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On January 29, Premier Li Qiang and British Prime Minister Keith Starmer jointly attended the closing ceremony of the China-UK Business Council meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and delivered speeches. More than 110 representatives from Chinese and British enterprises and institutions attended. Li Qiang stated that China and the UK are important economic and trade partners with broad common interests. As long as both sides adhere to mutual respect, move in the same direction, eliminate interference, and cooperate openly, they can achieve win-win results and create common prosperity through mutual benefit. Currently, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, severely impacting the world economy and business development. Against this backdrop, China and the UK should continue to uphold the "ice-breaking spirit" and strengthen cooperation ties. This is not only a rational choice for both countries to cope with risks and promote common development, but also a due responsibility for China and the UK as major powers to work together to solve global problems.

January 29th - Canada's trade deficit widened more than expected, driven by increased volatility in gold exports and declines in both imports and exports of motor vehicles and parts. Statistics Canada reported on Thursday that the country's trade deficit reached C$2.2 billion in November. Economists had previously predicted a deficit of C$690 million. The agency stated that total exports fell 2.8% in November, with exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products experiencing the largest drop at 24.4%. This was primarily dragged down by a 36% decline in exports of unwrought gold, silver, platinum, and their alloys. The report noted that gold has been the main driver of volatility in Canadian exports in recent months. In November, Canadian exports of unwrought gold to the UK, the US, and Hong Kong all declined sharply.

The final reading of U.S. nonfarm unit labor costs for the third quarter was -1.9%, compared to an expected -1.90% and a previous reading of -1.90%.

The four-week moving average of initial jobless claims in the United States for the week ending January 24 was 206,250, compared with a revised figure of 204,000 for the previous week (originally 201,500).

The number of Americans continuing to claim unemployment benefits for the week ending January 17 was 1.827 million, compared with an expected 1.86 million and a revised 1.865 million for the previous week (originally reported as 1.849 million).

The final reading for U.S. nonfarm productivity in the third quarter was 4.9%, below the expected 4.90% and the previous reading of 4.90%.

U.S. Border Affairs Director Homan: They requested permission for us to enter the prison because it would be safer for the community and for undocumented immigrants.

Oppenheimer: Raises target price for IBM (IBM.N) from $360 to $380.

The euro fell 0.6% against the Norwegian krone to 11.3994, a new low since April 2025.

According to Hong Kong Stock Exchange documents, Shanghai Bolai Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. has submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: Ukraine has significantly diversified its natural gas supply following the Russian attack.

Mastercard (MA.N) shares rose 2.4% in pre-market trading after reporting fourth-quarter profits that exceeded expectations.

According to Hong Kong Stock Exchange documents, Gemile Holdings Limited has submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

On January 29, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with British Business Secretary John Kell, who accompanied British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his visit to China, in Beijing on the evening of January 28. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on developing China-UK economic and trade cooperation. Wang Wentao stated that the Chinese and British economies are highly complementary, and bilateral economic and trade cooperation is developing steadily and dynamically. The leaders of China and the UK will provide strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations and inject new momentum into bilateral economic and trade ties. This year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, and China will continue to promote high-quality development and unswervingly expand high-level opening-up, which will bring new opportunities for China-UK cooperation. China is willing to strengthen dialogue on economic and trade policies with the UK, deepen cooperation in areas such as trade in services, two-way investment, finance, and the digital economy, expand imports of high-quality products and services from the UK, and hopes that the UK will provide a fair, just, and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises and protect their legitimate rights and interests.

Bernstein: Lowered its target price for Microsoft (MSFT.O) from $645 to $641.

Ukraine's Defense Minister: Following the unveiling of the Starlink project for Russian drones, Ukraine is now collaborating with SpaceX.

On January 29th, Unigroup Guoxin Microelectronics stated on its interactive platform that its storage products are mainly used in specialized fields, and due to pressure from clients, it is difficult to adjust storage chip prices in the short term. In response to fluctuations in storage chip prices, the company continues to actively address customer demand fluctuations by optimizing its product structure, improving operational efficiency, and expanding application scenarios. It also formulates appropriate product pricing strategies based on the technical requirements of specialized fields and market dynamics.