At 8:00, here are the latest news: Haidilao issues a statement regarding employees being forced to buy gifts at their own expense; Wang Shi denies being arrested; Ho Chiu-han has passed away, and the official website of Shun Tak Holdings has turned black and white.
Today's Hot News Guide
The Trump administration will crack down on women giving birth in the United States.
SanDisk's stock price has skyrocketed by 2,500% in one year, and Wall Street analysts are strongly bullish on SanDisk.
The prices at the first Millet & Ice store in South America are revealed: a glass of lemonade costs 8 yuan.
The EU may face a systematic shortage of aviation fuel in three weeks.
YouTube has raised its subscription prices in the United States for the first time in nearly three years.
Top 3 Big News
Haidilao Issues Statement on Employees Being Forced to Buy Gifts at Their Own Expense: Over a Thousand Stores Notified for Internal Investigation
Recently, some consumers reported that the toys and gifts given to customers at Haidilao stores were not uniformly distributed by the company, but were purchased by employees out of their own pockets.
On April 11th, Haidilao Hot Pot issued a statement regarding the "incident of Haidilao employees being forced to buy gifts at their own expense due to customer complaints", stating that "we solemnly promise to compensate the employee in accordance with the law and offer sincere apologies in person or through other channels as the employee wishes."
It also said: Since we were worried that similar situations might exist in other stores, at 10 a.m. on April 10th, we notified over a thousand stores to conduct internal investigations. The relevant investigation work is still ongoing. Once similar situations are found, we will definitely handle them properly in accordance with the law. (Cover News)
Wang Shi Denies Being Arrested: Everything Is Fine, Leave the Rumormongers to the Law
On April 12th, the online rumor that "Wang Shi was arrested" attracted attention. In response, Tian Pujun said: This is a society ruled by law. Don't rumor - mongers need to pay a price? Subsequently, Wang Shi posted on his blog: It seems that everyone is more concerned about my situation than I am. Everything is fine. Leave the rumor - mongers to the law.
Reporters noticed that Wang Shi was still sharing pictures and texts about paddle - boarding in Shenzhen on his personal Weibo on the evening of April 11th, indicating that his recent life was normal. It is reported that this is the fourth time that Wang Shi has been rumored to be "missing" or "arrested".
Public information shows that Wang Shi was born in Liuzhou, Guangxi on January 23, 1951. He is the founder of Shenzhen Vanke Enterprise Co., Ltd., the current honorary chairman of the Vanke board of directors, the co - chairman of BGI, and the chairman of the Vanke Public Welfare Foundation. (Dahe Daily, Qianjiang Video)
Ho Chiu-han Passed Away, and the Official Website of Shun Tak Holdings Has Turned Black and White
Ho Chiu-han, the daughter of the late "King of Gambling" Stanley Ho and his second wife, Lâm Quỳnh Anh, and an executive director of Shun Tak Holdings, passed away on the 12th. Her family members were by her side at the time of her passing.
Hong Kong media reported that Shun Tak Holdings has issued an official announcement confirming the news of Ho Chiu-han's passing. Her family members said in the notice: "Our dearest sister, Ho Chiu-han, passed away peacefully on April 12, 2026. Her family members were with her until the end. We appreciate the condolences and concerns from all sectors. We kindly request understanding and tolerance during this painful time."
The official website of Shun Tak Holdings has turned black and white. According to the official website, Ms. Ho Chiu-han joined Shun Tak Holdings in 1996 and has served as an executive director of the company since 2001. (Red Star News)
Big Companies/Big Events
After the fake cigarette incident, 606 Meiyijia stores were removed
On April 9th, Meiyijia released the "Progress Report on the Phased Disposal of Tobacco Product Business Issues in Some Stores". As of March 31st, the first - round special inspection of tobacco product business in 41,061 stores across the country has been completed. For the stores found to have significant abnormal tobacco - related business operations during the inspection and that do not meet the conditions for continued cooperation, the cooperation relationships have been terminated in accordance with laws and agreements. A total of 606 stores have been removed, among which 469 stores in Guangdong have completed the withdrawal process. For the stores operating in compliance, Meiyijia has simultaneously introduced support measures to stabilize business operations: suspending the collection of subsequent franchise fees (brand usage fees) for 3 months, and implementing a "one - store - one - policy" special assistance for compliant stores with special business difficulties.
Meiyijia stated that for the stores that are subsequently verified and confirmed by the tobacco monopoly administrative department and for which handling decisions are made in accordance with the law, "they will be dealt with in accordance with regulations immediately without leniency." The Guangdong Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau revealed that in the next step, it will cooperate with relevant functional departments to continue to strengthen the supervision of the tobacco market and maintain a high - pressure situation in cracking down on tobacco - related illegal activities. (Southern Metropolis Daily)
Price of the First Millet & Snow Ice City Store in South America Revealed: Lemonade Costs 8 RMB per Cup
On April 11th local time, the first Millet & Snow Ice City store in South America, the Paulista store in Brazil, opened at the São Paulo City Shopping Center. Many Chinese people in Brazil told reporters that they had bought and tasted the "Brazilian version" of Millet & Snow Ice City. The taste is basically the same as that in China, but the prices are quite cheap locally and very competitive.
Pictures shown to reporters by local residents indicate that the "Brazilian version" of Millet & Snow Ice City offers drinks such as lemonade, freshly squeezed orange juice, sundaes, and ice - creams. Among them, a cup of lemonade costs 6 Brazilian reais (equivalent to about 8 RMB).
In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and Brazil has continued to deepen. For a long time, China has been Brazil's largest trading partner and the largest destination for its exports. As the world's largest coffee - producing country, Brazil has unique coffee quality and flavor, which plays an important role in the trade between China and Brazil. (Jimu News)
Didi Responds to Ride-Hailing Driver Selling Freshly Ground Coffee in the Car: Not Recommended
On the 10th, photos of a ride-hailing driver in Jiangmen, Guangdong, equipping the car with coffee-making equipment and selling freshly ground coffee at marked prices sparked heated discussions on social platforms. Some people praised the creativity, while others questioned its compliance.
On the afternoon of April 11th, the Didi platform responded to the above issues. A staff member said that the platform has strict regulatory requirements for drivers to promote products and provide premium services. According to the current regulations, the platform restricts drivers from actively making service requests outside the itinerary to passengers, such as promoting products; if the driver does not actively promote, this clause will not be triggered. However, in the rules for surcharges and premiums, the platform clearly prohibits drivers from engaging in surcharge and premium behaviors other than the ride service. "For example, in the case of low-speed waiting fees, if it is verified that they are not caused by objective itinerary factors, the driver will be held responsible. Currently, we have not received any relevant complaints about coffee sales, but once a passenger makes a complaint and it is verified that there are surcharges and premiums, the driver will have their service points deducted and be fined a penalty ranging from 50 to 200 yuan. In serious cases, the driver will also have their order-taking privilege suspended for 1 to 30 days."
The staff member also clearly stated that the platform does not recommend that drivers place coffee machines in the car to sell freshly ground coffee. "Once a passenger makes a complaint, it is easy for the driver to be held responsible and have money deducted. In the end, the money earned is less than the money deducted." (Haibao News)
Post - market fixed - price trading will be fully applicable to A - shares, and A - share trading is about to undergo an important adjustment
On April 10th, the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing stock exchanges simultaneously solicited public opinions on the revisions of the "Rules for Trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange", the "Rules for Trading on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange", and the "Rules for Trading on the Beijing Stock Exchange (Trial)" (collectively referred to as the "Trading Rules").
In this revision of the "Trading Rules", the three exchanges not only reflect the common connection in the rules but also make targeted, characteristic, and differentiated adjustments based on the different positioning of each sector. Among them, the arrangements such as adjusting the daily price limit ratio of risk - warning stocks on the main board from 5% to 10%, fully applying post - market fixed - price trading to A - shares, and introducing the market - maker system on the ChiNext have become the focus of market attention. (Sina Finance)
US Plans to Block the Strait of Hormuz, International Oil Prices Soar
The United States and Iran ended their negotiations in Pakistan without reaching an agreement. US President Donald Trump posted on social media on the 12th that the US Navy will start preventing ships from entering and leaving the Strait of Hormuz. The market is worried that the tense situation in the Middle East will escalate again and the supply will be continuously interrupted. International oil prices soared at the start of trading in the new week. (Xinhua News Agency)
The Trump administration will crack down on birth tourism in the United States
According to a report by Reuters cited by the website of Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao on April 11, the Trump administration of the United States will step up efforts to crack down on "birth tourism." The authorities accused some intermediary agencies of helping pregnant women to falsify visa applications to ensure that their babies born in the United States can automatically obtain U.S. citizenship. An internal email from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showed that in an email sent on April 9, the authorities asked national investigators to focus on implementing a new special operation against birth tourism to crack down on criminal networks that assist pregnant foreigners in traveling to the United States to give birth so that their children can obtain U.S. citizenship.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on specific investigation actions but admitted that it had noticed some networks that specifically arrange trips to the United States for birth tourism. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said, "Giving birth in the United States is not illegal, but the Department of Homeland Security will focus on identifying and dealing with potential illegal activities related to such activities." (The Paper)
SanDisk's stock price soars by 2500% in one year, and Wall Street analysts are strongly bullish on SanDisk
The Nasdaq announced late on Friday that SanDisk Corporation will join the Nasdaq 100 Index. This marks a significant adjustment to the components of this benchmark index. SanDisk will join the elite group of the 100 largest non - financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
As the global leader in NAND flash memory, SanDisk's inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 Index highlights the company's recent rise in market value and its key position in the global data storage and semiconductor fields.
On Friday, SanDisk's stock price fell slightly. However, since the beginning of this year, thanks to the super - cycle of storage chips in the AI boom, the stock has accumulated a gain of more than 200%. In the past year, the stock has risen by an astonishing more than 2500%.
Currently, Wall Street analysts are still strongly bullish on SanDisk. Mizuho recently raised its target price for SanDisk from $710 to $1000. Bernstein recently raised its target price for SanDisk from $1000 per share to $1250 and maintained its "outperform" rating on the stock. (Caixin)
Tesla's supervised Full Self-Driving system approved for use in the Netherlands
The Dutch Vehicle Authority announced on the 10th that Tesla's supervised Full Self-Driving system has been approved for use on public roads in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is the first European country to approve the system. The Dutch Vehicle Authority said in a statement that the system has undergone more than a year and a half of comprehensive inspections and tests, and the proper use of the system helps improve road safety. However, this is only an advanced driver assistance system, and drivers must always maintain control of the vehicle. For this reason, various sensors in the vehicle will monitor the driver's behavior to ensure that they can take over the steering wheel immediately when necessary. If the driver's attention is continuously insufficient, the system will automatically send a prompt signal and suspend operation. (Xinhua News Agency)
Systemic shortage of aviation fuel in the EU may occur in three weeks
Multiple media outlets reported on April 11 that Oliver Jankovec, the Director General of the European region of the International Air Transport Association, recently wrote to the EU commissioner in charge of energy and tourism, stating that as the summer tourist season approaches, the supply of aviation fuel in Europe is "increasingly worrying." If the Strait of Hormuz cannot resume navigation in a "significant and stable" manner within three weeks, the EU "will face a systemic shortage of aviation fuel," disrupting air transportation and airport operations and "seriously damaging the European economy." (Xinhua News Agency)
Over 70% of Japanese people are worried about gasoline shortages
According to a report by Russia's Sputnik on April 11, due to the Middle East crisis, more than 70% of Japanese people are worried about possible shortages of gasoline and petroleum products. This is the latest public opinion poll data released by Japan's TBS News. The survey shows that 74% of Japanese people are worried about possible shortages of gasoline and petroleum products, among which 25% of the respondents said they were "very worried" and 49% said they were "somewhat" worried. Only 26% of the respondents were not worried. The survey was conducted through random computerized telephone sampling from April 4th to 5th, and a total of 1,026 people over the age of 18 participated. Due to the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices in many countries around the world are rising. (Guangming Net)
Cui Dongshu: Suggest Including Car Purchase Expenses in Special Deductions for Individual Income Tax
From April 11th to 12th, the High - level Forum on the Development of Intelligent Electric Vehicles (2026) was held at the Second Phase of the National Convention Center in Beijing. The theme of the forum was "Promoting the Intelligent, Green, Integrated, and International Development of New - energy Vehicles". Cui Dongshu, the Secretary - General of the Passenger Car Market Information Joint Committee of the China Automobile Dealers Association, stated that long - term policies need to provide certain support. For example, including car purchase expenses in special deductions for individual income tax and pre - tax deduction of the interest on automobile consumer credit are two relatively key long - term measures. He pointed out that if car purchase expenses are included in special deductions for individual income tax, high - income groups may be able to deduct 30% of their individual income tax. If someone buys a luxury car worth one million yuan, they may save tens of thousands of yuan in taxes. This might shorten the car replacement cycle from seven years to five years, stimulating car purchase consumption in advance. In addition, pre - tax deduction of the interest on automobile consumer credit is also very necessary. Currently, it is becoming increasingly difficult for banks to make profits from mortgage loans. They need to expand their business through automobile consumer loans. At the same time, it can also relieve the burden on consumers and stimulate automobile consumption. (Caixin)
The Philippines Demands Facebook to Curb False Information and Warns of Potential Legal Action
It is reported that the Philippine government has asked Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, to take measures to curb the spread of "false and panic - inducing content" on its platform. It has also warned that if the company fails to act promptly, the Philippines may take legal action. The Philippine President's Press Office said in a statement on Saturday that it had identified several types of harmful content spreading online. On April 10, the Philippine government asked the company to respond within seven days and submit a detailed rectification plan. The statement pointed out that the spread of such false information violates relevant provisions of the country's criminal law and cyber - security law, posing a threat to public order, economic stability, and national security. (Sina Finance)
US Department of Homeland Security Recalls Employees, Next Paycheck Uncertain
The US Department of Homeland Security on the 10th asked all employees who were on unpaid leave due to the "shutdown" to return to work. Although US President Trump has signed an executive order to pay back wages to more than 35,000 employees of the Department of Homeland Security starting from the 10th, this may be their last income in the short term, and the next paycheck is uncertain. (Xinhua News Agency)
Affected by the regional situation and oil price fluctuations, multiple express delivery companies announce price hikes
Affected by the regional situation and oil price fluctuations, not only are aviation fuel surcharges rising, but express delivery fees are also set to increase. Recently, multiple international express delivery and logistics companies such as UPS, DHL, FedEx, and SF International have adjusted their fuel surcharge collection standards, with some companies raising them. It's worth noting that not only for international express deliveries, but also due to the dual impact of the soaring international oil prices and industry policy adjustments, express delivery companies in many domestic regions have recently collectively added or raised fuel surcharges. (Xinhua Daily)
IBM to Pay $17 Million to Settle U.S. Government's Investigation into DEI
IBM has agreed to pay $17 million to settle a U.S. government investigation into the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, which the U.S. government cracked down on during the second term of Donald Trump. The settlement marks the first resolution of the "Civil Rights Fraud Initiative" launched by the U.S. Department of Justice last year, which uses civil anti-fraud laws to target diversity and inclusion policies. (Sina Finance)
YouTube Raises Subscription Prices in the US for the First Time in Nearly Three Years
YouTube, owned by Alphabet, has raised its subscription prices in the US for the first time in nearly three years, which seems to be part of a larger shift in the streaming industry. The price increase is quite significant: the Premium Lite plan has gone up from $7.99 to $8.99, the individual plan from $13.99 to $15.99, and the family plan from $22.99 to $26.99. YouTube Music has also raised its prices accordingly. The individual plan is now $11.99, and the family plan is $18.99. These changes will apply to both new users and existing subscribers, but existing users will receive about 30 days' notice. (Sina Finance)
The Cutting - Edge of AI
Elon Musk: Grok needs to wait until June to reach or even surpass the level of Claude Opus 4.6
Elon Musk: Grok needs to wait until May to approach the level of Claude Opus 4.6, and it needs to wait until June to reach or even surpass it. By conventional standards, the time is short, but in the field of artificial intelligence, this is already a long time. (Sina Finance)
OpenAI Issues Statement on Third - Party Developer Library Security Incident: No User Data Breach or System Intrusion Found
On April 10th local time, OpenAI issued a statement saying that it had recently identified a security issue involving the third - party developer library Axios, which is part of a broader industry incident. The statement said that there was no evidence indicating that OpenAI user data had been accessed, its systems had been breached, or its software had been tampered with. OpenAI stated that it is updating security authentication and requires all macOS users to update the OpenAI application to the latest version. OpenAI said that this will help prevent any risk of distributing counterfeit applications posing as OpenAI, no matter how small the possibility. (Jiemian News)
MiniMax M2.7 Open-Sourced Globally
36Kr learned that on April 12th, MiniMax M2.7 was officially open-sourced globally. Alongside domestic and overseas chip manufacturers such as Huawei Ascend, Moore Threads, MXIC, Kunlunxin, NVIDIA, and inference platforms like Together AI, Fireworks, and Ollama, it completed the model integration and inference adaptation work on the first day of its open-sourcing.
Apple's AI Chief to Leave
Mark Gurman mentioned in his latest "Power On" that John Giannandrea, the former head of AI who jumped from Google to Apple in 2018, has confirmed that he will officially end his "sabbatical" at Apple this week. Gurman pointed out that his departure was already inevitable since Apple decided to significantly reduce his AI responsibilities in March 2025. This personnel change is mainly due to Apple Intelligence failing to meet expectations, multiple delays of the upgraded Siri, and the company being caught off guard in the field of generative AI. At that time, Apple directly revoked his supervision over Siri, robotics, and other AI teams. (Sina Finance)
Financial Reports of Big Companies
Yuegui Co., Ltd.: Net profit in the first quarter is expected to increase by 67.72% - 98.53% year-on-year
Yuegui Co., Ltd. (000833) disclosed its performance forecast on April 12. The company expects its net profit attributable to the parent company in the first quarter of 2026 to be between 196 million yuan and 232 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 67.72% - 98.53%. During the reporting period, the significant year-on-year increase in the company's profitability was mainly due to the price increases of ore and sulfuric acid products. At the same time, the company vigorously promoted cost reduction and efficiency improvement, sought benefits from management, and continuously improved its operational efficiency. Driven by both the product price increases and the continuous promotion of management reforms, the company's profits increased simultaneously.
Tongfang QiAnXin: Net profit in the first quarter is expected to increase by 2279.31% - 3281.13% year-on-year
Tongfang QiAnXin (002439) released its performance forecast on April 12, expecting its net profit attributable to the parent company in the first quarter of 2026 to be between 38 million yuan and 54 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2279.31% - 3281.13%. During the reporting period, the company's operating income is expected to increase by 0.03% to 7.52% year-on-year, successfully reversing the decline in the same period of the previous year. The business layout and upfront investment in the early stage have gradually been converted into actual revenue since the first quarter; the synergy with China Mobile has continued to strengthen, especially the joint marketing measures in the cloud security direction have been implemented and achieved results. While the revenue is growing, the company has maintained a basically stable gross profit margin through effective cost control and refined operation, significantly reduced the three major expenses, and both the net profit attributable to the parent company and the net profit attributable to the parent company after deducting non-recurring gains and losses are expected to achieve profitability.
Investment and Financing
"Aji Vision" Completes Angel Round Financing of Tens of Millions of Yuan
36Kr learned that "Aji Vision", a developer of high-end industrial lenses, recently completed an angel round financing of tens of millions of yuan. The investment was jointly made by Dongguan Science and Technology Innovation, Shenzhen Guarantee Venture Capital, Songhe Capital, and Linrun Group, with DT Capital serving as the financial advisor for this round of financing. The funds from this round of financing will be used for team expansion, production capacity expansion, R & D support, and market development to accelerate the process of domestic substitution of high-end industrial lenses.
"Ruimeng Semiconductor" Completes Nearly 100 Million Yuan Series A Financing
36Kr learned that "Ruimeng Semiconductor" recently completed a nearly 100 million yuan Series A financing, led by Songhe Capital, with Zhongfengtou - Huarongsheng Capital, Shenzhen Angel Mother Fund, Sihai New Materials, and listed company Feirongda participating in the follow - on investment. The funds from this round of financing will be mainly used for the core technology iteration of the piezoelectric active heat dissipation microsystem, the construction of a mass - production demonstration line, and the introduction of leading customers, accelerating the mass delivery in fields such as consumer electronics, AI terminals, and high - performance computing.
Compiled | Yuting He