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Showing posts with the label cost reduction

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Market Daily Report: Bursa Malaysia Ends Nearly Flat As Construction Stocks Attract Buying

 KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed almost flat on Tuesday as buying interest rotated away from index heavyweights towards smaller-cap construction stocks, with sentiment affected by geopolitical uncertainty, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.39 of a point to 1,714.40 from Monday’s close of 1,714.79. The benchmark index opened 1.65 points lower at 1,713.14 and moved between 1,710.44 and 1,714.50 throughout the trading session. The broader market was almost evenly balanced, with decliners leading gainers 548 to 546, while 598 counters were unchanged, 1,107 were untraded and 25 were suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.13 billion units valued at RM3.14 billion from 3.60 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Monday.

HSBC to Cut 900 Jobs at China’s Pinnacle Unit Amid Cost-Saving Push

Bank Reverses Expansion Plans in China’s Digital Wealth Market HSBC is cutting nearly half of its workforce at Pinnacle, its China digital wealth business , with around  900 job reductions , sources told  Reuters . Pinnacle, launched in  2020 , was meant to drive HSBC’s digital insurance and fund sales in China. The  cost-saving move highlights the challenges HSBC faces in growing its China business amid a broader restructuring push . Cost Review & Workforce Reduction HSBC  reviewed Pinnacle’s staff compensation and supplier expenses last year , finding a sharp increase in costs outpacing revenue. More than 500 insurance agents  have already left since June 2024 as the bank scaled back operations. The  layoffs will affect 100 staff at Pinnacle’s fintech unit , while another  300 will be reassigned within HSBC China . HSBC’s China Strategy & Restructuring HSBC has  long positioned China as a key growth market , committing  $6 bill...

DeepSeek Slashes Off-Peak Pricing for Developers by Up to 75%

Aggressive Price Cuts Shake AI Industry Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has announced steep discounts of up to 75% on its AI model usage during off-peak hours , according to an update on its website. The  move is expected to pressure global AI leaders like OpenAI and Google  to further lower their prices. Key Pricing Details Off-peak hours (1630 GMT – 0030 GMT)  will see: 75% reduction in API costs for DeepSeek’s R1 model 50% reduction for the V3 model While these hours are considered “off-peak” in Beijing (0030 – 0830 local time), they  coincide with peak daytime hours in the U.S. and Europe , potentially intensifying competition. Market Impact & Competitive Pressure DeepSeek’s rapid expansion and aggressive pricing strategy have already disrupted global AI markets , contributing to last month’s tech stock selloff. OpenAI and Google have responded by introducing their own price cuts  for their AI offerings. The company is now reportedly  accelerating the l...