International Morning Briefing | Nvidia Launches NemoClaw, Supporting Ultra-Simplified "Shrimp Farming"

NVIDIA丨Nvidia Launches NemoClaw to Support Minimalist Shrimp Farming

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicted at the annual AI event GTC that by the end of 2027, Nvidia’s Blackwell and Rubin chips will generate at least $1 trillion in revenue, doubling the previous estimate of $500 billion in sales by the end of 2026. Huang also delivered a keynote speech defining the concept of a “Token Factory,” referring to future data centers as factories producing intelligent tokens. Additionally, Nvidia announced NVIDIA DLSS 5, introducing a new real-time neural rendering model capable of injecting photo-realistic lighting and material properties into each pixel. Moreover, the open-source AI agent OpenClaw, popularly known as “Lobster,” has recently gained popularity. Nvidia announced a minimalist mode to help users “raise shrimp,” allowing them to install deployment toolchains optimized for OpenClaw with just one command.
(Read more: NVDA丨Nvidia expects Blackwell and Rubin chips to sell at least $1 trillion by the end of next year)

Xi-Trump Meeting丨Trump: US Requests Delay of About a Month for Xi Jinping Meeting Due to Iran War

Trump stated that because the Iran conflict is ongoing, the US has asked China to postpone their meeting with Xi Jinping by about a month. Trump expressed his anticipation of meeting Xi and said their relationship is very good.

China-US Economic and Trade Talks丨He Lifeng Urges US to Fully Cancel Unilateral Tariffs and Measures

The China-US economic and trade teams concluded a two-day negotiation in Paris. Xinhua News Agency reported that He Lifeng, China’s lead negotiator and Vice Premier of the State Council, stated that China opposes the US’s unilateral tariff increases and urges the US to fully cancel such restrictive measures. China will take necessary actions to firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests. Li Chenggang, China’s International Trade Negotiation Representative and Vice Minister of Commerce, said that the teams reached preliminary consensus on some issues. Moving forward, both sides will continue negotiations and discuss establishing mechanisms to promote bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

Middle East Situation丨Trump Discussing Opening the Strait of Hormuz with European Allies

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Trump is consulting with European allies and multiple countries about opening the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that the US currently has no objections to some Iranian, Indian, and Chinese ships passing through the Strait. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the UK will not join the US and Israel in a war against Iran but will cooperate with partners on plans to reopen the Strait. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany will not participate in escorting ships through the Strait nor in Middle Eastern conflicts.

Middle East Conflict丨Iran Says It Will Strike US Industries in the Region Within Hours

As the Iran-Israel conflict enters its 17th day, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the 56th wave of strikes under Operation “True Commitment-4,” targeting US industries in the Middle East within hours. Iranian ballistic missile fragments intercepted over Jerusalem fell in multiple areas, including near the parliament building and the Prime Minister’s Office. Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian stated that the war between the US and Israel against Iran must end with guarantees that “aggression” will not recur. Israel’s Defense Forces announced a new round of large-scale airstrikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, including facilities used for developing space-based attack capabilities.

Dow Rises 387 Points, Nvidia Gains, Nasdaq Up 1.22%

International oil prices retreated from highs. The Dow rose 617 points on Monday to a high of 47,176, closing up 387 points or 0.83%. The S&P 500 fell 1.01%, the Nasdaq increased 1.22%, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index gained 1.96%, and the China Golden Dragon Index rose 0.95%. Nvidia’s annual GTC event saw its stock close up 1.6%, with a intraday surge of up to 4.8%. Amazon jumped 2%, and Meta reportedly plans large-scale layoffs affecting 20% or more of its staff, with its stock rising 2.3%. Micron Technology will release earnings later this week, with its stock up 3.7%. Financial stocks stabilized, with Citigroup and Goldman Sachs both rising 1.6%.

Market Highlights and News

• Trump criticizes Fed Chair Powell again, calling for immediate rate cuts.
• A US federal judge blocked the DOJ from serving a criminal investigation subpoena on Powell; the DOJ asked for reconsideration.
• Goldman Sachs warns that if Middle East war severely disrupts oil supply, the S&P 500 could test near 5,400 points this year, about 19% below last Friday’s level.
• US February industrial production increased 0.2% month-over-month, beating expectations, but March’s New York manufacturing index fell to -0.2, worse than expected, indicating contraction.
• US 10-year Treasury yield fell up to 7 basis points to 4.215%.
• US dollar index briefly dropped 0.7% to 99.66; euro rose 0.95%, yen up 0.56%.
• Bitcoin briefly surged to 3.86%, reaching $74,512.
• Spot gold rose 0.37%, hitting a high of $5,037.8 per ounce; later dipped to $4,968.09, down 1.02%; closed down 0.25% at $5,006.55.
• Oil prices rose over 3% in Asia early trading, but NYMEX crude settled down 5.28% at $93.50 per barrel; Brent crude rose 2.84%, closing at $100.21, remaining above the psychological $100 mark for three consecutive days.
• IEA Director Fatih Birol said member countries may release more oil into the market if necessary.
• Cuba experienced nationwide blackout again, leaving about 10 million people without power.
• Pan-European Stoxx 600 rose 0.44%, with UK, Germany, and France indices up 0.55%, 0.5%, and 0.31%, respectively.
• At around 3 PM GMT, the London Metal Exchange (LME) electronic trading was temporarily halted for technical reasons, resuming at 5:30 PM.
• Premier Li Qiang chaired the 11th State Council plenary meeting, emphasizing the need to accelerate the development of new-generation intelligent manufacturing.

Local Highlights and News

• ADR Hang Seng Index closed at 26,006, up 172 points from the Hong Kong market. Tencent (00700) up 3%, HSBC (00005), AIA (01299) up 1.1%.
• Hang Seng night futures closed at 25,894, up 60 points.
• Chief Executive John Lee said major economies continue to expand but face geopolitical complexities and global turbulence, creating uncertainties for the global economy. Hong Kong must seize new opportunities amid change.
• Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said HKUST will admit its first students in 2028-2029 and plans to build an integrated medical and educational hospital in the Niu Tuen Wan new development area.
• Former Financial Secretary Paul Chan suggested giving MPF a new mission: supporting the development of locally registered ETFs in Hong Kong. More funds and liquidity would benefit the ETF market.
• HSBC announced that some personal customers will be charged a HKD 5 fee per check deposited at branches starting May, with a HKD 50 fee for each “booked” deposit. Qualified persons, including welfare recipients, are exempt.
• Consumer Council CEO William Chan said he understands that oil companies’ pricing strategies are commercial decisions but hopes transparency can be improved in promotional offers to help consumers better understand discounts and reduce their financial burden.
• Several Hong Kong airlines announced significant adjustments to freight fuel surcharges. HAFFA believes some increases are excessive and unfair, potentially harming Hong Kong’s economy and livelihoods.
• Bloomberg reports that Baidu’s (09888) life sciences AI company, BaiTu Biotech, has submitted a confidential IPO application to HKEX, possibly listing this year to raise hundreds of millions of dollars.
• Alibaba (09988) officially established Alibaba Token Hub (ATH) to create a new organization focused on creating, transporting, and applying tokens, led directly by CEO Wu Yongming.
• JD.com (09618) launched Joybuy online stores in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
• YaoYao Securities (01428) has completed all conditions for acquisition; the deal is expected to close by the end of this month, with the SFC allowing an extension of the main shareholder approval deadline to the 30th of next month.
• FWD Group (01828) reported a net profit of USD 166 million in 2025, nearly six times higher than 2024, marking a new high for the second consecutive year since adopting IFRS 17.
• Sinopec Oilfield Service (01033) saw a 12.07% profit increase last year but did not pay a final dividend.
• Hong Kong Tech Exploration (01137) expects full-year losses to widen to HKD 145–155 million.
• Air China (00753) reported a 19.1% year-over-year increase in passenger turnover in February.
• China Eastern (00670) reported a 14.68% increase in passenger turnover in February.
• Google will gradually expand the Gemini web app experience to all users in Hong Kong, followed by the Gemini mobile app.
• The open-source AI agent OpenClaw, known as “Lobster,” has raised privacy concerns. The Privacy Commissioner’s Office warned that high-permission agents accessing multiple systems and data sources pose risks if system vulnerabilities or lax permission settings lead to data leaks.
• The Rating and Valuation Department released the 2026/27 rates assessment, showing that property at 35 The White Gate Road, The Peak, owned by property tycoon Lee Zhi-ki, remains Hong Kong’s most expensive for the sixth consecutive year. The top-floor unit at 34/F, 9 Queen’s Road Central, saw its rental value drop for the sixth year in a row, now at HKD 4.476 million, down over 20% year-on-year.
• Wheelock Properties and MTR Corporation’s Deep Water South at Wong Chuk Hang recorded two more tender awards, with the highest transaction nearly HKD 86.44 million and the highest price per square foot reaching HKD 50,964, both setting new project records.