Think Business, Think Hong Kong strengthens Italy-Hong Kong ties and opens new path for Asian collaboration

HONG KONG, Nov 20, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will host the Think Business, Think Hong Kong (TBTHK) flagship promotion campaign at Palazzo Mezzanotte in Milan on 27 November. This marks the event's first return to Italy after a previous edition in 2014. The event is expected to gather over 700 business leaders, officials and investors to explore business and partnership opportunities in Asia via Hong Kong.

The event takes place against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global business landscape and growth in markets such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as opportunities arising from Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis initiative, and will offer Italian businesses an opportunity to explore new markets, build partnerships and foster collaboration across Asia.

After successful recent editions in Paris and Jakarta, TBTHK Milan will gather some 80 delegates from Hong Kong, including government officials, business and creative industry leaders, financial and professional services providers, investors and start-up entrepreneurs, as well as executives from Chinese Mainland companies based in Hong Kong, for a day of dialogue, networking and partnership-building with Italian companies keen to expand into Asia. The event will highlight Hong Kong's role as a superconnector and super value-adder, enabling both Hong Kong and mainland enterprises to go global and seize opportunities in Italy and across Europe.

At the Opening Session, Paul Chan, Hong Kong SAR Government Financial Secretary, and Prof Frederick Ma, HKTDC Chairman, along with an Italian government representative will deliver remarks. At the Plenary Session, high-profile speakers from various industries, including Bernard Chan, Chairman of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority; Bonnie Chan, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited; Claudio de Bedin, Partner of Justin Chow & de Bedin Solicitors LLP; Fabio De Rosa, Head of Global Transaction Banking of Banco BPM; Hans Michael Jebsen, Chairman of The Hong Kong-Europe Business Council and Jebsen Group; and Alex Zhavoronkov, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, will share their insights.

The programme will also include five thematic sessions, focusing on a strategic area that reflects shared priorities between Hong Kong and Italy and will offer in-depth insights into practical collaboration opportunities. Prominent business leaders, including representatives from Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Invest Hong Kong, Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council, Hong Kong Design Centre, Hong Kong Designers Association, HSBC, Bank of China, as well as start-ups, will share their successes and insights. The thematic sessions will cover:

- Digital Trade and Finance: Highlighting global economic and digital transformation trends, key challenges in cross-border trade, Hong Kong's role as a leading financial and trade hub strengthening ties with Europe and Italy, its advanced digital trade initiatives and infrastructure, success stories using new technologies, and plans to build trade corridors linking Italy, Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

- Innovation and Technology: Exploring Hong Kong's role as a leading testbed and launchpad for AI, robotics, and smart city solutions, featuring breakthroughs in greentech, industrial digitalisation, and urban innovation backed by case studies in AI logistics, automation, and sustainable management to unlock partnership opportunities for Italian firms in Asia's fast-growing smart city ecosystem.

- Global Supply Chain: Highlighting the shared priorities between Hong Kong and Italy, this panel showcases Hong Kong's drive for global supply chain innovation through strong European partnerships, leveraging its capital market and superconnector role to empower pioneering companies in transforming cutting-edge technologies into sustainable, greener, and more resilient growth.

- Creative and Design: Master designers will introduce distinctive lifestyle design cases and partnerships that re-define cross-cultural elegance, while emerging talents unveil cutting-edge design solutions and share inspiring stories of successful brand collaborations in another panel.

In addition to a full-day symposium, the TBTHK programme will feature an exhibition comprising the Business Support Zone and InnoVenture Salon, where over 20 Hong Kong service providers and start-ups will showcase innovative services, solutions, and technologies, creating opportunities for collaboration with Italian participants. One-on-one business consultations and on-site business matching will be arranged to facilitate deals and collaborations between Italian and Hong Kong companies. The day will conclude with the Hong Kong Dinner, providing further opportunities for the business communities of Italy and Hong Kong to connect.

Survey reveals Italian businesses eye Hong Kong as key gateway to Asia

The HKTDC and the Milan-headquartered Italy China Council Foundation (ICCF) have jointly conducted a survey titled Italian Companies' Asian Expansion Priorities: Innovation, Healthcare and Retail Sectors. Key findings indicate that Hong Kong is regarded as a priority market and an essential trading partner by many of Italy's increasingly Asia-focused businesses.

Primarily targeted at Italian companies with business in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and wider Asia, the research survey was conducted in Q3 2025, covering 172 Italian C-suite and senior business leaders. According to the findings, 77% of surveyed Italian businesses are strongly committed to expanding in Asia, citing the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong as their priority markets.

When asked how Hong Kong can facilitate Italian business expansion in Asia over the next three years, some 93% of respondents believe Hong Kong can effectively support their plans. The city's unrivalled status as a strategic gateway to many Asian markets, along with its strengths as a logistics and supply chain management hub, were also widely acknowledged.

Strong Italy-Hong Kong ties

Italy is an important trading and investment partner for Hong Kong. In 2024, bilateral trade amounted to US$8.3 billion. This positions Italy as Hong Kong's fourth-largest EU trading partner and export market, and its third-largest EU import market.

As of the end of 2023, Hong Kong was the third most popular destination for Italian investment in Asia. Hong Kong investors also recorded substantial investments in Italy, with the city being the third-largest Asian investor in the country. As of 2024, there were 200 Italian companies operating in Hong Kong.

The sectors recording the most trading activity include fashion and luxury goods, electronics and food and beverages, as well as high-value professional services industries ' areas where Italian excellence is globally recognised.

The Asian metropolis offers a unique regional business ecosystem, combining competitive taxation, a robust legal framework based on the common law, strong IP protection and privileged access to the Chinese Mainland and emerging Asia-Pacific markets.

This combination makes Hong Kong an ideal platform for Italian companies eager to expand into Asia, diversify their operations, and strengthen their presence in one of the world's most vibrant regions.

For more information, please visit the official TBTHK Milan website:

https://thinkbusinessthinkhk.com/2025-milan/symposium/en/index.html

Register for the event on 27 November:

https://milan.hktdc.com/index.php

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3XmdzNj

The next edition of the flagship promotional event, Think Business, Think Hong Kong, will take place in Milan, Italy, on 27 November. This photo shows the Paris edition held in 2023.

Media enquiries

HKTDC's Communication & Public Affairs Department:

Jane Cheung Tel: +852 2584 4137 Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.org

Weber Shandwick

Nadia Lauria Tel: +39 3356962981 Email: hkmedia@webershandwickitalia.it

Marco Pedrazzini Tel: +39 3470369222 Email: hkmedia@webershandwickitalia.it

Ines Baraldi Tel: +39 3428650498 Email: hkmedia@webershandwickitalia.it

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.

Source: HKTDC

Copyright 2025 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing could see upward consensus estimate revisions for its full year earnings, CGS International analysts write in a note. 3Q trading activity and net profit beat expectations, and the momentum is likely to continue thanks to fund inflows from mainland-based investors and rising domestic trading activity, Laura Li and Michael Chang write in a note. The "jumbo IPO pipeline" remains strong with more $1 billion in IPOs expected before year-end, they add. CGSI retains an add rating on the stock and lifts its target price to HK$630 from HK$530, taking into account earnings estimates through 2027 driven by higher trading activity. Shares are 1.15% lower at HK$428.00 at midday. (kimberley.kao@wsj.com)

By Kimberley Kao

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing reported record profit and revenue for the third quarter as trading and listing activity in the Asian financial hub continued to gain momentum.

Net profit jumped 56% from a year earlier to 4.90 billion Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to US$630.3 million, the stock-exchange operator said Wednesday. That topped the HK$4.70 billion consensus estimate of analysts in a Visible Alpha poll.

Core business revenue increased 54% to HK$7.48 billion, driven by stronger trading and clearing fees. Trading volumes also surged, with the headline average daily turnover more than doubling to a record HK$286.4 billion, it said.

"HKEX continued to capture the momentum of global diversification and attractiveness of Chinese assets," said Bonnie Y Chan, the exchange operator's chief executive.

Hong Kong remains on track to become the world's top listing destination by proceeds this year as increased investor participation, market liquidity and policy support spur an IPO revival. The rebound has been fueled by Chinese companies seeking secondary listings and comes amid a surge of high-tech companies looking to tap the Hong Kong market.

At the same time, the benchmark Hang Seng Index has climbed about 29% in 2025, making it one of the best-performing indexes in the region. HKEX shares ended slightly lower at HK$423.60 after the results, taking gains this year to around 44%.

Analysts expect the trading momentum to continue, with DBS noting an active IPO market and strong participation by mainland China-based investors. The market also stands to benefit from rising global interest in artificial intelligence-related investment, it wrote in a note.

"The flip-flop developments in [the] U.S.-China tariffs war have added volatility to the market, further fueling trading activity," DBS Group Research said.

Renewed foreign interest in Chinese equities will also drive trading activity through the first quarter of next year, said Miranda Cheng, head of retail research at MIB Securities Hong Kong. "HKEX is well-positioned to maintain its global IPO leadership through year-end," Cheng said.

Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics observed that Chinese shares were more sensitive to trade tensions than most others this year, but noted that enthusiasm surrounding President Trump's Asia trip and the resulting trade deals provided decent tailwinds. Chinese equities are likely to benefit from any further easing of U.S.-China tensions, the head of markets for Asia-Pacific said in a recent note.

Citi Research lifted its target price on HKEX to HK$515 from HK$510 after the results as analyst Michael Zhang raised his full-year earnings forecast through 2026, citing the better-than-expected core revenue performance in the third quarter and higher trading-activity assumptions.

In the first three quarters of the year, funds raised from 69 new listings in the city more than tripled to HK$188.3 billion. That was the strongest nine-month period since 2021, according to HKEX.

The exchange had 297 active IPO applications as of the end of September, up from 84 at end-December.

Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com

By Kimberley Kao

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing reported record profit and revenue for the third quarter as trading and listing activity in the Asian financial hub continued to gain momentum.

Net profit jumped 56% from a year earlier to 4.90 billion Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to US$630.3 million, the stock-exchange operator said Wednesday. That topped the HK$4.70 billion consensus estimate of analysts in a Visible Alpha poll.

Core business revenue increased 54% to HK$7.48 billion, driven by stronger trading and clearing fees. Trading volumes also surged, with the headline average daily turnover more than doubling to a record HK$286.4 billion, it said.

"HKEX continued to capture the momentum of global diversification and attractiveness of Chinese assets," said Bonnie Y Chan, the exchange operator's chief executive.

Hong Kong remains on track to become the world's top listing destination by proceeds this year as increased investor participation, market liquidity and policy support spur an IPO revival. The rebound has been fueled by Chinese companies seeking secondary listings and comes amid a surge of high-tech companies looking to tap the Hong Kong market.

At the same time, the benchmark Hang Seng Index has climbed about 29% in 2025, making it one of the best-performing indexes in the region. HKEX shares ended slightly lower at HK$423.60 after the results, taking gains this year to around 44%.

Analysts expect the trading momentum to continue, with DBS noting an active IPO market and strong participation by mainland China-based investors. The market also stands to benefit from rising global interest in artificial intelligence-related investment, it wrote in a note.

"The flip-flop developments in [the] U.S.-China tariffs war have added volatility to the market, further fueling trading activity," DBS Group Research said.

Renewed foreign interest in Chinese equities will also drive trading activity through the first quarter of next year, said Miranda Cheng, head of retail research at MIB Securities Hong Kong. "HKEX is well-positioned to maintain its global IPO leadership through year-end," Cheng said.

Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics observed that Chinese shares were more sensitive to trade tensions than most others this year, but noted that enthusiasm surrounding President Trump's Asia trip and the resulting trade deals provided decent tailwinds. Chinese equities are likely to benefit from any further easing of U.S.-China tensions, the head of markets for Asia-Pacific said in a recent note.

Citi Research lifted its target price on HKEX to HK$515 from HK$510 after the results as analyst Michael Zhang raised his full-year earnings forecast through 2026, citing the better-than-expected core revenue performance in the third quarter and higher trading-activity assumptions.

In the first three quarters of the year, funds raised from 69 new listings in the city more than tripled to HK$188.3 billion. That was the strongest nine-month period since 2021, according to HKEX.

The exchange had 297 active IPO applications as of the end of September, up from 84 at end-December.

Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing's strong trading momentum will likely continue through 4Q, the DBS Group Research team writes in a note. This will be driven by an active IPO market and strong southbound trading activity, as shown in a significant acceleration in average daily turnover in 3Q, they write. "The flip-flop developments in US-China tariffs war have added volatility to the market, further fueling trading activity." Zijin Gold's IPO during the quarter, the world's second largest for the year, has further enhanced the city's global market profile, DBS adds. These factors, coupled with rising global interest in AI-related investments, will help structurally enhance the Hong Kong market's appeal, the bank says.(kimberley.kao@wsj.com)

Record revenue and profit were achieved in Q3 and YTD Q3 2025, driven by robust trading volumes, strong IPO activity, and strategic market initiatives. All major segments posted significant growth, with continued investment in infrastructure and product innovation.

Original document: Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. [388] Earnings Release — Nov. 5 2025