Seedance 2.0 and its followers in the coming years pose a limited threat to feature-length films, but could be deadly to online short dramas. This is because the complex plots and cinematographic expressions required for feature films, as well as the personal charm and real-life appeal of stars and powerful actors, are irreplaceable by AI videos. Short videos, on the other hand, do not require personal charm or complex and precise artistic expression; people mainly watch for enjoyment, for the bizarre, and for the unique, which are all strong suits of AI videos and will only become stronger.
Will the evolution of AI videos replace live performances? I think those large adult websites could be a good observation window. Personally, I believe it won't; it will bring a revolution more in terms of production methods, but it won't overturn live-action films. In the initial years, AI videos may be very stunning, but they will mostly be dominated by novelty. After a few years, people will become accustomed to AI visuals and will no longer be surprised. By that time, AI will have become a regular means in film production, and good content and good actors will still be the most popular.
So the crisis of Xibei, the online battle has played a role in intensifying it, but what really matters is that the per capita consumption of Chinese cuisine has collapsed. Similarly, the well-known Shanghai Xiaonan Guo couldn't withstand it either [Panda]
The Kaohsiung City achieved an overwhelming victory in the elections, with the Nikkei 225 opening up by 5%. This may be related to her emphasis on positive fiscal policies and some tax exemption policies, but there are also some political commentators who believe that these actions may further weaken fiscal revenue, making it difficult to sustain.
After more than two years of rebound, the Shanghai and Shenzhen 300 Index's return since its opening in 2005 is finally about to catch up with the Nikkei 225 Index's return over the same period, which is worth celebrating.
Central, local, enterprises, residents, among the four main leveraging forces, three have already reached a high leverage ratio and are unable to fight again, while the remaining one is immensely powerful but very steady.
The Hang Seng Technology Index has fallen from 2021 to 2024, and after barely rising for a year and a half, it has retreated by 20% since peaking in October 2025, entering a technical bear market. Particularly with this recent wave, there seems to be a bit of panic. In fact, the fundamentals of core companies are quite stable, and the valuations are relatively cheap, but for some reason, the memories of being beaten seem to be invoked from time to time.
Starting from February 2026, Vietnam will implement new regulations allowing foreign investors to trade directly through international brokers without the need to open local accounts, significantly enhancing investment convenience. This move is seen as preparation for FTSE Russell's upgrade of Vietnam from 'frontier market' to 'emerging market', with the adjustment expected to take effect in September 2026. In Vietnam, industry and construction are the largest sectors of the economy (accounting for 41% of total GDP). However, over the past six years, the growth of the service sector has significantly outpaced all other sectors, currently accounting for 37% of GDP. Currently, Vietnam's GDP growth rate remains between 8-9%, and the inflation rate is around 3.5%.
The first two online movies were pretty good, so I specifically went to the theater to support this one. But honestly, it wasn’t as good as I imagined. The comedic awkwardness and noise in the first half were unnecessary, and I just wanted to fast forward; even the fight scenes felt a bit like a farce. The second half was good, especially the ferocity of the mute girl, which stood out. However, overall, the fight design was too focused on various grappling techniques, with little standing combat, which is not my preferred genre; it's a bit of a pity.
The competition in the AI industry is intense, and industrial capital expenditure needs to be continuously strengthened. Adding taxes to major technology platform companies involved in the war is a path of self-harm and likely to lead to death, with very low possibility. Those who insist on going against anti-monopoly and anti-involution policies may face severe consequences.
Let’s keep going, after all, I have a bunch of stable assets with valuations that have increased by more than ten times, paired with a bunch that have been in decline for 5-6 years, surviving with single-digit valuations, and then layering on top a buyback and a dividend yield of over 4-5%. There’s nothing that requires the market's high-risk preference to support. So changes from the Federal Reserve and comments from the village chief are really not a concern. Of course, if the economy gets even worse, then no one can escape; it’s just a matter of how much loss. There's no way around it, after all, we’re all in the same boat.
With upstream raw material prices rising like this, the chemical industry is also experiencing a significant increase. This year, the manufacturing sector in the mid and downstream is facing another tough battle. From a positive perspective, if the rising costs can be smoothly transmitted, then deflation would be resolved. The overseas demand might be manageable, as historically, price increases have followed cost hikes relatively smoothly. However, domestically, the current income situation and confidence of end consumers are still quite low, especially with the intense competition. This year, some products are also seeing a decline in national subsidies, and the transmission of price increases carries considerable competitive risks. Ultimately, if consumers have money, everything is easier to discuss; when consumers are short on funds or are filled with concerns about the future, the manufacturing industry is squeezed from both ends, making life much harder.