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 | From the US to Hong Kong, there’s no excuse for insider trading The mighty Zambezi River has its source in northern Zambia, and flows north, west, south, then east, tracing borders for several countries including Zimbabwe. As the river enters Zimbabwe, the water molecules begin to flow faster, unknowingly energised – developing first into a rush, then eventually a torrent as they plunge down the Victoria Falls. This is an excellent analogy of the extremes of stock market price movements. In a stock market crash, prices move slowly, then very fast. My... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Tai Po blaze hearing: property firm failed to identify, follow up on fire hazards An employee of the property management firm at Hong Kong’s inferno-ravaged Wang Fuk Court housing estate has admitted the company failed in its contractual obligations to identify and follow up on fire hazards, while none of its top management testified at an evidential hearing into the disaster. The eighth day of the hearing by the independent committee investigating the November 26 blaze that claimed 168 lives centred on Cheng Tsz-ying, a property officer at ISS EastPoint, the property... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong authorities seek forfeiture order for properties tied to Jimmy Lai’s crimes The government has filed an application to confiscate properties linked to crimes committed by former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in accordance with Hong Kong’s national security laws. A government spokesman on Thursday also said the application filed with the Court of First Instance aimed to achieve the “important objectives of preventing and suppressing acts and activities endangering national security”. Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid-style newspaper was sentenced... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Looking for Easter holiday inspiration? Here’s what’s happening in Hong Kong Hong Kong begins a five-day long weekend break for the Easter and Ching Ming Festival holidays on Friday, with authorities expecting busy inbound and outbound travel during the period. Mainland China marks the festival, also known as tomb-sweeping day, between Friday and Sunday. For Hongkongers remaining in the city and visitors from the mainland and elsewhere, the South China Morning Post lists key activities open to the public. Coffee festival The popular coffee festival returns to the West... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Call to close loopholes in Hong Kong’s child sexual offence bill More than 30 groups and individuals have collectively called on the government to close loopholes in Hong Kong’s child sexual offence bill and provide greater protection to survivors. In a paper released on Thursday, the non-profit organisations and professionals also urged the judiciary to review its practice directions to safeguard child abuse victims who often suffered from intense cross-examination in court, which could lead to secondary harm. They highlighted the urgent need to examine... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong can become global hub for autism support, Unesco official says Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to foster an inclusive society for people with autism, with a Unesco official saying the city has the potential to become a global hub for support services. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday highlighted the importance of a better understanding and acceptance of autistic people at an event marking the United Nations’ World Autism Awareness Day. “Awareness is our starting point. Inclusion is our destination. Action is the bridge that joins them,” he... Source: © SCMP News |
 | New World pulls back on Causeway Bay acquisition amid uneven recovery Hong Kong’s New World Development (NWD) has shelved plans to acquire the remaining stakes in three commercial sites in Causeway Bay, signalling continued caution among developers despite signs of improving demand in the core office market. The company, which has been selling assets to reduce debt, said it would “exercise prudence as appropriate, having regard to cost and efficiency, as well as overall market supply and demand, with a view to delivering reasonable returns”. NWD, which reported... Source: © SCMP News |
 | 40,000 taxi drivers sign up for e-payment systems as new rules come into force More than 40,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers have adopted major electronic payment platforms AlipayHK and WeChat Pay HK, easing a protracted pain point for mainland Chinese visitors who are expected to arrive in droves during the coming Ching Ming Festival break. AlipayHK, a subsidiary of Ant International, an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the South China Morning Post, said on Thursday that its e-payment system was available to 47,000 taxi drivers. WeChat Pay HK said more than 40,000... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong to impose 2‑tier penalty for carrying vapes in public from April 30 Anyone in Hong Kong found carrying more than five vape pods or 100 heat sticks in public will face a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and up to six months in jail from April 30, while those with smaller quantities will receive a fixed penalty of HK$3,000. The amended tobacco control law also provides for a future territory-wide ban on such products although no timeline has been set, the government said on Thursday. “The government decided to implement the ban in phases, starting with public places, due... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Discovery Bay resident files ombudsman complaint over plan for full taxi access A Discovery Bay resident has lodged a complaint with the city’s ombudsman over authorities’ handling of a proposal to allow unrestricted taxi access to the resort-style seaside community in Hong Kong. A petition bearing 1,700 signatures from concerned residents has also been submitted to the Transport Department calling for proper public consultation and wider communications on the measures. Taxis have had limited access to Discovery Bay since 2014, restricted to the north plaza of the sprawling... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Leader of Hong Kong’s Catholics calls for giving young offenders ‘second chance’ The head of Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese has urged the government to offer young offenders a “second chance to start anew” and to introduce legal provisions to help those with minor criminal records pursue their careers. In his Easter message on Thursday, Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan also encouraged authorities to reduce the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) so that educators could have more time and space to better support students, amid persistently high youth suicide rates. “I call on... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong’s CLP Power hands out HK$100 shopping coupons to 600,000 customers Hong Kong’s CLP Power is distributing HK$100 (US$13) consumption coupons to about 600,000 eligible customers, including elderly people receiving concessionary tariffs, using HK$60 million from the company’s Community Energy Saving Fund. The initiative follows the power company’s earlier announcement that it would raise its fuel cost adjustment (FCA) charge starting this month, citing a discrepancy between forecast and actual fuel prices amid the United States-Israel war against Iran, which has... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong man, 89, rescued after being found clinging to care home exterior wall An 89-year-old Hong Kong man has been rescued after he was discovered clinging to the exterior wall of a care home in To Kwa Wan following a fall from a second-floor window. Care home staff filed a report with police at around 8am on Thursday, stating the man was hanging off the building at the intersection of Lok Shan Road and Ma Tau Wai Road. The force said he fell from the window while trying to retrieve something and clung to a section of the wall near an air-conditioning unit. Firefighters... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong’s unified stock exchange opens for trading in 1986 – SCMP archive This article was first published on April 3, 1986. By Jerry Norton Debut-day is full of contradictions Considering the historic nature of yesterday’s share market trading, a strong rally might have seemed appropriate. Instead, the first session in the new unified stock exchange saw prices finish sharply down from Thursday’s close. But most brokers still described themselves as well satisfied with the performance, despite the Hang Seng index closing the morning-only trading session 22.67 points... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong’s property market resilient despite small setback last month, analysts say Hong Kong’s property transactions crossed 7,000 for the sixth consecutive month in March – the first time in four years that monthly volumes stayed above this level – despite a slight fall last month, according to official data. Residential transactions declined by about 5.3 per cent to 6,316 from a month earlier, while their month-on-month value decreased by 4.19 per cent to HK$55.18 billion (US$7.04 billion), according to data from the Land Registry on Thursday. New and lived-in home sales... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Committee concludes first phase of Tai Po fire hearing - as it happened This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. An independent committee investigating the cause of Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in decades wrapped up its first round of hearing sessions on Thursday, with the role of the property management firm at blaze-hit Wang Fuk Court under scrutiny. Lam Man-yan, technical officer with ISS EastPoint - the property manager of the Tai Po housing estate when the fire... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Will coming changes to HK$2 transport scheme hurt working elderly most? John Hau, a 66-year-old Hongkonger, was frustrated by the government’s decision to revamp the HK$2 (26 US cents) transport subsidy scheme. The discount allowed him to pay just HK$4 to make the round-trip rail commute from his home in Sham Shui Po in Kowloon to Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island, where he works as a security guard at a hotel. From Friday, he will need to pay an extra HK$1.20, an amount that does not bother him financially but emotionally. “The impact on my finances is not substantial,... Source: © SCMP News |
 | The ‘split’ legal profession in Hong Kong A major feature of Hong Kong’s legal profession is the division between barristers and solicitors. Barristers specialise in court work and legal advice relating to litigation, and can generally only be engaged through a solicitor. Solicitors provide a broader range of legal services, covering both contentious and non-contentious matters. Some solicitors also focus on courtroom advocacy and are accredited as solicitor-advocates. The “split” profession is not common to all legal systems. In fact,... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong’s next 5 years must take city from alignment to action Hong Kong is preparing its own medium-term development blueprint alongside China’s coming 15th five-year plan, which officials have described as a “golden strategic period” for the city. This is more than a procedural shift. For the first time, Hong Kong is attempting to align its policy cycle in advance with national planning priorities, yet alignment on its own is not a strategy. The more pressing question is whether the city can define a role that is distinct, necessary and difficult to... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war? Shortly before the evening rush hour recently, chaos erupted at Hong Kong’s Wu Kai Sha MTR station when a wild boar stormed through the concourse. The animal, about 1.2 metres long and weighing around 40kg, knocked down an elderly man. The charging boar left a trail of blood on the station floor, injuring three other residents in a frenzied dash towards a nearby bus terminus and housing estates. “I saw it rampaging at the bus terminus while residents followed, snapping photos,” a woman working... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong woman loses HK$2.5 million in online collagen drinks scam A housewife in Hong Kong has lost nearly HK$2.5 million (US$320,500) in an online shopping scam after she tried to buy collagen drinks for HK$530, according to police. The victim saw a Facebook post advertising collagen drinks and transferred HK$530 via Faster Payment System, police said on their CyberDefender Facebook page. The seller later claimed the item was out of stock and offered a refund, sending the woman a link to a fake Facebook page that asked for her online banking... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Tai Po probe: workers turned off fire safety system, disregarding regulations Staff at the property management company at Hong Kong’s inferno-ravaged Wang Fuk Court housing estate acted with disregard for legal requirements, taking such actions as deactivating the fire safety system despite knowing they needed a registered contractor to do so, an evidential hearing has been told. Victor Dawes, lead counsel for an independent committee investigating the November 26 blaze that claimed 168 lives, also pointed to the management company’s workflow as a contributing factor in... Source: © SCMP News |
 | 4 Hong Kong schools to close as 9 seek mergers over insufficient enrolment Four of 15 Hong Kong public primary schools at risk of closure due to insufficient enrolment plan to shut down, while nine are seeking to merge with other institutions, the Education Bureau has said. One intended to run Primary One classes privately from the coming school year, it said. The bureau said four schools would gradually wind down operations or at the latest end their services by the 2029-30 academic year, and nine had applied to merge with other institutions. But one of the... Source: © SCMP News |
 | US church launches search for new HKIS school head amid legal row with operator A US church that co-founded a prestigious Hong Kong international school has said it will take the lead in searching for a new head as the operator had failed to nominate candidates since 2022, accusing it of creating the “risk of leadership interruption” in the latest salvo in a war of words. The move by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) was revealed in a letter to parents on Sunday from Hong Kong International School (HKIS) management, which called the search part of church actions... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong investment chief joins global board in first for Chinese sovereign funds The head of Hong Kong’s government investment agency has been appointed as a director of a global organisation that brings together leading firms and investors, marking the first time a Chinese sovereign wealth fund has held a seat on the board. FCLTGlobal announced on Wednesday that Clara Chan Ka-chai, CEO of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), had become one of the 19 directors on its board. “Clara brings deep experience and thoughtful leadership that will strengthen our work to... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong weighs tougher enforcement against illegal fuel sales as prices soar Hong Kong’s security minister has revealed that authorities are reviewing fire safety laws to expand enforcement powers and toughen penalties as part of a broader crackdown on illegal fuel sales in the city amid surging global oil prices. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Wednesday the government’s review included possible penalty increases, expanding enforcement powers for the Fire Services Department to make arrests and seize vehicles, and an examination of the legal... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Shenzhen robot maker turns to Hong Kong for computing power and listing A Shenzhen-based tech firm taking part in Hong Kong trade fairs is leveraging the city as a springboard for global expansion, with plans to list locally this year while using its computing power to help enter the North American market. Robert Chan Kwok-cheung, global strategy officer at EngineAI, said on Wednesday the company’s presence in the city was a strategic move to bypass technical and geopolitical hurdles. EngineAI, which is one of Shenzhen’s “eight great guardians of embodied... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Revamped ‘Hong Kong Story’ exhibition spotlights city’s roots in Chinese culture A permanent exhibition showcasing Hong Kong’s history reopened on Wednesday after a major revamp that emphasised the city’s roots in Chinese culture, with visitors expressing mixed reactions to the changes. The “Hong Kong Story” exhibition – which opened in 2001 and closed for renovation in late 2020 – has been reduced from two storeys to a single floor, but expanded from eight to 10 galleries. The revamped exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui features more than 2,800... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong retail sales jump nearly 12% in first 2 months of year Hong Kong’s retail sales jumped by nearly 12 per cent in the first two months of 2026 against a year ago, with authorities pointing to growth in the local economy and a surge in tourists. Provisional figures released by the Census and Statistics Department on Wednesday showed retail sales reached HK$35 billion (US$4.47 billion) in February, driven by the Chinese New Year holiday and major events in the city. Sales were HK$37.3 billion in January. The department combined the retail sales figures... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Mainland China, Hong Kong premium office supply to peak as demand lags, Cushman says Prime office supply in mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong is estimated to peak this year, while demand remains hampered by an economic slowdown and global uncertainties, according to Cushman & Wakefield. At the end of 2025, premium office inventory in 21 major cities in Greater China – including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, as well as Taiwan – amounted to 99.2 million square metres (1.07 billion sq ft), up 4.6 million square metres or 8.4 per cent from a year earlier,... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong airport named world’s best at Global Travel Awards 2026 Hong Kong International Airport has been voted the world’s best airport, along with accolades recognising its security standards and facilities. An Airport Authority spokesman said on Wednesday that the city’s airport had been named “Best Airport in the World” at the Global Travel Awards this year. Organiser International Media & News Group, based in Britain, said the awards recognised the best hotels, airports, airlines and destinations based on votes cast by 2.5 million travellers from more... Source: © SCMP News |
 | HKTVmall parent firm under fire for testing how long animal heads can survive The parent company of Hong Kong online retailer HKTVmall has defended its life science project involving testing the viability of detached animal heads and limbs, responding to animal ethics concerns by saying no pets were experimented on. The Hong Kong Technology Venture Company, which revealed the project in its annual results on Monday, said it believed the research to be a world first that could be applied to organ transplants, potentially extending human lifespan. “The related experiments... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Some Hong Kong taxi drivers unprepared as new e-payments rule takes effect Some Hong Kong taxi drivers have yet to install e-payment options even after the city’s mandatory electronic payment choices for taxis came into effect, highlighting a digital divide challenge facing cabbies, the South China Morning Post has observed. Under the Transport Department rule that came into effect on Wednesday, all drivers must offer passengers at least a QR code option and an alternative e-payment method. The initiative aimed to elevate the quality of taxi services by leveraging... Source: © SCMP News |
 | World’s first Chinese-language TV station goes off-air in 2016 – SCMP archive This article was first published on April 2, 2016. by Eddie Lee Staff, fans bid farewell to broadcaster It was finally curtains for Asia Television last night (April 1, 2016) after a couple of near-shutdowns last month and one dramatic twist after another to the embattled station’s chequered final episode. Just before the stroke of midnight, the cash-strapped broadcaster pulled the plug after airing a re-run of one of its trademark Miss Asia beauty pageants. The only fresh programmes on air... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Tai Po fire hearing: estate manager questioned over fire alarm shutdown – as it happened The seventh session of the independent inquiry into Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades focused on ISS EastPoint, the property management firm for Wang Fuk Court. The blaze, which started on November 26 last year and raged through seven of Wang Fuk Court’s eight towers for about 43 hours, killed 168 people and displaced nearly 5,000 residents. ISS clerk Lok Sin-ying, who was stationed at the estate, resumed her testimony on Wednesday morning before the judge-led committee. On Tuesday, Lok told... Source: © SCMP News |
 | ‘I’m not dumb’: Hong Kong’s London trade office manager denies running spy network A national security trial in Britain that thrust the role of Hong Kong’s overseas trade promotion offices into the global spotlight has heard the defendant deny he was spying on prominent activists from the city and UK politicians on behalf of China. Two years after his arrest, Bill Yuen Chung-biu took to the witness box last week and challenged the prosecution’s claim that he ran a “shadow” policing operation in the country, serving as a conduit for information about the activists while working... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Tai Po blaze hearing: property management worker unaware fire alarms deactivated A property management worker at the housing estate ravaged by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades was unaware that fire alarms had been deactivated after the hose reel system was shut down for water tank repairs, an evidentiary hearing has been told. On the sixth day of hearings by an independent committee investigating the November 26 blaze in Tai Po that claimed 168 lives, questions also arose about why fire services water tanks on building roofs were being repaired – a move that prompted... Source: © SCMP News |
 | 6.5 million people to pass through Hong Kong borders during coming holiday Nearly 6.5 million people are expected to pass through Hong Kong’s border control points during the coming Easter and Ching Ming Festival holiday, the Immigration Department has said. The department estimated that 6.44 million Hong Kong residents and visitors would pass through air, land and sea control points between Friday and Tuesday. About 5.43 million trips were expected to be made via land boundary control points linking Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The number of outbound and inbound trips... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Beijing’s top official on women’s affairs lays out 3 goals for Hong Kong Hong Kong should adopt measures that better meet the needs of women and family development in its first five-year plan and take pragmatic steps to create a fair and inclusive society, the country’s top official on women’s affairs has said. State Councillor Shen Yiqin made the remarks at the Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit on Tuesday. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also met her and pledged to advance work on family and women’s affairs and contribute more to national... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong exporter confidence records steepest drop in 2 years Confidence among Hong Kong’s exporters fell at its steepest rate in two years amid global trade turbulence even as demand was expected to remain stable over the long term. The Trade Development Council (TDC) on Tuesday said its Exporters Confidence Index for the first quarter of 2026 showed that traders remained “cautious”, though trade diversification strategies have them “well prepared” for any further market disruptions. The index surveys over 500 traders from six major industries on a... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong homebuyers pile into new launches despite rate jitters and Middle East tensions Hong Kong homebuyers snapped up new launches on Tuesday as developers accelerated sales amid concerns over slower rate cuts and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. By about 3.50pm, all 254 flats released at the La Mirabelle project in Tseung Kwan O had been sold, according to market agents. “Today’s positive sales results at La Mirabelle is a vote of confidence for the Hong Kong residential market,” said Daryl Ng, chairman of Sino Group. “The Hong Kong residential market fundamentals are... Source: © SCMP News |
 | 13 parents, middleman get up to 14 months in jail for bribing ESF employee A Hong Kong court has sentenced 13 parents and a middleman to up to 14 months in jail for offering bribes ranging from HK$20,000 to HK$200,000 (US$2,600 to US$25,600) to a kindergarten administrator at the city’s biggest international school group in exchange for enrolments. In earlier mitigation, some of the defendants pinned the blame on Fatima Rumjahn, accusing the former English Schools Foundation (ESF) employee of “taking advantage of the parents’ eagerness to get their children into... Source: © SCMP News |
 | EnerVenue plugs into US$300 million to scale next-gen batteries as it eyes Hong Kong hub EnerVenue – a rechargeable battery start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit – has raised US$300 million in its latest round of financing and appointed a new CEO to accelerate the large-scale industrial deployment of its cutting-edge energy storage technology. The California-based company – which also counts government-backed Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) as an investor – said it would set up a regional headquarters in the city... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong’s Exco gives green light to plans for Kai Tak monorail Hong Kong’s key decision-making body has approved plans for an elevated smart mass transit railway system in Kai Tak that will connect the cruise terminal and other major facilities in the area to the local MTR station. The Executive Council’s endorsement followed meetings between authorities and project critics and consultations with the public and the Legislative Council to address their concerns. The proposal was gazetted in July last year. “The public is generally supportive of the Smart and... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong man gets 22 months in jail for pregnant woman’s death in truck accident A former Hong Kong truck driver who caused the death of a pregnant woman was sentenced to 22 months in prison on Tuesday, with the judge saying the man had made “continuous” wrong decisions in his driving. District Judge Josiah Lam Wai-kuen also pushed back on the defence’s mitigation argument that the accident had occurred because of a momentary lapse of judgment. “He had acted out of convenience for himself. This is not a lapse in judgment, but driving with bad judgment,” he said in the... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Over 47,000 cabbies adopt Octopus, card readers ahead of e-payment deadline More than 47,000 taxi drivers have adopted the commercial version of the Octopus app or equipped their cabs with mobile card readers ahead of new electronic payment regulations taking effect in Hong Kong on Wednesday, transport authorities have said. The new measures require cab drivers to provide at least two e-payment options, as part of a broader government push to modernise the industry’s image and service quality. The Transport Department on Tuesday said three dedicated service stations at... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Tai Po hearing: firm did not inspect fire systems since March 2025 – as it happened This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Public hearings by a judge-led independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades entered their sixth day and focused on the deactivation of the fire alarm systems at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate. Chung Kit-man, director and engineer of Victory Fire Engineering, the contractor responsible for the estate’s fire services equipment,... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Hong Kong bus driver arrested after vehicle crashes into taxi, killing 2 Hong Kong police have arrested a 49-year-old bus driver on suspicion of dangerous driving causing death after a collision that killed two people on the Lantau Link highway. The double-decker operated by Long Win Bus was travelling on the Tsing Yi section of the highway headed towards Tung Chung on route E32A when it rammed into a stationary taxi at 11.16pm on Monday, the force said. Firefighters were called to the scene to rescue the 66-year-old taxi driver and his 37-year-old male passenger,... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Dubai’s loss could be Hong Kong’s gain, but only if city is ready When InvestHK’s director general Alpha Lau Hai-suen recently said that companies using Dubai as a hub had mostly shifted to Hong Kong after the outbreak of the Iran war, the instinct to leverage the city’s position as a safe haven for investment was understandable. Hong Kong should absolutely try to capture capital and talent unsettled by instability in the Gulf. However, it should resist the temptation to confuse a geopolitical opening with a strategic victory. Opportunity does not become a... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Knife-wielding man shot by Hong Kong police dies after 10 days in critical condition A knife-wielding attacker with suspected mental illness who was shot twice by police in Hong Kong’s Kwai Chung has died after 10 days in hospital in a critical condition. The government on Tuesday confirmed the 43-year-old suspect, surnamed Chung, was pronounced dead at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung at 8.47pm on Monday. The incident occurred in the early hours of March 21 at the Kwai Chung section of Castle Peak Road, when three officers fired five rounds in total at the construction... Source: © SCMP News |