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11 Sep 2014
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31 July 2014
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Tempering the optimismConsumer China
Online travel – branching out
Leading online travel agencies are looking to diversify their offerings beyond air tickets and hotel bookings into fast-growing sub-sectors in order to tap into new pockets of growth in a fast-growing but increasingly mature market.
Qunar – price comparison site gains ground
China’s leading travel price comparison site is enjoying growing popularity among price-sensitive consumers, but rising costs associated with restructuring continue to weigh on its bottom line.
Ctrip – maintaining its lead despite margin pressures
An aggressive acquisition strategy has enabled Ctrip to consolidate its leadership of China’s overseas travel agency market. However, competition is growing, while margins continue to decline.
Priceline – tapping into the outbound tourism boom
US online travel agent Priceline is poised to gain further market share in China, supported by its huge overseas hotel inventory and the trend towards independent travel among wealthier Chinese tourists.
eLong – outmanoeuvred by more nimble peers
Weak air ticket bookings and limited exposure to fast-growing sub-segments are eroding market share for loss-making online travel agency eLong.
Tuniu – tour specialist capitalising on travel boom
Our proprietary survey data suggests that online packaged tour specialist Tuniu is enjoying growing popularity due to strong demand from entry-level outbound tourists in particular.
Financial China
Bond markets rebound despite rising default risks
Stricter shadow finance regulations, a series of targeted easing measures by the central bank and market participants’ increasing acceptance of bonds as risk-based investment assets have contributed to a sharp rebound in bond issuance in recent months.
Capital Intensive China
False dawn for fixed-asset investment?
Closer analysis of the data suggests that the headline uptick in fixed-asset investment growth in June may prove short-lived.
Best of Chinese Commentators
Beijing selects SOEs for pilot reform
Investors and analysts debate the significance of a recently announced pilot reform scheme for selected state-owned enterprises.
Soaring investment in China’s film industry
A recent surge in investment in film and TV companies has raised questions about the sustainability of the sector.
