Latest Business & Economy News Today: 8 November 2026

US lawmakers from both parties are pressing for investigations into reports linking Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to an alleged Chinese spy. Three House Republican committee chairs asked him to give a closed-door briefing on Nov. 18, a day after third-quarter earnings. Reports identify Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive, as having been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security and having an alleged relationship with the Nvidia chief.

Bailiffs acting for Jaguar Land Rover reportedly seized digital records from BYD offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp in August, ahead of a court case in The Hague over whether BYD's Ti7 SUV infringes Land Rover Defender intellectual property. The seven-seat plug-in hybrid, due in the UK in January at £47,995, is over £20,000 cheaper than the Defender. JLR suspects BYD reverse-engineered technology and wanted the records before destruction.

Poppi founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth are launching Jetty, a self funded hydration brand, with drinks and ready to mix electrolyte packets at Whole Foods and online at Target and Amazon. The venture challenges PepsiCo, which bought Poppi for $1.95 billion in 2025 and owns Gatorade, which has about 60 percent of the US sports drink market. Jetty targets everyday users who want lower electrolytes and sugar than sports drinks.

The UK spent at least £100m of taxpayers' money on seven inland Brexit border inspection facilities, five of which never reached operational stage after the government scaled back plans to check goods from the EU. HMRC information shows Portsmouth's post cost £23m, while the unused Dover white cliffs site cost £28m and remains a field. A Birmingham facility cost £11m to build and £6m to close.

Huaxin Building Materials Group plans to buy a 99.99 per cent stake in Brazil's second largest cement maker, CSN Cimentos, for US$1.64 billion, marking China's first entry into the Brazilian cement market. The deal, subject to regulatory approval in China and Brazil, would make CSN a controlled subsidiary and consolidate its results into Huaxin. CSN has 17 million tonnes of annual capacity and a roughly 21 per cent market share.

HSBC opened a five-storey, 32,000 square foot flagship branch in Causeway Bay, spending HK$4 million a month. The bank says cash transactions have fallen by a single-digit percentage annually since 2023, so it is using coffee, macarons and wellness services to attract customers and provide wealth advice. The branch replaces two former outlets and has seen average daily traffic rise about 50 per cent since its October 20 trial opening.

Traders say they cannot afford pitches at Liverpool's Christmas market after a new operator took over. Anthony Grice said he was quoted £12,000 for a stall at St George's Plateau, while jeweller Alex Healy said the smallest hut would cost £14,000 to £15,000. Council leader Liam Robinson said he had met business owners to consider options, while Liberal Democrat Carl Cashman called the prices a rip-off.

A scam email claims a woman whose husband has died is giving away his grand piano for free, asking recipients to pay delivery costs. British piano dealer Forsyth says it has been contacted by people who wanted advice, while Sykes & Sons says the advance fee fraud has affected musicians, churches and educational institutions. Victims are asked to send money for shipping or insurance before a piano that may not exist is delivered.

Some wealthy Hong Kong investors are buying property in Swiss Alpine resorts such as Andermatt to diversify across currencies and jurisdictions. Prime residential prices in Andermatt rose 12.5 per cent in the year to June 2026, and its open foreign-buyer rules and Switzerland's strong currency have attracted international buyers. Altrata says Hong Kong's ultra-high-net-worth population grew 26.4 per cent in 2025 to nearly 18,300 people.

Beijing's property stimulus has not stopped falling home transactions and prices in mainland China's lower-tier cities. CREIS data show new-home prices in third- and fourth-tier cities fell 2 per cent year on year in October, while lived-in unit prices dropped 6.5 per cent. Measures since late August include longer mortgages and a first-time buyer subsidy, but demand remains weak outside top-tier cities.