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☆ Reaction to Alibaba's scrapping of cloud unit spin-off
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the Alibaba Cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. Alibaba said its decision to shelve the spin-off was due to uncertainties fuelled by U.S. curbs on exports to China of chips used in artificial intelligence applications. Following are what people are saying about the decision:LI CHENGDONG, BEIJING-BASED TECH AND E-COMMERCE ANALYST:"I believe scrapping the cloud unit's IPO reflects a new development strategy implemented by the new leadership. In short, I think prior decisions to restructure and IPO certain business units will have to be reassessed based on prevailing market conditions. The international business is one of the few Alibaba units that’s growing fast, which puts it in a better position to explore external funding."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Alibaba, LI, Daniel Zhang, Zhang, BRIAN WONG, CHARLIE CHAI, Eddie Wu, SERN LING, Casey, Josh Ye, Yelin, Anne Marie Roantree, Muralikumar Anantharaman Organizations: REUTERS, China's, HK, Cloud Intelligence, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, China, BEIJING, AliCloud, Alibaba, Shanghai, Yelin Mo, Beijing

☆ Indonesia says Exxon Mobil plans to invest up to $15 bln in the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Exxon Mobil Corp FollowJAKARTA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) is planning to invest up to $15 billion in a petrochemical project and carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo said in a presidential palace statement on Thursday. The planned CCS facilities would be the biggest in Southeast Asia. Earlier this week, Indonesia signed an initial deal with an Exxon unit to explore investment in a petrochemical project in Indonesia to produce polymers. Exxon and Indonesian state energy company Pertamina also agreed to evaluate $2 billion in investments in CCS facilities using two underground basins in the Java Sea. "These large-scale opportunities could substantially boost industrial growth and decarbonisation in Indonesia, as well as the Asia Pacific region," said Carole Gall, president of Exxon Mobil Indonesia.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joko Widodo, Darren Woods, Pertamina, Carole Gall, Joe Biden, Fransiska Nangoy, Bernadette Christina, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Tom Hogue Organizations: ExxonMobil, REUTERS, Companies Exxon Mobil Corp, Exxon Mobil, Exxon, Asia, Economic Cooperation, Exxon Mobil Indonesia, CCS, U.S, APEC, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, San Francisco, Asia, Washington

☆ Japan's Denso to target $8 bln in electrification revenue by FY 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Denso Corp FollowTOKYO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Japanese automotive supplier Denso (6902.T) aims to increase its revenue from electrification to 1.2 trillion yen ($7.97 billion) by the 2025 business year and 1.7 trillion yen by the turn of the decade, the company said on Wednesday. Denso aimed to grow its revenue from advanced-driver assistance systems (ADAS) to 520 billion yen by the 2025 business year and said it would further unwind cross-shareholdings, according to presentation materials. "As electrification centred on battery electric vehicles progresses from the 2025 business year onward, we want to reach 1.7 trillion yen by 2030 by expanding sales globally," he said. Denso has been ahead of other firms in actively reducing its cross-shareholdings, Matsui said, adding that none of the remaining holdings were off limits. Denso reiterated an October commitment to invest about 500 billion yen in semiconductors by 2030 and pledged to boost the number of workers in software to some 18,000 people by 2030, about 1.5 times of their current level.

Persons: Denso, Yasushi Matsui, Matsui, Daniel Leussink, Muralikumar Organizations: Denso, Thomson

☆ BAIC unit applies for approval to build Xiaomi-branded EVs in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People clean the floor at the stall of the BAIC Group automobile maker at the IEEV New Energy Vehicles Exhibition in Beijing, China October 18, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Nov 15 (Reuters) - A unit of Beijing-based automaker BAIC Group <1958.HK> has applied to regulators for approval to build two Xiaomi-branded <1810.HK> electric vehicles (EVs), China's industry ministry website showed on Wednesday. The filing indicates that BAIC will be the manufacturer for these two models, even though Xiaomi has built a plant that can produce 200,000 EVs annually in Beijing. The new EVs will be built at a site that is the same address as the Xiaomi plant, China Business News reported. Both BAIC and Xiaomi did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the EV applications.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Xiaomi, ORV, Max, Lu Weibing, Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Mo Yelin, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill Organizations: BAIC Group, New Energy Vehicles Exhibition, REUTERS, Rights, BAIC, HK, CATL's, Ministry of Industry, China Business News, STAR, Reuters, Tesla Inc, Lucid, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanghai

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua before a meeting in Beijing, China July 17, 2023. The countries' top climate envoys, John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, met in Sunnylands, California on Nov. 4-7 to find common ground ahead of crucial COP28 talks in Dubai starting at the end of the month. It will focus on key areas of cooperation, including abating methane and boosting efficiency and the "circular economy", and exchange information on policies and technologies to reduce emissions. They also committed to advancing "at least five" large-scale cooperation projects in carbon capture, utilisation and storage by the end of the decade. The United States and China agreed that the stocktake should show that "significantly more ambition and implementation" was required to meet the Paris goals and include calls for developed countries to meet their climate financing commitments.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Valerie Volcovici, Nancy Pelosi, COP28, David Stanway, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Dubai, Paris, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights SINGAPORE, United States, Sunnylands , California, Taiwan, Paris

The issue of China, which views Taiwan as its territory, looms over the Jan. 13 parliamentary and presidential elections. It will unite Taiwan," Hou told business leaders after the talks. China cut off routine talks with Taiwan after President Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP took office in 2016. OPPOSITION CHALLENGEChen Yi-fan, an assistant professor of diplomacy and international relations at Taiwan's Tamkang University, said if Hou and Kou did not work together then Lai would certainly win. Lai says only Taiwan's people can decide their future and has repeatedly offers talks with Beijing, which has rejected the offers.

Persons: Eric Chu, Hou Yu, Ma Ying, Ko Wen, Lai Ching, Democratic Progressive Party's, Hou, Tsai Ing, Chen Yi, Kou, Lai, Chen, Ma, Hsiao Hsu, Hsiao, China detests Lai, Ko, Terry Gou, Gou, TPP, Ben Blanchard, Yimou Lee, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Robert Birsel Organizations: Taiwan's Kuomintang, KMT, ih, Kuomintang, Taiwan People’s, Democratic Progressive, Taiwan People's Party, Taiwan's Tamkang University, Beijing, DPP, Apple, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Taipei, TAIPEI, China, Beijing, U.S, United States

☆ Exclusive: China's Bytedance is talking to likely buyers about gaming unit Moonton's sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shanghai-based Moonton, which has developed the popular mobile game “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang”, was acquired by ByteDance in 2021. At the time, it was seen as ByteDance’s biggest commitment to become a major player in the $187 billion global video games market. ByteDance's foray into video games has proven to be rocky so far. Founded in 2014, Moonton found success with multiplayer online battle arena game "Mobile Legends". Last year, ByteDance disbanded its Shanghai-based game development unit 101 Studio.

Persons: Aly, ByteDance, Moonton, Pico, Josh Ye, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, ByteDance, Companies, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, Saudi, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong

☆ Israel-Gaza Conflict Challenge to US-Backed Economic Corridor - India Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The Israel-Gaza conflict is a "worrying manifestation" of geopolitical challenges for the U.S.-backed multinational economic corridor, India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday. In September, global leaders announced a rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia, as the U.S. seeks to counter China's Belt and Road push on global infrastructure with a new economic corridor. The proposed corridor will pass through Israel, which has been engaged in a fierce conflict with Hamas in the Gaza strip, in retaliation for the militants' cross-border assault into Israel on Oct. 7. "It (the corridor) is not without its geopolitical challenges and the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza is a worrying manifestation of these," Sitharaman said during a conference. (Reporting by Shivangi Acharya; Writing by Kanjyik Ghosh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Christian Schmollinger)

Persons: Nirmala Sitharaman, Sitharaman, Shivangi Acharya, Kanjyik Ghosh, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Schmollinger Organizations: Reuters, U.S Locations: Israel, Gaza, East, South Asia, U.S

The capacity payments will be calculated based on fixed costs of 330 yuan ($45.25) per kilowatt per year for coal plants. Analysts said the move was important to ensure the financial viability of seldom-utilised, backup coal power, which is used for demand peaks or when renewable power generation is insufficient. However, observers also cautioned that the policy could risk entrenching inefficient coal power in China's energy system, despite its rapid expansion of renewable power generation capacity. "Capacity-based electricity pricing for coal power will further incentivise state-owned enterprises in China to build new coal power projects in the short term. Capacity payments should be for all power producers, not only for coal power," said Zhang Kai, deputy program director for Greenpeace East Asia in Beijing.

Persons: David Fishman, Xuewan Chen, Group's Fishman, Zhang Kai, Colleen Howe, Andrew Hayley, Edmund Klamann, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill Organizations: National Development, Reform Commission, Reuters, Analysts, Lantau, LSEG, Jinneng Holding, Power Co, Centre for Research, Energy, Clean, Greenpeace East, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Shanghai, Beijing, Shanxi, Jiangxi Ganneng, Hunan, Greenpeace East Asia

☆ Japan fund INCJ sells $1.8 bln of Renesas shares
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Renesas Electronics Corp's logo is pictured at the company's conference in Tokyo, Japan, April 11, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Japanese state-backed fund INCJ said it has sold all but a token portion of its stake in semiconductor manufacturer Renesas Electronics (6723.T), offloading 279 billion yen ($1.84 billion) worth of shares. INCJ had previously held 6.65% of Renesas' shares, it said in a statement on Thursday. The sale price of 2,143 yen ($14.17) per share represented a discount of 8.01% on Renesas' closing share price of 2,329.5 yen on Thursday, the fund said in a separate statement on Friday. Renesas' shares had dropped 4.5% to 2,224 yen by mid-morning on Friday.

Persons: Toru Hanai, INCJ, Renesas, Anton Bridge, Christopher Cushing, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Renesas Electronics, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Qatar wealth fund eyeing investment opportunities in China's retail, tech sectors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Qatar's sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority is examining opportunities to invest in China's retail, healthcare, tech and logistics sectors, said Abdulla Al-Kuwari, head of the fund's unit Qatar Investment Authority Advisory (Asia Pacific). Those opportunities could involve public and private companies, Al-Kuwari said on Thursday during the Caixin Summit in Beijing. Chinese funds are also seeking new capital sources in the Middle East, as headwinds including diplomatic tensions drive many U.S. investors out of the country. Several China equity funds, including hedge funds and mutual funds, have told Reuters they visited the Middle East this year to raise money. Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Kane Wu; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Abdulla Al, Kuwari, LSEG, Roxanne Liu, Kane Wu, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Michael Perry Organizations: Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar Investment Authority Advisory, Asia, Al, Buyers, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Qatar, Beijing . Middle East, China, Saudi Arabia

☆ Nissan more than doubles Q2 operating profit, beating estimates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A visitor is seen at Nissan Motor Corp.'s showroom in Tokyo, Japan November 11, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Nissan Motor (7201.T) reported on Thursday it had more than doubled its operating profit for the July-September quarter, beating analysts' estimates, boosted by steady sales in North America and Japan and a weaker yen. The company reported a 127% rise in July-September operating profit to 208.1 billion yen ($1.38 billion), compared with an average estimate of 155.9 billion yen in a poll of 10 analysts by LSEG and a 91.7 billion yen operating profit in the same period a year earlier. The automaker raised its full-year forecast by nearly 13% to 620 billion yen due to a favourable impact of a weak yen and improvements in global retail sales, excluding China. The forecast compared to a 570.1 billion yen average profit forecast in a poll of 19 analysts by Refinitiv.

Persons: Issei Kato, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Muralikumar Organizations: Nissan Motor Corp, REUTERS, Rights, LSEG, Refinitiv, Nissan, Renault, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, North America, China

☆ Sony profit slides on chip slump, maintains PS5 sales target
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Profit for the quarter was 263 billion yen ($1.74 billion). That compared with a 306 billion yen estimate from 10 analysts polled by LSEG. The conglomerate sold 4.9 million PS5 units in the second quarter, bringing sales this financial year to 8.2 million units. Sony hiked its full-year sales forecast for the games unit by almost 5% to 190 billion yen. The company maintained its full-year operating profit at 1.17 trillion yen but raised its sales and net income forecast by 2% each.

Persons: Mike Blake, Hiroki Totoki, Jim Ryan, Jefferies, Atul Goyal, Sam Nussey, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill Organizations: Sony, REUTERS, LSEG, Industry, Bungie, Nintendo, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Rancho Bernardo, California, TOKYO

☆ Myanmar president: country at risk of breaking apart due to border violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - The president of military-ruled Myanmar has said the country is at risk of breaking apart due to ineffective management of recent violence in its border regions with China. As now is an important time for the State, the entire people need to support Tatmadaw (the military)." In the northeast, the junta has lost control of some border trade towns with China. The Chinese government also confirmed this week that there had been Chinese casualties due to military ordinance going over the border. Reporting by Reuters staff, Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kanupriya Kapoor, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Michael Perry Organizations: Administration Council, SAC, State, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Myanmar, China

☆ Myanmar President: Country at Risk of Breaking Apart Due to Border Violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The president of military-ruled Myanmar has said the country is at risk of breaking apart due to ineffective management of recent violence in its border regions with China. "If the government does not effectively manage the incidents happening in the border region, the country will be split into various parts," Myint Swe, president of the State Administration Council (SAC), told a national defence and security council meeting. As now is an important time for the State, the entire people need to support Tatmadaw (the military)." In the northeast, the junta has lost control of some border trade towns with China. The Chinese government also confirmed this week that there had been Chinese casualties due to military ordinance going over the border.

Persons: Kanupriya Kapoor, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, Administration Council, SAC, State Locations: Myanmar, China

Dozens of international and private schools in China are closing or merging, industry executives said, weighed down by tighter regulation, a slowing economy and dwindling foreign student numbers. A rapid expansion prior to the COVID-19 pandemic drove a surge of privately run bilingual schools in China offering a western exam curriculum. Dulwich College operates nine schools in China including bilingual schools catering to Chinese nationals that have been hit hardest by regulatory changes. It mandated that Chinese compulsory education be taught in private schools, aligning the curriculum more closely to public schools and making parents question the need to pay private school fees when their children can attend free government schools. Authorities have also moved to control the number of private schools.

Persons: Aly, Julian Fisher, Fisher, Dulwich, Xi, It's, Frank Feng, Jimmy Chin, Nicholas Burns, Mathias Boyer, Casey, Roxanne Liu, Dorothy Kam, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Dulwich College, Venture Education, Strategic, Education, Motion, Dulwich, British, Authorities, Dulwich's, Victoria Kid House, Western International School of, Everpine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, University of Science, Technology of, International School of Beijing, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, British, Asia, China's, Beijing, Dulwich, Singapore, South Korea, U.S, Britain, Canada, Lucton, Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen, Eton, Guangzhou, Western International School of Shanghai, Xi'an, Technology of China, Anhui, Hong Kong

☆ Private Schools Rethink China Future After Flunking Growth Test
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Dozens of international and private schools in China are closing or merging, industry executives said, weighed down by tighter regulation, a slowing economy and dwindling foreign student numbers. Dulwich College operates nine schools in China including bilingual schools catering to Chinese nationals that have been hit hardest by regulatory changes. Strategic plans for growth of its high schools in China were "scaled back in light of changing government regulations", Dulwich said in its 2022 annual report. Authorities have also moved to control the number of private schools. Dozens of schools, from kindergartens to high schools, have shut or stalled in the past two years.

Persons: Farah Master, Kane Wu, Julian Fisher, Fisher, Dulwich, Xi, It's, Frank Feng, Jimmy Chin, Nicholas Burns, Mathias Boyer, Casey, Roxanne Liu, Dorothy Kam, Muralikumar Anantharaman Organizations: Reuters, Dulwich College, Venture Education, Strategic, Education, Motion, Dulwich, British, Authorities, Dulwich's, Victoria Kid House, Western International School of, Everpine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, University of Science, Technology of, International School of Beijing, Casey Hall Locations: Kane Wu HONG KONG, British, China, Asia, China's, Beijing, Dulwich, Singapore, South Korea, U.S, Britain, Canada, Shanghai, Lucton, Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen, Eton, Guangzhou, Western International School of Shanghai, Xi'an, Technology of China, Anhui, Hong Kong

DBS, which is also Southeast Asia's largest lender, has already forecast a record full-year profit for the current year. "Net profit (for 2024) to be maintained around record 2023 level," CEO Piyush Gupta said in results presentation materials. The bank's July-September net profit rose to S$2.63 billion ($1.94 billion) from S$2.24 billion a year earlier as total income grew to a record on higher interest margins and fee income. Besides higher global interest rates, Singapore banks have benefitted from strong inflows of wealth drawn in by the city-state's political stability. Smaller peer United Overseas Bank (UOBH.SI) reported in end-October a weaker-than-expected 1% drop in third-quarter net profit.

Persons: Ann Wang, Piyush Gupta, Gupta, Yantoultra Ngui, Josie Kao Organizations: DBS, REUTERS, Bank, Q3 SINGAPORE, LSEG, United Overseas Bank, Chinese Banking Corp, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Singapore

The world's top-selling automaker reported a record operating profit of 1.44 trillion yen ($9.5 billion) in the three months to end-September, a 155.6% increase from a year earlier. It lifted its full-year profit forecast to 4.5 trillion yen from 3 trillion yen, largely due to favourable effects from foreign exchange rates. Toyota expects the weaker yen to account for 1.18 trillion yen of the revision to the full-year profit. The new projection compared to analysts' average forecast of 4.0 trillion yen. Toyota assumed an average rate of 141 yen per dollar in its calculations for the 2023/24 financial year compared to 125 yen previously.

Persons: Issei Kato, Yoichi Miyazaki, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Muralikumar Organizations: Toyota, Japan, REUTERS, Nissan, Honda, EVs, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, United States, Asia, China, Southeast, Thailand, North Carolina

☆ Malan won't blame coach Mott for England's dismal title defence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Their only win in the tournament came against Bangladesh and Sunday's defeat at the hands of table-toppers India was their fourth successive loss. "It has been frustrating from a players' point of view because we know we're better than that." "We've played six games now and we've not been anywhere near where we wanted to be so it is disappointing from that point of view," Malan said. "I'm pretty sure I'll be done for that but I'd love the guys to play in that," Malan said. "Hopefully we can find the momentum and finish the World Cup on a high."

Persons: Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari, England's Dawid Malan, India's Mohammed Siraj, Andrew Boyers, Dawid Malan, Matthew Mott, Malan, We've, Amlan Chakraborty, Muralikumar Organizations: ICC Cricket, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket, REUTERS, BBC Sport, Thomson Locations: India, England, Lucknow, DELHI, Bangladesh, Australia, Pakistan, New Delhi

☆ S.Korea exports snap year-long downturn, recovery in China demand slow
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Jihoon Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Overseas sales last month by Asia's fourth-largest economy rose 5.1% year-on-year to $55.09 billion, trade data showed on Wednesday. By destination, exports to the United States gained 17.3%, the most since May 2022, while China-bound shipments fell 9.5%, the least in 13 months. Exports of cars rose 19.8%, extending gains to a 16th straight month, while petroleum products also jumped 18.0%, after seven straight months of decline. Semiconductor shipments fell for the 15th consecutive month, but the 3.1% drop in October was the smallest in the streak. In October, South Korea's factory activity contracted for the 16th straight month, but the decline in new export orders softened, another survey showed on Wednesday.

Persons: Lee Jae, Asia's, Lee Jeong, Jihoon Lee, Christian Schmollinger, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Sonali Paul Organizations: Busan New, REUTERS, Rights, Overseas, United States, Eugene Investment Securities, Trade, Thomson Locations: Busan, Busan New Port, Seoul, Rights SEOUL, United States, China, United, Israel, South

☆ Swiatek overcomes early deficit to beat Vondrousova at WTA Finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday. Swiatek completed the first set comeback on a double fault and a disillusioned Vondrousova went quietly in the second set. She came into her third WTA Finals with a ton of momentum, however, after winning her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Beijing, and has a chance to retake the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka in Cancun. Vondrousova, who made her top-10 debut after emerging as the surprise winner of Wimbledon, is making her first appearance at the season-ending Finals, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Marketa, Swiatek, Vondrousova, Rory Carroll, Muralikumar Organizations: Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: Cancun, Beijing, Vondrousova, Los Angeles

Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall Group did not respond to a request for comment. This year's Singles Day event is also the first since Alibaba Group split into six business units. This view is supported by recent polls on social media where the majority of respondents said Singles Day was no longer necessary. Meara He, a 21-year-old student from Wenzhou, says she often shops using Douyin live-streams and this year, "doesn't care" about Singles Day as much. "In the past I would wait for Double 11 (Singles Day) and do some shopping, but this time I just plan to buy products that I need," she said.

Persons: Alibaba, Pinduoduo, Josh Gardner, Alibaba's, Ashley Dudarenok, AlixPartners, Douyin, Melody Zhao, Casey, Sophie Yu, Brenda Goh Organizations: PDD Holdings, Kungfu, Tmall, Administration, Market, ByteDance, Alibaba, Suisse, Industry, Hua Gui Food Group, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, HK, China, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ KKR to invest $400 mln in Malaysia subsea telco cable services firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE, Oct 30 (Reuters) - U.S. private equity firm KKR (KKR.N) has signed an agreement to invest $400 million in Malaysian subsea telecommunications cable services provider OMS Group, the companies said in a joint statement on Monday. Additional details of the transaction were not disclosed in the statement. The deal marks KKR's latest investment in Southeast Asia digital infrastructure, adding to its existing investments that includes the regional data center of Singapore Telecommunications (STEL.SI) and Philippines-based digital infrastructure company Pinnacle Towers. KKR's investment will be used to accelerate OMS' growth, including expanding fleet size and capabilities and investing in cable landing stations and subsea cable routes, the statement said. Reporting by Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by Kim Coghill and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yantoultra Ngui, Kim Coghill, Muralikumar Organizations: KKR, Singapore Telecommunications, Pinnacle Towers, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Southeast Asia, Philippines

☆ Dollar holds near 150 yen as c.bank policy, data deluge awaited
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Euro, Hong Kong dollar, U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, British pound and Chinese 100-yuan banknotes are seen in a picture illustration shot January 21, 2016. A PMI data deluge, inflation figures in the euro zone and U.S. nonfarm payrolls also add to the mix of the event-packed week. "I think for the FOMC and the Bank of England, they will be pretty low key with them leaving interest rates on hold. The BOJ meeting will be the most interesting one (given) heightened speculation over a policy tweak at this meeting." The yen was last 0.1% lower at 149.75 per dollar, getting a slight reprieve after having struck a one-year trough of 150.78 per dollar last week.

Persons: Jason Lee, nonfarm payrolls, Carol Kong, Israel, Chris Weston, Christian Scherrmann, Rae Wee, Muralikumar Organizations: Hong, REUTERS, Rights, Bank of, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New Zealand, Aussie, Fed, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Rights SINGAPORE, Bank of Japan, Gaza's, Palestinian, U.S

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