Indonesia has increased the benchmark price for nickel ore, which will further elevate cost pressures on local processors already strained by the Middle East conflict. According to a report from Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, a new pricing formula took effect on Wednesday, raising the minimum price for all grades of nickel ore. The cost of by-product metals contained in the ore, including cobalt, will also be factored into the benchmark price. Last month, Indonesia’s energy minister indicated the government planned to adjust the benchmark price. As a resource-rich nation facing growing fiscal pressure due to rising oil prices linked to the Iran conflict, Indonesia has been seeking to boost state revenue. The move will impact the country's vast processing industry—the world's largest nickel producer, accounting for over half of global nickel output. While stricter mining quotas have already driven high-grade nickel ore prices well above the government benchmark, low-grade nickel ore may see even sharper price increases. Related Hong Kong-listed stocks include Liqin Resources (02245), Xinjiang Xinxin Mining (03833), and Zhongwei New Materials (02579).
U.S. stock indices rose collectively overnight, with tech stocks broadly advancing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 301.68 points to close at 48,218.25, up 0.63%. The S&P 500 added 69.35 points to 6,886.24, a 1.02% increase, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 280.85 points to 23,183.74, rising 1.23%. Oracle surged over 12%, Intel gained more than 4%, and Microsoft rose over 3%. Lithium mining concepts, crypto miners, and computer hardware led gains—Circle jumped over 12%, SanDisk advanced nearly 12%, Dell Technologies and Albemarle both rose over 6%, HP and Hut 8 increased over 5%, Coinbase added nearly 4%, and Logitech climbed over 3%. Most popular U.S.-listed Chinese stocks advanced, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index up 0.72%. The Hang Seng Index ADR rose proportionally, closing at 25,972.89, up 312.04 points or 1.22% from the Hong Kong close. NYMEX WTI crude for the current month rose $1.44 to $98.01 per barrel, up 1.49%. COMEX gold for the current month fell $20.80, or 0.43%, to $4,766.6 per ounce.
U.S. media reported that contact between the United States and Iran continues following the last round of inconclusive talks, with the U.S. government internally discussing details for a second face-to-face meeting. CBS and NBC both cited a U.S. official stating that engagement is ongoing and "progress is being made toward reaching an agreement." On the 13th, former President Trump told media at the White House that Iran had called that morning expressing a desire for a deal. Separately, the U.S. military announced it will blockade the Strait of Hormuz, prohibiting unauthorized vessels from passing through.
BOC Aviation (02588) delivered 10 aircraft in the first quarter. CEO Steven Townend noted a strong start to the year, with 20 lease commitments signed—19 for new aircraft from its order book—reflecting robust market demand. Aircraft utilization and collection rates remained at 100%, while the company raised $2.5 billion in capital markets, boosting liquidity to a record high.
ANTA Sports (02020) reported that retail sales value for its ANTA brand products saw high-single-digit year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2026. FILA brand products recorded positive growth in the low 10–20% range, while sales of all other brands jumped 40–45% year-on-year.
Tencent (00700) set April 17 as the mobile launch date for "Honor of Kings World," with pre-download starting April 15. The PC version launched on April 10, supporting cross-device progression.
Junzi Group (01300) is a pre-qualified bidder for China Tower’s RMB 9.81 billion feeder cable procurement project. Its subsidiary, Jiangsu Junzi Technology, ranked third among selected candidates.
Xifu Group (02473) plans to issue about 155 million shares via a top-up placement at a roughly 16% discount, aiming to raise approximately HK$151 million net. Half the proceeds will fund vehicle purchases for its main business, and half will supplement working capital.
Gaoke Bridge (09963) intends to acquire Haomin Investment Holdings for RMB 78 million via the issuance of 48.367 million shares at HK$1.85 each. Haomin indirectly holds a 51% stake in a Hangzhou-based fiber optic preform and fiber manufacturer.
KINGSOFT (03888) announced that its subsidiary Kingsoft Office (688111.SH) expects first-quarter net profit attributable to shareholders to reach between RMB 2.022 billion and RMB 2.307 billion, surging 401.89% to 472.81% year-on-year. Revenue is projected to grow 20.24% to 27.68% to between RMB 1.565 billion and RMB 1.662 billion.
DELTON (01989) stands to benefit significantly from the AI server PCB upgrade cycle. The company specializes in R&D, production, and sales of customized PCBs for computing servers and related applications. According to Frost & Sullivan, DELTON ranked third globally and first among Chinese manufacturers in cumulative revenue from computing server PCBs from 2022 to 2024, capturing 4.9% of the global market. Zheshang Securities noted that DELTON is one of the few pure-play companies deeply leveraged to the AI server PCB upgrade cycle, with its "three regions, four plants" strategy enhancing capacity, delivery, and global capabilities. Ongoing AI server platform iterations are expected to drive product upgrades and customer expansion.
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