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Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in eastern Hangzhou city, in this handout picture released by Sana on September 22, 2023, Syria. China, the world's second-largest economy, will also support Syria's reconstruction, Chinese state media reported Xi as saying. In Chinese diplomacy, a "strategic partnership" implies closer coordination on regional and international affairs, including in the military sphere. But analysts said there was likely to be a limit to how far Beijing would help Damascus beyond recovering its regional status. "That is not part of China's role identity in the Middle East, which is to try and have a role without taking sides."

Persons: Xi Jinping, Bashar al, Sana, Handout, Syria's Assad, Assad, Xi, Caesar, Matteo Legrenzi, Joe Cash, Ella Cao, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Saudi, Initiative, University of Venice, Thomson Locations: Assad, Hangzhou, Syria, Beijing, China, BEIJING, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Damascus, Ca'Foscari

☆ Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa appoints son as deputy finance minister in new cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Nyasha Chingono | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks during his inauguration at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe September 4, 2023. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHARARE, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday appointed his son as the deputy finance minister and retained Mthuli Ncube as the finance minister as he battles to rescue the country's ailing economy. Mnangagwa appointed his son David Mnangagwa to be Ncube's deputy as part of the parliament's youth quota, while also announcing Soda Zhemu to head the mining ministry. Mining generates more than half of Zimbabwe's foreign export earnings and Mnangagwa has said the sector, which is attracting investors in lithium mining, will anchor future economic growth. The ruling ZANU-PF party's national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri was re-appointed as the Defence Minister.

Persons: Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mthuli Ncube, Mnangagwa, Ncube, David Mnangagwa, Zhemu, Winston Chitando, Oppah Muchinguri, Kashiri, Nyasha Chingono, Bhargav Acharya, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Zimbabwe, National Sports, REUTERS, Philimon, Rights, Mines Minister, of Energy, Power Development, Mining, ZANU, PF party's, Defence, Thomson Locations: Harare, Zimbabwe, Philimon Bulawayo, Rights HARARE

☆ German companies looking attractive because of depressed valuations, says David Herro
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGerman companies looking attractive because of depressed valuations, says David HerroHarris Associates' David Herro joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss why the strength of the dollar is hurting the return of foreign investment, how growing regulatory initiatives are leading to restrictions in the supply curve, and the state of undervalued European financials.

Persons: David Herro Harris, David Herro Organizations: David Herro Harris Associates

☆ Adani fault lines raise bar for India’s regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port earlier in January 2023, in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. It was a hunt an Indian panel probing allegations of stock manipulation warned might be "a journey without a destination". Adani on Thursday rejected OCCRP’s claims, saying they are based on decade-old closed cases. Shares of Adani Total Gas (ADAG.NS), a joint venture with France’s Total, and Adani Power (ADAN.NS) and Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) fell 2.5%, 3.5% and 3% respectively. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Gautam Adani, Amir Cohen, Gautam, Hindenburg, Madhabi Puri, she’s, Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli, Taiwan’s Chang Chung, Ling, Vinod Adani, Gautam Adani’s, Adani, OCCRP’s, Mukesh Ambani’s, Didi, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum Organizations: Adani Group, Haifa Port, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, India’s Securities, Exchange Board of India, United Arab Emirates, France’s, Adani Enterprises, X, Thomson Locations: Haifa, Israel, Madhabi Puri Buch, Una

☆ Indonesia is moving its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara. Here's why it won't be so easy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Adek Berry | Afp | Getty ImagesIndonesia has ambitious plans to relocate its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan. Nusantara National Capital Authority, a government agency charged with planning and constructing the new capital, did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. The new Presidential Palace under construction at the country's new capital Nusantara. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesA lack of demand for service-led jobs is another challenge Archer predicted. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Persons: Adek Berry, Joko Widodo's, Melinda Martinus, Martinus, Ju Ye Lee, Bagus Saragih, Agung Wicaksono, it's, Wicaksono, Bruno Lanvin, Joko Widodo, Diane Archer, Archer, Lanvin, Maybank's Lee Organizations: Nusantara, Afp, Getty, Indonesia, Cultural Affairs, Yusof, CNBC, Nusantara National Capital Authority, country's Ministry, Public, Agung Wicaksono Nusantara National Capital Authority, Maybank Investment Banking Group, Smart, IMD Business School, Bloomberg, Ciputra, Stockholm Environment Institute, Nusantara . Bloomberg Locations: Jakarta, Nusantara, East Kalimantan, Indonesian, Indonesia, Singapore, Agung Wicaksono, Asia, Pacific, Nusantara ., Stockholm, Diane Archer Stockholm, Kalimantan

Turkey's Central Bank headquarters is seen in Ankara, Turkey in this January 24, 2014 file photo. Yet five foreign investors told Reuters that this week's rate hike signalled a new independence among policymakers who are serious about addressing unrelenting pressure on the currency and reining in inflation expectations. "It feels like they are correcting the mistakes they made with their first rate hike decisions," said Viktor Szabo, portfolio manager at abrdn in London. Erdogan, who has fired four central bank chiefs in four years, has said little about the rate hikes. Reuters GraphicsTurkish stock, Eurobond and CDS markets are more attractive targets this year and next, especially after the rate hike, investors and officials say.

Persons: Umit, Erdogan's unorthodoxy, Mehmet Simsek, Goldman Sachs, Tayyip Erdogan's, Viktor Szabo, Ola El, Van Eck, ERDOGAN, Erdogan, Simsek, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Cevdet Yilmaz, Blaise Antin, TCW, Kaan, Neuberger Berman, Jonathan Spicer, Marc Jones, Jorgelina, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Turkey's Central Bank, Finance, Goldman, Reuters, abrdn, Emerging Markets, Wall Street, JPMorgan, Reuters Graphics, CDS, Yeni, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, ANKARA, LONDON, New York, London, Van, Los Angeles, Reuters Graphics Turkish, Yeni Safak, Morocco, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Rosario

☆ Biden Incentives for Foreign Investment Are Benefiting Factories
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Jim Tankersley | More About Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Lucrative new tax breaks and other incentives for advanced manufacturing that President Biden signed into law appear to be reshaping direct foreign investment in the American economy, according to a White House analysis, with a much greater share of spending on new and expanded businesses shifting toward the factory sector. Data that include the first months after the enactment of two pieces of that agenda show that a key measure of foreign investment fell slightly from 2021 to 2022, adjusted for inflation. The numbers suggest that, in the early months after the bills were signed, the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars that Mr. Biden is directing toward manufacturing have not increased the overall amount of foreign direct investment in the economy. Instead, the laws appear to have shifted where foreign investment is being directed. A new analysis by the White House Council of Economic Advisers shows the composition of what’s known as capacity-enhancing spending on new structures or expansions of existing ones shifted rapidly toward factories, in line with one of Mr. Biden’s top economic goals.

Persons: Biden Organizations: White House Council, Economic Advisers

☆ China's sliding yuan could be next 'black swan event' for markets, hedge fund EDL says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Coins and banknotes of China's yuan are seen in this illustration picture taken February 24, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters - Hedge fund EDL Capital is betting on further falls for China's offshore currency and says the yuan's slide could be the next "black swan event" to rattle world markets, according to an investor presentation this month seen by Reuters. The U.S. dollar has strengthened roughly 6% against the offshore yuan so far this year and Chinese state banks have been seen selling dollars this week to stem the yuan fall. The hedge fund held a short position in the offshore yuan , the Aug. 2 presentation shows. The hedge fund, run by star manager Edouard de Langlade, was up about 8% this year, said the presentation.

Persons: Florence Lo, Edouard de Langlade, Nell Mackenzie, Dhara Ranasinghe, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Capital, Reuters, The U.S, Thomson Locations: China, Vietnam, India, United States, Switzerland

☆ US reviews record number of foreign investment transactions in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) - A U.S. government committee on foreign investments reviewed a record number of proposed transactions in 2022, the Treasury Department said Monday. Chinese investors filed 36 so-called "covered notices" seeking green lights for deals in 2022, compared with 44 in 2021 and 17 in 2020. CFIUS said "transactions reviewed by CFIUS, including the technology being invested in, are increasingly complex and result in more national security agreements to resolve the risks identified." Most foreigners seeking to take even non-controlling stakes in U.S. companies must seek approval from CFIUS, a powerful Treasury-led committee that reviews transactions for national security concerns and can block them. CFIUS opened 162 investigations in 2022, compared with 130 in 2021.

Persons: CFIUS, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, David Shepardson, Gerry Doyles Organizations: U.S, Treasury Department, Foreign Investment, Treasury, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, China

[1/5] A worker sweeps a street in the Central Business District on a rainy day in Beijing, China, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, July 18 (Reuters) - China is entering an era of much slower economic growth, raising a daunting prospect: it may never get rich. He expects growth to slow to 3%, which "will feel like an economic recession" when youth unemployment is already above 20%. The April-June data puts 2023 growth on track for roughly 5%, with slower rates thereafter. But China's annual growth averaged around 7% last decade, and more than 10% in the 2000s.

Persons: Thomas Peter BEIJING, Desmond Lachman, year's, Wang Jun, Zheng Shanjie, Zheng, Richard Koo, Juan Orts, Xi Jinping's, Zhao, Cai Fang, Zhu Ning, Koo, Liangping Gao, Ellen Zhang, Ziyi Tang, Kevin Yao, Joe Cash, Marius Zaharia, David Crawshaw Organizations: Central Business District, REUTERS, American Enterprise Institute, Reuters, Communist, Huatai Asset Management, Reform Commission, Overseas, Nomura Research Institute, Fathom Consulting, Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Japan, United States, Young, Africa, Latin, U.S, Central

☆ Saudi golf shot plays through CFIUS hazards
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

U.S. congressional lawmakers scrutinized PGA Tour officials on Tuesday this week about the group’s tie-up with a rival golf tournament owned by Saudi Arabia. Enter the Saudis, who launched an upstart golf tournament last year, LIV Golf, that competed with the U.S.-based PGA Tour and its European counterpart DTP. There are worries that Saudi Arabia, a regime viewed as hostile to women and LGBTQ groups, would have significant sway over golf’s culture. LIV Golf is owned by Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. Former AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson resigned from the PGA Tour policy board, the Washington Post reported on July 9.

Persons: State Condoleezza Rice, Darla Moore, Covid, LIV Golf, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Yasir Al, Ed Herlihy, Wachtell, Lipton, Katz, hasn’t, Randall Stephenson, Jamal Khashoggi, ”, Richard Blumenthal, –, Sherrod Brown, Maxine Waters, Janet Yellen, LIV Golf’s, Joe Biden hasn't, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Khashoggi, Uncle Sam, Refinitiv, China’s ByteDance, LIV, Stephenson, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam Organizations: YORK, Reuters, Public Investment Fund, Augusta National Golf Club, State, U.S, PGA, LIV, Rosen, Breakingviews, Former AT, PGA Tour, Saudi, Department of Justice, Foreign Investment, U.S . Treasury, Saudi Arabian Crown, Walmart, Visa, Uber Technologies, Nation Entertainment, National Basketball League, Houston Rockets, People’s, NBA, backtrack, FIFA, Qatar, The Justice Department, Treasury, Committee, Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, T, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, United States, American, U.S, South Carolina, Iran, China, Saudi, Hong Kong, People’s Republic, Beijing

☆ Visa to acquire Brazilian fintech Pismo for $1 billion in cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 28 (Reuters) - Payments giant Visa Inc (V.N) said on Wednesday it would acquire Brazilian fintech platform Pismo for $1 billion in cash to expand its footprint in Latin America as the region continues to attract scores of foreign investments. The consolidation also expands Sao Paulo-based Pismo's offerings. It provides technology through which clients can issue Visa and Mastercard (MA.N) cards. Pismo's cloud-based platform for financial institutions hosts more than 70 million accounts and transacts more than $200 billion a year. Reporting by Jaiveer Shekhawat and Mehnaz Yasmin in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jaiveer Shekhawat, Mehnaz Yasmin, Maju Samuel Organizations: Visa Inc, Brazilian, Visa, Mastercard, Thomson Locations: America, Sao Paulo, Bengaluru

☆ Inside China's spy war on American corporations
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Eamon Javers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Top intelligence and law enforcement officials in Washington are issuing a stark warning to American companies: The Chinese government wants to replace you. Asked whether the Chinese government wants to compete with or eliminate American companies, FBI Director Christopher Wray told CNBC: "Well, their definition of competing, I think, involves embracing the idea of eliminating." The paid-in foreign investment reached 127.69 billion yuan, up 14.5% year on year. Foreign companies including US investors have been upbeat about the China market and plan to expand in China. Former GE engineer David Zheng and GE Aerospace also declined to comment.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Sen, Marco Rubio, Rubio, Mark Warner, …, Warner, Xu Yanjun, Xu, James Olson, Xu Yanjun's, David Zheng, – CNBC's Katherine Liu, Bria Cousins, Laura Measher, Wally Griffith Organizations: CNBC, American, Democrat, World Trade, Ministry of State Security, GE, Boeing, Honeywell, GE Aviation, FBI, CIA, American Chamber of Commerce, Business Environment, US Department of Commerce, GE Aerospace Locations: Washington, America, U.S, China, Nanjing, Cincinnati, South China, reinvest

☆ South Korea, Taiwan stocks bag huge foreign inflow in May on chip demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Gaurav Dogra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 7 (Reuters) - South Korea and Taiwanese equities experienced a huge influx of foreign investment during May, driven by a surge of interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and the subsequent demand for shares of hardware exporters in the region. Data from stock exchanges in South Korea, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam showed foreigners purchased a net $11.74 billion worth of regional equities in May - the biggest amount since November 2022. Specifically, Taiwanese equities attracted a massive inflow of $4.4 billion, followed by South Korean equities with $3.1 billion. Meanwhile, foreigners secured a net $5.3 billion worth of Indian stocks, their biggest monthly purchase since August 2022, boosted by its strong economic growth in the March quarter. On the other hand, Thai, Vietnamese and Philippine equities faced outflows of $995 million, $134 million and $81 million, respectively, last month.

Persons: Yeap Jung Rong, Manishi Raychaudhuri, Gaurav Dogra, Patturaja, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: South, Reuters Graphics Reuters, BNP, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: South Korea, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, chipmaker, Asia, Pacific, Philippine, Bengaluru

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and one-time bitter rivals LIV Golf circuit announced a landmark agreement on Tuesday to merge. But Trump, who owns three courses on LIV Golf's 14-event schedule for 2023, celebrated the deal in a Truth Social post. "Great news from Liv Golf. The PGA Tour had responded by dramatically raising prize money for some events. The deal could also be seen as good for consumers, according to Steve Ross, a sport antitrust expert at Pennsylvania State University's law school.

Persons: Donald Trump, Yasir Al, LIV, Read, Jamal Khashoggi, Rumayyan, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy, Trump, LIV Golf's, Liv Golf, PGA's, Seth Bloom, hasn't, Steve Ross, Nevena Simidjiyska, Diane Bartz, Echo Wang, Steve Keating, Tyler Clifford, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Trump National Golf Club, PGA Golf, Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Liv, Department of Justice, Bloom, Pennsylvania State, Reuters, of Foreign Investment, Treasury, Fox Rothschild LLP, Thomson Locations: Washington, DC, USA, Sterling , Va, WASHINGTON, Saudi, Kingdom, American, United States, U.S

☆ U.S., Japan strike trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The United States and Japan announced a trade deal March 27, 2023 on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to the new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. See here a Nissan Motor Co. Sakura electric vehicle on display. The United States and Japan on Tuesday announced a trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to the new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. Minerals-focused trade deals are one way that the Biden administration hopes to open up access for trusted allies to the $7,500 per vehicle EV tax credits in last year's climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act. The U.S. Treasury is expected to define sourcing requirements for the EV tax subsidies by the end of this week, providing eagerly awaited guidance to the auto, battery and clean energy sectors.

☆ US, Japan strike trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - The United States and Japan on Tuesday announced a trade deal on electric vehicle battery minerals that is key to strengthening their battery supply chains and granting Japanese automakers wider access to the new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. The deal also aims to reduce U.S.-Japanese dependence on China for such materials by requiring collaboration to combat "non-market policies and practices" of other countries in the sector and on conducting investment reviews of foreign investments in their critical minerals supply chains. The officials said that USTR does not intend to seek approval by Congress for the minerals trade agreement because it falls under the agency's authority to negotiate sectoral trade agreements at the executive level. But they said provisions in the deal to promote labor rights and recycling in their battery mineral supply chains would help both countries. The two countries agreed to review the minerals agreement every two years, including whether it is appropriate to terminate or amend it.

☆ Analysis: Chinese suppliers race to Vietnam as COVID let-up opens escape route from Sino-U.S. trade war
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Francesco Guarascio | Thomson Reuters | Francesco Leads A Team Of Reporters In Vietnam That Covers Top Financial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Adding impetus to the move is the increasing cost of labour in China, expanding U.S. restrictions on high-tech-related trade with China, and tit-for-tat tariffs from a Sino-U.S. trade war that triggered a past wave of Chinese investment in Vietnam. "Enquiries from Chinese firms about manufacturing investment in Vietnam grew exponentially in the last quarter of last year," said Michael Chan, senior director of leasing at industrial real estate specialist BW Industrial Development. "Chinese investment has also increased remarkably," he said. Chinese firms also experience longer times to obtain staff visas and work permits, said Filippo Bortoletti, who heads the Vietnamese unit of investment consultancy Dezan Shira. "Chinese companies move here mostly to serve their clients who moved earlier," said BW Industrial Development's Chan.

☆ Russia-based Insight Group acquires Deere & Co leasing arm
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 8 (Reuters) - Russia-based private equity firm Insight Investment Group has acquired the Russian leasing arm of farm equipment maker Deere & Co (DE.N), a state register of corporate entities showed. Insight Investment Group confirmed the acquisition of John Deere Financial LLC, a subsidiary of the U.S. company, but declined to disclose the price. Insight has issued bonds worth more than 100 billion roubles ($1.32 billion) and said it used some of those funds to buy both John Deere Financial and a leasing arm from engineering company Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) last year. "Our goal is to build a leasing holding which will unite leasing companies with different areas of expertise," Insight Group said. "Following this strategy, we have acquired John Deere Financial and do not exclude making other deals in this market."

☆ Analysis: Dark summer nights: India faces high risks of power cuts after years of coal, hydro power neglect
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Sudarshan Varadhan Sarita Chaganti Singh Matthew Chye | Sudarshan Varadhan | Sarita Chaganti Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

April nighttime peak demand is expected to hit 217 gigawatts (GW), up 6.4% on the highest nighttime levels recorded in April last year. "Even the smallest interruption in power supply will create havoc," Nair said. As much as 189.2 GW of coal-fired capacity is expected to be available this April, according to Grid-India's February note. The strain comes after sundown, as coal-fired capacity has grown only 9% over the last five years. Hydro and nuclear power capacity additions face tougher obstacles, as they are hobbled by lack of foreign investment and opposition from critics over safety and environmental issues, boding ill for power supply down the track.

☆ U.S. Launches ‘Strike Force’ to Keep Disruptive Tech Away From Adversaries
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Export controls are a set of regulations that restrict the sale of technologies with both commercial and military uses. They are administered by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, which can bring civil penalties against companies that allow such “dual use” items to fall into the wrong hands. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security last year said it was making several changes to give its rules sharper teeth. “Our goal is simple but essential: to strike back against adversaries trying to siphon our best technology,” Ms. Monaco said. The committee is also turning its gaze from inbound investment in physical assets to sensitive data and digital innovations that could be used to pose data and cybersecurity risks, she said.

☆ Justice Department to Increase Scrutiny of Technology Exports, Investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

A senior Justice Department official on Thursday said the agency would intensify its efforts to block foreign adversaries such as China and Russia from obtaining sensitive data and technologies, including by launching a new partnership with the U.S. Commerce Department. Export controls are a set of regulations that restrict the sale of technologies with both commercial and military uses. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security last year said it was making several changes to give its rules sharper teeth. “Our goal is simple but essential: to strike back against adversaries trying to siphon our best technology,” Ms. Monaco said. Although many of the Justice Department’s export controls cases in recent years have focused on individuals, prosecutors in 2021 fined German software company SAP SE for violating export regulations by providing millions of dollars in software to Iran.

☆ Oil Giants, After Surge in Profits, Are Wary About Spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Clifford Krauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

While critics often accuse the oil industry of profiteering when prices are high, executives say their companies are prone to cycles. The variables that will determine oil companies’ profitability this year are largely out of their control — in both supply and demand. The International Energy Agency has projected that oil demand this year will grow modestly, by nearly two million barrels a day, reaching 101.7 million barrels a day. The ability of oil companies to provide fuel at reasonable prices could be stretched, especially since they have been cautious about increasing production. And with lockdowns lifted in China, its economy should grow faster, and demand for oil and gas should increase, if the country can overcome a new virus surge.

☆ China aims to boost consumption and imports as global demand cools
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Jan 28 (Reuters) - China's cabinet said on Saturday it would promote a consumption recovery as the major driver of the economy and boost imports, state broadcaster CCTV reported, at a time of cooling global demand as major economies teeter on the brink of recession. It also discussed measures to support farmers to start spring planting, including subsidies for soybean sowing, CCTV reported. But they said households were likely to be moderate in releasing pent-up demand. Chinese exports shrank sharply in December as global demand cooled, but a more modest decline in imports led economic analysts to forecast a slow recovery in domestic demand in the coming months. Growth is expected to rebound to 4.9% in 2023, before steadying in 2024, according to a Reuters poll of economists.

☆ Taiwan seeks quick progress on long-stalled EU investment deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan wants progress to be accelerated on a long-stalled bilateral investment agreement with the European Union, the island's President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday. The EU included Taiwan on its list of trade partners for a potential bilateral investment agreement in 2015, the year before Tsai became Taiwan's president, but it has not held talks with Taiwan on the issue since. Meeting a delegation from the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade, Tsai said Taiwan and the EU should build a "resilient democratic alliance". Delegation leader Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou told Tsai that the EU and Taiwan shared common values like democracy and human rights. "The EU recognises that our partnership in trade and investment with Taiwan is a strategic relationship with geopolitical implications," Asimakopoulou said.

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