9:01 AM, 36Kr: Approximately 20,000 corpses were found in a hangar in Colombia; Zheng Hao Da Da Chicken Cutlet will close all stores in mainland China; Jacky Heung sold 50 million yuan worth of goods in his first live-streaming session while wearing women's clothing.
TOP 3 Big News
UN Investigation: Approximately 20,000 Bodies Found in a Hangar in Colombia, Possibly Linked to Armed Conflict and Organized Crime
It was learned on December 5 local time that the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), after completing its visit to Colombia, released an investigation report. The report shows that approximately 20,000 unidentified bodies were found in a hangar at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances pointed out that this incident may be related to the armed conflict and organized crime that have persisted in Colombia's history. Illegal armed groups have long been engaged in human trafficking, forced prostitution, forced child labor, organ trafficking, and land disputes. And the unidentified victims generally have not received a proper burial.
Currently, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia is conducting an investigation at El Dorado Airport. (CCTV News, Jiemian News)
The founder of Kimi, Yang Zhilin, responds to the entire recent incident, stating that Zhang Yutong indeed joined as a co-founder.
36Kr has learned that recently, Zhu Xiaohu, a partner of Jinshajiang Ventures, posted two consecutive moments in his WeChat ****. One responded to the recent "Yang Zhilin Arbitration Incident"; the other separated the individuals in the entire incident: willing to exempt Kimi, Zhang Yutao, and the Moon's Dark Side company, supporting young people in pursuing the AGI dream; but at the same time, separating Zhang Yutong, believing that she violated the fiduciary responsibility.
On the evening of December 6, Yang Zhilin, the founder of Kimi, posted a response. Yang Zhilin stated in the article that before leaving to start a new business, he obtained the signed consent of each director and all necessary procedures. Granting shares to Zhang Yutong is the consideration for her as a co-founder. This decision is independent of his decision to start a new business and the decision of the old shareholders not to invest in the Moon's Dark Side.
Approximately one hour after Yang Zhilin released the statement, Zhu Xiaohu, the managing director of Jinshajiang Ventures, responded again in his WeChat ****: Conflicts of interest must be disclosed on the first day. 9 million shares were given on the first day, not given gradually later. And it is not simply a matter of not disclosing, but rather many methods were designed to conceal and deceive. Although it is the Moon's Dark Side, it is hoped that all actions can be carried out openly and uprightly under the sun.
Zhenghao Dada Chicken Cutlet will close all stores in mainland China
It is reported that on December 6, Zhenghao Dada Chicken Cutlet issued a statement saying that its store in Shanghai New World City will cease operations on December 26, 2024. All stores of the "Zhenghao Dada Chicken Cutlet" brand in the mainland China region will be closed one after another before December 31, 2024. Stores in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Taiwan Region of China, and overseas authorized regions will continue to operate as usual.
Previously, due to the prevalence of counterfeits, in order to distinguish it, "Haodada Chicken Cutlet" added the character "Zheng" in front of the name and changed it to "Zhenghao Dada Chicken Cutlet" as the brand name in the mainland China region. Data shows that as of November 7, there are only 11 Zhenghao Dada Chicken Cutlet stores in operation. The Qichacha APP shows that the associated company of Zhenghao Dada Chicken Cutlet, Shanghai Haopeng Industrial Co., Ltd., was established in January 2010, and more than ten of its branches have been cancelled. (Sunshine Daily, Morning News)
Big Companies/Big Events
Jacky Heung Sold 50 Million in His First Livestream with Women's Clothing, Team Denies Signing with MCN Company
On December 3, Jacky Heung started his first livestream for selling products, attracting nearly 12 million views. The sales volume for two consecutive days reached 25 million to 50 million yuan. He ranked second in the daily sales ranking, only after "With Hui Together". Regarding this, Jacky Heung's customer service team told reporters that Jacky Heung is currently handling the livestream business through his own company and has not signed with an MCN company.
It is reported that this livestream collaborated with Hainan Tourism Duty-Free Group to sell big beauty brand products at Sanya Hainan Tourism Duty-Free City. Jacky Heung's heavy makeup and women's clothing style attracted attention. In the livestream, 46 products were sold, and the products with the highest sales were Estee Lauder essence and Helena Rubinstein cream. Within two days, Jacky Heung gained 285,000 followers, and the total number of his followers increased to 2.508 million. (Changjiang Yun News, Strait Net)
The ventilation holes of the barbecue grill that resemble NIO's logo were sentenced to compensate 300,000 yuan, and NIO responded
It was reported on December 4 in Nanjing, Jiangsu. In April 2023, NIO Automobile found that the portable barbecue grill sold by "Beishanlang Outdoor" had a ventilation hole design that resembled NIO's logo, which damaged the legitimate rights of the plaintiff's well-known trademark. They demanded compensation for economic losses of 2 million yuan and payment of 280,000 yuan for rights protection costs. On November 22, the Nanjing Intermediate People's Court, which heard the case, determined in the first instance that Beishanlang Outdoor constituted an infringement, ordered it to stop the infringement, and compensate NIO Automobile for economic losses and reasonable expenses totaling 300,000 yuan.
On December 4, the relevant person in charge of the legal department of NIO Automobile said that NIO has its own self-operated outdoor camping products. Some consumers have mistakenly thought that the other party is selling NIO products. If there are quality problems, it will have a huge adverse impact on the brand image. (Jiupai News)
Pangdonglai plans to sell some popular products online
On December 6, Yu Donglai, the founder of Pangdonglai, posted a message, rarely mentioning the issue of purchasing agents for Pangdonglai. He said that the company is studying solutions to the excessive purchasing agent phenomenon and will definitely solve it as soon as possible. On the 5th, a screenshot of the reply from the official customer service account of Pangdonglai in Xinxiang to customers was leaked, stating that the company is currently discussing solutions to the purchasing agent phenomenon. It is planned to implement purchase restrictions on popular single items, make silver jewelry available for sale by appointment in different time slots, and make tea available online while canceling offline sales (under discussion). On December 6, a staff member responded that the screenshot circulating online is true. Specific policy measures still need to wait for the company to issue an official statement. (Blue Whale News)
"Black Myth: Wukong" Selected as Time Magazine's 2024 Best Game
In the latest list of the top ten best games of 2024 released by Time Magazine, "Black Myth: Wukong" is on the list again, ranking seventh. Regarding "Black Myth: Wukong", Time Magazine believes that it has made history and become the first AAA game in the Chinese video game industry: This game undoubtedly has the best art design of the year, filled with magnificent and detailed forest, temple and mountain scenes. The interpretation of mythology is as bold as the "God of War" series, and sometimes even terrifying. But the game is too challenging in terms of difficulty, "so painful that at some point, it is no longer fun. (Sina Technology)
There are nearly 70,000 paid self-study rooms in China
In recent years, paid self-study rooms have rapidly emerged in China, blooming both online and offline from first-tier cities to small counties. According to data from Qichacha, there are nearly 70,000 self-study room-related enterprises in China. The number of registered enterprises related to this field has shown a significant overall growth trend in the past decade. In 2023, the annual registration volume exceeded 10,000 for the first time, surging by 523.70% to 22,500. (Da Wan News)
Lilly to Invest $3 Billion to Expand US Production Base Due to High Demand for Weight Loss Drugs
Lilly will invest an additional $3 billion to expand its production base in the United States to increase the output of its blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drugs. According to a statement on Thursday, the latest investment is the company's largest outside its headquarters in Indiana and will expand a new production facility in Wisconsin, with construction expected to begin next year. This move will help meet the growing demand for injectable drugs such as Mounjaro and Zepbound. (Zhitong Finance)
Temasek of Singapore Establishes S$10 Billion Private Credit Platform
Temasek Holdings of Singapore announced on December 6 the establishment of a private credit platform with an initial portfolio size of approximately S$10 billion (approximately US$7.5 billion). The investment portfolio will include direct investments and credit funds. (Jiemian News)
After Bitcoin Breaks $100,000 and Then Plunges, Put Option Popularity Soars
According to Yicai, the OKX market shows that the Bitcoin price briefly dropped to around $90,000 at around 6:28 today (the 6th), and then rebounded rapidly. As of before the release of this article, the quoted price is $96,950 per coin, with an intraday decline of about 4.27%. Facing the possible further downside risk, some traders have hedged through put options. (Yicai)
McKinsey to Pay Over $122 Million to Settle DOJ Investigation into Bribery Case in South Africa
The US Department of Justice announced on December 5 local time that McKinsey's African subsidiary will pay more than $122 million to resolve the DOJ's investigation into its bribery of South African government officials from 2012 to 2016. The plea agreement of a former senior McKinsey partner involved in the bribery scheme was also released simultaneously. McKinsey Africa has signed a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the department. (Jiemian News)
Record Increase in Japan's Basic Salary in October
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan released data on December 6. The basic salary of full-time employed people in October increased by 2.8% year-on-year, the largest increase in comparable data since 1994. The actual cash income remained unchanged, avoiding a decline for the first time in three months, while the market had expected a decrease. The nominal wage growth rate of all workers accelerated to 2.6% from 2.5% in the previous month, in line with expectations. (Jiemian News)
South Korea's financial market experiences a huge shock, with the won once falling below 1420 per US dollar.
On the morning of December 6, South Korea's financial market witnessed another significant fluctuation. The exchange rate of the won against the US dollar dropped sharply at one point. In the South Korean stock market, the KOSPI index once fell nearly 2%, and the current decline has narrowed to within 1%. The exchange rate of the won against the US dollar dropped significantly, with the won once falling below 1420 per US dollar during the trading session. Regarding the won, the US dollar against the won rose nearly 1% at one point during the trading session, and the current increase has significantly declined. (Securities Times)
Bank of England member Greene says UK inflation is fundamentally more persistent
Bank of England member Megan Greene warns that UK inflation is likely to remain above the 2% target in the medium term and is becoming "fundamentally more persistent". "In particular, services inflation has remained high," Greene said. "This is mainly supported by wage growth. Wage growth is also falling, but not as quickly as I would like". Greene still expects inflation to return to the Bank of England's 2% target by the end of the three-year forecast period. Risks include inflation persistence, the trade policies of US President-elect Donald Trump, and how UK companies respond to increased employment taxes. (Sina Finance)
Eric Meurice, former CEO of ASML, joins Intel's board of directors
On December 5, Intel announced that Eric Meurice, the former president, CEO, and chairman of ASML, and Steve Sanghi, the chairman and interim CEO of Microchip Technology, have been appointed as members of Intel's board of directors, with the appointments taking effect immediately. Both will serve as independent directors. (Jiemian News)
Citigroup promotes 344 new managing directors, the largest number in at least six years
Citigroup has promoted 344 new managing directors, the largest number for the Wall Street bank in at least six years. Citigroup's executive management team said in a memo to employees on Thursday: "This is one of the largest promotions to managing director in our company's history, once again reflecting the global diversity of Citigroup and the colleagues, communities, and clients we serve." The newly promoted managing directors include employees from 29 countries, and more than a quarter of them are women. (Sina Finance)
More than 4.1 million 5G base stations have been built and put into use in China
It is learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that as of now, more than 4.1 million 5G base stations have been built and put into use in China. The 5G network is continuously extending to rural areas, achieving "5G coverage in every township". 5G has been integrated into 80 major categories of the national economy, and the breadth and depth of its applications are constantly expanding. (Xinhua News Agency)
It is reported that Meta has started to outsource part of the MR design work to GoerTek.
It is reported that Meta Platforms is transferring part of the development and design work of its Mixed Reality (MR) headset to GoerTek. This will enable Meta to reduce its work in developing MR hardware and focus on the more profitable software business. Previously, Meta was responsible for the design of MR devices, and GoerTek was responsible for manufacturing. A Meta spokesperson responded that the company is cooperating with GoerTek, but the company will continue to design headsets as before. (Cailian Press)
Bank of America: It is recommended to use the Australian dollar to hedge global trade risks
Bank of America stated that investors worried about the rising geopolitical and trade risks should short the Australian dollar for risk hedging, as the Australian dollar is the currency among the G10 currencies that is most affected by global factors. Analysts including Vadim Iaralov pointed out that among the G10 currencies, the Australian dollar is the most sensitive to changes in the global stock market, and its sensitivity to the stock market is more attractive compared to its implied volatility. "Unlike most other currency pairs, the Australian dollar against the US dollar has the highest dependence on global factors in a crisis, and its sensitivity is also increasing." (Sina Finance)
Waymo's Business to Expand to Miami
Waymo, the self-driving subsidiary of Alphabet, announced that its self-driving business will expand to Miami. The company stated that it will strive to provide ride-hailing services to passengers through the Waymo One application in 2026. (Jiemian News)
Uber and WeRide Land the Largest Commercial Operating Robotaxi Fleet in the Middle East in the UAE
36Kr has learned that according to the official WeChat account of WeRide, WeRide and Uber Technologies, Inc. announced that the autonomous driving mobility service they collaborated on has officially landed in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. This is the first time that Uber has launched autonomous driving vehicles in a region outside the United States, and it is also the largest commercial operating Robotaxi fleet outside the United States and China.
Tencent Holdings: On December 6, it spent approximately HK$698 million to repurchase 1.7 million shares of the company.
36Kr learned that Tencent Holdings announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that it spent approximately HK$698 million to repurchase 1.7 million shares of the company on that day, with the repurchase price per share ranging from HK$405.4 to HK$414.4.
SF Holding: The Hong Kong Stock Exchange has confirmed that the company can carry out the proposed spin-off of SF Infrastructure REIT on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
36Kr learned that SF Holding announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that on December 6, 2024, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has confirmed that the company can carry out the proposed spin-off of SF Infrastructure REIT on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
Japan is reportedly considering raising the tax rate on heated tobacco products in advance
It is reported that the Japanese government is considering raising the tax rate on heated tobacco products in the fiscal year 2026, earlier than the plan to increase other tobacco taxes, as part of the effort to increase funds for defense spending. Currently, the tax rate on heated tobacco products is lower compared to cigarettes. Japan plans to unify the tax rates first, and then gradually increase the tax rates on both types of tobacco products starting from the fiscal year 2027. (Jiemian News)
The Forefront of AI
Elon Musk's xAI Raises $6 Billion, Valuation Reportedly Exceeds $40 Billion
According to a regulatory filing, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI has raised $6 billion in new capital, completing a fundraising round that lasted several months. The valuation is reportedly more than $40 billion. A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday showed that the equity financing came from 97 investors, including equity as low as $77,593. The company did not list the names of the investors nor disclose the valuation or revenue. In October this year, it was reported that xAI is seeking new financing with a valuation of $40 billion, not including the funds already raised. (Sina Finance)
OpenAI Launches "Full-Blooded" Inference Model o1 and ChatGPT Pro
OpenAI's 12-day event kicks off. At the event's first day, OpenAI founder Sam Altman stated that what is being released today is the "full-blooded" inference model o1 and ChatGPT Pro (with a monthly subscription fee of $200). It is introduced that o1 is the smartest model in the world. It is smarter, faster, and has more functions (such as multi-modality) than o1-preview. It is now available in ChatGPT and will soon be launched in the API. The newly launched ChatGPT Pro will be able to fully utilize the models and tools, including unlimited access to OpenAI o1 and an o1 that is only available in the Pro version. (Caixin)
Doubao supports the generation of images with specified text, and the App has started testing
36Kr has learned that recently, Doubao, an intelligent AI assistant under ByteDance, has upgraded its text-to-image generation capability to support the one-click generation of specified text. Users can add text requirements in the image generation prompt to generate images with specified text. Currently, this function has started testing in the Doubao App, and a small-scale test has also been conducted by Jiemeng.
"Luma AI" Completes Multi-Million Dollar Financing
36Kr has learned that "Luma AI", an AI vision company in Silicon Valley, USA, has recently completed a new round of financing, with an amount of several million US dollars. The investment lineup for this round includes four European and American companies or funds: Amazon, AMD, Factorial Funds, and LDV Capital. Meanwhile, the old shareholders A16Z, Amplify Partners, and Matrix Partners continue to increase their stakes. It is understood that this round of financing is mainly used to accelerate the development of visual artificial intelligence basic models and products.
Big Company Financial Reports
lululemon: Global net revenue in the third quarter increased by 9% year-on-year to $2.4 billion
36Kr learned that lululemon released its financial report for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024. In the third quarter, the company's global net revenue increased by 9% year-on-year to $2.4 billion. Among them, the net revenue of the international market increased by 33% year-on-year, and the net revenue of the Chinese mainland increased by 39% year-on-year; on a constant dollar basis, the net revenue of the international market in the third quarter increased by 30% year-on-year, and the net revenue of the Chinese mainland increased by 36% year-on-year.
Cool Products
The World's First Carbon-14 Diamond Battery Is Expected to Power Devices for Several Years
According to the official website of the University of Bristol in the UK on the 4th, a research team from the university and the UK Atomic Energy Authority has developed the world's first carbon-14 diamond battery. This battery is expected to power devices for several years. The team revealed that carbon-14 is of great significance in the field of radiocarbon dating. This time, they used an emerging technology to safely encapsulate a small amount of carbon-14 in artificial diamonds to create this unique battery. (Science and Technology Daily)
Organized by | Gao Jiaxue