8:00 am Kr 36 | NVIDIA to acquire $5 billion worth of Intel shares; A major gold heist involving 65 kilograms of gold occurred in Hong Kong; Apple admits that there are bugs in the cameras of the iPhone 17 series products.

Today's Hot Topics Overview

• Milky Snow clerk responds to the shortage of lemonade in multiple stores: Imported lemons are delayed due to weather conditions.
• Beijing Municipality announces the upper and lower limits of social insurance payment wage base for 2025.
• Nanfu's high - speed rail advertisement sparks controversy, and the company responds that it is evaluating the controversial slogan.
• New regulations on parenting subsidies are introduced, with a one - time annual payment. Those who defraud or falsely claim will be held accountable.
• Smartisan Technology responds to being listed as a dishonest debtor.

Top 3 Big News

NVIDIA to Acquire $5 Billion Worth of Intel Shares

Intel's pre - market gains in the U.S. stock market have further widened to 30%. NVIDIA and Intel announced a partnership on September 18. In the data center field, Intel will customize x86 CPUs for NVIDIA, which NVIDIA will integrate into its artificial intelligence infrastructure platform and bring to the market. In the personal computing field, Intel will produce and supply x86 system - on - a - chip (SOC) integrated with NVIDIA's RTX GPU chips to the market. NVIDIA will invest $5 billion in Intel's common stock at a price of $23.28 per share. (Jiemian News)

65 kg of gold stolen from a goldsmith's workshop in Hong Kong, China; police have recovered all the stolen goods and arrested 13 people

On September 17, an employee of a goldsmith's workshop in Fuheng Industrial Building, No. 1, Ho Yuen East Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, reported to the police that around 5 a.m. that day, more than 10 men suddenly broke into the room in the workshop specifically for storing gold and snatched 65 kg of gold bars, gold ingots and gold powder, with a total value of about HK$58 million (approximately RMB53.02 million). In addition, the thieves also stole about HK$30,000 in cash (approximately RMB27,000) from the workshop.

On September 18, the Hong Kong police had recovered all the stolen goods worth about HK$59 million. In the evening, the police held a briefing on the case. Chief Inspector Hui Chung-hang, in charge of the third team of the Regional Crime Unit of West Kowloon, said that the police had arrested a total of 13 people, including 12 men and 1 woman, aged between 29 and 60, and some of them had Triad backgrounds. He revealed that 12 out of the 17 men who broke into the scene had been arrested, and the arrested woman was suspected of concealing the whereabouts of her husband (a suspect in the case). In addition, based on the investigation, the police speculated that the case might be related to a business dispute among the partners of the processing factory. (Red Star News, Jiemian News)

Apple Admits Camera Vulnerabilities in iPhone 17 Series and iPhone Air, "Causing Black Boxes and White Wavy Lines in Photos"

On September 18th, Apple plans to release a fix for a vulnerability in the cameras of the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro that causes black boxes and white wavy lines to appear in photos. It is reported that this issue was first discovered by a foreign journalist named Henry Casey during a review of the iPhone Air. Casey noticed that when shooting at a concert, about one in every ten photos had small black screens and some white wavy lines.

The journalist then contacted Apple to report the situation and received official confirmation. Apple said that this problem only occurs in extremely rare cases, such as when an LED display is very bright and shines directly on the camera. The company has fixed the problem and plans to release a fix, but the specific push time of the repair patch has not been announced yet. (Red Star News)

Large Companies/High - profile Events

Tesla is redesigning the door handles that have been plagued by safety controversies

Tesla's design director, Franz von Holzhausen, said in an interview that Tesla is redesigning its door handle system, which has been plagued by safety controversies. The new design aims to enable passengers to operate the car doors more intuitively in "emergency situations". Earlier this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into the door defects of some Tesla models, involving approximately 174,000 problematic vehicles. The NHTSA stated that since 2018, it has received more than 140 consumer complaints about Tesla models' doors getting stuck, failing to open, or having other malfunctions, including multiple casualties caused by the inability to open the doors after a power outage. (Cailian Press)

Staff at Mixue Bingcheng Stores Respond to Lemonade Shortages in Multiple Locations: Imported Lemons Delayed Due to Weather

Recently, many consumers have reported on social media platforms that they couldn't buy lemonade at multiple Mixue Bingcheng stores in various locations. On the 17th, staff at several Mixue Bingcheng stores in Shanghai and Sichuan told reporters that there is currently no fresh iced lemonade in the stores because they can't get the main ingredient, yellow lemons.

Hongxing Capital Bureau learned from people close to Mixue Bingcheng that the recent raw material fluctuations at some stores are due to a batch of imported lemons being delayed at the port due to weather. Meanwhile, the lemons in the main lemon supply area of Mixue Bingcheng - the Sichuan - Chongqing region - have entered the picking season. Since they need to be stored for a while to optimize the taste, there is a supply shortage in some areas. However, the overall lemon reserve is very sufficient. Currently, a large number of imported lemons are about to arrive at the port, and the stored lemons have also passed the evaluation and meet the usage standards. They will be gradually distributed to the stores, and the lemon supply will resume soon. (Hongxing Capital Bureau)

Beijing Releases the Upper and Lower Limits of Social Insurance Contribution Wage Bases for 2025

On September 18th, the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, and the Beijing Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration jointly issued the "Announcement on the Upper and Lower Limits of Wage Bases for Various Social Insurance Contributions in 2025". It is clear that starting from July 2025, for enterprise employees insured in this city, the monthly upper limit of the contribution base for basic endowment insurance, unemployment insurance, work - related injury insurance, and basic medical insurance for employees (including maternity insurance) is 35,811 yuan, and the lower limit is 7,162 yuan. (The Beijing News)

A hotel in Jingdezhen saw a tenfold surge in room prices during the National Day holiday. The local market regulatory bureau announced: It is suspected of violating the law and a case has been filed for investigation.

Recently, a netizen posted that during the National Day holiday, the price of a room at the Jingdezhen Space Hotel (Yuyao Museum Branch) in Jiangxi reached over 1,000 yuan, while the price of the same room type in September was only about 90 yuan, a zhangfu of over ten times. The netizen exclaimed that it was "too outrageous".

The hotel staff said that the high price was set to prevent guests from making reservations for the time being, but some people still accidentally booked the rooms and posted about it online. The staff member said that he had taken the rooms off the shelves and would put them back online after the price adjustment and rectification were completed. On the 18th, the Zhushan District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, issued a situation report. The report pointed out that the hotel is suspected of violating the "Price Law of the People's Republic of China". A case has now been filed for investigation, and serious penalties will be imposed in accordance with laws and regulations. Next, a comprehensive inspection will be carried out regarding such hotel room price issues. (Red Star News, Yicai Global)

Nanfu's High - speed Rail Ad Sparks Controversy, Response Says It's Evaluating the Controversial Slogan

Recently, a slogan on the small table behind the seats of high - speed trains has caught people's attention. The slogan reads: "I really love going on business trips with my boss. It's like using a Nanfu battery, with long - lasting endurance and ultra - long battery life. We start talking about work when we get on the train and can continue even after getting off. Not! Tired! At! All!" Some netizens find this slogan funny, while others say they can't understand it, believing that the ad content is "blatantly suggestive and not funny at all." On the 17th, Nanfu responded to reporters, stating that after verification, the slogan does belong to Nanfu. Currently, the marketing department is evaluating the slogan to determine whether it is suitable for continued use in promotion. (Jing Shi Live)

New Regulations on Child - Rearing Subsidies Issued: One - Time Annual Payment, and Liability for Fraudulent Claims

On September 18th, the National Health Commission and the Ministry of Finance issued the "Administrative Specifications for the Child - Rearing Subsidy System (Trial)". It mainly highlights four key points: Streamlining the application and review process, with online applications as the main method; Clarifying the payment time and channels. Child - rearing subsidies are calculated annually and paid in a lump sum each year; Strengthening information management. Users of information systems at all levels should implement information security responsibilities, not handle information beyond their authority, and not provide or release relevant information externally without permission; Strengthening supervision and management. Relevant departments at all levels are required to establish and improve a supervision and inspection mechanism for funds. For those who fraudulently claim subsidy funds, the funds shall be recovered and relevant responsibilities shall be investigated. (CCTV News)

Smartisan Technology Responds to Being Listed as a Dishonest Executor

Regarding the recent incident that Smartisan Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. was listed as a dishonest executor, Smartisan Technology responded to Chinanews.com on the afternoon of the 18th, saying that in combination with Luo Yonghao's previous public statement: Smartisan Technology borrowed from Zihui Venture Capital in two installments, with a cumulative total of 15 million yuan. However, this sum of money belongs to the company's debt, not his personal debt.

Smartisan Technology stated that Luo Yonghao himself had clearly stated that he was willing to repay this debt owed to Zihui Venture Capital on behalf of the company in his personal capacity. However, in view of the continuous slander and attacks on him by Zheng Gang, the person - in - charge of Zihui Venture Capital, over the past two years, it was decided to handle the debt issue with Zihui Venture Capital last. Previously, in August this year, the company and its legal representative, Guan Zhiliang, had been enforced to pay more than 21.42 million yuan in the above - mentioned case and were restricted from high - end consumption. (Chinanews.com)

Shanghai Education Commission Issues Notification on "Issues with Shrimp and Scrambled Eggs in Certain Schools": Retained Samples of Related Dishes and Ingredients Sent for Testing

On September 15th, some parents in Shanghai took to social media to report an abrupt suspension of shrimp and scrambled egg dishes in their children's school meals, drawing public attention and sparking discussions. On the 16th, reporters learned from Shanghai Lvjie Industrial Development Co., Ltd., the meal service provider, that several schools had reported detecting fine sand particles in the shrimp. "Not all batches were affected, and there are no other food safety concerns as we retained samples," the company stated. Currently, the company serves over 500 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens across all 16 districts of the city, delivering more than 500,000 meals daily.

On the 18th, the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission released an official notice confirming that the education authority, alongside market regulators, had immediately proceeded to the scene to conduct an investigation. Retained samples of the relevant dishes and ingredients have been submitted to Shanghai Institute of Quality Inspection and Technical Research Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Zhongwei Testing Technology Co., Ltd. for analysis. In accordance with standard procedures, test results will be published within one week. Concurrently, the commission will collaborate with relevant departments to enhance oversight of school meal providers. (Red Star News)

China has built approximately 4.6 million 5G base stations, and the production and sales volume of new energy vehicles in the country have ranked first globally for 10 consecutive years.

On the afternoon of September 18th, the State Council Information Office introduced at a press conference in the series themed "High - quality Completion of the 14th Five - Year Plan" that during the 14th Five - Year Plan period, China has continuously strengthened research on key core technologies and the application of research results, and led the development of new - quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation, achieving positive results. In the information field, China has built approximately 4.6 million 5G base stations, with its technology and the number of users remaining globally leading, enabling digital upgrading and development across various industries. In the new energy field, China has continuously broken the world records for the efficiency of photovoltaic crystalline silicon cells. The newly installed capacity of photovoltaic and wind power has exceeded 100 million kilowatts for four consecutive years. The cumulative sales of new energy vehicles in the country have exceeded 40 million, and the production and sales volume have ranked first globally for 10 consecutive years, making China's contribution to the global carbon reduction goal. (CCTV News)

Refresh the historical record: Leveraged funds in the A-share market exceed 2.4 trillion yuan for the first time

On September 18th, the A-share market rose first and then fell. The three major indices all hit new phased highs in the morning session but collectively pulled back in the afternoon. The margin trading balance reached the 2.4-trillion-yuan mark for the first time the previous day, and the market is paying close attention to the future trend of funds and the market. As of the 17th, the margin trading balance reached 24.054 trillion yuan, refreshing the historical record. The ratio of the margin trading balance to the free-float market value of the A-shares was 2.51%, still lower than the peak of 4.73% in 2015. The sectors favored by leveraged funds are mainly electronics, power equipment, non-bank finance, computers and other sectors. Most of the stocks with relatively large net margin purchases since September are also popular stocks that have performed well in the recent stage. In the morning session on the 18th, the A-share market showed an overall gratifying upward trend. The Shanghai Composite Index, the Shenzhen Component Index, and the ChiNext Index all hit new phased highs. Among them, the Shanghai Composite Index approached 3,900 points, but they all declined in the afternoon. Finally, the three major indices closed down 1.15%, 1.06%, and 1.64% respectively. (Yicai Global)

Xie Mengwei, Known as "Brother Gazi", Had His Kuaishou Account Banned

Recently, Xie Mengwei, known as "Gazi Xie", was reported by netizens for live - streaming to sell goods while wearing a police uniform. On the evening of September 17th, the Public Security Bureau of Gengma County issued a police situation notice, stating that Xie Moumou (i.e., Xie Mengwei) live - streamed to sell goods while wearing clothing with obvious police emblems, which had a negative social impact. Xie Moumou was administratively detained for 7 days in accordance with the law. At noon on September 18th, it was found through inquiry that "Brother Gazi"'s Kuaishou account had been banned by the platform. (Jiemian News)

Volkswagen will stop supplying the Touareg model to the Chinese market in November

Volkswagen will stop supplying the Touareg model to the Chinese market in November. As a model used by Volkswagen to boost its high - end image at the beginning of this century, the Touareg is the "flagship and face" of Volkswagen. It has a history of nearly 30 years since its launch. The reason for stopping the supply to the Chinese market is that the sales of this model in the Chinese market have been poor in recent years. "But Volkswagen will still retain the after - sales service for this model in China." A person close to Volkswagen's sales in the Chinese region added. (21st Century Business Herald)

UK Government Says Trump's Visit Brings £150 Billion in Investment

The UK government said that as part of US President Trump's historic second state visit, US companies have announced a total of £150 billion in investments. According to the UK government, around 7,600 "high - quality" jobs will be created in the UK due to the inflow of funds from large US companies. UK Prime Minister Starmer said: "These investments are a testament to the strength of the UK economy and a bold signal that our country is open, ambitious and ready to take the lead." (Sina Finance)

Yonghui Superstores Appoints Wang Shoucheng as CEO

Yonghui Superstores (601933.SH) announced that the company held the 7th meeting of the 6th - session board of directors on September 18, 2025, and reviewed and approved the "Proposal on Appointing Senior Management of the Company". It agreed to appoint Wang Shoucheng as the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Wang Shoucheng, born in April 1991, is a Chinese national and a member of the Communist Party of China. He holds a master's degree from Peking University. Currently, he serves as a director, deputy leader of the reform leading group, and vice - president of Yonghui Superstores Co., Ltd. He served as the person - in - charge of the adjustment and reform group in the Donglai Learning Project of Yonghui Superstores, took the lead in the construction of the operation standard system, and effectively promoted the adjustment and reform project. (Sina Technology)

Ford Motor Company in the US to Lay Off Another 1,000 Workers

Ford Motor Company in the US announced on the 16th that due to the weak demand in the European electric vehicle market, its Cologne plant in Germany will lay off 1,000 workers in early 2026. This means that Ford's lay - off scale in Germany will be further expanded, and for the first time, it will involve the vehicle production department.

According to a statement from Ford Motor Company, starting from January 2026, the production shifts at the Cologne plant in Germany will be adjusted from two shifts to one shift. Employees who voluntarily leave can receive relatively generous compensation; if an employee's department is sold and taken over by another enterprise, resulting in a job transfer, the employee's rights and interests will also be protected. (Yicai Global)

Hyundai Recalls Over 560,000 Vehicles in the US Due to Seat Belt Malfunctions

On September 18th, according to the disclosure by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Hyundai Motor America is recalling some 2020 - 2025 Palisade models, a total of 568,580 vehicles, because the seat belt buckles may not lock properly. (Jiemian News)

All three major U.S. stock indexes closed higher, with Intel soaring 22%

36Kr learned that at the close on September 18, all three major U.S. stock indexes rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.27%, the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.94%, and the S&P 500 Index rose 0.48%. Large technology stocks showed mixed performance. Arm fell more than 4%, Tesla fell more than 2%, Netflix fell more than 1%, and Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon declined slightly. Intel soared 22%, NVIDIA rose more than 3%, Google rose 1%, and Meta rose slightly. Most popular Chinese concept stocks weakened. NetEase fell more than 4%, Bilibili fell more than 3%, Li Auto, Weibo, and Alibaba fell more than 2%, and Pinduoduo, Baidu, iQiyi, and XPeng Motors fell more than 1%. JD.com rose slightly.

Investment and Financing

Weimob Group Enters into Subscription Agreement with Infini Capital, Raising US$200 Million in Financing

36Kr learned that Weimob Group issued an announcement stating that the Group entered into a subscription agreement with international long - term investment institution Infini Capital, raising US$200 million in financing. The funds obtained will be mainly used for AI investment and R & D as well as international layout. Weimob Group said that introducing international long - term capital focused on long - term value investment in the high - tech field will help promote Weimob Group's increased investment and layout in the AI field, so as to provide digital and intelligent upgrade products and services for more global merchants.

"Arctic Core Micro" Completes Over 100 Million Yuan Series A Financing

36Kr learned that recently, "Arctic Core Micro" announced the successful completion of a Series A financing round exceeding 100 million yuan. This round of financing was led by CMBC International, with joint investments from United Optics, Xingchen Technology, Optics Valley Talent Fund, and existing shareholder Guohua Investment.

On the Way to Going Public

Xuanzhu Biotech

According to 36Kr, documents from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange show that on September 17, Xuanzhu Biotechnology Co., Ltd. passed the listing hearing of the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. CICC is the sole sponsor.

The Cutting - Edge of AI

The world's first AI Database Agent is born, developed by the startup Teable, and recently completed its angel round of financing

36Kr learned that the world's first multi - dimensional table intelligent agent, the AI Database Agent, was officially launched, developed by the startup AI company Teable. It is understood that Teable recently completed its angel round of financing, with investors including ZhenFund, Baidu Ventures, and Vertex Ventures. The product is powered by AI to drive database construction, data analysis, and process automation. The founder, Chen Jiabei, was formerly a founding member of Feishu's multi - dimensional table and the CTO of Vika Table.

Google Adds Gemini to Chrome Browser to Support AI Search

Google will add more artificial intelligence to its Chrome browser to fend off the intensifying competition from AI startups OpenAI and Perplexity. Google said in a blog post on Thursday that it will roll out Chrome with Gemini to users of Mac and Windows computers in the United States, as well as mobile device users. Users will be able to ask Gemini to help understand the content of specific web pages, work across tabs, or accomplish more tasks within a single tab, such as scheduling meetings or searching for videos. (Sina Finance)

Cool Products

Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro May Be Launched in 2026

On September 18th, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities, said in a latest report that Apple plans to integrate a touch panel for the first time in its first OLED MacBook Pro and mass-produce it in 2026. This means that for the first time in 19 years since the launch of the MacBook, it breaks through the interaction boundary of "only supporting keyboards and mice". Ming-Chi Kuo pointed out in the report that the usage data of the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard in the past five years shows that about 38% of users use both touch and keyboards/mice during creative work (such as drawing and taking notes). Especially in scenarios such as education and design, touch operations can improve task efficiency by 22%. This "tablet-like" usage habit has prompted Apple to re-evaluate the interaction logic of the MacBook. (Jiemian News)

Chinese Researchers Successfully Develop a New Generation of Brain-Computer Interface Functional Electrodes

It is learned from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that a research team jointly formed by the institute and Donghua University has successfully developed a neural fiber electrode called "NeuroWorm" after more than five years of collaborative research. This electrode is as thin as a hair, soft, stretchable, and can be freely driven. This technology marks a paradigm shift in bioelectronic interfaces (brain-computer interfaces and human-machine interfaces) from static to dynamic and from passive recording to active intelligent detection. The research results were published in the international academic journal Nature on September 17th, Beijing time. (CCTV News)

Two Indian engineers design "airbags" for airplanes after a plane crash. The airbags can be automatically opened through AI detection to reduce impact and protect the aircraft fuselage.

According to a report on September 17th, after an Indian Airlines plane crash in June, two engineers from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India designed a seemingly "crazy" aircraft protection system: external airbags. They named this AI - driven device "REBIRTH". When the plane is at an altitude of about 900 meters or lower and a crash is inevitable, large airbags will be ejected from the fuselage within seconds, wrapping the plane like an exploding "air popcorn". Meanwhile, the airbags, deceleration propulsion, and energy - absorbing liquid work together to turn a fatal crash into a survivable forced landing. It is reported that this project has been short - listed for the Dyson Design Award. If they win the award, they plan to test the system on a decommissioned A320 airliner first. (Red Star News)

Meta Unveils Its First AI Glasses with Display

On September 18th, Meta launched its first AI glasses with a display, which can perform real - time translation and support 3K video recording. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the new Horizon Engine, which can use AI tools to speed up the creation of virtual content. In the future, these contents will be supported to be accessed on the glasses. Tao Yang, an analyst at Sigmaintell, told a reporter from China Business News that the new AR and AI glasses products released by Meta at its annual conference include its first mass - produced AI glasses with a display and optical waveguide, the Ray - Ban Meta Display, two AI glasses without a display, and an electromyography bracelet based on sEMG technology. This marks a significant advancement in consumer - grade wearable devices after Meta's in - depth exploration in the VR field, and also reflects its systematic layout in hardware, technology, and supply - chain strategies.

Compiled | Purple