SoftBank Invests $200 Million in Construction Robotics Company Gravis Robotics

  On August 18, according to foreign media reports, the Russian newspaper "Vedomosti" cited unnamed sources as saying that the Russian government is considering a potential export ban on aromatic products such as benzene, phenol, toluene, and xylene. A working group began discussions on this issue in mid-August, but no specific decision has been reached due to disagreements among parties regarding benzene and phenol. Various ministries will solicit opinions from market participants before further consultations. The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of reduced aromatic production due to refinery maintenance, while fuel production has increased its consumption of aromatics. Aromatics can be used as octane boosters for gasoline and as petrochemical feedstock; refining companies can shift more naphtha components toward fuel production instead of selling them to petrochemical buyers. Some Russian refineries are currently permitted to produce Euro 2 and Euro 3 standard fuels, which can have higher aromatic content than Euro 5 gasoline.

On August 17, the Korea Economic Daily, citing anonymous government officials, reported that Lotte Chemical has disclosed plans to sell its overseas basic chemical business to creditors and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of South Korea, involving assets in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the United States. The company is currently assessing market conditions and seeking potential buyers.

The Ministry of Commerce and eight other departments issued the "Opinions on Further Stimulating the Vitality of Lower-Tier Markets and Activating County-Level Consumption," proposing to expand the supply of high-quality and reasonably priced goods. Enterprises are encouraged to actively introduce high-quality products into county markets, launch new products simultaneously in eligible counties, and promote the "same quality and same enjoyment" of identical products in both urban and rural areas. Enterprises are guided to develop high-quality products that meet the consumption characteristics of counties, and support trade and circulation enterprises in building flexible supply chains through "own brands + production based on demand." Strong support is given to the promotion of new energy vehicles, green intelligent products, green building materials, and other items to rural areas, as well as expanding the coverage of rural charging facilities.

On August 17, Gravis Robotics announced the completion of a $200 million Series A funding round led by SoftBank. The company stated that this is the largest Series A financing in the field of construction robotics and will be used to advance the automation of heavy construction machinery and expand deployment on construction sites worldwide. Founded in 2022 and incubated by ETH Zurich, Gravis Robotics primarily develops artificial intelligence systems for heavy construction machinery such as excavators.

On August 17, Lianhong Xinke (003022) disclosed its semi-annual report for 2026. In the first half of 2026, the company achieved operating revenue of 5.366 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 84.31%; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 427 million yuan, compared to 161 million yuan in the same period last year, representing a year-on-year growth of 165.68%. In the first half of 2026, revenue from biodegradable materials reached 156.95 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 445.94%, accounting for 0.99% of total operating revenue.