Category: 3. Business

Datadog (DDOG) shares remain in focus after soaring to a six-month high at the end of last week on news that the cloud monitoring company will be joining the S&P 500 on July 9.

Typically, stocks that get included into benchmarks like the large cap S&P 500 receive a boost as they become visible to new investors and get added to index-tracking exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Datadog shares lost more than half their value between December and April as uncertainty over the Trump administration’s tariffs and downbeat earnings projections from the compamy pummeled the stock. However, they have nearly doubled from their 2025 low and are up about 9% since the start of the year, boosted by renewed investor appetite for cloud and AI stocks. The stock jumped 15% to around $155 on Thursday, ahead of the July 4th break.

Below, we take a closer look at Datadog’s chart and use technical analysis to point out price levels that investors will likely be watching.

Bullish Rising Wedge Breakout

After bottoming in early April, Datadog shares traded higher within a rising wedge before staging a decisive breakout in Thursday’s trading session. Importantly, the jump occurred on the highest daily volume since the stock went public in September 2019, signaling strong buying conviction from larger market participants.

While the relative strength index confirms bullish price momentum, it also flashes extreme overbought conditions, potentially raising the possibility of short-term profit-taking.

Let’s identify two key overhead areas on Datadog’s chart to watch and locate important support levels worth monitoring.

Key Overhead Areas to Watch

Follow-through buying this week could see the shares climb to the $170 area. The price may run into selling pressure in this location near the prominent December swing high.

Investors can project an upside target above this area by using the bars pattern tool. When applying the analysis, we take the stock’s trend higher that followed an earlier breakaway gap on the chart in November 2023 and reposition it from the low of Thursday’s gap. This projects a bullish target of around $205, about 32% above last week’s closing price.

Important Support Levels Worth Monitoring

Profit-taking in the stock could see a retracement toward $135. This area would likely attract strong support near a trendline that connects the top of the rising wedge with a series of price action on the chart stretching back to January last year.

A deeper correction could trigger a decline to lower support around $125. Datadog shares find a confluence of support in this region near the 200-day moving average and a horizontal line that links a range of corresponding trading activity on the chart between December 2023 and June this year.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.

Forget the usual salted caramel or white chocolate. A new wave of Indian chocolatiers and pastry chefs is infusing flavours like paan, kaapi, gulkand, and even imli into European-style bonbons, truffles, and ganaches. The result? Artisanal chocolates that surprise, comfort, and stir a deep sense of nostalgia. This Chocolate Day, we explore some bold desi flavours redefining the cocoa experience. Smriti Bhatia, chocolatier, says, “Our choco-paan wraps, chocolate chutney tadka and kabuli chana chocolates are absolute bestsellers. These flavours may sound experimental, but they’re deeply familiar to Indian palate.” Ananya Deshpande, chocolatier, adds, “Indian flavours like cardamom and masala chai work beautifully with chocolate – they add warmth, depth, and a familiar comfort that people instantly connect with.”

Flavours that are getting a gourmet spin:

Paan: Betel leaf, gulkand, and fennel in dark ganacheFilter coffee: South Indian kaapi reduction in milk chocolateKesar-pista: Saffron-pistachio pralines in white chocolate shellsJamun: Tart fruit purée folded into ruby chocolateNolen gur: Bengal’s winter jaggery in caramel trufflesMasala chai: Black tea and spice blend in semi-sweet ganacheKaala namak & imli: Tangy bonbons with tamarind caramel

Occasion meets flavour:

Meetha paan: After-dinner mini indulgence or mehendi favourMasala chai: Rainy-day indulgence, festive boxesNolen gur: Winter gifting, corporate hampersKesar-pista: Bridal showers, Rakhi treatsKaapi: Wedding return gifts, festive trays

On Monday, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set the USD/CNY central rate for the trading session ahead at 7.1506 as compared to Friday’s fix of 7.1535 and 7.1626 Reuters estimate.

As news spread that Vietnam would become just the second nation to reach an initial tariff agreement with Washington, shares in the clothing companies and manufacturers that have a large footprint in the country rose with optimism.

Just hours later though, they declined sharply, as it became clear that the devil would be in the detail, and the most striking part of the deal might in fact be aimed at Vietnam’s powerful neighbour China.

Dodging the severe levy of 46% that was threatened in April, Vietnam is instead facing a tariff of 20% for many goods, and in return US products coming into the country will have zero tariffs placed on them.

However, a 40% tariff will remain for so-called transshipments – a provision that is aimed at Chinese companies accused of passing their products through Vietnam, or elsewhere, to avoid US tariffs.

Businesses worry that “transshipment” is a politicised term, and that if the US defines it too broadly, many goods could be unfairly targeted.

“Vietnam is a manufacturing hub – and as a hub you take inputs from other countries and make value-added stuff in Vietnam, and then export it to other countries,” says Dr Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

It is unrealistic, he adds, to expect most Vietnamese goods, other than agricultural products, would be made entirely in Vietnam. What remains to be decided is: what proportion of a product should be?

How transshipments will be defined under the agreement – and how this policy will be enforced – remains to be seen, but it could have significant implications for global trade and tensions with China.

“One lesson for other countries is that the US intends to use these deals to apply pressure on China,” said Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator.

Vietnam, a booming manufacturing hub, benefited during the last Trump administration when punishing tariffs placed on China prompted many Chinese companies to shift their supply chains.

However, this caused the Vietnamese trade surplus with the US to surge, attracting US ire and allegations that Vietnam was wrongly acting as a conduit for Chinese companies wanting access to the US market.

China’s commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian responded to the US-Vietnam deal on Thursday stating: “We firmly oppose any party reaching a deal at the expense of China’s interests. If such a situation occurs, China will resolutely counter it to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”

Vietnam’s manufacturing industry is closely intertwined with both the US and China. US exports account for 30% of Vietnam’s GDP, while China is Vietnam’s top import source, relied on for raw materials used to make anything from footwear to furniture and electronics.

Vietnam is not alone in relying on China for such components, especially across electronic sectors. “[China] is completely interwoven into global supply chains,” says Dan Martin, international business adviser at Dezan Shira and Associates, based in Hanoi.

If companies are expected to prove the origin of all goods, this could place an unwelcome burden on those in sectors such as textiles where margins are low, says Martin.

However, he cautions that it remains to be seen whether the higher 40% tariff on transshipments will be actively enforced. It is also possible that Vietnam could benefit if US policy encourages suppliers to set up shop in Vietnam, Martin adds.

Businesses are largely pausing decisions until a clearer picture emerges, say analysts.

Policymakers in Hanoi remain on a diplomatic tightrope. Vietnam has long sought to balance relations with Washington and Beijing. It considers the US not only a key export market but a security partner that serves as a counterbalance to China’s assertiveness.

However, if Beijing considers that Hanoi is helping Washington constrain it, this risks antagonising Vietnam’s northern neighbour. It could lead to economic measures from China, or pressure over the disputed South China Sea, a major flashpoint in the region, says Peter Mumford, head of practice for south-east Asia at Eurasia Group.

As things stand, “aggressive retaliation” by Beijing against Hanoi is unlikely, he says: “Hanoi may even have given Beijing a rough indication of the steps it would have to take to secure a US trade deal.”

Vietnam has made efforts to show goodwill towards China over recent months, while also courting Trump.

In exchange for the 20% tariff rate, Trump said Vietnam would open up its market to US goods. US-made SUVs, “which do so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam”, said Trump.

However the market for cars remains small in Vietnam, where city streets are famously crammed with millions of motorbikes.

• Gold price edges lower to near $3,320 in Monday’s early Asian session. 
• Strong US June employment data weighs on the Gold as Fed rate cut odds decline. 
• Middle East geopolitical risks and renewed trade tensions might cap the downside for the Gold price. 

The Gold price (XAU/USD) attracts some sellers to around $3,320 during the early Asian session on Monday. The precious metal edges lower as the US June Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report altered the US Federal Reserve (Fed) policy expectations. Traders brace for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Minutes later on Wednesday for fresh impetus. 

The US NFP came in stronger than expected, rising by 147,000 jobs in June from 144,000 in May (revised from 139,000). Additionally, the Unemployment Rate held steady at 4.1% in June. These reports indicated continued labor market resilience, reducing the possibility of the Fed’s near-term monetary accommodation. This, in turn, underpins the US Dollar (USD) and exerts some selling pressure on the non-yielding assets like Gold.

On the other hand, the potential downside of yellow metal might be limited amid the renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Israel stated late Sunday that the country’s military had attacked Houthi targets at three ports and a power plant in Yemen. Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the attack, saying they were carried out due to repeated attacks by the Iranian-backed rebel group on Israel. Any sign of escalation could boost the safe-haven flows, benefiting the gold price. 

Gold traders will closely monitor the developments surrounding tariff policies. CBBC reported on Sunday that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that US President Donald Trump will send letters to some trading partners saying tariffs will return to April 2 levels on August 1 if there is no progress on the trade agreement. Renewed trade tensions might lift the Gold price in the near term. 

 

Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.

Brent slid as much as 1.6% toward $67 a barrel after falling 0.7% on Friday, and West Texas Intermediate was near $66. The group led by Saudi Arabia decided on Saturday to increase supply by 548,000 barrels a day, putting OPEC+ on track to unwind its most recent output cuts a year earlier than planned.

More than a year after implementing the first phase of the single-use plastics ban, Hong Kong restaurateurs are lamenting the lack of suitable alternative materials. As the city’s problem with plastic waste persists, the government can learn from successful international case studies and accelerate the adoption of proper plastic alternatives to achieve a plastic-free future.

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The implementation of a two-phase ban on single-use plastics in Hong Kong has taken a hit, as the city struggles to find alternatives.

Last month, Secretary for the Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Commercial Radio that the government is looking to launch a trial campaign with selected restaurants within two months to test alternative products and provide feedback to suppliers for improvement.
“We will implement the second phase of the legislation only when the alternative product technology is more mature,” Tse told iCable in June. “It is difficult to require everyone to use their own utensils when buying take-away food, we need to find suitable alternatives before we continue with phase two,” he added.

Two-Phase Ban

The Legislative Council passed the Product Eco-responsibility (Amendment) Bill for regulating disposable plastic tableware and other plastic products in October 2023. 

The first phase prohibits the sale or supply of styrofoam tableware, disposable plastic tableware such as straws, stirrers, cutlery, and plates, as well as the supply of cups, cup lids, food containers, and food container lids to dine-in and take-out customers in catering establishments. In the second phase, the supply and sale of all of the above plastic tableware in Hong Kong will be forbidden. 

At the same time, hotels and guesthouses are banned from providing free disposable toiletries and grooming products (including rubber-handled toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower caps, razors, nail files, combs, and any liquid products stored in disposable plastic containers), as well as free disposable water in plastic bottles in rooms. The second phase will further prohibit the sale and free supply of multipack rings, table cloths, and plastic stemmed dental floss, and the distribution of free earplugs.

The manufacturing, supply and sale of oxidizable biodegradable plastic products – plastics that cannot be completely decomposed – have also been prohibited since the first phase was implemented in April 2024.

Businesses failing to comply with the regulation will be issued a notice and fined $2,000 if they have not taken action within 21 days from the notice. Repeated offences may result in fines of up to HK$100,000. 

More than 19% of the 3.97 million tonnes of municipal solid waste disposed of at Hong Kong’s landfills in 2023 was plastic waste, a 10.5% decrease from the year prior, according to Environmental Protection Department (EPD) figures. Meanwhile, the quantity of plastic recycled locally rose from 119,900 tonnes in 2022 to 126,600 tonnes in 2023 – but still represented only 6.5% of the total waste.

Other Initiatives

To counter the rising plastic problem in the city, the EPD in 2021 also rolled out a Reverse Vending Machine pilot scheme for collecting plastic beverage containers, which was subsequently expanded to 120 machines scattered across all 18 Hong Kong districts. The machines offer a HK$0.10 rebate for each plastic beverage container returned. Customers need to register an account, and can return a maximum of 30 containers per day. 

“The machine is effective and does not require a huge monetary incentive. The refund of 10 cents for each plastic bottle is already attractive enough for the public to be willing to recycle,” Tse said in February. 

As of last month, the scheme had collected 179 million containers, which are sent to local recyclers, saving more than 6.7 million kilograms of carbon emission, according to EPD data.

However, some critics have argued that the incentive is too low. According to Robert Kelman, Director at Reloop Pacific, an international non-profit that tackles packaging waste throughout the Pacific, the HK$0.10 rebate – the lowest in the world for such a program – is “virtually meaningless” to most Hong Kong consumers. He further argued that the low number of plastic bottles received at the recycling centres is disincentivizing recycling companies to invest in the scheme. 

For Kelman, a scheme cannot succeed unless it is both convenient to consumers and offers an adequate refund value.

“I’m not sure which studies Tse was referring to when he said the rebate of 10 HK cents (1.3 US cents) was ‘attractive enough’ after lawmakers raised doubts about the effectiveness of such a rebate,” said Edwin Lau Che-feng, Executive Director of local environmental organization Green Earth. “Why not use a deposit approach in light of successful cases around the world, some of which have achieved a recovery rate of more than 90 per cent?” 

Lau was referring to so-called Deposit Refund Schemes (DRSs), which apply an initial deposit, or “tax”, on the purchase, which is then returned to the consumer upon proper recycling. 

More than 40 countries around the world have implemented DRSs. Slovakia, for example, requires consumers to pay a deposit of €0.15 (HK$1.37) for packaged beverages. The scheme, launched in 2022, resulted in a recovery rate of 70% in the first year. Similarly, Germany imposes deposits on glass and plastic beverage containers ranging between €0.08 and €0.25 (HK$0.73-2.28) and in 2022, it was able to achieve a 98.4% return rate. 

“The authorities should realise that had they taken the deposit approach, coupled with a higher deposit value than the current rebate of 10 HK cents, producers, with retailers’ support, would have no trouble reaching a recovery rate higher than the suggested initial targets of 10 per cent for drink cartons and 30 per cent for plastic bottles,” said Lau.

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Plastic-Free Matters

Plastics take 400 years to decompose – and even then, they do not fully disappear but rather break down into tiny particles known as  microplastics. According to Greenpeace East Asia, 97% of Hong Kong’s riverine waste is plastic, of which more than 70% is food, logistics and beverage packaging as well as disposable tableware. 

In 2021, Greenpeace found microplastics in Hong Kong’s countryside streams for the first time, and last year, it detected microplastics in the feces of countryside mammals.

“Country streams are at the front end of the entire water cycle. The fact that they are contaminated by microplastics is a major warning sign that plastic pollution in urban rivers and oceans may be even more serious,” said Tam Wing-lam, the Greenpeace’s Project Director. She warned that microplastics can contaminate the water system, threatening public health.

Christelle Not, Senior Lecturer of Department of Earth Sciences in University of Hong Kong, said Greenpeace’s findings demonstrated that wildlife can still take up microplastics from the environment even when they are far away from urban areas and human activities.

Microplastics carry harmful additives and toxins that can damage the nervous, immune and endocrine systems when they accumulate in the food chain and enter the human body. Exposure to plastics and microplastics is linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes, developmental disorder, cancers, birth defects, and endocrine disruption.

Plastic is also detrimental to animals. Sea animals like turtles often mistake plastic for food, but their bodies are unable to digest it. They can become entangled, leading to injuries and even death. 

A research team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) found that micro beads, manufactured micro plastics used in products ranging from facial scrubs to toothpastes, ending up in the digestive tracts of fish and other marine creatures can affect their growth and development. 
“Despite all the adverse impacts these minute plastic pollutants have on the marine ecosystems, they are still being used in many personal care products around the world – including here in Hong Kong,” said Karen Chan, Assistant Professor from the Division of Life Science at HKUST and study lead.

Finding Alternatives

The most common plastic substitutes in Hong Kong include paper, bamboo, wood, and plant-based fibers such as wood pulp, grass pulp, and bagasse. Among these, paper and bagasse are the most widely used in both tableware and daily accessories due to their eco-friendliness and practicality. 

While considered more eco-friendly than plastic, paper packaging manufacturing is still associated with carbon dioxide emissions and extensive water usage. According to local environmental NGO Friends of the Earth, producing one tonne of paper generates approximately 950 kilograms of carbon dioxide and requires 2,700 litres of water. Still, contrary to plastic, paper is a natural, biological, and in most cases renewable material, making it a better alternative.  

The Hong Kong Consumer Council also reported in 2022 that perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected in 23 samples of bagasse-based vegetable fibre tableware, with some paper drinking straws exceeding the European Union’s safe limits. 

PFAS – better known as forever chemicals – are synthetic chemicals used in the manufacture of heat-, oil-, and water-resistant coatings for products like nonstick cookware or waterproof clothes. They are associated with increased risk of certain cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, and found to reduce the body’s immune system’s ability to fight off infections.

In 2023, researchers from the University of Antwerp in Belgium who examined 39 different types of straws (paper, glass, bamboo, stainless steel, plastic) discovered that PFAS was present in 90% of paper straws and 80% of bamboo straws. 75% of all tested plastic straws also contained PFAS.

The cost of non-plastic tableware is also one of the factors that restaurants need to take into account. According to the Environmental Protection Department, the price difference between the lowest-priced disposable plastic product option and its lowest-priced alternative is still relatively large, ranging from HK$0.12 to HK$0.68.

However, costs are expected to decrease as demand, and consequently production, ramp up, said Simon Wong Ka-wo, President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades. 

Some restaurant owners or customers were also unhappy about the quality of alternative options. “If you’re walking home with your takeaway order in this box, that’d be fine. But if you have to drive, then that wouldn’t work,” the owner of a Shanghainese restaurant, who is surnamed Lee, told Hong Kong Free Press last April. 

“It literally takes two sips [before] the [paper] straw starts getting soggy, and the forks don’t even work!” said one of his customers.

At the end of the day, neither recycling nor switching to biodegradable tableware is the best solution, environmentalists argue. 

“Instead of placing our hopes in recycling and the use of degradable plastics, we should seek to avoid, reduce at source and reuse,” said Lau. “We must ditch our addiction to single-use plastics, slash plastic production at source and develop genuine plastic-free and harmless alternatives.” 

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons.