Hong Kong shares of Chinese chipmaker SMIC drop 5% after U.S. export controls take effect
Shares of China’s biggest chipmaker SMIC fell after Washington announced new export controls that will limit Beijing’s ability to buy and manufacture high-end chips used in military equipment.
SMIC’s stock fell as much as 5.23% before recovering slightly. It last traded 2.91% lower.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said in a press conference on Saturday that the U.S. has been “abusing export control measures to wantonly block and hobble Chinese enterprises. Such practice runs counter to the principle of fair competition and international trade rules.”
— Abigail Ng
CNBC Pro: Porsche is now more valuable than VW: Here’s what the pros think of the carmakers
A week after its stock market debut, luxury automaker Porsche’s market cap raced past its former parent company Volkswagen Group’s.
Some fund managers are already comparing the German firm to Tesla, the largest electric carmaker in the world, saying Porsche’s electrification plan for its hot-selling Macan EV is expected to be an instant success.
Compared to its parent company VW, which makes nearly 10 million cars annually, Porsche manufactures just over 300,000 cars but accounts for a quarter of the profits at Volkswagen.
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Ganesh Rao
Currency check: South Korean won weakens against the U.S. dollar
The Korean won were among those losing ground against the U.S. dollar in Asia’s morning trade.
The South Korean currency last changed hands at 1,427.76 per dollar after strengthening below the 1,400 level last week.
Japan’s yen weakened slightly to 145.46 against the greenback, while the Australian dollar strengthened to $0.6370.
The offshore Chinese yuan hovered around 7.1319 per dollar.
— Abigail Ng
CNBC Pro: Goldman says these ‘cheap’ global stocks are set to win in the short and long-term
As Europe struggles with soaring electricity and gas bills, Goldman Sachs says global companies focussing on energy efficiency are set to outperform.
“We think Energy Efficiency companies can outperform over the short term, with the focus on energy efficiency to tackle the current energy crisis that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” the analysts wrote in a note on Oct. 3.
“[And] over the long term, with the focus on energy efficiency to tackle the climate change and reach the ambitious ‘net zero’ targets.”
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Weizhen Tan
Services activity in China contracted in September, private survey shows
The Caixin services purchasing managers’ index came in at 49.3 in September, according to a report published Saturday, a steep drop from 55 in August.
The 50-point mark separates growth from contraction. PMI readings compare activity from month to month.
The nation’s Covid curbs caused services activity in China to contract in September for the first time since May, the report said.
“Companies that reported reduced activity frequently commented that the pandemic and subsequent measures to contain the virus had restricted operations and weighed on demand in September,” the press release by Caixin said.
— Abigail Ng
