FINTS Roundup 2016-05-20

Shanghai to restore trust on P2P lending platforms with new rule

The Association of Shanghai Internet Financial Industry announced stricter information disclosure requirements for private online lending platforms on May 19, in a bid to win back investors’ trust with an increased transparency of information amid fraud woes.

Midea makes €4 billion offer for German Robot Maker Kuka

Chinese home appliance maker Midea made a €115 ($130) per share offer on Wednesday to buy all the Kuka stock it doesn’t already own, a move it says would help it capture a larger share of the “future service robots market.”

The cash offer values Kuka, a leading global supplier of intelligent automation solutions, at €4.57 billion ($5.2 billion).

Land price in outskirt of Shanghai hits a new high

A residential plot in Zhoupu, an outlying town in Shanghai’s Pudong District, was auctioned for RMB 5.45 billion (equivalent to USD 834 million), or RMB 54,500 (equivalent to USD 8,328) per square meter from Poly Real Estate on May 18, reaching a 300 percent premium.

Related: Listed Firms Driving Up Second Tier Land Prices

Why why why do they always do this:
LeTV to take first step into China’s property industry

LeTV, the internet giant in China, is going to take its first step into the domestic property industry by acquiring property assets from a Shanghai-listed real estate developer, according to a report released by Yicai.com on May 17.

...This move marks the first investment of the tech company into the real estate industry, signaling another move to optimize its business structure on the back of diversified investments.

Investors want to own pure plays and pay higher multiples for faster growth. This is like Netflix buying a coal mine.