Bottom line: Didi's foray into takeout delivery and Meituan's into private car services look like moves of desperation to make the companies more attractive as they get pressured to make IPOs by the end of next year.

Two of China's biggest unlisted internet companies are in the headlines as the week winds down, each taking a shot at the other's turf. One headline has the Uber-like Didi Chuxing hiring in preparation to launch a takeout dining service like the one operated by Meituan-Dianping. ...

Bottom line: Meituan's move into shared car services is likely to reignite a price war with incumbent Didi, and could be aimed at generating excitement ahead of a mega-IPO later this year. 

Meituan entering shared cars

Just days after reports emerged that car-sharing giant Didi Chuxing would pedal into the shared bike market, new reports are saying that group buying giant Meituan-Dianping is driving into Didi's own shared car services space. These two stories underscore ...

Bottom line: Didi's Brazilian acquisition looks relatively shrewd and could be followed by more such moves in developing markets, while its purchase of a local bike-sharing firm looks less prudent.

Didi drives into Brazil

China's homegrown Uber is in a couple of headlines as we round out the first week of the new year,  reflecting its global aspirations and also its desire to expand beyond its original car-based services at home. The first headline has Didi Chuxing makin...

Bottom line: Yidao's announcement of plans for an IPO hint at a looming sale of the company by controlling stakeholder LeEco, which could be mulling sales of other recently purchased assets in a bid to ease its cash-crunch.

Yidao prepares for IPO

What do you do when you're running low on cash? The answer is obvious for private car services firm Yidao: make an IPO. That would normally seem like a relatively smart and logical choice for most up-and-coming companies, but Yi...