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Volvo's acquisition of SWECON has been approved by the European Union.

On January 12, the Shanghai Headquarters of the People's Bank of China held its 2026 work conference on January 9. The conference emphasized the following key tasks for 2026: Effectively implement a moderately loose monetary policy; guide financial institutions to achieve reasonable loan growth and balanced allocation, promoting low overall social financing costs; continue to promote the integration of pension finance and the pension industry, actively exploring new models of financial services for the elderly; vigorously promote financial reform and opening up; cooperate with the head office in Shanghai's development of offshore finance; expand the pilot program for comprehensive reform of offshore trade and financial services in the Lingang New Area; continuously promote the internationalization of the RMB; actively promote the implementation of pilot policies for foreign exchange management reform; and actively implement the integrated RMB and foreign currency capital pool and green foreign debt pilot programs.

The China Earthquake Networks Center officially reported that a magnitude 3.5 earthquake struck Shuanghu County, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region at 18:22 on January 12, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers.

Market news: Sudanese forces are resuming military operations in an attempt to retake Kordofan and Darfur.

NGOs say the number of prisoners released in Venezuela has risen to 41, following the release of another 24 the previous night.

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on the morning of December 12. Xi Jinping emphasized that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a crucial period for laying a solid foundation and making comprehensive efforts to basically realize socialist modernization. Party organizations at all levels and the vast number of Party members and cadres must enhance their sense of political responsibility and historical mission, and take concrete actions to implement the decisions and deployments of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. He stressed the need to closely focus on implementing the new development philosophy, promoting high-quality development, and accelerating the construction of a new development pattern. This includes focusing on tasks such as building a modern industrial system, developing new productive forces according to local conditions, building a unified national market, expanding high-level opening-up, solidly promoting common prosperity for all the people, preventing the return to poverty on a normalized basis, resolving local government hidden debt, strengthening ecological and environmental protection, and coordinating development and security. He called for strengthened, specific, precise, and normalized supervision and inspection, making good use of the results of inspections, strengthening supervision of rectification, and ensuring that the major decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee are implemented effectively.

According to Hong Kong Stock Exchange documents, Yuanji Food Group Co., Ltd. has submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

A Reuters poll indicates that the Polish central bank is expected to keep its main interest rate unchanged at 4.00% on Wednesday.

German Finance Minister: We must strengthen Europe further, and we must do so at a much faster pace.

German Finance Minister: Transatlantic partnership is "breaking down".

On January 12th, according to the official WeChat account of Xinge Microelectronics, the company has achieved a milestone in the field of advanced packaging. Its WLP series products have already helped several leading advanced packaging manufacturers achieve mass production of CoWoS-L-like products, and are expected to enter the mass production ramp-up phase in the second half of 2026. It is reported that the company's WLP series products have already exceeded 100 million yuan in order backlog, verifying the market's high recognition of the company's direct-write lithography technology.

On January 12th, Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius stated that the threat of criminal prosecution against the Federal Reserve Chairman will exacerbate market concerns about the central bank's independence, but he expects the Fed to continue making policy decisions based on economic data. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Global Strategy Conference in 2026, Hatzius said, "Clearly, concerns about a potential blow to the Fed's independence are increasing, and the latest news regarding the criminal investigation of Chairman Powell has further reinforced these concerns." He added, "I have no doubt that Powell will continue to make decisions based on economic data for the remainder of his term, and will not be swayed in any direction by pressure—whether it's raising or lowering interest rates, it will follow data guidance."

On January 12th, ABN Amro economist Roger Quedflich stated in a report that the investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell could jeopardize the Fed's prospects for interest rate cuts in the near term. He pointed out that the challenge to the Fed's independence could prompt Fed governors to take a hardline stance, delaying rate cut decisions to "defend the Fed." The investigation concerns cost overruns in a Fed headquarters renovation project, which Quedflich believes is seen as a means to pressure the Fed chairman and force his resignation, thereby expanding government influence. He stated, "If the situation continues to escalate, rate cuts may be postponed."

On January 12th, ING FX strategist Francesco Pesole stated in a report that the dollar faces a significant risk of decline after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced that the Fed had received a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice for overspending on its headquarters renovations. He pointed out that this move has reignited market concerns about the Fed's independence and could trigger another "sell-America" trade. Pesole stated, "Any further signs of interference in the Fed's independence will pose a considerable downside risk to the dollar."

ECB Governing Council member Mueller: There is no reason for further interest rate cuts in the short term.

January 12th - According to the "Beijing Cyberspace Administration," as of January 12, 2026, Beijing has added 3 new generative artificial intelligence services that have completed registration, bringing the total number of registered generative artificial intelligence services to 212.

ECB Governing Council member Mueller: ECB interest rates have been at a reasonable level for some time.

ECB Governing Council member Mueller: ECB interest rate hikes are not something that will happen in the next few months or quarters.