sales. Meanwhile, health-focused products, including the Hong Kong-made Nissin Granola and fresh-cut vegetable, continued to gain popularity, reflecting the Company’s commitment to health and wellness. In May 2026, the Group entered into a strategic partnership with Itochu Hong Kong Limited through a joint investment in Nissin Marketing and Sales (H.K.) Limited, which is expected to support the long-term development and competitiveness of the distribution business in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.In other regions, the Company continued to strengthen its presence in Vietnam with a focus on the youth segment to support instant noodles brand growth and market penetration. In Korea, Gaemi Food’s business performance was stable during the period, with the strategic focus on the expansion of its e-commerce business, enhancement of consumer engagement through “KEMY Mall”, and continuous product innovation. Gaemi Food continued to expand its presence in overseas markets including Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Taiwan. In Australia, ABC Pastry recorded stable performance supported by the launch of a range of new premium products. Australia Nissin also maintained solid business momentum during the period, driven by increased sales of instant noodles across nationwide supermarket chains and Asian supermarket channels through ongoing market development efforts and product innovation.In the Chinese Mainland, the Group continued to advance its premiumisation strategy and strengthen its business foundation, while increasing instant noodle sales volume through broader market coverage and more diversified distribution channels. It upgraded select Cup Noodles products by increasing ingredient sizes to deliver an improved tasting experience for consumers. To further enrich its product line-up, the Company also introduced new products such as Nissin U.F.O. Singapore Chilli Crab Flavour, reinforcing its premium and innovative brand positioning. The Company continued its collaboration with the Japanese virtual singer "Hatsune Miku" to raise brand awareness and strengthen connections with consumers. As for the non-noodle business, the Company continued to strengthen its snacks, beverage and frozen food businesses through product innovation to address evolving consumer demand.Mr. Kiyotaka ANDO, Executive Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nissin Foods, said, “Despite continuing market volatility and geopolitical uncertainties, the Group delivered solid profit growth in the first half of 2026. This was supported by broader market coverage and the resulting increase in sales volume of our flagship brands. These results reflect the resilience of our business model and the effectiveness of our strategic initiatives. Our premiumisation strategy, diversified product portfolio and disciplined cost management have further strengthened our capability to navigate changing market conditions. As we continue to expand our presence in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas markets, we remain focused on delivering quality products and strengthening our brands. We are committed to achieving sustainable long-term growth and creating value for our shareholders.”About Nissin Foods Company LimitedNissin Foods Company Limited ("Nissin Foods”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”; Stock code: 1475) is a renowned food company in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, with a diversified portfolio of well-known and highly popular brands, primarily focusing on the premium instant noodle segment. The Group officially established its presence in Hong Kong in 1984 and is the largest instant noodle company in Hong Kong. The Group primarily manufactures and sells instant noodles, high-quality frozen food products, including frozen dim sum and frozen noodles, and also sells and distributes other food and beverage products, including retort pouches, snacks, mineral water, sauce and vegetable products under its two core corporate brands, namely “NISSIN” and “DOLL” together with a diversified portfolio of iconic household premium brands. The Group’s five flagship product brands, namely “Cup Noodles”, “Demae Iccho”, “Doll Instant Noodle”, “Doll Dim Sum” and “Fuku” are also among the most popular choices in their respective food product categories in Hong Kong. In the Chinese market, the Group has introduced technology innovation through the “ECO Cup” concept and primarily focuses its sales efforts in first- and second-tier cities. In addition, Nissin Foods operates business in other regions including Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea and Australia markets.Nissin Foods is currently a constituent of five Hang Seng Indexes, namely: Hang Seng Composite Index, Hang Seng Composite SmallCap Index, Hang Seng Composite Industry Index - Consumer Staples, Hang Seng SCHK Consumption Index and Hang Seng SCHK Consumer Staples Index. Nissin Foods is eligible for trading under Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect. For more information, please visit www.nissingroup.com.hk. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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The World’s Leading Minds in Biotechnology Will Meet in Riyadh This September ACN Newswire

The World’s Leading Minds in Biotechnology Will Meet in Riyadh This September

August 27, 2026
RIYADH, KSA, Aug 28, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit has published the scientific program for its fourth edition, and the names on it belong to the people currently deciding what medicine will be able to do in the next twenty years. Sixty confirmed speakers and moderators from eleven countries are named across three days, from 14 to 16 September 2026, at the Sofitel Riyadh Hotel and Convention Centre.Among them are Prof. Jin-Soo Kim of KAIST, whose work on mitochondrial DNA editing reaches beyond CRISPR; Dr. Matthew H. Porteus of Stanford University, engineering genetic circuits into cell-based medicines; Dr. Alex Shalek of MIT; Prof. Vijay Kuchroo of Harvard Medical School; Prof. Keith T. Flaherty of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and President of the American Association for Cancer Research; Prof. George F. Gao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; President Mitsuo Ochi of Hiroshima University; and Dr. Zdenko Herceg of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.They are joined by the people who move science into the world. Dr. Steve Yang, Co-CEO of WuXi AppTec, and Mr. Alec Reynolds of Flagship Pioneering open the program on global partnership. Mr. Kasim Kutay, Chief Executive Officer of Novo Holdings, speaks on where capital should go next. Dr. Hyun-Young Park, Deputy Minister of the Korea National Institute of Health, delivers the closing keynote. Alongside them stand the Saudi institutions building a biotechnology sector in real time: KAIMRC, Lifera, HUMAIN, SPIMACO, KAUST, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and Astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi on what the human immune system does in space.The program runs across six tracks: artificial intelligence in biotechnology, multi-omics, biotech investment, immunology, bioengineering and synthetic biology, and biotech workforce development. Its defining feature is that discovery and delivery share the same stage. Genome editing and population genomics sit beside regulation, domestic manufacturing, and procurement, and in several sessions the scientists and the regulators are on the same panel. That is the premise of the Kingdom's National Biotechnology Strategy, which targets $34.6 billion in non-oil GDP from biotechnology by 2040: a discovery is worth only as much as the system available to carry it to a patient."Biotechnology is where the health of every nation will be decided over the next twenty years. Saudi Arabia has chosen not to watch that happen from a distance. We are building the laboratories, the manufacturing, the regulatory ecosystems, and above all, the bio-workforce talent. And we are building it in partnership with the world, under one roof.That is what this Summit is for. Its themes highlight where medicine and biotechnology converge to shape the future of biosciences.Discoveries and breakthroughs are transforming how we care for patients. The diversity of emerging technologies and therapies is creating significant opportunities to explore, advance, invest, and translate scientific progress into better health outcomes. Please join us in Riyadh this September." H.E. Prof. Bandar bin Abdulmohsen Al-Knawy, Chief Executive Officer of Health Affairs, Ministry of National Guard, and President, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health SciencesThe Summit is organized and supervised by the Ministry of National Guard, represented by its Health Affairs sector, and hosted by King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), with the Ministry of Investment and Invest Saudi serving as strategic partners. The fourth edition is expected to welcome more than 15,000 visitors, over 200 biotechnology and healthcare brands, and delegations from more than 70 countries, under the theme Building the Foundations of Biotechnology Excellence.The full scientific program is attached and available at rgmbs.org, where registration is open for delegates, exhibitors, and industry partners. Follow the Summit at #RGMBS2026.For further information regarding summit programing visit: https://rgmbs.org/program#conference-agenda About the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology SummitThe Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's flagship platform for medical biotechnology, convening the global scientific, investment, and policy communities in Riyadh. Organized and supervised by the Ministry of National Guard, represented by its Health Affairs sector, and hosted by KAIMRC and KSAU-HS, the Summit advances the goals of the National Biotechnology Strategy and supports the Kingdom's emergence as a global destination for health innovation. The fourth edition takes place from 14 to 16 September 2026 in Riyadh.For Media InquiryEmail: PR@legends.sa Telephone: +966 559 810 777 Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Mitsubishi Research Institute and Hitachi Partner to Launch Advanced Power Trading Service for Extra-High-Voltage Grid-Scale-Battery Operators JCN Newswire

Mitsubishi Research Institute and Hitachi Partner to Launch Advanced Power Trading Service for Extra-High-Voltage Grid-Scale-Battery Operators

August 27, 2026
TOKYO, August 27, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. (TSE:3636, “MRI”) and Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501, "Hitachi") signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 25 August to build a cooperative framework for delivering advanced power-trading support services tailored to grid-scale battery operators in the extra-high voltage segment, including new market entrants. By integrating MRI’s distributed-energy-resource operation-support service, MERSOL (MRI Energy Resource Solution), with Hitachi’s Power Trading System, currently under development, the companies will establish a framework to offer a combined solution: Power Trading Service (the Service)*1.By linking MERSOL's bid-planning optimization with Power Trading System's market-trading support, the Service will provide integrated, seamless support from automated bid planning to actual market transactions. This integration makes it easier for operators to bring sophisticated trading operations—historically outsourced to aggregators*2—in-house. This will enable operators to streamline operations, capture more revenue, and easily expand across multiple battery-storage sites. Through the Service, MRI and Hitachi will help grid-scale battery businesses improve their profitability and scalability.*1 Scheduled for launch in fiscal year 2027*2 Aggregators: Businesses that bundle and centrally control multiple distributed-energy resources to provide services such as power adjustment and market trading on behalf of operatorsBackgroundWhile renewable energy sees accelerated expansion across Japan to achieve the country’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, managing the balance of supply and demand to cope with fluctuations in power generation remains a major challenge. In this context, grid-scale batteries—which charge during periods of surplus power and discharge during shortages—are a vital resource for further integration of renewable energy.For grid-scale battery businesses, securing profitability relies heavily on strategic trading across multiple markets and products, such as the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX)*3 and the Electric Power Reserve Exchange (EPRX)*4. Conducting these operations in-house demands highly specialized expertise, from forecasting future market prices and bid planning that maximizes revenue, to submitting plans in strict compliance with the Electricity Business Act and market regulations. While many operators—especially new entrants—currently outsource these tasks to aggregators, there is a growing demand to bring trading operations in-house to accumulate operational expertise internally, reduce outsourcing costs, and accelerate decision-making.Against this background, MRI has leveraged its long-standing expertise in power-market analysis and policy design to develop and run the MERSOL service, which uses proprietary algorithms to generate optimal operation plans for batteries. Meanwhile, Hitachi—led by its Strategic SIB Business Unit, which drives new growth businesses—is developing Power Trading System*5. Built on Hitachi's extensive IT and OT (operational technology) expertise in the power sector, Power Trading System is designed to make complex trading workflows more efficient and advanced, ranging from market trading based on bidding plans to the submission of grid-utilization plans to the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators, JAPAN (OCCTO)*6.*3 JEPX: The sole market for wholesale electricity trading in Japan*4 EPRX: A market where general electricity transmission and distribution utilities procure the balancing capacity (power) required to maintain the balance between electricity supply and demand*5 Power Trading System features a flexible architecture that allows integration with external planning-optimization services, enabling customized service connectivity tailored to individual customer needs.*6 OCCTO: A government-authorized organization that promotes and oversees the nationwide coordination of electricity supply and demand, as well as the wide-area operation of transmission and distribution gridsCollaboration Details and Value PropositionThrough this collaboration, MRI and Hitachi will link MERSOL and Power Trading System to build a seamless mechanism that efficiently executes the entire trading workflow—from bid planning to market trading and on-site control commands. Specifically, MERSOL will generate bidding plans based on market-price forecasts, including the supply-and-demand adjustment market. Utilizing these plans, Power Trading System will facilitate market bidding and automate the generation and submission of required plans to OCCTO based on contract*7 results, thereby streamlining operators' workflows.By delivering these services as an integrated solution, the partnership will bring operators value in two primary ways:1. Enhanced ProfitabilityThe Service helps operators secure stable returns and expand revenue opportunities by executing power trading based on highly accurate market-price forecasts and optimized bidding plans. By streamlining workflows through system automation, it also smooths the transition for operators looking to manage trading internally. This shift reduces outsourcing fees, enables companies to accumulate valuable operational expertise, and accelerates internal decision-making to capitalize on market opportunities immediately. Ultimately, this drives advancements in operations and greater overall competitiveness.2. Scaling Business OperationsA standardized system architecture makes it simple to scale operations across multiple projects without building a custom setup from scratch for each battery-storage site. Operators new to grid-scale battery business can particularly benefit from the automation and optimization of planning activities and day-to-day operations, even putting in-house trading into reach. The service makes it possible for small teams to manage operations across multiple battery storage sites, eliminates reliance on specific individuals, and ensures that knowledge is standardized rather than siloed. As a result, operators can maintain stable, seamless operations even when establishing new battery storage sites, contributing to flexible and sustainable business growth.*7 Contract: The successful completion of a transaction when a buyer and seller agree on a priceFuture OutlookStarting in fiscal year 2027, MRI and Hitachi will establish a framework to offer the Service. Additionally, both companies will set up a collaborative framework to mutually propose and deliver their respective systems (MERSOL and Power Trading System) as standalone solutions. Through this collaboration, both partners aim to support the adoption and growth of the grid-scale battery business, contributing to realizing a sustainable, carbon-neutral society.MRI plans to continue to update MERSOL in step with electricity-market fluctuations and regulatory changes, helping battery businesses improve profitability and long-term predictability.Hitachi aims to expand its IT and OT integration expertise cultivated in the battery sector to seamlessly connect electricity markets with various consumers, including data centers, ultimately building the energy infrastructure that will underpin next-generation green transformation (GX).About MERSOL (Japanese only)https://mersol.mri.co.jp/About Hitachi's Green Transformation Initiatives (Japanese only)https://www.hitachi.co.jp/products/it/gx_business/?nr=260827About Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. is one of Japan’s foremost think tanks. For over 50 years, it has provided the public and private sectors with research and consulting services in fields spanning energy, the environment, healthcare, human resources, and digital transformation. This is accompanied by policy recommendations and the real-world application of solutions. Mitsubishi Research Institute will continue to envision the future, resolve societal issues, and lead change to build a sustainable and prosperous world. For more information, please visit: www.mri.co.jp/en/About Hitachi, Ltd.Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT (Operational Technology), and products, Hitachi aims to be a global leader in continuously transforming social infrastructure through digital, contributing to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates worldwide across four sectors—Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries—as well as a Strategic SIB Business Unit focused on new growth areas. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi creates value by combining data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2025 (ended March 31, 2026) totaled 10,586.7 billion yen, with 606 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 290,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com.About LumadaMitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.General contact:Akihiko SugitaniNew-Business Development Center,Energy and Sustainability UnitMitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.Email: mersol-contact@mri.co.jpHitachi, Ltd.General contact:Nomura, AndoInfrastructure Control Systems Division,Digital Services Business UnitHitachi, Ltd.Contact form: https://www8.hitachi.co.jp/inquiry/control/jp/main/form.jsp?UM_QNo=1 Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
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Trump Renames a Shared Lake. Ottawa Just Said No. SeaPRwire

Trump Renames a Shared Lake. Ottawa Just Said No.

August 27, 2026
By: Alistair Kroon – SeaPRwire – A border lake just became a political prop. On 27 August President Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario the “American Lake.” The order takes effect at once. He told the Interior Department to update the Geographic Names Information System. Behind him stood a large sign showing the Great Lakes map. “American Lake” appeared in red letters over Ontario. Another map read “Make the Great Lakes Great Again.” The gesture is theatrical. The underlying message is not. Trump framed the move as payback. He said Canada has long taken advantage of the United States on trade and military matters. “We can’t go on like this,” he stated. He added that Americans love the Canadian people. Their representatives, he claimed, have not acted properly. Maybe they will change. He said he does not really know and it does not matter much. He reminded the room that he had already renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “American Gulf.” Now the United States has a bay and a lake. Next it might need an ocean. He floated changing the name of the Atlantic or the Pacific. Two days earlier, on 25 August, he had posted that the administration was seriously considering the lake rename. The reason given then was an expected sharp drop in economic exchange with Ontario province. The executive order converts that online remark into official action. Canadian Prime Minister Carney rejected the change the same day. On social media he noted that the name Lake Ontario is more than four hundred years old. It predates both Canadian Confederation and the American Declaration of Independence. The word comes from an Indigenous language. It means, aptly, a beautiful and wide body of water. Carney closed with a plain assertion. Canadians understand reality. The name is Lake Ontario. It was. It is. It always will be. The lake itself sits on the border. Its northern shore is Ontario province. Its southern shore is New York state. Geography does not shift with an executive order. Naming rights claimed by one side do not erase the other side’s history or presence. The practical effect is limited to American maps and databases. The political signal is larger. Trade friction between the two countries has already risen. The rename turns a shared natural feature into a public scorecard of that friction. For any capital watching the next move, the test is simple. Watch whether the Geographic Names Information System actually changes. Watch whether Canadian maps and bilateral documents ignore the new label. If both happen, the episode remains a domestic American gesture. If either side escalates the naming fight into trade or security measures, the lake becomes another front in a wider dispute. Author bio: Alistair Kroon, geopolitical commentator whose columns on North American power contests appear regularly in major international newspapers.
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