A-share brokerage stocks firmed in choppy trading; Hatou Co. jumped over 7%, Zhinanzhen rose more than 4%, while Caitong Securities, Guosheng Securities and Huaan Securities also gained.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver her State of the Union address on the 16th (local time) and is set to propose a wholesale overhaul of Europe’s security architecture, a European news site reports. Her speech reportedly calls for establishment of a European Security Council consisting of EU leaders plus leaders of selected non-EU countries, including Ukraine, the UK, Norway and Canada. She will also urge a new Europe-wide “security protocol” modelled on NATO’s Article 4, which allows members to request consultations when they judge their security or territorial integrity threatened.

US Senate Republican leader Thune said we must reduce the risks posed by artificial intelligence.