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☆ Bitcoin stages a $1 trillion comeback
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Bitcoin is back with a $1 trillion dollar bang. In contrast to traditional currencies, the supply of bitcoin is limited and is expected to peak in 2140, according to the price-tracking website for cryptocurrencies. The value of bitcoin has risen nearly 13% since January 10, when US regulators gave the green light to investment firms wishing to offer such funds. In January, before approving bitcoin exchange-traded funds, Gary Gensler, chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, said on X: “A number of major platforms & crypto assets have become insolvent and/or lost value. Investments in crypto assets continue to be subject to significant risk.”

Persons: London CNN — Bitcoin, ” Gareth Rhodes, Gary Gensler, ” Organizations: London CNN, cryptocurrencies, CNN, New York State Department of Financial Services, US Securities and Exchange Commission Locations: CoinMarketCap, bitcoin

☆ Boeing Disaster Proves Americans Businesses Greedy Mentality Is Broken
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

They expose decades of American corporate philosophy gone awry. A good American company isn’t just a vehicle for financial returns; it is first and foremost an employer, a contributor to economic and/or technological innovation, and a source of US power. But it’s clear that what Boeing — and the entire American corporate body politic — needs is nothing short of a philosophical counterrevolution. Over these three decades of plenty for Boeing’s shareholders, the company’s staff was asked to penny-pinch. Boeing’s stock cratered, and France’s Airbus , a rival once colloquially known as “Scare Bus,” started to eat the American company’s lunch .

Persons: it’s, could’ve, William Lazonick, “, It’s, won’t, William McGee, T.A, Wilson, Frank Shrontz, Max, Peter Robison, —, ”, Dave Calhoun, we’ve, Scott Kirby, hasn’t, “ We’re, Lazonick, wasn’t, Milton Friedman, Michael Jensen, Jensen, nary, Jack Welch, Welch, Wall, ” Lazonick, We’ve, Mary Barra, ” McGee Organizations: Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Investments, University of Massachusetts, ”, NASA, Airbus, Alaska Airlines Max, Wall, United Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, CNBC, Washington, University of Chicago, Electric, Wall Street, GE, Dow Jones, Securities and Exchange Commission, Reality Labs, Deutsche Bank, Business, General Motors, United Auto Workers, Companies, GM, & $ Locations: Washington, America

BANGKOK (AP) — A Nasdaq-listed Chinese technology company that makes parts for self-driving vehicles is threatening to sue the U.S. government after it was included in a list of companies the Pentagon says have links to the Chinese military. It was among 17 companies the U.S. Department of Defense recently added to its list of companies it considers “Chinese military companies.”The revised list also includes Megvii, a Beijing-based artificial intelligence company and IDG Capital, a major private equity investment company with holdings in many Chinese technology companies, and major Chinese energy, telecoms and aviation companies. In a statement issued last week, the company said its LiDARs were not designed to conform to military specifications. Under Biden, the U.S. has further limited China’s access to advanced U.S. technology, limited U.S. investments in strategically sensitive Chinese industries and expanded sanctions on leading Chinese companies like Huawei Technologies. The Defense Department periodically updates its list of now nearly four dozen Chinese military companies to counter links between Chinese military and companies and other entities that it says appear to be civilian.

Persons: Yifan “ David ” Li, Li, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Biden, China’s Organizations: Pentagon, U.S . Department of Defense, IDG Capital, U.S . Department of Commerce, Beijing, Huawei Technologies, The Defense Department, Xiaomi Corp, Apple Inc, U.S ., China’s People’s Liberation Army Locations: BANGKOK, Beijing, U.S

☆ U.S. lawmakers accuse five VC firms of investing $3 billion in Chinese companies linked to military activities
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Rep. Mike Gallagher, center, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, speaks at a news conference following a GOP caucus meeting at the Republican National Committee offices in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2023. He is joined by fellow Republicans Rep. Elise Stefanik, left, and Majority Whip Steve Scalise. Sequoia Capital China, Qualcomm Ventures and three other venture capital firms plowed at least $3 billion into Chinese tech companies that support Beijing's military and its repression of minorities in Xinjiang, a U.S. congressional report alleged on Thursday. Reuters could not reach the venture capital firms for comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Elise Stefanik, Steve Scalise, Biden Organizations: Chinese Communist Party, Republican National Committee, Washington , D.C, Sequoia Capital China, Qualcomm Ventures, Representatives, Republican, GGV, GSR Ventures, Walden International, U.S, Embassy Locations: Washington ,, Sequoia Capital, Xinjiang, U.S, China, People's Republic of China, Washington

☆ Morgan Stanley names Ford its new top pick among U.S. automakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A rocky transition to electric vehicles in the U.S. could be a blessing in disguise for one of the country's legacy automakers, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Adam Jonas named Ford the investment bank's top pick among U.S. automakers in a note to clients Thursday. Jonas said scaling back spending plans for EVs can help Ford impress Wall Street. Morgan Stanley has a price target of $15 per share on Ford, which is about 28% above where the stock closed Wednesday. F 1D mountain Shares of Ford rallied on Thursday afternoon after Morgan Stanley named the stock a top pick.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Adam Jonas, Ford, Jonas, Tesla Organizations: U.S, Wall, Ford, General Motors, GM, Investments, EV Locations: U.S

☆ In Angola, a Former Cold War Rival, Blinken Touts U.S. Investments
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken wrapped up a four-nation tour through Africa on Thursday with a visit to Angola, an oil-rich former Cold War battleground that has become the site of a struggle for 21st-century economic influence. During his visit to the coastal capital, Luanda, Mr. Blinken spotlighted major American investments in Angola, including more than $900 million for solar energy projects and $250 million to upgrade a rail corridor that carries critical minerals, including cobalt and copper, from central Africa to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito. Those solar investments help to advance President Biden’s climate agenda while the transportation improvements further his goal of diversifying American supply chains — in part to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese control of the vital ingredients for a modern economy. Just over 20 years since the end of Angola’s civil war, which left perhaps as many as one million people dead, the country has rebuilt, modernized and developed friendly relations with Washington, which once funded rebels against a government backed by the Soviet Union and Cuba.

Persons: Antony J, Blinken Organizations: Mr Locations: Africa, Angola, Luanda, Lobito, Washington, Soviet Union, Cuba

☆ Millennials and Gen Z are giving up on one of their core values and investing more like boomers
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Preference for environmental, social, and governance — or ESG investing plummeted in 2023 among millennials and Gen Z. The survey examined the support for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and investing across different age groups. Investments receive an ESG rating, and ESG investors pick assets that align with their views on these subjects. AdvertisementIn the survey, preference for ESG investing among millennials and Gen Z — aged between 18 and 41 — plummeted significantly compared to the year before. Tim Paradis and Alex Nicoll of Business Insider explained in December just how controversial the topic of ESG investing has become.

Persons: Z, Gen Zers, Tom Grill, Amit Seru, Seru, David F, Tim Paradis, Alex Nicoll, ESG, Paradis, Nicoll, Sara Eisen, Eisen Organizations: Service, Stanford University, Hoover Institution, Rock Center, Corporate, Investments, Stanford Graduate School of, Stanford Graduate School of Business, United, Investment, Republican, Business, Europa Press Locations: United States

☆ SEC approves bitcoin ETFs for some investment firms
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“While we approved the listing and trading of certain spot bitcoin ETP shares today, we did not approve or endorse bitcoin. The SEC had a deadline of January 10 to offer a decision for just one of the 11 firms that applied to offer bitcoin ETFs. Bitcoin ETFs, like bitcoin, carry risks for investorsFor those considering jumping on the bitcoin bandwagon, it’s important to note that the price of a bitcoin will be just as volatile whether you invest in it directly yourself or through an ETF. Those sentiments have been echoed by many financial advisers and the investor watchdog group Better Markets, which strongly opposed the SEC’s approval of bitcoin ETFs. The full list of companies that got SEC approval to launch bitcoin ETFs are: Ark Invest together with 21 Shares; Bitwise, BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, Grayscale, Hashdex, Invesco, WisdomTree, Valkyrie and VanEck.

Persons: Gary Gensler, bitcoin, ”, Gensler, Dennis Kelleher, “, Sheila Warren, Franklin Templeton Organizations: New, New York CNN, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, FBI, Investments, Better, Street, Crypto, Innovation, Fidelity Locations: New York, BlackRock

☆ Private-asset binge exposes insurance to new risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The concept is not new: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) has used its insurance premiums to help fund everything from railways to cowboy-boot makers. The prospect of insurance companies buying risky loans or private equity investments has raised eyebrows. Many private credit assets, for example, rely on so-called private letter ratings based on confidential data. Given the private nature of private credit, it’s hard to see from the outside how big these risks are, or where they lurk. Besides, even if the share of life insurance assets that are mis-rated or undercapitalized is tiny, smaller insurers could carry more concentrated risk.

Persons: Blackstone, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Fitch, Kroll, Egan, Jones, DBRS Morningstar, Banks, SVB, Jonathan Guilford, Neil Unmack, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Apollo Global Management, KKR, Global Atlantic, Investments, National Association of Insurance, England’s Everton FC, Rivals, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, Athene, P Global, Insurance, SVB, Thomson Locations: Global, Delaware , New York, Iowa, New York, London

☆ Henry Kissinger, the towering American diplomat, dies at age 100
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Marty Steinberg | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +25 min

President Gerald Ford (left) and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger talk together in the Oval Office, February 19, 1975. In his 2001 book "The Trial of Henry Kissinger," social critic Christopher Hitchens called him a war criminal. North Vietnam's Le Duc Tho (left) and US National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger at the Paris peace talks, January 1973. Chairman Zedong of the People's Republic of China meets U. S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Nov. 12, 1973. On a helicopter during the period of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East, Henry Kissinger talks to his wife, Nancy.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, —, Richard Nixon's, Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Richard Corkery, Duc Tho, Gerald Ford, Benjamin E, Ford, Warren Burger, Kissinger's, Paula, Gene, Forte, Seymour M, Hersh bashed Kissinger, Walter Isaacson's, Christopher Hitchens, Greg Grandin, Niall Ferguson, Kant, Clausewitz, Bismarck, Barry Gewen, Gewen, Elizabeth Holmes, Nixon, George Shultz, Holmes, Heinz Alfred Kissinger, Louis, Walter, Hitler, Kissingers, Fritz Kraemer, William Yandell Elliott, Spengler, Toynbee, Metternich, Castlereagh, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Mike Wallace, Wallace, Kennedy, Johnson, Republican Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, Hubert Humphrey, Democratic Sen, George McGovern, McGovern, Nguyen Van Thieu, Reg Lancaster, Tho, Thieu, Mao, Gen, Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan, Nicolae Ceausescu, Zhou Enlai, Leonid Brezhnev, Andrei Gromyko, Dirck, Sen, Henry Jackson, Charles Vanik, Brezhnev, Spiro Agnew, Archibald Cox, Cox, Robert Bork, White, Alexander Haig, Anwar Sadat, David Hume Kennerly, Marxist Salvador Allende Gossens, Fidel Castro's, Martin Bernetti, Allende, Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, Pinochet, Ann Fleischer, Elizabeth, David, Nancy Maginnes, Rockefeller, Jill St, John, Candice Bergen, Shirley MacLaine, Liv Ullman, Diane Sawyer, , Napoleon, Nancy, David Rubinger, Maginnes, Moshe Dayan, Robert Dallek, Nixon's, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Paula Kissinger, Brooks Kraft Organizations: Gould, Kissinger Associates, National Security, Waldorf, Astoria, Richard Corkery | New York Daily, Forte, Soviets, State, Chief, New York, Theranos Inc, Economic, Nuremberg, George Washington High School, City College of New, Army, 84th Infantry Division, U.S ., Hesse . Harvard, Harvard, Confluence, Foreign, Eisenhower, Republican, Republican National Convention, Rockefeller and Michigan Gov, Democratic, District of Columbia, US National Security, Getty, Paris Peace, North, Nationalist, China, Bettmann, East Pakistan, of, U.S, Soviet Union ., Ballistic, Soviet, Washington, Egyptian Third Army, Department, West, Marxist, Museum, AFP, CIA, Israeli, Southern California Quaker, White, Partners, Power Locations: New York City, U.S, Connecticut, Richard Corkery | New, United States, Vietnam, Saigon, Viet, Soviet Union, Communist China, Israel, Egypt, Syria, Chile, Pakistan, Theranos, Ukraine, Russia, Davos, Switzerland, Fuerth, Germany, Bavarian, American, Nazi Germany, London, New York, City College of New York, Ahlem, Hanover, German, Krefeld, Hesse, Cambodia, Massachusetts, Haiphong, Paris, North, China, Washington, Taiwan, People's Republic of China, Beijing, Moscow, India, East, Bangladesh, Shanghai, USSR, Soviet, Kremlin, Dirck Halstead, Ohio, Saudi, Japan, Sinai, Alexandria, Cairo, Suez, Americas, Santiago, Cuba, Chilean, America, Europe, Virginia, Southern California

☆ Charlie Munger, the 'Oracle of Pasadena' who was Buffett's second-in-command
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chair Charlie Munger arrives to begin the company's annual meeting in Omaha May 4, 2013. EXPANDING BUFFETT'S HORIZONSMunger and Buffett did differ politically, with Munger being a Republican and Buffett a Democrat. Like Buffett, Munger was a fan of the famed economist Benjamin Graham. ORACLE OF PASADENAFans dubbed Buffett the "Oracle of Omaha," but Munger was held in equal esteem by his own followers, who branded him the "Oracle of Pasadena" after his adopted hometown in California. "I was raised by people who thought it was a moral duty to be as rational as you could possibly make yourself," Munger told Daily Journal shareholders in 2020.

Persons: Charlie Munger, Rick Wilking, Charles Munger, Warren Buffett's, Munger's, Buffett, Munger, Berkshire Hathaway, HORIZONS Munger, Santa Barbara, Warren, Benjamin Graham, Charlie, Ben Graham, Charles T, Kathy Kristof, Buffett's, Ernest . Buffett, Olson, Wheeler, Alice Schroeder, Nancy, Graham, Heinz, Todd Combs, Ted Weschler, Nancy Munger, Jonathan Stempel, Diane Craft, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway, REUTERS, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Munger, CNBC, Buffett, HORIZONS, Republican, University of California, Berkshire, ORACLE, PASADENA, Oracle, Wesco Financial Corp, Daily Journal Corp, Daily, Los Angeles Times, University of Michigan, U.S . Army Air Corps, Harvard Law School, Tolles, Munger &, Omaha Club, BNSF, 3G Capital, Kraft Foods, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Omaha, California, Berkshire, Omaha , Nebraska, Vienna, Santa, Pasadena, Munger, TETE, Los Angeles, New York

☆ HSAs are a 'powerful, yet underutilized' financial tool, says CFP—how to take advantage during open enrollment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But as you're considering your options, financial advisors would like to make sure that you're taking one crucial financial tool into account. If your employer offers a high-deductible health plan (those with deductibles of at least $1,500 for individuals or $3,000 for families), those who enroll in it gain access to a health savings account. Some 81% of accountholders keep HSA money in cash, according to a recent survey from the Plan Sponsor Council of America. "This feature positions HSAs not just as a tool for current medical expenses, but as a strategic component in long-term financial planning." Under this convention, you'd pay for medical expenses out of pocket in the short-term in order to reap the benefits of long-term compounding growth.

Persons: Sean Lovison, HSAs, whatever's, Michelle Fait, you've Organizations: of America, Investments, Fidelity, Satori Financial Locations: Moorestown , New Jersey, Seattle , Washington

☆ What Wall Street can expect from key Biden-Xi meeting as U.S.-China relations remain tense
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Chinese companies, meanwhile, have accelerated in global patent holdings in the cybersecurity sector, according to a recent Nikkei report. More reassurance to Chinese investors To be sure, while these stocks continue to rally, investors in the U.S. largely remain cautious about making any trades based on expectations ahead of the Biden-Xi talks. If anything, Chinese investors could leave Wednesday with more reassurance—which China's economy desperately needs as it struggles to make a post-pandemic recovery. Chinese investors "remain concerned that the deterioration in the bilateral political relationship could have a negative impact on the Chinese economy," Matthews investment strategist Andy Rothman said. Shaun Rein of China Market Research Group told CNBC last week that the meeting "might lower down the temperature," but that he does not expect "anything meaningful" to come from it.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Frederic Neumann, Neumann, Biden, Xi, Brian Gardner, Gardner, Neo Wang, Wang, Tesla, BYD, Matthews, Andy Rothman, Shaun Rein, Rein, Derek Scissors, CNBC's Organizations: HSBC, Economic Cooperation, South China Morning Post, U.S . Department of Commerce, Nikkei, Micro Devices, Intel, Nvidia, AMD, Micron, MU, Microsoft, Biden, China Market Research Group, CNBC, American Enterprise Institute Locations: China, U.S, Asia, San Francisco, Washington, Beijing, Tesla's China, Europe, South Korea, Japan

☆ U.S.-China relations are now more about crisis prevention
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

It will be a rare summit before the U.S. presidential election cycle kicks off in earnest. "The immediate aftermath of the [Biden-Xi] meeting is likely to mark a cyclical high point for bilateral relations," he said. Taiwan is set to hold its presidential election in January, and a more pro-independence winner could stir more of Beijing's ire. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, with no right to independently conduct diplomatic relations. The U.S. recognizes Beijing as the sole government of China but maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan, a democratically self-governed island.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, Michael Hirson, Trump, Xi, Gabriel Wildau, Antony Blinken, Chuck Schumer, Shen Yamei, Shen, Gina Raimondo, Lifeng, Janet Yellen, Teneo, Nancy Pelosi, Teneo's Wildau Organizations: Reuters, U.S, China Research, Research, D.C, Strategic, International, Biden, Republican, Democratic, American Studies, China Institute of International Studies, CNBC, U.S . Commerce, Treasury, U.S . House, Representatives, Economic Cooperation, China's Ministry of Commerce Locations: Bali , Indonesia, Reuters BEIJING, U.S, China, Taiwan, South China, Washington, Beijing, San Francisco, Gaza, Ukraine, Asia

☆ US lawmakers to unveil bill requiring private equity firms to reveal China investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Karen Freifeld | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) delivers remarks at the Belmont Water Treatment Center during a visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Acquire Licensing RightsNov 9 (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators plan to introduce a bipartisan bill on Thursday that would require private equity firms to make public how much they invest in China and other countries of concern. The bill, set to be introduced by Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Republican Senator Rick Scott, is the latest effort to track U.S. investments in China. U.S. private investment firms have poured more than $80 billion into China between 2018 and 2022, some via pension plans, according to Casey's office. Casey has also co-sponsored a measure that would require government notification of investments in certain sensitive technology sectors in China.

Persons: Bob Casey, Elizabeth Frantz, Rick Scott, Casey, Rick Scott's, Karen Freifeld, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Treatment, REUTERS, Democratic, United, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Senate's, Thomson Locations: Belmont, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S, China, United States, Iran, Russia, North Korea

☆ GM-UAW agreement expected to include more affordable Bolt EUV
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

General Motors assembly workers connect a battery pack underneath a partially assembled 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicle on the assembly line at Orion Assembly in Lake Orion, Michigan, U.S., March 19, 2018. GM said on Monday it would not comment on the tentative agreement pending ratification by the UAW. The UAW summary did not specify products or timing for GM's Fairfax and Lansing plants. GM currently builds the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT at Fairfax and the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 and Chevrolet Camaro in Lansing. Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra has said the current Bolt will be phased out of production at the end of this year.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, GM's Fairfax, Mary Barra, Ford, ”, Bill Rinna, “ BEV, Sam Fiorani, Stellantis, Paul Lienert, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Motors, Bolt, Orion Assembly, REUTERS, Rights DETROIT, General Motors, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Reuters, UAW, GM, Chevrolet Malibu, Fairfax, Ford, AutoForecast Solutions, Thomson Locations: Lake Orion , Michigan, U.S, Kansas, Michigan, Lansing, Fairfax , Kansas, Fairfax, Lansing ., Detroit

☆ Consumers are still spending, but they're under pressure. These stocks still have room to run
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Persistent inflationary pressures have led to depressed levels of consumer spending all year, according to Bank of America. Consumers are still spending — in fact, they're spending more than they are earning — as employment levels and hourly wage growth remain fairly strong . Some analysts see an opportunity to pick up shares of battered-down retail stocks. According to Barclay's Yih, spending levels "almost have to be worse" next year. LPL's Roach similarly expects consumers spending to hit a roadblock in the coming months.

Persons: bode, Neuberger Berman, Steve Eisman, Jeffrey Roach, Adrienne Yih, Yih, Randy Hare, Ross, Polly Wong, Belardi Wong, James Lewis, Huntington's Hare, Bartlett, Chris Kempczinski, Lewis, …, it's, Anthony Chukumba, Chukumba, Wells, Ike Boruchow, Kathleen Entwistle, Entwistle, LPL's Roach, Morgan Stanley's Entwistle, Barclay's Yih, Roach Organizations: Bank of America, CNBC, Consumers, Barclays, Ross, Huntington National Bank, Bartlett Wealth Management, Walmart, Retailers, Republic, Urban Outfitters, Eagle Outfitters, National, Capital, National Vision, Nike, Ross Stores, Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Investments, Citizens JMP Securities, Delta Air Lines, Deutsche Bank Locations: U.S, Wells Fargo

☆ GM is expected to invest $13 billion in U.S. facilities under new UAW deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DETROIT – General Motors plans to invest roughly $13 billion in U.S. facilities by April 2028, the United Auto Workers union said as part of its recent tentative agreement with the automaker. GM has already announced some of the planned investments such as $4 billion at Orion Assembly in suburban Detroit and $2 billion in Spring Hill, Tennessee, for new electric vehicles. GM was the last Detroit automaker to reach a tentative agreement following Ford Motor and Chrysler-parent Stellantis . GM's U.S. investments through the terms of the 4 ½-tear tentative compared to $8.1 billion announced by the union at Ford and $18.9 billion at Stellantis, including $6.2 billion in previously announced parts plants in Kokomo, Indiana. The details disclosed by the union for GM did not include billions in previously announced investments in four joint-venture battery cell plants in the U.S., including three upcoming facilities.

Persons: Mary Barra Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, General Motors, DETROIT –, Motors, GM, Orion Assembly, Detroit, Ford Motor, Chrysler, Ford Locations: Arlington , Texas, DETROIT, Detroit, Spring Hill , Tennessee, Lansing Grand, U.S, Kokomo , Indiana

☆ US lawmakers urge Yellen to speed up China outbound investment rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Janet Yellen, United States Secretary of Treasury, participates in global infrastructure and investment forum in New York, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Seth Wenig/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The Republican and Democratic leaders of a U.S. congressional committee on China urged Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to urgently implement outbound investment restrictions on the country, warning that Beijing was using American capital to develop technologies as her department debated new rules. China has condemned the move, but some U.S. lawmakers have argued it has too many loopholes. Yellen should adopt a broad definition of technology in her guidelines on the investment restrictions, the lawmakers said in the letter, dated Oct. 30, arguing China had blurred the lines between commercial and military technology. Some U.S. officials have said the outbound investment rules should not be overly broad to avoid harming the U.S. economy.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Seth Wenig, Joe Biden, deliberates, Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi –, Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi, Michael Martina, Sandra Maler Organizations: Treasury, Rights, Republican, Democratic, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, U.S, Biden, Thomson Locations: United States, New York, China, Beijing, U.S

☆ Green Steel Is Coming. Europe Is Leading the Charge Thanks to New Carbon Taxes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

The need for conversion to low-carbon steel production is greater in Europe, where 57% of steel is produced in coal-fired blast furnaces. Swedish-based startup H2 Green Steel has signed deals to supply low-carbon steel to IKEA, Mercedes-Benz , BMW and Scania. Customers of H2 Green Steel have been willing to support the project based on their own green targets and their end-customers’ willingness to pay a green premium, he said. H2 Green Steel said it would charge a €150 premium, while Swedish steelmaker SSAB expects to charge double that. Research from the Rocky Mountain Institute suggests the IRA will encourage green steel investments that would, by 2030, produce about eight million tons of low-carbon steel, or nearly 10% of U.S. steel demand.

Persons: fabian strauch, ”, Colin Richardson, incentivizing, CBAM, Nicola Davidson, Davidson, Henrik Henriksson, Mikael Sjoberg, ” Henriksson, Gunnar Güthenke, SSAB, Europe ”, Simone Tagliapietra, Paul Lim, ” Lim, Yusuf Khan Organizations: Leadership Group, Industry, Argus Media, Rocky Mountain Institute, U.S ., Business, International Energy Agency, Investments, Steel, IKEA, Mercedes, Benz, BMW, Scania, H2, Bloomberg, Research, Europe, Bruegel, U.S Locations: Europe, U.S, Brussels, London, European, Lakes , Texas, Pacific, China, Asia

The July-September period, which analysts usually see it as a weak quarter, saw a 17% rise in funding to $3 billion for 103 companies, venture capital firm Space Capital said in the report. The upbeat figures could mean that investors are returning to startups that could tap government funding and develop tech crucial to space programs. The companies funded in the third quarter included Axiom Space which raised $350 million, and Sierra Space which saw an inflow of $290 million. "Despite continued headwinds in financial markets, the world is waking up to the importance of space-based technologies," Space Capital said. Reporting by Jaspreet Singh and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi MajumdarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jaspreet Singh, Akash Sriram, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Space Capital, Investments, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ China trade council asks U.S. to "carefully consider" tech investment ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The flags of the United States and China fly from a lamppost in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., November 1, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Sept 29 (Reuters) - China's international trade council has formally asked the United States to "carefully consider" rules that ban or restrict U.S. investments in China's tech sector, state television reported on Friday. "That not only gives rise to transaction risks and compliance cost...but also damages the highly inter-dependent global industrial chain," the chamber added. Biden's order was aimed at protecting national security and preventing U.S. capital from aiding China's military. Reporting by Chen Aizhu; editing by Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Joe Biden, ，, Chen Aizhu, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, China Council, Promotion of International Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Chinatown, Boston , Massachusetts, U.S, Rights SINGAPORE

The Treasury Department subsequently kicked off a rule-making process to implement the order, and financial firms have been rushing to meet a Sept. 28 to provide input. "It could apply to companies that are outside of China but are subsidiaries of Chinese companies or controlled by a Chinese person." While the U.S. already has restrictions on some Chinese investments in the U.S. and U.S. investments in China, the order creates a new program. The program proposes exempting publicly traded securities and index and mutual funds, but financial firms want those securities to be more tightly defined. Financial firms say they support the administration's national security goals but worry about increased liability and the economic costs of restricting capital flows.

Persons: Florence Lo, Joe Biden, Timothy Keeler, Mayer Brown, Jen Fernandez, Sidley Austin, Jay Clayton, Sullivan, Cromwell, Keeler, Peter Matheson, Fernandez, Pete Schroeder, Carol Mandl, Michelle Price, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Treasury Department, Foreign Investment, Treasury, Former Securities and Exchange, DE, Financial, U.S, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, United States

☆ Ford Halts Work on E.V. Battery Plant in Michigan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Jack Ewing | More About Jack Ewing | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ford Motor, in the midst of tense contract negotiations with striking United Automobile Workers, said on Monday that it was suspending construction of a battery factory in Michigan because of concerns that the plant might not be able to make products at a competitive price. It was unclear whether the halt was related to negotiations with the union, or to other issues. Ford has come under attack from Republican lawmakers because it plans to manufacture batteries at the plant in Marshall, Mich., using technology licensed from CATL, a Chinese company that is the world’s largest maker of batteries for electric cars. At the same time, Ford has warned that increases in pay and benefits sought by the U.A.W. If unions got all that they were asking for, “we would have to cancel our E.V.

Persons: Ford, Jim Farley Organizations: Ford, United Automobile Workers Locations: Michigan, Marshall, Mich, CATL

☆ US lawmaker to urge chip industry group to reduce China investments -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 19 (Reuters) - The chair of the U.S. House of Representatives' committee on China is planning to meet with a semiconductor industry group to express concerns over U.S. investments in China's chip industry, according to a source familiar with the matter. The group represents major chip firms such as Nvidia (NVDA.O) and Intel (INTC.O), whose sales to China have been affected by recent changes in U.S. export rules. The source added that Gallagher also aims to talk with the group about reducing the number of semiconductor manufacturing machines that could be sent to China. Also among the planned discussion topics is U.S. investment in Chinese chip firms, according to the source. A representative for the Semiconductor Industry Association declined to comment.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Nathan Howard, Biden, Gallagher, Stephen Nellis, Nick Zieminski, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Republican U.S . Rep, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, U.S . House, Representatives, Republican, Semiconductor Industry Association, Nvidia, Intel, Qualcomm, San, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, China, San Francisco

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