Core Viewpoint - Meta Platforms has entered into a cloud computing service agreement with Google worth at least $10 billion, marking a significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities [1][2]. Group 1: Agreement Details - The agreement involves Meta paying at least $10 billion over six years to utilize Google Cloud's server and storage services to enhance its AI capabilities [1]. - This is the first major cloud computing collaboration between Meta and Google, with Google Cloud being the third-largest player in the global cloud market, following Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure [1]. Group 2: Strategic Implications - Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has committed to investing hundreds of billions in AI and related infrastructure, despite already owning over 20 data centers and expanding further [2]. - The collaboration with Google Cloud is part of a broader strategy to provide high computational resources to AI researchers quickly [2]. - Google Cloud has previously collaborated with Meta but has not been a formal cloud infrastructure provider until now [2]. Group 3: Market Analysis - Analysts from Bloomberg Intelligence noted that this long-term agreement highlights Google Cloud's competitive token pricing compared to other large-scale cloud service providers [2]. - The rapid advancements in AI models for applications such as search, programming agents, real-time summarization, and language translation may lead Meta to focus on enhancing the reasoning capabilities of its Llama model [2].

Group 1: Hong Kong Stocks Performance - Miniso (09896) surged over 20% after reporting a 10% year-on-year increase in adjusted net profit for Q2, with TOP TOY revenue skyrocketing by 87.0% [1] - Li Ning (02331) rose over 6% as it announced a 3.3% year-on-year increase in revenue and declared an interim dividend of HKD 0.3359 per share [1] - Innovent Biologics (02096) increased by over 6% following a 26% year-on-year growth in innovative drug revenue, expanding its commercialized innovative drug portfolio to ten products [1] - Tuhu-W (09690) gained over 10% after reporting a 14.6% year-on-year increase in adjusted net profit while continuing to optimize supply-side costs [1] - Kuaishou-W (01024) rose over 4% with impressive Q2 results and accelerated commercialization [1] - UBTECH (09880) increased over 3% as it led the establishment of two national technical standards for humanoid robots [1] - InnoCare Pharma (02577) saw a rise of over 5% after announcing a partnership with NVIDIA [1] Group 2: Other Notable Performances - China Communications Services (00552) fell over 2% despite a slight 0.18% year-on-year increase in net profit attributable to shareholders, with stable development among its three major clients [2] - Parkson Group (03368) surged nearly 25% after reporting a turnaround to profitability in the first half of the year and proposing an interim dividend of HKD 0.02 per share [2] - Esprit Holdings (00330) jumped over 37% after issuing a profit warning, expecting a net profit of approximately HKD 1 million for the six months ending June 30, 2025 [2] - XPeng Motors (09868) rose over 10% as CEO He Xiaopeng increased his stake by purchasing 3.1 million Class A ordinary shares at an average price of HKD 80.49 per share [2] Group 3: US Market Highlights - Coty (COTY.US) plummeted 21.60% due to weak performance in the US market, retailer destocking, and consumers seeking value, impacting Q4 results [3] - NIO (NIO.US) increased by 9.27% ahead of the launch of its new ES8 product and the start of pre-sales [3] - Huazhu Group (HTHT.US) continued to rise by 2.19% with a 41.3% year-on-year increase in revenue and net profit, benefiting from management franchise and licensing business [3] - Boss Zhipin (BZ.US) rose 6.61% after reporting an over 85% year-on-year increase in net profit for the mid-year and extending its share buyback plan [3] - Youlan Group (YOUL.US) surged 17.13% after announcing plans to acquire four companies to expand its online recruitment and regional market share [3] - Hesai Technology (HSAI.US) increased by 11.00% amid market speculation about a potential IPO in Hong Kong to raise approximately USD 300 million [3] Group 4: Additional US Stock Movements - Miniso (MNSO.US) rose 6.38% after reporting a revenue of CNY 9.39 billion for the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 21.1%, with adjusted net profit of CNY 1.28 billion [4] - Walmart (WMT.US) fell 4.49% as Q2 adjusted earnings per share fell short of expectations due to increased insurance claims, legal fees, and restructuring costs [4] - Gilead Sciences (GILD.US) dropped 2.18% after CVS Health decided not to include Gilead's new HIV prevention drug Yeztugo in its business plans [4] - XPeng Motors (XPEV.US) rose 11.68% following the CEO's purchase of 3.1 million Class A ordinary shares [5] - Aegon (AEG.US) increased by 7.64% after reporting a turnaround to profitability in the first half of 2025, primarily driven by growth in its US business [5]

Core Viewpoint - The Apple supply chain is entering a significant upgrade cycle in 2025-2026, with attention on new model inventory, specification upgrades, and stock performance [1]. Group 1: New Model Inventory - The inventory for the iPhone 17 series in the second half of 2025 is slightly above 90 million units, remaining stable compared to last year's 90-95 million units [2]. - Market concerns about a year-on-year inventory decline of 5%-10% have eased due to reduced tariff pressures on Apple products [3]. - Key suppliers like Largan and Zhen Ding reported stable sales in July, confirming the trend of steady inventory [4]. Group 2: Specification Upgrades - The iPhone 17 series will introduce a "slim" version to replace the Plus model, featuring a titanium shell, a single rear camera, and increased use of flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) [10]. - The Pro series will see upgrades including a periscope lens and front camera enhancements to 48 million and 24 million pixels, respectively, along with a 50%+ increase in cover glass average selling price [10]. - Benefiting suppliers include Cowell (camera modules), Lens Tech (cover glass), Zhen Ding (PCB/FPC), Largan (lenses), and AAC (acoustics/thermal) [11]. Group 3: Stock Performance - Historically, supply chain stock prices tend to rise before new product launches and may retreat post-launch due to profit-taking; however, during upgrade cycles, stock prices recover more quickly [16]. - Since May, key suppliers' stock prices have averaged a 13% increase [16]. - The performance post-launch will be influenced by Apple's pricing strategy and consumer feedback, which will affect fourth-quarter demand and stock performance [17]. Group 4: Stock Recommendations - Lens Technology - H: Initiated coverage with a "Buy" rating and a target price of 26 HKD [19]. - Lens Technology - A: Initiated coverage with a "Buy" rating and a target price of 29 CNY [19]. - AAC Technologies: Upgraded to "Buy" with a target price of 57 HKD [19]. - BYD Electronics: Downgraded to "Neutral" with a target price of 42 HKD [19]. - Cowell: Rated "Buy" with a target price of 35 HKD [19]. - Zhen Ding Technology: Rated "Buy" with a target price of 185 TWD [19].

Core Viewpoint - Gold prices are experiencing upward momentum due to rising market risk aversion, expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut, and a weakening dollar, particularly in the context of declining tech stock prices in the U.S. market [1][2][5]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - Gold futures and spot prices have rebounded as U.S. tech giants face stock price declines, with spot gold prices nearing $3,350 [1]. - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices have shown weakness, with significant declines in major tech stocks, including Nvidia, which has seen a nearly 4% drop over two days [1]. - Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citigroup view market fear and risk aversion as key catalysts for short-term gold price increases [1]. Group 2: Federal Reserve Insights - President Trump is advocating for a rate cut from the Federal Reserve, calling for the resignation of Fed Governor Lisa Cook, which could allow him to influence future monetary policy [2][4]. - The latest FOMC meeting minutes indicate a hawkish stance, with most policymakers believing that a rate cut is premature despite growing concerns about inflation and labor market weakness [2][4]. - Market participants are eagerly awaiting Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech for hints regarding potential rate cuts in September [2]. Group 3: Price Predictions and Trends - Goldman Sachs maintains a bullish outlook for gold, predicting prices could reach $4,000 per ounce by mid-2026, driven by strong global central bank demand and ETF inflows [5]. - Citigroup has revised its three-month gold price forecast from $3,300 to $3,500 per ounce, citing deteriorating economic growth and inflation outlooks [7]. - JPMorgan forecasts that deteriorating non-farm employment data could catalyze gold prices to reach $3,675 per ounce by year-end, with a potential rise to $4,000 per ounce early next year [8].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights the positive performance of various companies in the Hong Kong stock market, with significant profit growth and strategic initiatives such as share buybacks and financing rounds [1][2][3][4]. Group 2 - 万国数据-SW (09698) reported a profit of 690 million RMB for the first half of the year, marking a turnaround from losses, and is currently pursuing a Series C financing round to support future projects [1]. - BOSS直聘-W (02076) saw a 85% increase in net profit year-on-year, with a nearly 20% rise in average monthly active users, and announced a share buyback plan of up to 250 million USD [1]. - 长城汽车 (02333) experienced a nearly 6% increase in stock price, with over 20,000 orders for the Haval Menglong 2026 model within 24 hours, indicating strong demand and potential for profit growth [1]. - 周生生 (00116) anticipates a mid-term profit increase to over 900 million RMB, driven by rising gold prices and effective cost control measures [1]. - 中国中车 (01766) saw a stock price increase of over 5% due to the successful bidding for 210 sets of trains, with expectations of sustained high railway investment [2]. - 中广核矿业 (01164) issued a profit warning, expecting a mid-term loss of up to 90 million HKD due to significant price fluctuations in uranium trading [2]. - 特步国际 (01368) reported better-than-expected performance, with a 12% higher net profit than Goldman Sachs' forecast, attributed to increased other income and revenue [2]. - 中国联通 (00762) experienced a stock price increase of over 4%, with expectations of stable dividend growth despite mid-term performance pressures [2]. - 玖龙纸业 (02689) anticipates a maximum annual profit growth of 190%, driven by declining costs [2]. - 海丰国际 (01308) reported a nearly 80% increase in net profit for the first half of the year, attributed to a 7.3% increase in container volume and a 22.8% rise in average freight rates [3].

Core Viewpoint - The stablecoin market is entering a new expansion cycle, with potential scale reaching trillions of dollars, driven primarily by the payments sector [1][3]. Market Size and Growth Potential - The global stablecoin market currently stands at $271 billion, with Circle's USDC expected to benefit from legislative advancements and ecosystem expansion [1]. - By the end of 2027, USDC's market size is projected to grow by $77 billion, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40% [1]. Payment Sector Insights - The global payments market is approximately $240 trillion annually, with consumer payments accounting for $40 trillion and B2B payments around $600 billion [3]. - The penetration of stablecoins in payment scenarios is seen as a core growth driver, despite current applications being dominated by cryptocurrency trading and offshore dollar demand [3]. Regulatory Environment and Market Dynamics - The issuance of stablecoins requires a 1:1 reserve of dollars or government bonds, which could structurally impact the bond market, particularly short-term low-interest government bonds [4]. - The recent passage of the GENIUS Act by the U.S. White House provides crucial institutional support for the stablecoin market [4]. - Tether's USDT remains the leading stablecoin, but regulatory limitations prevent it from directly serving U.S. users, while Circle aims to leverage new legislative benefits to expand USDC's adoption [4]. Competitive Landscape - Traditional financial institutions, such as U.S. banks, are planning to issue their own dollar-backed stablecoins, which may intensify competition for USDC's growth [4]. - Tether's CEO has indicated plans to strategize entry into the U.S. market, aiming to overcome current regulatory barriers [4]. Market Outlook and Diverging Opinions - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Basset expresses optimism about the stablecoin market, suggesting a $2 trillion market size is a "very reasonable target," potentially exceeding this figure [5]. - However, some analysts, including those from UBS, caution that stablecoins may represent a conversion of funds rather than net demand growth, highlighting a divergence in market perspectives on the actual impact of stablecoins [5].

Core Viewpoint - Meta is restructuring its newly formed AI team into four independent groups to better utilize top talent acquired at a high cost, aiming to accelerate its pursuit of "superintelligence" technology [1][2]. Group 1: New AI Team Structure - The new AI team, named "Meta Superintelligence Lab" (MSL), consists of four parts: 1. TBD Lab, led by Alexandr Wang, will oversee Meta's large language models, including the Llama tools that support its AI assistant [1]. 2. FAIR, an internal AI research lab that has existed for over a decade, focuses on foundational AI research and long-term projects [2]. 3. A product and application research team led by former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman will apply these models and research to consumer products [2]. 4. MSL Infra will focus on the expensive infrastructure needed to support Meta's AI goals [2]. Group 2: Strategic Goals and Investments - Meta aims to achieve superintelligent technology that surpasses human capabilities, with plans to invest hundreds of billions in talent and infrastructure [2]. - The AI leadership at Meta has experienced multiple upheavals in recent years, with several adjustments made this year to keep pace with competitors like OpenAI and Google [2][3]. Group 3: Leadership Changes and Team Dynamics - The AGI foundational team has been disbanded, with its former leaders now focusing on MSL strategic projects [2]. - Aparna Ramani will lead the MSL infrastructure team, while Robert Fergus continues to lead the FAIR research lab [3]. - Loredana Crisan, previously leading the Messenger application, has left the company to join Figma Inc. [3].

Group 1: Hong Kong Stocks - Chow Sang Sang (00116) surged over 18%, expecting a mid-term profit attributable to shareholders of approximately HKD 900 million to 920 million [1] - XPeng Motors (09868) rose over 4%, reporting a 125.3% year-on-year revenue growth in Q2, achieving a historical high for a single quarter [1] - Sunny Optical Technology (02382) increased over 6%, with a 52.56% year-on-year rise in mid-term profit attributable to shareholders for the six months ending June 30, 2025 [1] - China Gold International (02099) gained over 3%, reporting a turnaround to profitability in the first half of 2025, supported by a rich resource reserve and stable production [1] - Hansoh Pharmaceutical (03692) fell over 8%, announcing a 6.5% discount on a placement to raise nearly HKD 3.9 billion for innovative drug development [1] - Pop Mart (09992) rose over 6%, with adjusted net profit in the first half of 2025 increasing 3.6 times year-on-year [1] - Kunlun Energy (00135) dropped over 3%, reporting a 4.36% year-on-year decrease in mid-term profit attributable to shareholders for the first half of 2025 [1] Group 2: Other Stocks - Gilead Sciences (01672) fell over 8%, announcing a placement to raise a net amount of HKD 468 million, while its controlling shareholder cashed out nearly HKD 390 million [2] - Yixin Group (02858) rose over 1%, reporting a 28% year-on-year increase in adjusted net profit for the first half of 2025, with financial technology revenue soaring 124% [2] - Lithium stocks declined, with Ganfeng Lithium (01772) and Tianqi Lithium (09696) both dropping nearly 6%, amid inventory pressure in the lithium carbonate spot market [2] Group 3: US Stocks - Palo Alto Networks (PANW.US) rose 3.06%, exceeding expectations in Q4 earnings and providing optimistic guidance for future earnings [3] - BHP Group (BHP.US) increased 0.51%, reporting dividends exceeding expectations despite weak iron ore and coal prices [3] - NIO (NIO.US) rose 4.11%, with its L90 model delivering 6,400 units in 20 days since launch, with the factory operating at full capacity [3] - New Oriental (EDU.US) fell 2.79%, influenced by a drop in Oriental Selection's stock, while denying regulatory investigation rumors [3] - Viking Therapeutics (VKTX.US) plummeted 42.12% after reporting adverse side effects in its experimental obesity drug trials [4] - Arm (ARM.US) dropped 5.00%, as it hired Amazon's AI chip director to advance its chip development plans [4] - Home Depot (HD.US) rose 3.17%, reaching a new high since January, with Q2 net sales meeting market expectations [4] - Best Buy (BBY.US) increased 3.20%, launching a third-party online shopping platform to expand product variety [4] - Nexstar Media Group (NXST.US) rose 0.65%, announcing a $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna [4] - Aurora Innovation (AUR.US) fell over 8%, closing down 7.14% after a short-seller report questioned its profit potential [5] - Boeing (BA.US) dropped 3.19%, with Airbus A320 deliveries expected to surpass Boeing's soon [5]

Core Viewpoint - The healthcare sector is showing initial signs of recovery after reaching a 30-year high in valuation discount relative to the S&P 500 index [1][2] Group 1: Market Performance - Since reaching a historical high on September 3, 2024, healthcare stocks have been in a "persistent downtrend," underperforming both in absolute terms and relative to the S&P 500 [1] - August is identified as a turning point for the sector, with healthcare stocks beginning to reverse their previous weak performance [1] Group 2: Economic Environment - The recovery is driven by a historically significant valuation gap and an economic backdrop characterized by GDP growth slowing to 1.5% or lower while inflation remains at 3% or higher, which historically favors the healthcare sector [1] - The dual effect of valuation discount and improved sentiment provides strong justification for including healthcare stocks in investment portfolios under the current economic conditions [2] Group 3: Investment Recommendations - Evercore ISI highlights several healthcare stocks with attractive valuations and sentiment, including Cencora (COR.US), BioMarin Pharmaceutical (BMRN.US), Cigna (CI.US), Cardinal Health (CAH.US), Humana (HUM.US), Incyte (INCY.US), LabCorp (LH.US), Pfizer (PFE.US), Quest Diagnostics (DGX.US), Teleflex (TFX.US), Tenet Healthcare (THC.US), Universal Health Services (UHS.US), and Viatris (VTRS.US) [2]

Group 1 - Midea Real Estate (03990) expects a profit increase to 350 million yuan for the first half of the year, driven by new business segments from asset distribution and development services [1] - Tongcheng Travel (00780) reported a 6.3% rise post-earnings, with adjusted net profit of 770 million yuan, exceeding expectations by 33% [1] - Country Garden (02007) shares rose over 4% following strong support for its offshore debt restructuring, with the coordination committee holding 49% of the total loan principal [1] - Kelun-Botai Biopharmaceutical (06990) saw a 4% increase in shares after reporting mid-year revenue of 950 million yuan, with efficient cash collection from receivables [1] Group 2 - Dongfang Zhenxuan (01797) shares surged nearly 12%, with a 300% increase since early July, despite a 30% year-on-year revenue decline in Q4 FY25 [2] - Zhihu-W (02390) shares rose over 16% ahead of its earnings announcement, with long-term funds increasing their holdings [2] - Jinyang New Energy (01121) shares increased nearly 1% as profitability for BC products is expected to improve with the ongoing recovery in the photovoltaic industry [2] - China Rare Earth Holdings (03788) shares jumped over 11% after announcing plans to spin off its gold business for a Hong Kong listing [2] Group 3 - Weimob Group (02013) shares rose over 7.5% ahead of its mid-term earnings report, with expectations of business recovery by 2025 due to improved consumer sentiment [3] Group 4 - iQIYI (IQ.US) shares surged 17.09% following the release of a new drama series, achieving significant viewership [4] - NIO (NIO.US) shares increased by 1.25% ahead of the launch of the new ES8 model and expansion into new markets [5] - Weibo (WB.US) shares rose 3.3% after exceeding earnings expectations, with revenue growth of 1.6% year-on-year [5] - Kingsoft Cloud (KC.US) shares increased by 5.38% as it prepares to release its earnings report, with expectations of revenue growth [5]