DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Jared Kushner’s investment fund is not especially large by global finance standards. His $3 billion fund is financed almost entirely from overseas investors with whom he worked when he served as a senior adviser in the Trump White House. He has taken money from government wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as from Terry Gou, a founder of Foxconn, the Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer, whose role in Mr. Kushner’s firm has not been previously disclosed. Mr. Kushner’s firm, Affinity Partners, is collecting approximately $40 million a year in management fees from those investors even before any share of profits earned on investments. He has made 10 investments to date, totaling $1.2 billion, many of them in companies based abroad.

Persons: Jared, Donald J, Trump, Terry Gou, Kushner’s Organizations: Trump White House, United Arab, Foxconn, Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr, Affinity Partners Locations: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan

☆ Biden’s 'billionaire tax' takes aim at the super-rich — but can a wealth tax work in reality?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

This is about the wealthy contributing more ... the extremely wealthy contributing more and being proud to do that. "This is about the wealthy contributing more to the society, the extremely wealthy contributing more and being proud to do that," Phil White, retired business owner and Patriotic Millionaires co-signatory, told CNBC. But experts are divided over the effectiveness of a wealth tax, and its how achievable it is in reality. Data suggests that wealth tax accounts for only a very small proportion of total tax revenues in the countries where it has been applied. Data suggests that a wealth tax accounts for only a very small proportion of total tax revenues in the countries where it has been applied.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Phil White, Abigail Disney, Brian Cox, Arun Advani, Advani, Christine Cairns, PwC, Tord Kolstad, Kolstad, Kolstad Eiendom Organizations: Patriotic, Patriotic Millionaires, CNBC, Scottish, University of Warwick Locations: Brazil, Europe, Switzerland, Norway, Spain, Colombia

☆ 'Porous' sanctions haven't stopped Russia's war, but there's still more the West can do to squeeze its economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

According to Peach, sanctions haven't halted money from non-Western countries flowing to Russia. Even G7's bid to curb export income through a $60 per barrel cap on the price of oil hasn't really hobbled Moscow's oil trade. The West has reduced imports of Russian energy significantly but Russia has largely re-routed oil exports to Asia." Peach wrote that the West could squeeze Russian energy more by slapping secondary sanctions on third-party purchases of oil and gas from the country. AdvertisementBut it's unlikely for the West to take this path, he added, given Russia's energy dominance and the risk of sparking volatility that could end up antagonizing partners like India.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Owen Matthews ,, Putin, Liam Peach, Peach, Matthews, Russia mobilizes Organizations: Service, Business, Capital Economics, Export, Central Bank of Russia, Russia, China Goods Trade, SA Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Nord, Turkey, UAE, Asia, Europe, Russian, China, Dubai, American, India

The idea of using Russia's frozen assets is gaining new traction lately as continued allied funding for Ukraine becomes more uncertain and the U.S. Congress is in a stalemate over providing more support. Bipartisan legislation circulating in Washington called the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act would use assets confiscated from the Russian Central Bank and other sovereign assets for Ukraine. Belgium, which is holding the rotating presidency of the European Union bloc for the next six months, is now leading the talks on whether to seize Russia's assets. Belgium is also the country where most frozen Russian assets under sanctions are being held. Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, cautioned that if Ukraine's immediate needs aren't met, “no amount of seized Russian assets is unfortunately going to compensate for what may happen."

Persons: — It's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, ”, ” Biden, Penny Pritzker, “, Nicholas Mulder, Vladimir Putin, Shalanda Young, ” Young, ” Sergey Aleksashenko, Treasuries —, Konstantin Malofeyev, Alexander De Croo, De Croo, Maria Snegovaya, aren't, Ellen Knickmeyer, Lisa Mascaro, Seung Min Kim, Zeke Miller, Aamer, Sam Petrequin, Jamey Keaton Organizations: WASHINGTON, Russian Central Bank, U.S ., U.S, ., ”, Ukraine, Russia, Cornell University, Washington, Russia's Central Bank, White, Management, Russian Central Banker, Russian, Justice Department, State Department, European Union, Belgian, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Associated Press Locations: United States, Ukraine, Davos, Switzerland, Ukrainian, Washington, “, America, Russia, Russian, U.S, China, Frankfurt, Belgium, Brussels

Here's the state of play globally for crypto regulation and enforcement in 2023 — and a look at what to expect in 2024. "However, much of their work has involved providing guidance to the industry through enforcement actions," continued Levin. Crypto market participants nevertheless hope that the spate of legal challenges brought to crypto companies in 2023 will bring clarity in the form of new regulations. The U.S.'s dominant role in global finance and its focus on consumer protection plays a crucial role in its leading position in crypto regulation enforcement. The region has been increasingly warming to crypto assets, despite a broader anti-crypto push from China, which banned bitcoin trading and mining in 2021.

Persons: Al Drago, Binance, Sam Bankman, Renato Mariotti, Mariotti, Richard Levin, Nelson Mullins Riley, Levin, ada, Changpeng Zhao, Damian Williams, Brian Armstrong, Armstrong, Alyse Killeen, Scarborough's Levin, FinCEN, Killeen, Diem, USDC, Braden Perry, it's, Kennyhertz Perry, Perry, Bafin Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Bloomberg, Getty, Regulators, Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S, Alameda Research, U.S . Justice Department's Securities, Commodities, CNBC, Capitol, SEC, Futures Trading Commission, Department of Justice, Scarborough, CFTC, Protocol Labs, Southern, of, Stillmark, Meta, Visa, Mastercard, U.S ., European, IRS, European Union, EU, France's Financial Markets Authority, AMF, Treasury, Monetary Authority of, Three Arrows, Terra Labs, Terra, Hong Kong Securities, Futures Commission, SFC, OSL Locations: Washington, Europe, Asia, U.S, Alameda, of New York, European, Crypto, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Monetary Authority of Singapore, China, East, Africa

☆ 10 industry leaders transforming business in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-11 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

In 2023, Business Insider's annual list of People Transforming Business highlights key players across the advertising, ESG, finance, AI, and labor sectors. Increasingly, they're turning to more opaque private credit markets to borrow money. The world of private credit sits outside the traditional banking system. Analysts expect the private credit market to balloon in size — likely keeping lawyers like Breen very busy. Muthukrishnan is trying to make sense of how risky these private credit loans are by overseeing what is so far the most comprehensive look at vulnerabilities in the industry.

Persons: Mira Murati, who's, Vince Toye, Eileen Fisher, Eileen Fisher Fisher, Guerin Blask, Eileen Fisher Eileen Fisher, she's, Fisher, Janelle Jones, Jones, Lexey, —, She's, Justin Breen, Proskauer Breen, Proskauer Justin Breen, he's, Breen, Ares Capital, He's, McLaren, Julie Su, Labor Julie Su, Department of Labor Julie Su, Su, Marty Walsh, Murati, Jim Wilson, Neal Mohan, YouTube Mohan, Katie Thompson, YouTube It's, YouTube isn't, Mohan, Muthukrishnan, Satya Nadella, Microsoft Satya Nadella, Ben Kriemann, Nadella, Steve Ballmer, Mathias Döpfner, Axel Springer, Tim Cook, Apple Cook, Justin Sullivan, Cook, Steve Jobs, Jobs, JPMorgan Chase Toye, JPMorgan Chase, Toye, they'll, Vince Toye's, Bella Sayegh, Rebecca Ungarino, Lara O'Reilly, Juliana Kaplan, Alex Nicoll, Tim Paradis, Stephanie Hallett, Michelle Abrego, Josée Rose, Ryan Joe, Emily Canal, Kaja Whitehouse, Alyssa Powell, Davis, Jonann Brady Organizations: JPMorgan, Service Employees International, SEIU, New York, Ford, Service Employees International Union, United Auto Workers Union, Spelman College, US Department of Labor, Economic Policy Institute, Center for Economic, Research, Department of Labor, The New York Times, Ares, Churchill Asset Management, European, Atlético Madrid, Labor, Labor Department, MacArthur Foundation, New York Times, Dartmouth, OpenAI, Associated Press, YouTube, NFL, DirecTV, Federal, Microsoft, Manipal Institute of Technology, University of Wisconsin -, University of Chicago, Apple, Apple Watch, Google, Time, JPMorgan Chase, National Housing Trust, Trenton Almgren Locations: McDonald's, Lorain , Ohio, Atlanta, California, Los Angeles, Albania, Canada, Muthukrishnan, Hyderabad, India, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, OpenAI, Virginia, Wells Fargo, Trenton

☆ Kuwait rings up small bill in tower merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A three-way partnership deal will enable Qatar’s Ooredoo (ORDS.QA) to offload capital-intensive infrastructure but only by offering Kuwait’s Zain (ZAIN.KW) favourable deal terms. Ooredoo and Zain are creating a regional powerhouse with an estimated enterprise value of $2.2 billion to be managed by Zain-backed TASC Towers Holding. The $8.9 billion Ooredoo and $6.9 billion Zain will own 49.3% each, with the rest going to TASC. But Zain is paying an average price of $73,000 per tower, 9.5% less than the average price per tower in previous deals, according to JPMorgan analysts. The Kuwaiti group will also call the shots as the founders of Dubai’s TASC Towers Holding – which Zain controls with an 83.47% stake – will manage the new entity.

Persons: Qatar’s, Kuwait’s Zain, Zain, Ooredoo, Dubai’s, Pamela Barbaglia, Neiman Marcus, Francesco Guerrera, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, TASC, Bloomberg, JPMorgan, X, Saks, Thomson Locations: Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi, Kuwaiti, Hong Kong

☆ AI Davids ride coattails of industry Goliaths
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

New York, Dec 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Artificial intelligence Goliaths like OpenAI continue to open the door for what might become the industry’s Davids. With a low-cost approach and data privacy focus, it may be able to eventually carve out a solid European business. Mistral has whiffs of what OpenAI, eyeing a mooted $86 billion valuation and eight years old, once was, but with tweaks. Mistral has also focused on “open sourcing” its models, which means they can be downloaded and used for free. As a Paris-based company, Mistral could build out its business with a specific focus on complying with AI rules being finalized by the European Union.

Persons: industry’s Davids, eyeing, Anita Ramaswamy, Neiman Marcus, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: Reuters, Mistral, Bloomberg, European Union, X, Saks, Thomson Locations: York, Paris, Kuwait, Hong Kong

☆ Roche’s late obesity punt offers wider market cure
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Roche’s (ROG.S) foray into the prospective $100 billion obesity market can bring wider benefits. On Monday, the $224 billion Swiss pharma group said it had agreed to take over weight-loss drug developer Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion. Market leader Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) is already selling obesity drugs in the U.S. and parts of Europe. Still, Schinecker’s obesity bet could turn successful if it ends up undercutting obesity pioneers on prices. With over 1 billion people globally classed as seriously overweight, other drugmakers will follow Roche on the obesity bandwagon.

Persons: drugmaker Roche, Arnd, Eli Lilly’s, Thomas Schinecker, Eli Lilly, Eccogene, Roche, Aimee Donnellan, Neiman Marcus, Lisa Jucca, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Swiss pharma, Carmot Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, AstraZeneca, Novo, X, Saks, Thomson Locations: Basel, Switzerland, U.S, Europe, Hong Kong

☆ Evergrande’s Hong Kong court ruling is big reprieve
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Dec 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A Hong Kong court on Monday adjourned to next month a hearing over a petition for the liquidation of China Evergrande (3333.HK). It lobs the ball back to Beijing: the judge told Evergrande to hold direct discussion with “relevant authorities” on the revamped terms. Options are limited following the detention of the company’s Chair Hui Ka Yan in September on suspicion of unspecified crimes. It also defers a high-profile test on whether Hong Kong liquidation rulings over mainland companies would be implemented across the border more efficiently following the introduction of a limited mutual recognition pact in 2021. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Evergrande, Hui Ka Yan, Chan Ka, Neiman Marcus, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Hong, HK, X, Saks, Barclays, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, China, Beijing

☆ Brookfield’s energy M&A loss is teachable moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Dec 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Brookfield Asset Management (BAM.TO), has some wounds to lick. On Monday the Canadian investment firm’s joint $13 billion offer with MidOcean Energy for Australian power generator and retailer Origin Energy (ORG.AX)failed after the bidders secured backing from 69% of voted shares, below the required 75% threshold. It could target smaller local energy firms, like Alinta Energy and EnergyAustralia, owned by Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and CLP (0002.HK) respectively. Brookfield has made other investments from its $15 billion global transition fund, including to co-buy Westinghouse Electric. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Bruce Flatt, Chow, Brookfield, Antony Currie, Neiman Marcus, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: MELBOURNE, Reuters, Brookfield Asset Management, MidOcean Energy, Origin Energy, Alinta, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, CLP, HK, Westinghouse, X, Saks, Thomson Locations: Brookfield, Hong Kong

☆ Geely’s stalled IPO discounts global expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Dec 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Electric-car marque Zeekr, controlled by China’s largest private auto group Zhejiang Geely, has hit a roadblock. It is putting on hold its New York initial public offering because of a mismatch in valuation expectations, Reuters reported on Thursday. It was hoped the listing would break the ice and encourage a resurgence in Chinese volumes in U.S. capital markets. Its prospectus was published in November, when global stocks recorded their best performance since 2020. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Katrina Hamlin, Julius Baer’s, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Zhejiang, American, Tata Technologies, X, Barclays, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, York, Mumbai, Europe, United States, China

☆ Saks and Neiman Marcus are better together
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The signage outside the Neiman Marcus store is seen during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, U.S., April 19, 2020. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus might be headed down the aisle. The two luxury retailers are in talks to merge, according to the Wall Street Journal on Friday. By joining forces, Saks and Neiman would have more power negotiating with vendors and ability to control costs. Saks and Neiman are destined to match up.

Persons: Marcus, Neiman Marcus, Neiman, Jennifer Saba, Robert Cyran, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Saks Fifth, Wall, Saks, HBC, Dallas, Ares Management, Plan Investment Board, Bain, Neiman, X, Barclays, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Canada

☆ ASML’s new CEO has tricky path to a 1,000% return
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

On Thursday the Dutch group said Chief Executive Peter Wennink is retiring after a decade at the helm. The Veldhoven-based group dominates the market for lithography equipment, a key tool for making microchips used to power everything from smartphones to cars. Demand for its kit has seen ASML’s revenue quadruple and its shares deliver a 1,000% total return since Wennink took over in July 2013. But ASML’s current market power makes it harder for his successor to do deals without inviting antitrust scrutiny. The next 1,000% return is likely to take longer than 10 years.

Persons: Peter Wennink, Christophe Fouquet, ASML, microchips, Wennink, Fouquet, Karen Kwok, Julius Baer’s, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, X, Barclays, Thomson Locations: U.S, China

☆ Robinhood opens in UK with low-cost US trading to woo clients
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Sinead Cruise | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Robinhood Markets, Inc. is seen at a pop-up event on Wall Street after the company's IPO in New York City, U.S., July 29, 2021. Since then, trading activity has shrunk as people grapple with a cost-of-living crisis caused by high interest rates and inflation. Robinhood said UK customers will have access to commission-free trading of more than 6,000 US-listed stocks and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), without foreign exchange fees and no account minimums. "For too long, UK investors have incurred high fees to invest in the U.S. markets and earned low returns on their uninvested cash," said Jordan Sinclair, president of Robinhood UK. The online brokerage missed Wall Street estimates for third-quarter revenue earlier this month after a slowdown in trading activity.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Robinhood, Vlad Tenev, Jordan Sinclair, Sinead Cruise, Kirstin Ridley, Jane Merriman, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Inc, REUTERS, Authority, Robinhood, U.S . Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Britain, United States

☆ Ferrovial ends bumpy Heathrow ride on a high
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Ferrovial (FERF.AS) may be relieved to be exiting one of the world’s busiest airports. The Spanish infrastructure giant has sold its final stake in Heathrow, left over after its 2006 acquisition of BAA, which owned the hub along with Stansted and Gatwick. Regulators forced BAA to sell airports like Gatwick on competition concerns, and Ferrovial later trimmed its stake to just 25%. In 2020 Covid-19 struck, and Heathrow has since been locked in disputes with airlines like British Airways, who accuse it of overcharging. The price paid by Ardian and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund values Heathrow including debt, at 25 billion pounds, a 27% premium to its regulated asset base.

Persons: –, Aimee Donnellan, Julius Baer’s, Lisa Jucca, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, BAA, Stansted, Regulators, Gatwick, Heathrow, British Airways, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Jefferies, X, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Heathrow, Gatwick, It’s

☆ In the Market: Regulators look to pry open the dark corners of Treasury markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Paritosh Bansal | Thomson Reuters | Paritosh Oversees The Work Of More Than Journalists Across The Globe Who Write About Finance | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Duffie said more could be done, but added that the "official sector Treasury market datasets are far more comprehensive now than they were a few years ago." They would have much better estimates of the basis trade, for example, but they still wouldn't know exactly how big it is. The trade involves hedge funds exploiting the difference between a Treasury security and its derivative in the futures market. The CFTC data includes other trades that hedge funds enter into that involve shorting treasury futures, the two industry sources said. At a major Treasury market conference earlier this month, officials underscored the importance of good data.

Persons: Darrell Duffie, Duffie, John Williams, Sherlock Holmes, Paritosh Bansal, Anna Driver Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, Financial Research, Stanford University, Treasury, Futures Trading Commission, Securities, Exchange Commission, Regulators, ” New York Fed, Thomson Locations: ”

☆ Rolls-Royce's overhaul is deceptively ambitious
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rolls-Royce (RR.L) boss Tufan Erginbilgic wants to push Britain's biggest aerospace company to its limit. On the face of it, Erginbilgic's targets are not overly ambitious. Analysts were already forecasting a group operating margin of 11% in 2025 on the back of an air traffic recovery, according to LSEG data, not far below Erginbilgic's goal of 13%-15%. Yet this is the same margin range of Rolls-Royce's rivals Safran (SAF.PA) and General Electric (GE.N) which make engines for short-haul flights. Rolls-Royce's engines are instead used to power so-called widebody aircraft like Airbus's A330neo, used for transatlantic flights.

Persons: Tufan Erginbilgic, Safran, Pamela Barbaglia, Julius Baer’s, Warren Buffett, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Royce, Investors, General Electric, X, Thomson

☆ Barclays strategic fix will entrench low valuation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Barclays (BARC.L) is looking for a valuation cure. Cutting into the investment bank and reallocating to the more stable retail operations may look enticing but is hard to do without upending short-term returns. Still, the currently favoured suggestion of cutting less profitable investment bank clients sounds equally tricky, and might only shave at most a tenth off Barclays’ 219 billion pounds of corporate and investment bank risk-weighted assets. At Credit Suisse-inflated UBS (UBSG.S), which trades near book value, investment bank RWAs are 25%. Even getting Barclays’ corporate and investment RWAs back to 50% of the total would involve shrinking them by over a fifth.

Persons: Venkatakrishnan, Aimee Donnellan, Julius Baer’s, Warren Buffett, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Barclays, Barclays ’, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, UBS, X, Thomson Locations: reallocating

☆ Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Charlie Munger dies at 99
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Nov 28 (Reuters) - Charlie Munger, the longtime vice chairman and second-in-command to Warren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N), died on Tuesday morning at a California hospital. For stock-pickers like us to lose Charlie Munger, would be like if you’re a basketball fan and you lose Bill Russell. "I wouldn't think Berkshire will look much different, apart from Buffett no longer being able to share ideas with Munger. CATHERINE SEIFERT, VICE-PRESIDENT, CFRA RESEARCH, NEW YORK“Berkshire Hathaway shareholders are not going to be directly or negatively impacted from the passing of Charlie Munger. Therewass already a transition plan in place and there's a transition plan in place when Warren Buffett passes away.

Persons: Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett, Charlie, WHITNEY TILSON, BRIAN MOYNIHAN, Charlie Mungerwass, ” BURNS MCKINNEY, Bill Russell, ”, Berkshire Hathaway, ” PHIL ORLANDO, FEDERATED HERMES, BILL, Buffett, Munger, PHILLIP, —, STEVE SOSNICK, “, ” WIN MURRAY, DIAMOND, MARY JO, BILL SMEAD, Warren, ” “ Buffett, Todd Combs, Ted Weschler, ” PAUL LOUNTZIS, Greg Abel, I've, you'll, STEPHEN DODSON, hewass, ” PAUL NOLTE, FOR MURPHY, Warren Buffet, they've, QUINCY KROSBY, RICK MECKLER, CHERRY, NEW VERNON, Hewass, obviouslywass, DOUG KASS, ” THOMAS RUSSO, GARDNER RUSSO, QUINN, CATHERINE SEIFERT, he's, ” ANTHONY SAGLIMBENE, THOMAS HAYES Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway, COOK, APPLE, WHO, KASE, OF, FEDERATED, Berkshire, ” WIN, THE BRETTON, SAN, SYLVEST, NEW, Buffett, GREAT, Global Finance, Markets, Thomson Locations: California, Munger, Berkshire, American, DALLAS , TEXAS, GLENVIEW, CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, DIAMOND HILL, COLUMBUS , OHIO, PHOENIX, ” “ Berkshire, , PENNSYLVANIA, ELMHURST, IL, CHARLOTTE, NC, CHERRY LANE, NEW JERSEY, LANCASTER , PENNSYLVANIA, Munger . Berkshire, TROY , MICHIGAN, GREAT HILL

☆ Schaeffler’s token bump sets up bigger battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Staff Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Schaeffler’s (SHA_p.DE) token bump for Vitesco Technologies (VTSCn.DE) may not ensure a smooth ride. The 3.4 billion euro German industrial group raised its tender price for shares in auto parts group Vitesco by 3% to 94 euros. On that basis the 94 euros tender price is only a 7% premium above fair value. Assuming enough shareholders now tender, the final merger price for any remaining shares will be set by a third-party valuer. Yet Vitesco’s board, backed by three banks including JPMorgan (JPM.N) and Lazard (LAZ.N), have now published fairness opinions saying the company is worth more than 94 euros.

Persons: Thomas Stierle, David Einhorn’s, Neil Unmack, Warren Buffett, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Reuters, Vitesco Technologies, JPMorgan, Lazard, X, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, Rome

☆ Amazon’s shipping splurge delivers payoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A worker sorts products during Cyber Monday operations at the Amazon's fulfillment center in Robbinsville, New Jersey, U.S., November 27, 2023. In 2016, before its in-house logistics initiative took off, global shipping costs tallied about $16 billion, with customers covering about half. Last year, the total expense was about five times higher. Moreover, higher turnover means higher profit, especially from ancillary services such as advertising. And that’s before the generally lucrative holiday season, which should bring Amazon shareholders some more upbeat shipping news.

Persons: Robert Cyran, Julius Baer’s, Warren Buffett, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, UPS, FedEx, Wall Street Journal, Services, Shipping, Amazon, X, Thomson Locations: Robbinsville , New Jersey, U.S, America, China

☆ Warren Buffett pays for Indian payments punt
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, pauses while playing bridge as part of the company annual meeting weekend in Omaha, Nebraska U.S. May 6, 2018. REUTERS/Rick Wilking/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Nov 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Berkshire Hathaway’s (BRKa.N) foray into the digital payments industry in India did not go well. Warren Buffett’s investment firm on Friday sold its remaining shares in $7 billion Paytm, some five years after making its initial investment, locking in a more than 20% loss, per Breakingviews calculations. But Berkshire only invested $260 million, barely a blip next to its $700 billion-odd of assets at the time. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Rick Wilking, Warren, –, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s, it’s, Antony Currie, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Omaha , Nebraska U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Berkshire, X, Thomson Locations: Omaha , Nebraska, Rights MUMBAI, Berkshire, India, Una, China, Rome

☆ Julius Baer’s damage control only goes so far
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Swiss private bank Julius Baer is seen at their headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 2, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Julius Baer (BAER.S) has soothed agitated investors’ fears – but only up to a point. The $11 billion Swiss wealth manager said on Monday that 70 million Swiss francs of recently revealed losses stemmed from 606 million Swiss francs of loans to a single corporate client – which Reuters identified as troubled property group Signa. That’s 40% of the bank’s 1.5 billion Swiss francs riskiest credits, an uncomfortably high concentration. That implies a buffer of 450 million Swiss francs over the 14% threshold at which boss Philipp Rickenbacher gets comfortable doing share buybacks.

Persons: Julius Baer, Arnd, ’, –, Philipp Rickenbacher, Julius Baer’s, Lisa Jucca, Warren Buffett, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, X, Thomson Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, China

☆ Iron ore gains on China’s property debt-rejig pain
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A steel worker of ThyssenKrupp stands amid sparks of raw iron coming from a blast furnace at a ThyssenKrupp steel factory in Duisburg, western Germany, January 30, 2020. The benchmark December iron ore futures contract on the Singapore Exchange is up 10% this month at $133.45 a ton on hopes Beijing will kickstart the property sector. Anticipating spiking demand from the world’s second largest economy, Citi analysts on Tuesday upgraded their forecast iron ore price to $140 per ton. The optimism on iron ore could further grow if Beijing rolls out more structural reforms, such as the provision of social housing. China’s demand for steel in electric vehicles and green infrastructure has already kept average prices high despite the property slump.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Chan Ka, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Singapore Exchange, Citi, Hong Kong, HK, X, Thomson Locations: ThyssenKrupp, Duisburg, Germany, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, HK, Rome

Search resuls for: "Global Finance"

25 mentions found