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☆ German economy, auto sector face risks from exposure to China, fund manager says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Christoph Steitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view shows the flags of China and Germany at a booth of a German automaker at the Auto Shanghai show, in Shanghai, China, April 19, 2023. That poses a dilemma for the German government, which is actively trying to get companies to derisk from China, the world's second-largest economy. The fund manager said it was striking that German companies are also increasingly relocating research and development activities to China, while others did the opposite for security reasons. Union Investment holds stakes in virtually all German blue-chip companies, including German carmakers Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE) and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) as well as BASF (BASFn.DE), which all have major ties and exposure to the Chinese economy. The exposure means that German carmakers are facing risks such as being squeezed out of the Chinese market as well as seeing increased Asian competition in Europe, the fund manager said.

Persons: Aly, Christoph Steitz, Paul Simao Organizations: Auto, REUTERS, Rights, Union Investment, Reuters, Investment, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Benz, BASF, Thomson Locations: China, Germany, Auto Shanghai, Shanghai, Japan, South Korea, United States, derisk, German, Europe, Berlin, Beijing

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition unveiled in July a strategy toward de-risking Germany's economic relationship with China, calling Beijing a "partner, competitor and systemic rival". German investment in Asia excluding China is rising as a share of overall investment. "No company is going to say that it will leave China," said Sandra Ebner, senior economist at Union Investment, Germany's second-largest fund manager. "But what companies are increasingly doing is to produce in China for China and to position themselves around China for the remaining Asian or global market." In July, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck travelled to India with a delegation of executives to discuss opportunities for German companies.

Persons: Thomas Nuernberger, Nuernberger, Olaf Scholz's, Volker Treier, Munk, Ferdinand Munk, Scholz, Angela Merkel's, Martin Brudermueller, Max Zenglein, Juergen Matthes, Markus Horn, Matthias Bianchi, Joe Biden, Wolfgang Niedermark, Jan Roennfeld, Roennfeld, Sandra Ebner, BDI's Niedermark, Robert Habeck, Christoph Steitz, Sarah Marsh, Maria Martinez, Aditya Kalra, Sarita Chaganti Singh, Xinghui, Orathai, Brenda Goh Organizations: Reuters, Commerce and Industry, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, BASF, IW Institute, Big, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Economic Institute, Horn, German Association of, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, Union Investment, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, BERLIN, Berlin, Beijing, China, Taiwan, India, Asia, Germany, Europe, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia, South China, European, Thailand, United States, Mexico, Indonesian, Eastern Germany, Malaysia, Frankfurt, New Delhi, Xinghui Kok, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Digital mapping specialist TomTom (TOM2.AS) reported lower than expected revenue at its main location technology business on Friday, sending its shares down 7%. Sales in the auto sector rose 32% but the enterprise sector's sales fell 20%, reflecting lower volumes of some renewed contracts. Total group sales rose 6% on the year to 144.1 million euros. Finance chief Taco Titulaer said growth in car production might stabilise in the forth quarter, though he did not expect TomTom to suffer from it. Titulaer said TomTom saw new opportunities in generative artificial intelligence (AI) and was "investing time and money and people" into the technology.

Persons: Marc Hesselink, TomTom, Taco Titulaer, Titulaer, Gaëlle Sheehan, Nathan Vifflin, Milla Nissi, Susan Fenton Organizations: Google, ING, Volkswagen, Finance, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gdansk

☆ Volvo's Russian assets transferred to Russian investor - industry ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Volvo logo is seen in truck for sale in Linden, New Jersey, U.S., May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Swedish truck maker Volvo AB's Russian assets (VOLVb.ST) have been transferred to an undisclosed Russian investor, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said in a statement. Volvo suspended all sales, service and production in Russia in February 2022, and said last October that further write-downs might be necessary. In 2021, Russia accounted for about 3% of its net group sales of about 372 billion Swedish crowns ($33.4 billion). The invasion triggered a host of Western economic sanctions, and threats by Russia to seize Western businesses based there.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Igor Kim, Alexei Sannikov, Kim, Kevin Liffey, David Evans Organizations: Volvo, REUTERS, Rights, Ministry of Industry, Trade, carmakers Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Renault, BMW, Kia, Hyundai, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Linden , New Jersey, U.S, Swedish, Russia, Kaluga, Ukraine

☆ How to trade Volkswagen and BMW quarterly earnings results based on history
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

German carmakers Volkswagen and BMW are set to announce their first-quarter earnings later today. Similarly, Volkswagen reported significantly increased deliveries for the same period despite weaker business in China, its most important single market. The stock also surpassed the benchmark by 5.4 percentage points a week since the results and 6.5 percentage points a month out under the same scenario. However, its fortunes reverse for the better, with shares outperforming the benchmark after a week since the results 67% of the time. The German company shares beat the DAX by 1, 3, and 8 percentage points over the day, week, and month since the results, respectively, on exceeding expectations.

☆ Exclusive: Canada budget to have tax credit for equipment used to produce EVs -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The credit will be available for future investments in equipment used to extract and process critical minerals used in EVs, a second source said, and to purchase equipment used in manufacturing along the entire EV supply chain, including for batteries. Last year, Canada budgeted C$3.8 billion ($2.8 billion) to scale up exploration and infrastructure for critical minerals. Canada has an abundance of the critical minerals used to produce EVs. Last autumn, Canada announced investment tax credits for companies that purchase finished clean energy systems, like solar panels. Instead, the new tax credit will apply to manufacturers buying equipment to build things like solar panels.

BERLIN, Jan 10 (Reuters) - German carmakers, Tesla, chip producers and battery maker Northvolt met the German chancellor and cabinet ministers on Tuesday to discuss topics from European law on vehicle emissions to energy prices, according to two participants. The annual summit was formerly only for carmakers but was this time dubbed a "mobility" summit, with the broader focus signalled by Northvolt's presence on the guestlist for the first time. Tesla (TSLA.O), was not on the first draft of the guest list shared with participants but was present, according to a participant, alongside German carmakers Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE), Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) and Opel. Associations, including cyclist club ADFC and rail association "Allianz pro Schiene", criticised the summit as still too car-focused. German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Economy Minister Robert Habeck, Transport Minister Volker Wissing and Labour Minister Hubertus Heil were among those present from the government, the other participant said.

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