China's rapid ascent up the value chain

White goods: Seeking refuge in higher technology

White goods manufacturers face a challenging future as input prices rise and the real estate market starts to cool, but those companies able to slip out of the mid-technology trap should fare well.

Haier Group: Achieving higher margins

The home appliance giant is pushing to grow the share of sales of higher end products over the coming years.

Midea: Ready for new energy saving standards

A significant proportion of Midea's air conditioner models meet new efficiency standards making it eligible for hefty subsidies.

Zhongshan Vatti: Property market concerns

A potential slowdown in the property market is expected to impact the hob and oven manufacturer's sales.

Hefei Meiling: Stuck in a mid technology trap

The refrigerator manufacturer looks to be suffering from unremarkable technology in an oversupplied market where price wars are rampant and input costs are rising.

Zhejiang Supor: The French Connection

The Chinese cookware manufacturer is benefitting from knowledge transfer and robust overseas orders thanks to its French majority stakeholder.

Mortgage rate rises to spread

While the media debates incessantly when Beijing will raise rates, the Bank of China has gone ahead and done just that on mortgage lending, and we expect other big banks to follow suit – with implications for both bank profit margins and the property market.

Select Financial Charts

A selection of key financial data

How property cooling mechanisms are working

A flurry of measures to subdue the property market have been announced. We profile three key ones – mortgage restrictions, land sales and taxes – that are showing varying degrees of effectiveness.

Nobao energy service company seeks NYSE listing

The domestic energy services company could be well positioned to benefit from China's push toward developing greener building stock.

Stocks to the countryside

Is it a good idea to entice rural China into playing the domestic stock market?

More reserve requirement rate hikes

Chinese economists discuss the recent increase in the reserve requirement rate and the implications for the country's property and stock markets.

The Chinese Century?

Andre Loesekrug-Pietri, of a European Investment group in Beijing talks on China's dramatic ascent to becoming a major power and implications for global engagement.

China flows hit record highs but quickly retreat

Investors poured over $832m into China funds immediately following the government's Q1 performance announcement.