Hang Seng Slides on Weak April Data as $17 Billion Farm Deal Hits China Agriculture Stocks
Updated
Updated · Modern Diplomacy · May 18
Hang Seng Slides on Weak April Data as $17 Billion Farm Deal Hits China Agriculture Stocks
8 articles · Updated · Modern Diplomacy · May 18
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and China’s Shanghai Composite fell sharply after April industrial output and retail sales missed expectations, reinforcing signs that China’s recovery is losing momentum.
Middle East tensions deepened the selloff after reported drone attacks in the Gulf pushed oil prices and global bond yields higher, stoking fears that major central banks will keep policy tight for longer.
A White House announcement that China would buy at least $17 billion a year in U.S. farm products from 2026 to 2028 hit Chinese agriculture shares, while semiconductor stocks rose on signs chip curbs were not the summit’s main focus.
Recent Trump-Xi talks had briefly steadied sentiment, but investors saw little concrete progress on trade and technology, shifting attention back to weak domestic demand, inflation risks and likely near-term market volatility.
Beyond recent trade deals, is the escalating US-China tech rivalry the true force shaping the future global economy?
With China's property crisis erasing trillions in wealth, can Beijing revive its economy without creating another massive bubble?
As global supply chains face permanent realignment, are we entering a new era of sustained inflation and market volatility?