HSBC Holdings reported a 7.4% decline in full-year pretax profit on Wednesday.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz touched down in Beijing on Wednesday hoping to reset bilateral ties, with China pitching itself as a reliable economic partner as Europe struggles to balance its U.S. alliance and address supply chain vulnerabilities.
Asia's financial markets were higher on Wednesday with Korean chipmakers leading gains, as investors double down on what they see as the safest bet on artificial intelligence (AI), while the yen remained in focus.