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Baidu share slide wipes $2.4 billion off market value amid speculation over Xi meeting

The Hong Kong shares of Baidu plunged on Monday, wiping $2.4 billion off its market value, after the founder of the Chinese search engine giant was not spotted at a rare meeting between President Xi Jinping and corporate leaders. Xi hosted a symposium in Beijing with the country's top tycoons, including Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Huawei's Ren Zhengfei, although two sources told Reuters there was no sign of Baidu's founder, Robin Li, attending. Baidu did not respond to a request for comment.

Consensus building: crypto conference arrives in Hong Kong in test for city and CoinDesk

The arrival of one of the biggest Web3 industry events in Hong Kong is testing the city's resolve in becoming a virtual asset hub, while the organisers look to expand their footprint in Asia. Consensus Hong Kong, a three-day cryptocurrency- and blockchain-focused event that kicks off on Tuesday, is leaning heavily into the city's reputation as a traditional financial hub. "Naturally, we know our strength, and that is capital markets," said King Leung, global head of financial services, fintech a