Hong Kong / AFP Ratings agency Moody’s downgraded its outlook for Hong Kong on Saturday, citing increasing political riskiness and closer economic ties with China, which is facing a growth slowdown. Moody’s changed Hong Kong’s outlook from “stable” to “negative” as the semi-autonomous city continues to reel from political unease following mass pro-democracy protests in 2014. The city saw violent …

Beijing / Bloomberg China will combine its biggest state-owned enterprises as part of a sweeping plan to cut overcapacity in the $18 trillion sector but won’t see the widespread layoffs that accompanied a similar overhaul in the 1990s, a senior regulator said. Reform of China’s state-owned enterprises must balance many interests, especially those of employees, Xiao Yaqing, the chairman of …

Singapore / DPA With fewer contracts to go around and labour costs continuing to rise, construction firms are being squeezed from both sides. The broader effect on the economy may not be dire, with the sector accounting for only about 5 per cent of GDP. But economists expect – and firms fear – that there will be casualties within the …