〈The Standard, Oct 18 , 2025〉Swire Hotels launched a new global brand named Upper House, which unites its House Collective hotel properties, underscoring a significant step in its international expansion strategy.
The new project will offer buyers a luxury home, including the integration of world-class amenities, services, and property management, it added. In addition, the hotel operator noted that future openings in Shenzhen, Xi’an, Tokyo, and Bangkok will follow this unified approach, which is expected to commence in 2027, 2028, and 2029, respectively. It added that the move set the stage for future growth driven by a clear vision, extending the brand’s presence across international markets.
〈Hong Kong Business, Oct 17, 2025〉Developers and consultants have welcomed the Hong Kong government’s renewed focus on the Northern Metropolis but cautioned that high construction costs, unclear timelines, and policy uncertainty could deter investment despite the area’s long-term potential.
Wing Law, Asia CEO at AtkinsRéalis, said new transport links like the Kwu Tung and Hung Shui Kiu stations and the Northern Link, due between 2027 and 2034, will form the “backbone” of the development, strengthening connectivity and integration with the Greater Bay Area.
Global consultancy firm Arup called the Northern Metropolis a “cornerstone of Hong Kong’s future” and backed its shift toward innovation, climate resilience and cross-sector collaboration, while highlighting the need to align emerging low-altitude economy plans with infrastructure and regulation.
〈Hong Kong Business, Oct 15, 2025〉Only 2% of organisations in Hong Kong are prepared to use AI, the lowest amongst surveyed markets globally, Cisco said.
The report identified these organisations as "Pacesetters," or a small but consistent group of companies that outperform their peers across every measure of AI value.
Cisco said Pacesetters comprise only about 13% of organisations globally for the last three years.
The report, which measured the AI-readiness of firms in a global study of over 8,000 AI leaders across 30 markets and 26 industries, also found that 52% of companies in Hong Kong think they can gain stronger financial and non-financial value in AI, versus 90% of “pacesetters.”
〈Asian Post Oct 14, 2025〉Hong Kong’s total export volume rose 12.4% in August from a year earlier, whilst imports grew 9.7%, according to the Census and Statistics of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Exports to and imports from mainland China increased by 6.4% and 12%, respectively. Export and import prices were likewise up 2.0% and 1.9% respectively. The terms of trade index edged up 0.1% year on year (YoY).
For the January-to-August period , export and import volumes increased 10.9% and 10.7% respectively from the same period in 2024. Prices for both exports and imports rose 1.9%, whilst the terms of trade index fell 0.1%.
〈RTHK News, Oct 13, 2025〉Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Thursday said Hong Kong welcomes US enterprises and talent to come to the city despite trade tensions, as he continued a trip to the United States where he will attend annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
On the second day of his visit to New York City, Chan said US businesses and professionals can use Hong Kong as a gateway to access the mainland and other Asian markets.
He made the remarks as he attended a luncheon co-hosted by the National Committee on United States-China Relations and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York.
