Market Overview - The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.43% to 49,454.63, while the Nasdaq Index decreased by 0.17% to 23,215.58, and the S&P 500 rose slightly by 0.07% to 6,922.99 [1] - The Nasdaq 100 saw a decline of 0.40% to 25,238.22 [1] Major Technology Stocks - AMD experienced a significant drop of 11.00% [2] - SanDisk fell by 6.89% [2] - Oracle decreased by 3.72% [2] - Facebook (Meta Platforms) declined by 1.46% [2] - Broadcom saw a decrease of 1.16% [2] - NVIDIA and Amazon also experienced minor declines of 0.67% and 0.33% respectively [2] Chinese Concept Stocks - Major Chinese concept stocks collectively declined, with Kingsoft Cloud dropping over 5% [3] - Ctrip Group, NetEase, and Bilibili each fell by over 4% [3] - Baidu Group and Futu Holdings decreased by over 3% [3] Detailed Performance of Chinese Stocks - Kingsoft Cloud fell by 5.45% to 12.414 [4] - Ctrip Group decreased by 4.84% to 57.550 [4] - NetEase dropped by 4.20% to 122.970 [4] - Baidu Group declined by 3.60% to 139.640 [4] - Futu Holdings decreased by 3.52% to 154.155 [4] - Other notable declines include XPeng Motors (-2.10%), Tencent Music (-1.98%), and JD Group (-1.41%) [4]

February 1, 2026 10:00 PM GMT China – Online Entertainment, Data Centers, and Software | Asia Pacific Catalyst Preview: What's Ahead? Where relevant and meaningful, we have identified and previewed catalysts for China's online entertainment, software, and data center stocks that could affect share prices in the near future. | M February 1, 2026 10:00 PM GMT Morgan Stanley Asia Limited+ China – Online Entertainment, Data Centers, and Yang Liu Software Asia Pacific Equity Analyst Yang.Liu@morganstanley.com Ly ...

Group 1 - JYP Entertainment's subsidiary JYP China will establish a joint venture named "ONECEAD" with CJ ENM and Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) [1] - The core focus of ONECEAD will be artist management, with plans to develop a business portfolio that includes music production, concerts, and merchandise [1] - The joint venture aims to gradually expand its music business footprint [1]

Market Overview - The Federal Reserve maintained the federal funds rate target range at 3.5%-3.75%, aligning with market expectations[9] - The Hang Seng Index closed at 27,827, down 2.58% for the day but up 8.57% year-to-date[3] - The S&P 500 index closed at 6,978, with a slight decrease of 0.01% for the day and a year-to-date increase of 1.94%[3] Stock Performance - Gold prices surged, with spot gold exceeding $5,280 per ounce, marking a monthly increase of over 22%[9] - Semiconductor stocks saw significant gains, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising by 2.34%[9] - Major tech stocks showed mixed results, with Intel up 11.04% and Microsoft down 6% post-earnings report[9] Sector Highlights - Oil stocks continued to rise, with Shanghai Petrochemical gaining over 5% due to geopolitical tensions driving oil prices up by 3%[9] - New consumer concept stocks performed well, with a snack retail chain soaring 69% on its debut[9] - Airline stocks faced pressure, with China Southern Airlines down 6.83% due to rising operational costs[9] Economic Indicators - The U.S. dollar index fell to 95.51, the lowest since February 2022, contributing to the rise in gold prices[9] - The Japanese yen strengthened, impacting export-related stocks negatively, with Toyota down 3.24%[13] - The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to 0.75%, the highest in 30 years, indicating a cautious approach to future rate hikes[13]

Market Performance - On January 27, the US stock indices closed mixed, with strong performance in technology stocks driving the Nasdaq and S&P 500 up. The Dow Jones fell by 0.83% to 49,003.41 points, while the S&P 500 rose by 0.41% to 6,978.6 points, and the Nasdaq increased by 0.91% to 23,817.1 points [1][2]. Technology Sector - Six out of the seven major US technology companies saw stock price increases, with Nvidia and Apple rising over 1%, and Microsoft and Amazon increasing by more than 2%. However, Tesla's stock fell by 0.99%. Tesla's market share in the EU, UK, and EFTA dropped to 3% in December, while BYD's market share was 2.4%. Tesla's pure electric vehicle market share stands at 11.4% [2][3]. Semiconductor Stocks - Most semiconductor stocks experienced gains, with Intel rising by 3.39%, ASML by 2.92%, Broadcom by 2.43%, TSMC by 1.67%, and AMD by 0.26%. ARM saw a slight increase of 0.18%, while Qualcomm's stock fell by 0.96% [3]. Chinese Stocks - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index rose by 0.48%, with many popular Chinese stocks performing well. Notable increases included Huya up nearly 20%, Kingsoft Cloud up 8.77%, Bilibili up 3.43%, Baidu up 1%, Alibaba up 0.79%, NIO up 0.65%, New Oriental up 0.56%, Tencent Music up 0.18%, and Pinduoduo up 0.05% [3]. Commodity Market - International oil prices surged, with US oil closing nearly 3% higher on January 27 and continuing to rise slightly on January 28. Brent crude oil also saw an increase of over 3% on January 27 [3]. Precious Metals - On January 28, spot gold prices slightly declined, while silver experienced a significant drop of 1%. In less than a month, both London spot silver and COMEX silver futures have seen year-to-date increases exceeding 50%. According to Guoyuan Futures, industrial demand for silver is expected to stabilize and decline by 2026, but physical investment demand is anticipated to expand, suggesting that precious metal prices may continue to strengthen [4]. Cryptocurrency Market - Cryptocurrencies saw a broad increase, with Bitcoin rising above $89,000, marking a 1.26% increase. Ethereum also rose by 3.18% to $3,018. Other cryptocurrencies like Solana, XRP, and Dogecoin experienced gains as well [5]. Geopolitical Developments - Reports indicate that the CIA is secretly pushing for a "long-term presence" in Venezuela, with plans to influence the country's future under the Trump administration. This may involve creating conditions for US diplomatic actions [6]. Additionally, the US has communicated to Israel its military preparedness regarding Iran, with potential actions expected in the coming months [7]. Consumer Confidence - A preliminary survey by the World Large Enterprises Research Association indicated that the US consumer confidence index dropped significantly from a revised 94.2 in December to 84.5 in January, marking the lowest level since May 2014 [7].

Core Insights - The Chinese internet advertising industry has transitioned from a phase of "incremental traffic acquisition" to a focus on "efficiency extraction from existing resources" [1][2] - The new rule emerging from this differentiation is that technology determines efficiency, efficiency drives revenue, and ecosystem shapes the landscape [2] Group 1: Advertising Revenue Performance - Alibaba's advertising revenue for Q3 2025 reached 789.27 billion yuan, a 10% year-on-year increase and a slight 2.1% quarter-on-quarter growth, maintaining its leading position in the industry [5] - Pinduoduo's online marketing service revenue was 533.48 billion yuan, an 8% year-on-year increase but a 1.2% quarter-on-quarter decline, indicating a strategic focus on long-term ecosystem development [6][7] - Tencent's marketing service revenue grew by 21% to 362 billion yuan, showcasing the effectiveness of its technology-driven approach [7][8] - JD.com's market and marketing revenue increased by 23.7% to 256.88 billion yuan, driven by the growth of its food delivery business and AI-enabled advertising solutions [10] - Bilibili's advertising revenue reached 25.7 billion yuan, with a 23% year-on-year growth, attributed to the maturation of its user base [11] Group 2: Challenges Faced by Mid-Tier Platforms - Baidu's online marketing revenue fell by 18.6% to 153 billion yuan, primarily due to budget cuts from advertisers and the restructuring of search scenarios by AI [12][14] - Zhihu's advertising revenue declined by 26.19%, reflecting a mismatch between its high-knowledge user base and consumer conversion needs [15] - Automotive media service revenue for Che168 dropped by 8.59%, as traditional advertising models struggle against the evolving strategies of new energy vehicle companies [16] Group 3: Industry Trends and Future Outlook - The differentiation in advertising revenue among internet companies in Q3 2025 signifies a reconstruction of internet marketing value logic, focusing on traffic depth, transaction closure, and technology adaptation [16] - Platforms achieving growth typically exhibit a combination of extensive traffic, ecosystem closure, and deep integration of AI technology, while declining platforms often lack these comprehensive advantages [16] - The future of internet marketing will prioritize platforms that can achieve ecosystem synergy, embedded technology, and full-link value delivery, moving away from traditional single-channel models [16]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that ByteDance's entertainment app is driving significant growth in the domestic entertainment market, with a focus on the integration effects of other major companies' platforms [1][2] - The fastest growth areas are video (short dramas), reading (AI audiobooks), and music, driven by AIGC and AI algorithms, with ByteDance enhancing its market share through the integration of AI and copyright capabilities [2] - The gaming sector is expected to see a substantial supply of new products by 2026, with a competitive landscape similar to that of 2024, while older games with high DAU remain stable [3] Group 2 - Short dramas and comic dramas are anticipated to benefit significantly from AI advancements, with full-stack production tools shifting the production focus from technical personnel to content creators by 2026 [4] - Companies with upstream novel IP reserves and accumulated traffic are likely to achieve excess returns in the long term [4] - Investment recommendations include focusing on platform-type companies in the entertainment sector that will gain excess benefits from AI-enhanced production capabilities [5]

Market Performance - The three major U.S. stock indices closed higher on Monday, with the Dow Jones up 0.64% at 49,412.4 points, the S&P 500 up 0.5% at 6,950.23 points, and the Nasdaq up 0.43% at 23,601.36 points [1][2]. Company Updates - Major tech stocks mostly rose, with Apple increasing nearly 3% as it plans to announce a new version of Siri in late February, following a partnership with Google due to internal AI model challenges [2]. - Facebook rose over 2%, Google increased over 1%, while Tesla fell over 3% and Nvidia dropped 0.64% [2]. Earnings Season Insights - Over 90 companies in the S&P 500 are set to report quarterly earnings this week, including major players like Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Apple. So far, 76% of the companies that have reported exceeded earnings expectations [3]. - Investors are particularly interested in details regarding AI plans, investment speeds, and expected profits to assess the sustainability of the current bull market [3]. Semiconductor Sector - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell by 0.39%, with Intel dropping over 5.7% after a significant decline of 17.03% the previous week. Intel's projected revenue for Q1 is between $11.7 billion and $12.7 billion, below analyst expectations [3]. Chinese Stocks - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index decreased by 0.63%, with many popular Chinese stocks declining. Notable drops include Hesai down 10.06% and XPeng down 2.39%, while Li Auto rose 1.38% [3]. Commodity Market - Spot gold prices briefly surpassed $5,000 per ounce and then $5,100 per ounce. Long-term forecasts suggest that gold may continue to perform strongly, indicating a need for portfolio diversification [5]. - The cryptocurrency market saw a collective rise, with Bitcoin surpassing $88,000, while Ethereum increased by 4.14% [6]. Federal Reserve Outlook - The Federal Reserve is expected to announce its first policy decision of the year, with a 97.2% probability of maintaining the current overnight rate. Market speculation includes potential rate cuts later in the year [9].

Group 1 - The Hang Seng Index opened up by 0.35% and the Hang Seng Tech Index increased by 0.05% [1] - Pop Mart surged over 4%, while Zijin Mining rose nearly 3% [1] - Tencent Music and JD Health also showed significant gains [1] Group 2 - Baidu Group, Xpeng Motors, and NIO experienced notable declines [1]

Core Insights - The core value of GenAI in the music industry is the significant enhancement of creative efficiency, applicable in lyric writing, composition, and singing, with the potential to create new music forms and genres through a "production-consumption-feedback" loop [7][11] - The phenomenon of "super individuals" in the music field is becoming more pronounced, empowering independent musicians and ordinary users to take control of the entire creative process, shifting from consumers to creators [7][12] - GenAI presents both opportunities and challenges, enhancing productivity while complicating content management and copyright protection, necessitating a collective effort to establish clear rules [7][16][18] Group 1: GenAI's Impact on Music Creation - GenAI has drastically improved production efficiency, with independent musicians increasing content supply by 2 to 3 times, while established labels also see significant efficiency gains [10] - AI's role in music creation includes lyric writing, composition, and vocal adaptation, with the potential for AI to innovate beyond mere imitation if a feedback loop is established [10][11] - The current quality of AI-generated music is still developing, with strict management standards in place to protect original content [10] Group 2: The Rise of Super Individuals - The emergence of "super individuals" allows independent musicians to manage the entire creative process, while ordinary users can now create and publish music without professional training [12][13] - Key competencies for these super individuals include advanced aesthetic judgment, effective communication with AI models, and emotional expression in their work [13] Group 3: Structural Changes in the Music Industry - The music industry is likely evolving into an "olive-shaped" structure, where top creators remain irreplaceable, but the middle tier of creators is expanding due to AI's influence [15] - The ability to operate and promote oneself is becoming increasingly important, as the core barrier to success shifts from creation to distribution and audience engagement [15] Group 4: Challenges in Content Management and Copyright - The influx of AI-generated music increases pressure on platforms for effective content management and compliance with regulatory standards [16] - The complexity of AI's involvement in music creation complicates copyright management, necessitating new models for licensing and revenue sharing [17][18] Group 5: The Future of AI in Music - AI-generated music is expected to evolve, with the potential for creating unique styles and enhancing user experiences through personalized and real-time generated music [21][23] - The success of AI singers will depend on the human teams behind them, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and emotional connection in building virtual idols [20]