Curated items for this range are still being collected. Below, read the related updates already included; items meeting the curation standard will be marked separately.
The two-day 2026 APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting has opened in Hong Kong, marking the first time the city has hosted the event, with a focus on regional economic and financial cooperation. At the opening ceremony, Finance Minister Lan Fo'an called on member economies to strengthen macroeconomic policy dialogue, guard against negative spillover effects from policy adjustments, and seize opportunities from digitalization and green transition to foster new growth drivers. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, said Hong Kong will leverage its unique advantages under "One Country, Two Systems" and play its role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" as an international financial center, helping the region achieve resilient, sustainable and inclusive growth.
HKEX released the consultation conclusions on "Accelerating Settlement in Hong Kong's Cash Market", confirming broad market support for shortening the securities settlement cycle from T+2 to T+1, with implementation targeted for the second half of 2028. The specific date will be announced subject to regulatory approval and market readiness.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan, as a member of the Chinese delegation, attended the plenary meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meetings held in Bangkok, Thailand. During related exchange events, he introduced the development direction of Hong Kong's first five-year plan aligned with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, mentioning that Hong Kong will focus on building the Four Centres and One Hub, deepen the Finance+ strategy, expand offshore RMB business, and meet with executives of the World Bank Group and management of major European digital banks.
Hong Kong's first insurance-linked securities special purpose vehicle has been officially launched, opening a new business path for mainland insurance companies. This vehicle represents an important innovation in Hong Kong's insurance-linked securities market, providing a new channel for mainland insurance institutions to participate in Hong Kong's insurance risk market.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan, as a member of the Chinese delegation, attended the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group held in Bangkok, Thailand, and participated in a roundtable co-hosted by the International Monetary Fund and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. He introduced Hong Kong's investment and financing market advantages at the meeting and invited international multilateral organizations, financial institutions, and insurance companies to cooperate to improve capital raising and risk management efficiency. Paul Chan also met with the Chinese Ambassador to Thailand and senior executives of the International Finance Corporation in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss deepening cooperation in multiple fields.
HKEX and S&P Dow Jones Indices have partnered to launch the S&P 500 and HKEX TECH 100 Index, which was published on September 30, 2026, with approximately 60% weight allocated to the HKEX TECH 100 Index and 40% to the S&P 500, rebalanced quarterly. The index aims to measure the performance of leading US listed companies and large Hong Kong-listed technology companies, supporting ETFs tracking the index to be included in the Southbound Stock Connect, providing investors with cross-market allocation channels.
HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue delivered opening remarks at the 16th Annual International Conference on the Chinese Economy, centered on the theme "Beyond the Cycle: Growth, Innovation, and Resilience in the Chinese Economy." He noted that the core of China's long-term sustainable economic growth lies in technological innovation, structural upgrading, and boosting domestic demand. China is accelerating its shift toward a high-quality development model, replacing its traditional reliance on infrastructure and real estate with advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and green and digital industries.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) welcomed the listing of four ETFs this month that track its cross-market indices, marking the first investment products launched for the underlying benchmark indices. The four ETFs respectively track the HKEX-Bursa Malaysia Large-Cap Index, the HKEX-KRX Semiconductor Index, and the HKEX Technology and US Technology 100 Index, using a 60/40 weighted design of 60% Hong Kong-listed securities and 40% overseas securities, and are expected to be included in Southbound Stock Connect.
HKEX announced that its wholly-owned subsidiaries, the on-exchange derivatives clearing houses Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (HKCC) and Hong Kong Futures Exchange Limited (SEOCH), will, starting from November 2026 and subject to regulatory approval, include Chinese government bonds, policy bank bonds held under Northbound Bond Connect, and offshore bonds issued by the Ministry of Finance in the scope of eligible non-cash collateral to cover margin requirements.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) held the 2026 Treasury Markets Summit on September 23, 2026, where Chief Executive Eddie Yue delivered a keynote speech focusing on the development of Hong Kong's bond market. He noted that the Hong Kong bond market has achieved a compound annual growth rate of 20% over the past 20 years, and more than half of the world's digital bonds were issued in Hong Kong in the first half of 2026. The market development will be advanced from four dimensions: diversification, depth, vibrancy, and digitalization.
The Hong Kong Investment Funds Association (HKIFA) has publicly welcomed Hong Kong's "First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development 2026–2030" and related measures in the 2026 Policy Address. The Association participated in the Five-Year Plan consultation and endorses the Plan's inclusion of core industry priorities such as strengthening Mainland connectivity, broadening market access, promoting financial innovation, and enhancing talent development.
