SEPTEMBERASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK9JD PROPERTY PARTNERS TO LAUNCH USD 1B SINGAPORE REITNEWSROOMJD Property, the real estate subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce player JD.com, is partnering with Partners Group and EZA Hill Property to float a Singapore-headquartered real estate investment trust (REIT) worth over USD 1 billion. The initial public offering, likely as early as next year, will be one of the largest new additions to Singapore's REIT market in recent years.The consortium has already acquired four logistics properties for approximately 306 million (USD 238 million), which are likely to be the initial portfolio of the REIT. The fund will deal largely in industrial and logistics assets in Singapore with a possible push into other Southeast Asia markets."This scheduled REIT demonstrates increasing faith in Singapore's REIT market and notes the increasing presence of Chinese investment in the region," a source close to the deal stated.Final asset mix is being finalized, with the structure of the REIT aimed to be completed by October. Depending on the composition, the ultimate valuation could be higher than the initial projections.For JD Property, the launch marks a big move in taking advantage of its rapidly expanding logistics real estate platform beyond China. For Singapore, it puts pace into a rejuvenating market that just welcomed the biggest listing since 2021."This listing is not just a case of raising capital. It is about positioning for long-term growth in logistics and industrial assets in Asia," another person in the talks said. Huawei has unveiled three new AI-specific solid-state drives (SSDs)--the OceanDisk EX 560, SP 560, and LC 560--at an event in Shanghai, targeting data storage bottlenecks in AI computing.These "AI SSDs" are designed to overcome slow inference speeds and limited data capacity in data centers, which are increasingly critical for handling large-scale AI workloads. The OceanDisk EX 560 and SP 560 are slated for commercial rollout by year-end and are already in use by clients across internet, healthcare, and finance sectors. The OceanDisk LC 560 offers an impressive 245 terabytes of storage, with Huawei claiming a 6.6x improvement in AI data processing efficiency while cutting space usage by 85.2 percent.This leap underscores the dramatic evolution of storage technology: when SSDs first appeared in 1976, they cost $9,700 for just 2MB of storage (equivalent to $36,000 today). Huawei's LC 560 now offers nearly 12 million times more capacity at a fraction of the relative cost, making specialized AI storage economically feasible.The launch also reflects China's response to U.S. export controls that restrict access to advanced Western technologies. Huawei is not only developing AI-focused SSDs but also working on AI memory solutions to replace high-bandwidth memory (HBM). The company has restructured its cloud unit to prioritize AI-related business, signaling a strategic pivot toward comprehensive in-house innovation.These moves illustrate how restrictions may be accelerating domestic breakthroughs, with companies like DeepSeek also showcasing innovations by optimizing restricted Nvidia H800 chips for AI training. US DRAFT NOTICE LINKS INDIAN TARIFFS TO RUSSIAN OIL IMPORTS· JD Property, Partners Group, and EZA Hill to launch a USD 1B Singapore-headquartered REIT, one of the largest in recent years· Initial portfolio includes four logistics assets worth USD 238M, with plans to expand into Southeast Asia's industrial & logistics markets· Move reflects growing Chinese investment in Singapore's REIT sector and positions JD Property for long-term growth in Asia· Huawei launches three AI SSDs, including LC 560 with 245TB· New storage improves AI data efficiency 6.6x and cuts space by 85 percent· U.S. export curbs push Huawei toward in-house AI tech innovation
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