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☆ Shell’s shrinking green pledge risks backfiring
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Yawen Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Callaghan O’Hare Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Nov 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Shell (SHEL.L) CEO Wael Sawan has upped the UK group’s quarterly buyback plan while cutting back on unprofitable low-carbon activities. His pivot back into fossil fuels has shielded the $217 billion company from the wind energy troubles now ensnaring European peer BP (BP.L) and renewables giant Orsted (ORSTED.CO). But the strategy can work only as long as volatile energy prices stay high. Shell’s $6.2 billion third-quarter adjusted net profit shrunk by a third from a year earlier but came in line with analysts’ expectations. So far this year, the total return for Shell’s shareholders has hit 17%, above rivals like BP and TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA).

Persons: Wael Sawan, Daniel Yergin, Callaghan O’Hare, Sawan, Shell, pare, Lisa Jucca, Streisand Neto Organizations: Shell, P Global, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, BP, EV, Nature Energy, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Carbon Solutions, Renewables, Energy Solutions, Thomson Locations: Houston , Texas, U.S, Rights SINGAPORE

☆ Larry Fink’s next M&A may go in surprise direction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Reuters GraphicsTIPPING THE SCALESThe shift to low-fee products helped BlackRock’s assets under management swell to more than $9 trillion at the end of September. BlackRock’s history with Blackstone means a reunion with Stephen Schwarzman’s $110 billion firm is a persistent Wall Street rumor. BlackRock’s funds operate under a single name, so uniting with Carlyle (CG.O) or Apollo Global Management (APO.N) would pose a branding challenge. Fink might covet MSCI (MSCI.N), the $38 billion firm which aggregates many of the benchmarks tracked by BlackRock’s ETFs. Given Fink’s long record of pulling off opportunistic and transformational deals, it would be foolish to bet against him springing one last surprise.

Persons: Larry Fink, Fink, Merrill, Rowe Price, Janus Henderson, Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman’s, Carlyle, covet, MSCI, Michael Bloomberg, doesn’t, LSEG –, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum, Streisand Neto Organizations: CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Reuters, BlackRock, Blackstone, Barclays Global Investors, Credit Suisse, UBS, nab, Graphics, Apollo Global Management, London Stock Exchange, Thomson Reuters, New, Bloomberg, Wall Street, New York Times, LSEG – Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, BlackRock, Boston, Swiss, New York, United States

☆ Vodafone will struggle to get clean exit in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Toby Melville Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Vodafone’s (VOD.L) boss Margherita Della Valle is cleaning up the sprawling 21 billion pound telecom group, but it’s a tough job. A potentially messy exit in Spain illustrates the point. Della Valle lacks an obvious partner in the country: local giant Telefónica (TEF.MC) is too big, while rivals Orange (ORAN.PA) and MásMóvil are merging with one another. As a result, Vodafone may have found itself a potentially problematic counterparty for the Spanish business, which Della Valle has put under strategic review. Investors might be reassured that Della Valle is making things happen, but a clean break in Spain looks increasingly unlikely.

Persons: Toby Melville, Margherita Della Valle, Della Valle, Eamonn O’Hare, Expansión, Zegona, Pamela Barbaglia, Liam Proud, Streisand Neto Organizations: Vodafone, REUTERS, Reuters, Orange, Zegona Communications, Virgin Media, Bloomberg, Deutsche Bank, ING, Reuters Graphics Reuters, X, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Spain

☆ Investors reject Sanofi's cure to sickly valuation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Oct 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Sanofi (SASY.PA) investors dislike CEO Paul Hudson’s prescription to reinvigorate the pharmaceutical group’s weak valuation. Analysts polled by LSEG expect the division to hit an EBIT of 1.6 billion euros this year. On listed rival Haleon’s 15.6 times multiple, that business could be worth 25 billion euros. The rest of the Sanofi business may generate EBIT of 11.4 billion euros. The problem is that investors don’t appear to want to take the harsh medicine that leads to a cure.

Persons: Paul Hudson’s, Ernst & Young, Sanofi, EBIT, Roche, Karen Kwok, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Sanofi, Ernst, LSEG, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, GSK, AstraZeneca, X, Unilever, Thomson

☆ The case for a career in bond investing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Felix Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

I sensed familiarity with the recent fate of fixed income benchmarks such as Austria’s hundred-year government bond. For this reason, when bond yields are low, the sensitivity of capital prices to inflation and interest rate shocks is high, and vice versa. The appreciating greenback has been a drag on much of the global fixed income universe for the past decade. The real reason to go into fixed income investing, I explained, is that you get to tell governments what to do. Now that the end of monetary anaesthesia has awoken fixed income from its 15-year coma, I told the MBA students, you’ve got your chance.

Persons: Bonds, That’s, Torsten Slok, GMO’s, Liz Truss, ”, Bill Clinton’s, James Carville, you’ve, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Treasury, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Apollo Global Management, U.S ., JPMorgan, Economist, UK, Thomson Locations: U.S, Venezuela

☆ EU’s best way to close its US growth gap: growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 26 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The European Union would have a better chance of catching the U.S. if it aimed for growth, instead of rearranging the regulatory deck chairs. Lowering political barriers in the 27-country single market could boost investment without breaking the bank on subsidies, Jean-François van Boxmeer told Breakingviews, citing a new European Round Table for Industry report. In the telecommunications sector, the European Commission has kept four providers in most of the EU’s markets, and screens out Chinese equipment-makers over security concerns. The European Commission reckons completing the single market by 2030 would hike EU GDP by 12%, or 713 billion euros. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: François van Boxmeer, Breakingviews, van Boxmeer, Jacob Wallenberg, Rebecca Christie, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, European, Vodafone, Reuters Graphics Business, EU, European Commission, Investor, X, News Corp, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Europe’s oil majors are stuck as M&A party-poopers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Yawen Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed U.S. dollar banknote and decreasing stock graph in this illustration taken, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Back in June the boss of $220 billion UK oil major Shell (SHEL.L), Wael Sawan, told investors mergers and acquisitions were not his priority. The decision of $430 billion Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) and $295 billion Chevron (CVX.N) to acquire $60 billion Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD.N) and $53 billion Hess (HES.N) respectively ought to change the game. But it would remain a stretch for either to ape their U.S. peers and buy a big oil group. Hess investors will receive 1.025 shares of Chevron for each share held, worth $171 per share based on the closing price on Oct. 20.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Wael Sawan, Hess, Murray Auchincloss, Patrick Pouyanné, ’, Shell, Neste, Warren Buffett’s, Pouyanné, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Natural Resources, Exxon, Shell, Occidental Petroleum, Exxon Mobil’s, Thomson Locations: Finnish, Denmark, U.S, Occidental

☆ Russian war economy is overheating on a powder keg
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Pierre Briancon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

LONDON, Oct 25 (Reuters Breakingviews) - His war on Ukraine may not be unfolding according to plan, but President Vladimir Putin can still claim that the Russian economy is performing, as he says, “better than previously expected”. This kind of understatement is unusual for the Kremlin leader: with a tight labour market and inflation showing no signs of abating, the Russian economy is in fact overheating. And these are conservative numbers, because other types of war spending – such as new construction in the occupied territories – are hidden in other sections of the budget. The Russian currency is down 30% since its January high. Follow @pierrebri on XCONTEXT NEWSThe Russian economy will grow by 2.2% in 2023, the International Monetary Fund said in its October World Economic Outlook.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, “, Putin, Alexandra Prokopenko, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Kremlin, International Monetary, Bank of Russia, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Bank of, Danone, Carlsberg, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia, –, Moscow, Europe, Lithuania, microchips, Kazakhstan, Bank of Russia, United States, China, U.S, Beijing

☆ China’s graphite curbs send green warning shot
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Global demand for graphite, seen at 770,000 tonnes this year, is expected to treble by 2033, according to estimates by Fastmarkets graphite analyst Georgi Georgiev. China currently accounts for 64% of the global production of natural graphite and more than half of the artificial equivalent. More importantly, the People’s Republic refines more than 90% of the graphite into high-purity material used in EV batteries. This echoes the approach China used earlier this year to restrict exports of gallium and germanium, two metals used in chips and fibre optic cables, triggering a fall in international shipments. Mining graphite in Europe, which wants to lead in EV adoption, is simply more expensive, says Aiden Lavelle, CEO of miner European Green Metals.

Persons: Georgi Georgiev, Aiden Lavelle, Carmakers, Una Galani, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, People’s, EV, Shanghai Putailai, Energy Technology, Metals, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Republic, Shanghai, Finland, Sweden, Beijing, Western, Europe, U.S

☆ Risky biotech M&A therapy will heal more fractures
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Jonathan Guilford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - How can a suitor offering $1 billion see eye-to-eye with a seller asking for $2 billion? Such contingent value rights, or CVRs, are a way to get around the inherent uncertainty of an unproven drug. Its $74 billion takeover of Celgene in 2019 included a $6.4 billion payout dependent on a trio of drug approvals. There have been only 27 biotech market debuts this year, raising $2.2 billion, according to LSEG data. Given the nagging fissures in valuation perspectives, however, more dealmakers are apt to try this risky M&A therapy.

Persons: Schulman, Sidley, Bristol Myers, Myers, CVRs, Andrew Weisenfeld, IPOs, ”, Dan Lepanto, biopharma, Eli Lilly’s, Bristol Myers Squibb, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Dow, Marion Laboratories, LyondellBasell Industries, Mirati Therapeutics, JPMorgan, Sanofi, Health Partners, Nasdaq Biotechnology, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters Graphics, Leerink Partners, Therapeutics, Public, Bristol Myers, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Celgene, Genzyme, U.S

☆ Israel’s fossil fuel boon becomes less clear-cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Yawen Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, Oct 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Israel’s growing gas sector has a significance that extends east and west. Analysts at Israel’s Bank Leumi had estimated that exports would jump to at least 11 bcm this year. Israel’s 1,087 bcm of gas reserves in 2022 yielded 21 bcm of production, of which 9 bcm was exported, with a doubling of exports to Israel’s main market, Egypt. Still, Israel’s gas sector has gone from a helping hand to a potential headache. Follow @ywchen1 on XCONTEXT NEWSDutch TTF Natural Gas Futures, Europe’s benchmark gas index, were trading at 48 euros per megawatt hour as of 0823 GMT on Oct. 19.

Persons: –, Yair Lapid, Israel’s Bank Leumi, It’s, NewMed, Abraham, Gaza’s, Isabel Dotzenrath, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, United, United Arab Emirates, Israel’s Bank, LNG, Abu, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, NewMed Energy, Abraham Accords, BP, Natural Gas Futures, Intercontinental Exchange, Chevron, Mediterranean Gas, Oil, Energy, Thomson Locations: United Arab, Israel, Europe, Russia, Egypt, Brussels, Abu Dhabi, Ahli, ’, Jihad, Gaza, Jordan, Denver

☆ Breakingviews: Globalization woes create new winners and losers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Over the past seven decades, the world economy has grown 14-fold, powered by a 45-fold expansion in global trade, according to the World Trade Organization. World trade as a percentage of GDP peaked at 61% in 2008. The first is rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. The retrenchment is probably going to be gradual: global trade was still worth 57% of world GDP last year. For 2024, the WTO said growth in goods trade would pick up to 3.3%, virtually unchanged from its April estimate of 3.2%.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping “, ”, Caroline Freund, Aaditya Mattoo, Alen Mulabdic, Michele Ruta, Ursula von der Leyen, it’s, Laura Alfaro, Davin Chor, Dario Perkins, GlobalData’s Perkins, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Warehouse Union, REUTERS, Reuters, World Trade Organization, Economic, Reuters Graphics Reuters, HK, Amperex Technology, European Central Bank, GlobalData, Lombard, Companies, Bureau of Labor Statistics, ECB, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Netherlands, United States, China, Beijing, Washington, U.S, Taiwan, Mexico, Vietnam, People’s Republic, Latin America, Chile, Brazil, Ukraine, Geneva

☆ Globalisation woes create new winners and losers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

☆ Europe-Musk spat carries risks for both sides
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Oct 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The European Commission has made social-media site X, formerly known as Twitter, the test case for its fight against disinformation. The Commission on Oct. 12 sent a formal request to X, owned by Elon Musk, for information about possible illegal content and disinformation. X pushed back, with Musk exchanging combative posts with Breton on the website. While the process drags on, any problematic posts can just keep proliferating on X and other sites. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Elon Musk, Porte, Gonzalo Fuentes, Thierry Breton, X, Breton, Rebecca Christie, Liam Proud, Streisand Neto Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, European Commission, Twitter, Elon, Digital Services, DSA, Big Tech, X, Infosys, Ericsson, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Rights BRUSSELS, Israel, Breton, Europe, Brussels

☆ Why an economic soft landing may prove elusive
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Edward Chancellor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

His latest book, “You Always Hurt the One You Love: Central Banks and the Murder of Capitalism”, won’t make him any friends in monetary policymaking circles. The Fed responded by reducing interest rates to zero and employing various tools to lower bond yields. These economic imbalances prevented central banks from returning interest rates to normal levels. Unless, that is, liberalising economic reforms are enacted that boost productivity and allow interest rates to rise. Bernard Conolly’s book, “You Always Hurt the One You Love: Central Banks and the Murder of Capitalism” was published in hardback in September.

Persons: Bernard Connolly, Connolly, won’t, they’ve, Michael Woodford, ”, Alan Greenspan, staved, Lehman, Edward Chancellor’s “, Bernard Conolly’s, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, European Monetary Union, European Commission, Banks, U.S . Federal, stoke, Lehman Brothers, Fed, Reuters Graphics, Treasury, Securities, Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, British, Europe, American, “, ”, disequilibrium, intertemporal, Central

☆ Ericsson $3 bln hit ticks most boxes for M&A folly
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mike Blake Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Börje Ekholm’s overpriced M&A has come home to roost. The $15 billion Swedish telco equipment maker’s chief executive said on Wednesday he was writing down 50% of the value of software company Vonage. While the 32 billion Swedish crowns ($3 billion) hit is a non-cash impairment, Vonage remains a major goof. Ericsson bought it for $6.2 billion as recently as November 2021, in cash, and the deal only closed three months ago. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Mike Blake, Breakingviews, Ekholm, Karen Kwok, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: T's, REUTERS, Reuters, Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, Reuters Graphics Reuters, X, Qantas, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Brussels

☆ LVMH may have to settle for a more humdrum future
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The disappointing results knocked 6% off LVMH stock on Wednesday and dragged down rivals Richemont (CFR.S) and Kering (PRTP.PA) which also fell about 3%. That may compound investor worries about an overall slowdown of the company that’s behind Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior (DIOR.PA). And China’s economic slowdown and a possible U.S. recession make their future even more uncertain. LVMH is trading at 20 times its expected 2023 earnings after Wednesday's fall. If the less exuberant times keep rolling, LVMH may find itself settling for an even less luxurious valuation.

Persons: Richemont, Bernard Arnault’s, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Karen Kwok, Aimee Donnellan, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, UBS, Hermès, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Qantas, Thomson Locations: Asia, Japan, Brussels

☆ Next EU chief will need cash more than trade wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

What she sidestepped was how to find more cash and convince member states to pay up. Von der Leyen, or her successor, will have to figure out how to pay for enlargement. Von der Leyen tapped into trade frustrations with her pledge to investigate and possibly punish Chinese subsidies for car and battery makers. During her first term, von der Leyen succeeded in connecting the EU with bond investors via the 800 billion euro NextGenerationEU borrowing programme. A second term will require even more finesse to convince EU member states to raise money not just from markets, but from themselves.

Persons: Ursula von der, European Union won’t, der, von der Leyen’s, Greens –, der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Thierry Breton, Norway’s Jens Stoltenberg, Von der, Carlo Bastasin, Von der Leyen, von der Leyen, sceptics, Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel’s, Jens Stoltenberg’s, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, European Union, Bank, EU, European Commission, Socialists, Greens, NATO, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Brookings, handouts, Organisation for Economic Co, Transport, Environment, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Moldova, Western, Brussels, Germany, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Turkey, Georgia, Spain, Poland, United States, China, Ireland, Netherlands, EU, EU’s, Hungary

☆ Schaeffler auto deal has multiple value drivers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange during the vitesco IPO in Frankfurt, Germany, September 16, 2021. REUTERS/Staff Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Gearing up to take over an auto company on the eve of a recession might look risky. The merger will be done through a tender for the 50% of Vitesco’s stock not held by the family, then a merger with what's left. Cost synergies on top could be worth 3.5 billion euros in present value terms. As part of the merger, Schaeffler will adopt a more shareholder-friendly structure with equal voting rights.

Persons: what's, Schaeffler, Neil Unmack, Sandoz, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Reuters, Vitesco Technologies, X, Alstom, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, Brussels

☆ Alstom cash crunch dents management credibility
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Alstom (ALSO.PA) CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge faces an uphill struggle to shore up his credibility. The French train maker lost 35% of its market value – amounting to 3 billion euros - on Thursday after announcing that it would book negative free cash flow of 500 to 750 million euros this year. Finally, weaker than expected orders in the first half of the year generated less cash in the form of down payments. Given the potential for the group’s net debt to be 3 billion euros by year-end, 1 billion euros more than expected, Deutsche Bank analysts reckon it may soon need a capital increase. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Henri Poupart, Pierre Briancon, Aimee Donnellan, Streisand Neto Organizations: Alstom, REUTERS, Reuters, London Underground, Deutsche Bank, X, Sandoz, Brookfield, Temasek, Thomson Locations: Saint, Ouen, Paris, France

☆ Sandoz owners are banking on margin cure
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Sandoz’s (SDZ.S) investors are giving CEO Richard Saynor the benefit of the doubt. Shares in the generics drug maker, which $217 billion pharma giant Novartis (NOVN.S) has finally managed to spin off, started to trade in Zurich on Wednesday. There was a risk that Novartis investors, who have long called for a sale or spinoff, would quickly dump the new Sandoz shares. At current market prices, Sandoz is worth nearly $11 billion, or $14.4 billion once net debt is added in. For now, Novartis investors seem to believe Sandoz’s treatment may be effective.

Persons: Richard Saynor, Sandoz, Aimee Donnellan, Lisa Jucca, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Novartis, Sandoz, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, X, Brookfield pounces, Temasek, Thomson Locations: Zurich, That’s

☆ Germany risks letting a good crisis go to waste
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Pierre Briancon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Germany, the European Union’s largest economy and its traditional growth engine, is headed towards a contraction this year. Exports account for more than half of Germany’s GDP, compared to just a third in France and 37% in Italy, according to the World Bank. Germany’s growth potential is estimated at an annual 0.7% over the medium term by the Scope rating agency, about half the euro zone average. Exempting net public investment from the debt brake rule would help to reverse years of underspending. Unless they do, Europe’s leading economy risks letting a good crisis go to waste.

Persons: –, Hubertus Bardt, Germany’s, Carsten Brzeski, Oliver Rakau, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Christian Lindner’s, Sebastian Dullien, Scholz, Destatis, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, World Bank, EU, International Monetary Fund, Reuters Graphics Reuters, German Economic Institute, ING, Oxford Economics, BASF, Finance, Christian Democrats, Thomson Locations: Germany, Berlin, France, Italy, China –, Spain, Weimar Republic, China, Ukraine

☆ Peak China may pose peak danger
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

For example, last week it installed a floating barrier by a rocky outcrop in the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines - which Manila promptly removed. A war between the United States and China still seems unlikely - because both sides know that the economic and human costs of a clash could be catastrophic. The United States and its Western allies are also worried that China could browbeat Japan and South Korea, two nations economically important to them. Meanwhile, the United States and other allies are imposing controls on the export of technology such as advanced chips to the People’s Republic. What’s more, the United States is finding it hard to maintain an emollient message.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping “, Biden, Victor Sebestyen, Xi, Michael Beckley, Beckley, Hal Brands, Vladimir Putin, ”, Donald Trump, Goldman Sachs, Tufts ’ Beckley, Una Galani, Streisand Neto Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, Reuters, Austro, South China, Beijing, Tufts University, Washington, San, Economic Cooperation, Tufts, Thomson Locations: Beijing, CHINA, Greece, China, Vietnam, U.S, Taiwan, United States, Germany, France, British, Ottoman Empire, Hungarian Empire, Ukraine, South China, South, Philippines, Manila, China’s, India, People’s Republic, Japan, South Korea, America, Pacific, Washington, Hanoi, San Francisco, Asia, Taiwan Strait

☆ Cellnex’s Nordic towers sale is a good omen
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Marco Patuano is starting with a small but firm step. After years of M&A-fuelled expansion, the new CEO wants to return Cellnex to investment grade and focus on organic growth and efficiency. Cellnex shares shot up 4% Friday, adding 1 billion euros to the group’s market capitalisation. If Patuano can keep finding buyers for his assets, he may soon return his company to investment grade. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Marco Patuano, Patuano, Pierre Briancon, Lisa Jucca, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, X, Thomson Locations: Italian

☆ Italy’s fiscal weakness toughens its green plight
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni looks on, on the day of the state funeral of the former Italian President and senator, Giorgio Napolitano in Rome, Italy, September 26, 2023. Rome also cut its GDP forecasts to 0.8% and 1.2% over the next two years, from 1% and 1.5% before. The ballooning deficit is chiefly a result of ill-fated renovation incentives introduced by previous governments and amounting to some 140 billion euros, or 7% of Italy’s GDP. Record-high euro zone interest rates are also increasing the cost of servicing Italy’s mammoth debt, seen at 140% of GDP by year-end. The risk is that Rome's green transition becomes a victim of its fiscal challenges.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Giorgio Napolitano, Yara, Europe’s, Lisa Jucca, ’, quagmire, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: Italian, REUTERS, Reuters, X, Thomson Locations: Italian, Rome, Italy, Ukraine

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