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☆ Heineken’s profit hit by drop in beer sales in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —People in Asia aren’t guzzling as much beer as they used to. Best known for its eponymous beer label, Heineken is home to more than 300 brands, including Tiger beer, Amstel Lager and Strongbow cider. Heineken branded beer did continue to see growth in the first half, both overall and within Asia Pacific. The brewer also blamed a drop in premium beer sales on a decline in Russia, a market the company has said it’s trying to exit. Heineken now expects “stable to mid-single-digit” growth in operating profit for the full year, compared with the “mid- to high-single-digit” growth it outlined in April.

Persons: Dolf van den Brink, Strongbow, ” Heineken, Vladimir Putin’s, Heineken, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Asia aren’t, Heineken, Asia Pacific, Lager, Yale, CNN Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, Dutch, Asia Pacific, Vietnam, Korean, Nigeria, Amsterdam, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Morning Bid: Will August retain July's heat?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

August 1 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Stephen Culp, financial markets journalist. Asian stocks have closed the books on a July that ran fairly hot, and not just with respect to temperatures. On Tuesday, Australia's central bank is expected to follow in the footsteps of its global peers by hiking its policy rate by 25 basis points. Both reports should provide further clarity on the effects of the Federal Reserve's restrictive monetary policy on the world's largest economy. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Stephen Culp, Wall, Deepa Babington Organizations: CSI, Asia Pacific, Nikkei, China PMI, Bank of Japan's, Caterpillar, Institute for Supply, Labor, Reserve Bank of, Global, PMI, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Japan, China, Australia's, United States, India, Korea

☆ Morning Bid: Asian markets face tough act to follow
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, July 31 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Stephen Culp, financial markets columnist. Chinese stocks face the challenge of topping last week's 4.5% gain in the CSI 300 (.CSI300), the index's biggest weekly jump since November. Market participants are also scrutinizing the other side of the Sea of Japan for signs of life in the Chinese economy. Potentially market-moving U.S. indicators next week include manufacturing and services PMI. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Stephen Culp, Diane Craft Organizations: YORK, Japan's, CSI, Nikkei, Asia Pacific, Bank of Japan, Apple Inc, Western Digital Corp, Caterpillar Inc, Starbucks Corp, Qualcomm Inc, Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Hotels, Resorts, PMI, Thomson, Reuters Locations: China, Japan, Beijing, United States, Australia, Korea

☆ Julian Salisbury was once considered a contender for Goldman Sachs CEO. Now the asset and wealth management CIO is leaving.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Emmalyse Brownstein | Kaja Whitehouse | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Now, Julian Salisbury is leaving Goldman Sachs after 25 years without a replacement. In a memo Friday, CEO David Solomon thanked Salisbury, chief investment officer of the bank's asset and wealth management division, for his "contributions to Goldman Sachs, our clients and our people." Also leaving the bank is Takashi Murata, co-head of Asia Pacific private investing and global co-head of real estate within Goldman Sachs' asset management unit. Nachmann's memo said Richard Spencer will become EMEA head of Real Estate and Nikhil Reddy will become Asia Pacific head of Real Estate. That's part of the virtuous ecosystem of Goldman Sachs," he added.

Persons: Julian Salisbury, Goldman, Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, Salisbury, Marc Nachmann, Takashi Murata, Jim Garman, Nachmann, Richard Spencer, Nikhil Reddy, Richard, Nikhil, Murata, Solomon Organizations: Goldman, Management, GS, Sixth, Wall Street, Asia Pacific, EMEA Locations: Salisbury, Asia Pacific

☆ Procter & Gamble sales rise slightly, fueled by higher prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But the company released a gloomy outlook for its fiscal 2024 sales that fell short of Wall Street's estimates. For fiscal 2024, P&G is forecasting that its revenue will grow 3% to 4%, lower than Wall Street's expectations of 4.5% sales growth. For roughly two years, P&G has been raising prices on its products to mitigate higher commodity costs. In fiscal 2024, P&G expects its volume will start increasing again, and prices will only rise 1% to 1.5%. The division, which includes Oral-B and Pepto-Bismol, scared off North American customers with its higher prices, according to P&G.

Persons: Gamble, Andre Schulten Organizations: Procter, Refinitiv, G, Asia Pacific, Gillette Locations: Compton , California, U.S, United States, Europe, Asia, Pacific, China

Reuters analysis shows a massive jump in the assets of emerging market (EM) mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) that exclude China as U.S. and European investors turn more wary of being exposed to the Asian giant. Other investors are simply moving to markets with better growth prospects, such as Brazil. The scale of change needed in global supply chains could drive such capital flows for the next decade, he said. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex-China ETF , the world's largest emerging market ex-China ETF whose biggest holdings are firms in Taiwan, South Korea and India, attracted a record $1 billion net inflow in the first half of 2023, the data showed. "China is the one major country that investors are most concerned about in EM," said John Lau, portfolio manager for Asia Pacific and emerging market equities at SEI.

Persons: Aly, Malcolm Dorson, John Lau, Goldman Sachs, Jeffrey Jaensubhakij, ”, Benjamin Low, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Biden, Wong Kok Hoi, Summer Zhen, Vidya Ranganathan Organizations: REUTERS, Global, China ETF, China, Asia Pacific, SEI, Stock Connect, Morningstar, China Opportunity Equity Fund, Fund, Boston, Cambridge Associates, CSI, Nikkei, Investors, Reuters Graphics, APS Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, U.S, Mexico, India, Vietnam, Brazil, New York, Taiwan, South Korea, Asia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, “ U.S

Other investors are simply moving to markets with better growth prospects, such as Brazil. The scale of change needed in global supply chains could drive such capital flows for the next decade, he said. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex-China ETF , the world's largest emerging market ex-China ETF whose biggest holdings are firms in Taiwan, South Korea and India, attracted a record $1 billion net inflow in the first half of 2023, the data showed. "China is the one major country that investors are most concerned about in EM," said John Lau, portfolio manager for Asia Pacific and emerging market equities at SEI. “U.S., Canadian, and some European investors are exiting China due to political pressure.

The ousting of Flavel is one of the first actions taken by NatWest's interim CEO Paul Thwaite, after the group's former CEO Alison Rose quit on Wednesday over the same matter. NatWest has faced intense scrutiny over the decision by Coutts to sever ties with Farage. An internal review obtained by the politician-turned-TV show host showed Coutts' wealth reputational risk committee had said his values did not align with the bank's own. Australian-born Flavel, who previously served as CEO of JPMorgan Private Wealth Management in Asia Pacific region, took the top job at Coutts in 2016. Mohammad Kamal Syed will step into the role of interim CEO of Coutts and NatWest's wealth businesses, Thwaite said, adding that Flavel was stepping down by "mutual consent".

Persons: Coutts, Peter Flavel, Nigel Farage's, Flavel, Paul Thwaite, Alison Rose, Rose, she'd, Farage, Howard Davies, Charles Dickens, Queen Elizabeth II, Mohammad Kamal Syed, Thwaite, Iain Withers, Sinead Cruise, Lawrence White Organizations: NatWest, BBC, Reuters, JPMorgan Private Wealth Management, Thomson Locations: Asia Pacific

Still, money market traders are split on the odds of another increase later in the year.FEDWATCH"The 25 basis point rise is a done deal. "The risk is that the Fed, looking at market bullishness, may not want to sound too dovish - they may want to keep the door open for more rate hikes." The MSCI world equity index (.MIWD00000PUS), which tracks shares in 47 countries, was flat. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index (.HSI) was down 0.3% and China's blue chip CSI300 index (.CSI300) was off 0.2%. Positive sentiment had returned to China's market on Tuesday, when the CSI 300 Index snapped a six-day losing streak.

Persons: Luca Paolini, Alison Rose, Nigel Farage's, We're, David Chao, Tom Wilson, Scott Murdoch, Jamie Freed, Kim Coghill Organizations: Fed, Federal, Pictet Asset Management, NatWest, BBC, Lloyds, CSI, ECB, Brent, Thomson Locations: SYDNEY, U.S, Germany, France, Britain, CHINA, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, London, Sydney

SYDNEY, July 26 (Reuters) - Asian markets were trading mostly weaker on Wednesday ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's expected interest rate rise to be delivered later in the day, as investors also weighed the likelihood of a Chinese economic stimulus package. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was flat, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with mild gains. The two-year yield , which rises with traders' expectations of higher Fed fund rates, touched 4.8848% compared with a U.S. close of 4.893%. Australia was the only major market across the Asia Pacific region to see shares rise, with the S&P/ASX 200 index (.AXJO) up 0.81%. On Wall Street, the three main indices closed higher, led by gains in shares of technology, materials and communication services companies.

Persons: Karen Jorritsma, Brent, Scott Murdoch, Jamie Freed Organizations: SYDNEY, U.S, U.S . Federal, Nikkei, CSI, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Global, ANZ, RBC Capital Markets, Thomson Locations: U.S ., Asia, Pacific, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Sydney

☆ China’s property market is finding a new normal: podcast
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Yawen Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, July 25 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Slower growth is not necessarily bad. In this Exchange podcast, Cara Li, Head of Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, says the debt-fuelled engine of the world’s second largest economy is maturing and outlines the benefits of consolidation. Listen to the podcastFollow @ywchen1 on TwitterSubscribe to Breakingviews’ podcasts, Viewsroom and The Exchange. Editing by Thomas ShumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Cara Li, Morgan Stanley, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, of Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment, Twitter, Thomson

☆ Premarket stocks: Markets and consumers are in an upbeat mood. Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Stocks and consumer sentiment are rising in tandem after slumping last year, in another sign of growing optimism that the economy could dodge a recession. Consumer sentiment tracked by the University of Michigan jumped 13% in July, notching its second consecutive month of improvement. That comes after stocks and consumer sentiment tumbled in 2022 as sticky inflation and the Federal Reserve’s aggressive pace of interest rate hikes spurred fears that the US economy would tip into a recession. “Consumer sentiment reached levels consistent with the lows of some past recessions last summer,” wrote Lori Calvasina, head of US equity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. Still, consumer sentiment could decline if more people lose their jobs, paychecks and spending power.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Lori Calvasina, Ed Moya, Moya, Jon Ekoniak, Pete Muntean, Vanessa Yurkevich, Robert Travis, “, ” Read, Michelle Toh, Kan, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, CNN, University of Michigan, RBC Capital Markets, OANDA, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bordeaux Wealth Advisors, UPS, Teamsters, United Parcel Service, Independent Pilots Association, Brotherhood of Teamsters, South, Starbucks Asia Locations: That’s, BlackRock, Wells Fargo, South Korean, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines

☆ Hong Kong's golfers gird up for battle as housing policy threatens famed course
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Clare Jim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/2] Miguel Angel Jimenez from Spain hits a shot on the 18th fairway during the final day of the Hong Kong Open Championship at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Hong Kong, China November 18, 2012. The rare measure drew criticism from NGOs who questioned whether the golf course would be redeveloped as planned by 2029. Three of these courses are in the Fanling golf course located close to the border with mainland China. "If you see the aggressiveness of the branding by other countries, Hong Kong is really under the gun. "The (Hong Kong) government absolutely should not allow populism and antagonism against the wealthy to spread," Tong said.

Persons: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Tyrone Siu, Hong Kong's, John Lee, Lee, Simon Yau, Sze Lai Shan, LIV Golf, Amr El Henawy, El Henawy, Ronny Tong, Tong, Clare Jim, Justin Fung, Anne Marie Roantree Organizations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Golf Club, REUTERS, Hong, Urban Studies, Lingnan University of Hong, Development Bureau, Reuters, Town, Society of Community Organization, HIT, HONG, UNESCO, Pacific Cultural Heritage, Team, Thomson Locations: Spain, Hong Kong, China, Tyrone Siu HONG KONG, Lingnan University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG, Asia, Saudi

HONG KONG/TAIPEI, July 21 (Reuters) - Investors are putting aside geopolitical tensions to pile in to Taiwan stocks, with foreign inflows the biggest in years, thanks to soaring artificial intelligence and chipmaking stocks. Rather, investors say it's all the more sturdy as the bogged-down conflict deters Chinese action and risks can be managed by keeping positions liquid with one eye on a possibly quick exit. "A potential escalation of events in the Taiwan Strait down the line is less relevant for these investors," he said. "So that makes Taiwan’s AI supply chain very attractive for foreign investors, and we believe their fund inflows will continue to be strong throughout the year." Investors say Taiwan's market is uniquely positioned to benefit because it is exposed to the sector's growth from applications to components, where demand is rebounding.

Persons: Carlos Casanova, Warren Buffett, we've, Frank Benzimra, Hai, Andrew Swan, Goldman Sachs, Clarence Chan, Summer Zhen, Kim Coghill Organizations: Nasdaq, Union Bancaire, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Societe Generale ., Accton Technology, Hai Precision Industry, Wistron Corp, Alchip Technologies, Ark Investment Management, Vanguard, PineBridge Investments, Mellon Investment Management, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, TAIPEI, Taiwan, Asia, Ukraine, Taiwan Strait, China, Taipei, Japan, PineBridge Investments Asia, Alchip, Asia Pacific, Hong Kong

☆ Asia's private credit markets thrive as desperate borrowers find lenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Private lenders, meanwhile, had "significant liquidity" to deploy for such financings, proving to be a right fit. Besides property developers, borrowers thronging private markets include privately-held companies and start-ups whose private equity issuance has been stymied by broader stock market swings and the deepening discounts of their valuations, known as a 'down round' in the industry. Investment firm Muzinich & Co. recently announced it had closed a $500 million Asia Pacific private debt strategy. Australian superannuation fund UniSuper, which runs a $15 billion private markets portfolio investing in unlisted infrastructure and private equity, is looking to grow its portfolio. "Just given the pipeline of opportunities, we could see ourselves potentially ... (doing) another $3 to $5 billion," said Sandra Lee, UniSuper's head of private markets.

Persons: Bryan Clark, Andrew Tan, Tan, Sandra Lee, UniSuper's, Shane Forster, Benno Klingenberg, Timm, Rae Wee, Georgina Lee, Vidya Ranganathan, Kim Coghill Organizations: Star, JLL, Western, Muzinich, Asia Pacific, Muzinich's Asia Pacific, ICE, Bain Capital, India's, Mahindra Bank, Hong Kong's ADM, BlackRock, Data, Barclays, UBS, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Arizona, Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore

☆ China wants to move to a new growth model, HSBC says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | 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 EmailChina wants to move to a new growth model, HSBC saysHerald van der Linde, HSBC's head of equity strategy at Asia Pacific, says China doesn't want to return to its old growth model, which was centered on real estate and investments in infrastructure.

Persons: van der, HSBC's Organizations: China, HSBC, van der Linde, Asia Locations: China

"For China, it is 'bad news is good news' at the moment," said Jun Bei Liu, portfolio manager at Tribeca Investment Partners in Sydney. Even before the latest disappointing growth data, a slew of soft economic indicators had shown China's recovery was falling short, slamming the brakes on nascent stock market rallies. Foreign money has been leaving, with worries over China's cyber-security crackdowns and Sino-U.S. flaps over chips and rare metals adding to growth concerns. REVIEWING CHINAGoldman Sachs analysts led by Kinger Lau also believe a 'tactical market recovery' thesis is compelling, and project a 15% 12-month return for the CSI300. "We are conservative about the extent of the policy support down the road," said Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist, Asia Pacific at Natixis.

Persons: Jun Bei Liu, Liu, Marcella Chow, CHINA Goldman Sachs, Kinger Lau, it's, Mike Kelly, Alicia Garcia Herrero, Eugenia Victorino, SEB, Victorino, Ting Lu, Jason Xue, Tom Westbrook, Kim Coghill Organizations: Tribeca Investment Partners, CSI, Morgan Asset Management, CHINA, JPMorgan, PineBridge Investments, Nomura, Thomson Locations: China, Sydney, U.S, Asia, Natixis, Shanghai

[1/3] Pound notes and change are seen inside a cash resgister in a coffee shop in Manchester, Britain, Septem,ber 21, 2018. REUTERS/Phil Noble/LONDON/SINGAPORE, July 19 (Reuters) - Sterling slid on Wednesday after lower-than-expected British inflation data suggested the Bank of England might not have to raise rates quite as high as expected, while the latest dovish comments from the Bank of Japan caused the yen to soften. ,That was the British currency's lowest in a week against the dollar, as it continued to roll off a 15-month high of $1.3144 hit Thursday. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Tuesday there was still some distance to sustainably achieving the central bank's 2% inflation target, signalling his resolve to maintain ultra-loose monetary policy for the time being, in contrast to the hawkishness at other major central banks. Economists polled by Reuters expect the Fed to deliver a 25-basis-point rate hike at its upcoming policy meeting this month, with a majority betting that will bring an end to the central bank's current monetary tightening cycle.

Persons: ber, Phil Noble, Sterling, “, Kenneth Broux, Kazuo Ueda, Alun John, Rae Wee, Shri Navaratnam, Sam Holmes, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, LONDON, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, Societe Generale, New Zealand, Federal, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manchester, Britain, SINGAPORE, British, Asia Pacific, London, Singapore

☆ Starbucks teams up with Blackpink, betting on the power of K-pop
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Starbucks is teaming up with Blackpink, one of the world’s hottest musical acts. The centerpiece of the lineup is the Blackpink Strawberry Choco Cream Frappuccino, a drink that is an aptly hued blend of black and pink. Like other major global brands, Starbucks is leaning into the frenzy around K-pop, hoping that it will translate to a boost in sales. The company has partnered with Blackpink before, launching a collection of merchandise in Thailand two years ago. In 2022, the group was named Time magazine’s Entertainer of the Year, becoming just the second K-pop group to receive the title.

Persons: ”, Blackpink, Emma McIntyre, Kan, they’ve, —, Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, Rosé —, Dior, Bang, Hyuk, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Starbucks, Coachella, Blackpink, South, Netflix, BTS, Disney, CNN, HYBE Locations: Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines, Indio , California, Asia, Thailand, South Korean

Rising tensions between Washington and President Nayib Bukele's government, dwindling prospects of a financing deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the fallout from bitcoin becoming legal tender against a wider difficult macro backdrop had seen El Salvador bonds drop to a quarter of face value last July. "In the summer of 2022, El Salvador bond prices were divorced from fundamentals," said Aaron Stern, managing partner and chief investment officer at Converium Capital in Toronto, who has been holding the country's bonds since last year. "The market was concerned about the administration's willingness to pay," he said, but even now El Salvador offers attractive value when compared to a number of better priced emerging market sovereigns. These were the best performing among sovereign bonds in the first half of the year, with total returns near 60%. "In a year where carry is the main driver of total returns, investors are going to be reticent to take profits too early," said BNP Paribas' Nathalie Marshik, a managing director for Latin America fixed income.

Persons: Nayib Bukele's, buybacks, Aaron Stern, Alejandro Werner, Bukele, there's, Shamaila Khan, Nathalie Marshik, Marshik, Rodrigo Campos, Karin Strohecker, William Maclean Organizations: YORK, Central, International Monetary Fund, El, IMF, Converium Capital, Reuters, Emerging Markets, Asia Pacific, UBS Asset Management, Reuters Graphics JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: El Salvador, Central American, Washington, Toronto, it's, America

☆ Evergrande's overdue results to show steep losses, market eyes liquidity update
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Clare Jim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The developer defaulted in late 2021 and has been struggling to complete projects and repay its many suppliers and creditors. After announcing an offshore debt restructuring plan in March, it is now garnering support to complete the process. Charles Macgregor, head of Asia of Lucror Analytics, said he was not optimistic about Evergrande's results. Analysts expect Evergrande to post steep losses for 2021 and 2022, years in which its contracted sales fell to 443 billion yuan and 31.7 billion yuan respectively, versus 723 billion yuan in 2020. Evergrande's shares listed in Hong Kong have been halted from trading since March 21 last year, pending the financial results and an investigation into a 13.4 billion yuan of seized deposits of a unit.

Persons: Sandra Chow, Charles Macgregor, Evergrande, Clare Jim, Himani Sarkar Organizations: China Evergrande, HK, Asia, Lucror, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, China's, Asia, Hong Kong

☆ Analysis: Pakistan and Argentina bonds' surge belies bigger reform hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Libgeorge Jorgelina Do Rosario | Jorgelina Do Rosario | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Reuters GraphicsBut the boost in the bonds belies the difficulties both nations face implementing major reforms once new leaders arrive after upcoming elections. Pakistan's 11th hour deal for $3 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), after months of talks got official approval this week. Saudi Arabia and the UAE followed with $2 billion and $1 billion infusions. This fresh cash means Pakistan is unlikely to default on its debt in the next six to nine months, said de Sousa. Investors and pollsters said the tough times could force Pakistan and Argentina's leaders to reckon with needed fiscal reforms.

Persons: Carlos de Sousa, de Sousa, JPMorgan, Roberto H, Sifon Arevalo, refinance, Jimena Blanco, pollsters, Alejandro Catterberg, Sergio Massa, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, Patricia Bullrich, Javier Milei, Shamaila Khan, Libby George, Jorgelina, Rodrigo Campos, Karin Strohecker, Toby Chopra Organizations: JPMorgan, Vontobel Asset Management, International Monetary Fund, UAE, Elections, Pakistan, P, Reuters, Peronist, Asia Pacific, UBS Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Washington, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Asia, Rosario

☆ China's quarterly report card is in, and it's bad — but Beijing is unlikely to step in and prop up the economy just yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China posted GDP growth of 6.3% in the second quarter of 2023, badly missing expectations. Even so, China is unlikely to unleash major stimulus measures to boost the economy because it's already in so much debt. And while the GDP did grow year-on-year, it bears noting that the comparison is with a low base from last year when China's economy was battered by on-off COVID-19 restrictions. "There are growing hopes for 'big bang' stimulus to fire up China's growth," Vishnu Varathan, the head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank, wrote in a Monday note before China's second-quarter GDP release. The inherent risk with such high debt levels is that a default threatens a domino impact on the Chinese economy — and even the world.

Persons: Vishnu Varathan, China's, Liu Guoqiang, Zhu Min, Robert Carnell, ING's, Carnell, Nomura Organizations: Service, Reuters, Mizuho Bank, Bloomberg, International Monetary Fund, Asia Pacific Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Beijing, Tianjin

☆ US needs to speed up delivery of weapons to Taiwan - US general
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, July 14 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies need to speed up the delivery of weapons to Taiwan in the coming years to help the island defend itself, the top U.S. general said on Friday. The United States is Taiwan's most important arms supplier. Beijing has repeatedly demanded the sale of U.S. weapons to Taiwan stop, viewing them as unwarranted support for the democratically governed island that Beijing claims. Milley said Taiwan needed weapons like air defence systems and those that could target ships from land. Milley said the United States was looking at whether it needed to change where some U.S. forces were based within the Asia Pacific.

Persons: Mark Milley, Milley, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Idrees Ali, Robert Birsel Organizations: U.S . Army, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S, Asia Pacific, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, United States, Taiwan, Beijing, U.S, Tokyo, Ukraine, Russian, China, Taipei, Asia, South Korea, Japan

☆ Goldman Sachs offloads $1 billion of Marcus loans to Varde
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Saeed Azhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, July 13 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group (GS.N) has sold $1 billion of personal loans from its consumer unit, Marcus, to alternative investment firm Varde Partners, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. This was the second tranche of unsecured loans offloaded by Goldman after it disclosed earlier it had sold about $1 billion from the $4.5 billion loan portfolio in the first quarter. The Wall Street giant booked a $470 million loss on the sale of some Marcus loans in the first quarter, which dragged down its earnings. The sale to Varde was reported by Bloomberg News earlier on Thursday, citing people with knowledge of the transaction, saying the loans were sold at a discount to their face value to Varde. Founded in 1993, Varde has invested $95 billion across both public and private credit markets.

Persons: Marcus, GreenSky, Goldman, Varde, Saeed Azhar, Shinjini Ganguli, Josie Kao Organizations: YORK, Goldman Sachs, Varde Partners, Goldman, Street, Bloomberg, Varde, Thomson Locations: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, New York, Bengaluru

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