Group 1 - The core issue in the industry is the ongoing rumors of mergers, particularly involving Hai Futong and Hua An Fund, which are facing significant challenges such as frequent fund liquidations and poor performance [2][15] - Hai Futong has seen a wave of fund liquidations, with seven funds being liquidated in 2025 alone, and 19 funds currently below the 50 million threshold for liquidation [5][9] - The product structure of Hai Futong is heavily skewed towards bond and money market funds, which account for 84% of its total fund size, while equity funds only total 7.891 billion [11][12] Group 2 - Hua An Fund is also struggling, with 5 funds liquidated this year and 17% of its funds below the 50 million threshold, indicating a similar trend to Hai Futong [19][16] - The performance of equity products at Hua An Fund is weak, with many fund managers reporting negative returns, raising concerns about the overall management and strategy [20][22] - The management turmoil at Hai Futong, including the recent appointment of a new chairman without prior fund industry experience, complicates the resolution of its performance issues [14][30] Group 3 - The merger rumors between Hai Futong and Hua An Fund are driven by regulatory compliance issues following the merger of their parent companies, which necessitates the integration of their fund management operations [15][19] - Both companies have similar product structures, with a significant portion of their assets in bond and money market funds, limiting their growth potential in equity markets [16][18] - The historical performance of both funds has been marred by scandals, including a recent case of insider trading involving a former Hua An Fund manager, which has further damaged investor trust [24][34]