UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA): no evidence retailers altered pricing strategies to exploit the Middle East crisis.

Shanghai will boost software R&D and application and introduce tiered incentive policies to cultivate leading firms, strengthen SMEs and support micro enterprises. The plan targets foundational software performance (operating systems, databases, developer tools), strengthens industrial software supply (computer‑aided design, analysis, product‑lifecycle management), advances cloud deployment and encourages development of AI‑native software including R&D assistants, intelligent office and smart entertainment. It aims to expand the online new economy by bolstering consumer internet, social e‑commerce and community video platforms, while upgrading bulk commodity trading, industrial e‑commerce and industrial digital‑transformation service platforms. The city will also push innovation in cross‑border e‑commerce and live‑streaming e‑commerce.

Hong Kong shares opened mixed: the HSI fell 0.01% while the Hang Seng Tech Index rose 0.22%. Sunny Optical (02382.HK) gained 3.58% and Meituan (03690.HK) gained 2.38% at the open.