Katrina Hamlin

Shares of the $40 bln US and China-based group have nearly doubled ​in a week. Its server ​unit turned profitable on datacentre demand ⁠and its "AI laptops" are gaining ​pricing power. Other equally unglamorous companies ​rooted in mature, less sexy technology will follow.

Media mogul Barry Diller’s People wants to ‌buy the casino empire at an $18 bln valuation, betting live entertainment will thrive in the AI age. Turning around ​Las Vegas properties looks hard, and while Macau ​is growing fast, it leaves the group ⁠heavily exposed to Chinese demand.

The Department ‌of Defense has added $43 bln WuXi AppTec to a list of firms believed to have ​Chinese military connections. This latest move ​won’t on its own reduce US ⁠dependence on the country’s pharma giants, but ​it’s a warning their access to the $500 ​bln market is in jeopardy.

The firm's ‌Shanghai listing could value it at $6 bln. But first-quarter net profit halved due to fierce ​competition and rising R&D costs. Worse, ​Unitree admits applications and demand for ⁠robots risk falling short of expectations. That ​bodes ill for the industry.

Yum is selling its pie chain in the People's Republic to offshoot Yum ​China for $1.2 bln. A buyout shop ​is scarfing down the rest. Luckily, ⁠the buyers are willing to ​assume the risk of sharing ownership ​of the brand. Getting a premium for the mainland unit is an added topping.

US, UK ​and Chinese self-driving rivals ⁠will compete ​for the first time ​as the Big Smoke lets Waymo, Wayve and ​Baidu loose ​on its streets. They’ll pit ‌tech ⁠and strategy against each other for a key slice ​of ​a ⁠potential $168 bln global market. It ​will be a ​tough ⁠battleground.

China’s Geely effectively controls ‌both automakers. Yet smart-car rules allow $6 bln Volvo to keep selling vehicles in the US, but ​not the $2.5 bln EV maker. It’s not ​clear why. But satisfying regulators would be ⁠expensive. Polestar may be better off being ​excluded.

BYD and rivals sold ​1 mln vehicles abroad ​in June as a 9-month ⁠sales slump at ​home added to oversupply, while ​pricier oil piqued demand for EVs. It'll revive protectionist arguments, ​speed up overseas production, ​squeeze global rivals' margins and even ‌spur ⁠consolidation.

Brussels hit Alibaba's AliExpress with a record $629 mln fine for selling illegal and unsafe ​products. As a trade imbalance ​with China widens, pushback against low-value ⁠e-commerce imports is mounting. More ​curbs in the key market will follow, ​as will reasons to discount Shein.

The fast-fashion retailer’s earnings ‌fell 42% in the first quarter, even after excluding a one-off charge. EU import duties could squeeze ​the bottom line as much as similar ​measures in the US have. That suggests ⁠CEO Sky Xu would be lucky to ​pin on a $10 bln price tag.