DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ China e-commerce shipments would lose US tariff exemption under proposed law
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Katherine Masters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The bill would ban such shipments from China immediately upon enactment, sponsor Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said. Ecommerce sellers such as China-founded, Singapore-based Shein and Temu, a rival owned by PDD Holdings Inc (PDD.O) that operates the Chinese ecommerce site Pinduoduo, are big beneficiaries of the exemption. De minimis shipments have drawn attention at least since 2019, when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported it struggled to catch unsafe imports because of the heavy volume of low-value packages. Such shipments rose to 685.5 million in 2022 compared with 410.5 million in 2018, U.S. customs data showed. Under the bill, countries other than China and Russia could keep the exemption by adopting the $800 threshold for their own tariff-free imports.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Bill Cassidy, minimis, Temu, De, J.D, Vance, Tammy Baldwin, Earl Blumenauer, Katherine Masters, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, PDD Holdings, U.S . Consumer Product Safety, Democratic, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Singapore, Xingiang, Xinjiang, Russia

☆ China e-commerce shipments would lose U.S. tariff exemption under proposed law
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers planned to introduce a bill on Wednesday to eliminate a tariff exemption widely used by e-commerce sellers to send orders from China to U.S. shoppers, one of the sponsors said. The bill would ban such shipments from China immediately upon enactment, sponsor Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said. E-commerce sellers such as China-founded, Singapore-based Shein and Temu, a rival owned by PDD Holdings that operates the Chinese ecommerce site Pinduoduo, are big beneficiaries of the exemption. De minimis shipments have drawn attention at least since 2019, when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported it struggled to catch unsafe imports because of the heavy volume of low-value packages. Under the bill, countries other than China and Russia could keep the exemption by adopting the $800 threshold for their own tariff-free imports.

Persons: Bill Cassidy, Temu, De, J.D, Vance, Tammy Baldwin, Earl Blumenauer Organizations: PDD Holdings, U.S . Consumer Product Safety, Democratic, FedEx, UPS, DHL Locations: Washington ,, U.S, China, Singapore, Xingiang, Xinjiang, Russia

The company is hiring a U.S. head of logistics, who will be a liaison between Shein’s U.S. and Singapore headquarters, according to a LinkedIn job posting. The company is also hiring an anti-money laundering and compliance executive and a number of U.S. marketplace personnel, as reported by Modern Retail. Shein did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the head of logistics position. The head of logistics will manage Shein’s relationships with its third-party logistics companies, warehouses and trucking companies. Critics of the exemption also worry that de minimis shipments from China evade regulations banning forced labor in the consumer product supply chain.

Persons: Shein, Shein's, Arriana McLymore, Chizu Organizations: YORK, U.S, Shein’s U.S, Modern Retail, Securities and Exchange Commission, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: North America, China, Singapore, U.S, China . U.S, Brazil, minimis, New York City

☆ Chinese apps remain hugely popular in the U.S. despite efforts to ban TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

But while TikTok has been the one in the spotlight, other Chinese apps that present similar issues are also experiencing massive popularity in the U.S. Gorman said as the U.S. considers the threat posed by TikTok, it will also need to develop a framework for how to evaluate the relative risk of Chinese apps. But in the meantime, U.S. consumers continue to turn to Chinese apps. "And then of course, there's the early growth of Lemon8, which suggests that the appetite for Chinese apps in the U.S. is still growing." And some say the most effective long-term solution for curbing the use of Chinese apps may be fostering an environment for robust alternatives to grow.

The U.S. lawmakers want the SEC to mandate Shein to independently audit and verify "that the company does not use Uyghur forced labor as a condition of being registered to issue securities in the United States," the letter said. Sources have said Shein is eyeing an IPO in the U.S. this year. Rights groups and governments have accused China of forced labor and internment of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority, in Xinjiang. They say the exception allows websites selling cheap Chinese goods to evade millions of dollars in taxes and fees, as well as regulations banning forced labor in the consumer product supply chain. "As a global company, SHEIN takes visibility across our entire supply chain seriously.

Postal Service for alleged religious discrimination is set for U.S. Supreme Court review on April 18, poses in an undated handout image taken at an unknown location. Postal Service over his refusal to work on Sundays gives the Supreme Court another chance to widen religious rights but also has led to a debate over whether religious people are more legally deserving than others to weekend days off from work. The court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, has a track record of expanding religious rights in recent years, often siding with Christian plaintiffs. The Postal Service in 2013, in a bid to remain profitable, contracted with Amazon.com to deliver packages, including on Sundays. His absences caused tension among other carriers who had to cover his shifts, the Postal Service said.

REUTERS/Julia NikhinsonWASHINGTON/NEW YORK, March 29 (Reuters) - Starbucks' former Chief Executive Howard Schultz defended himself and the coffee chain against allegations of "union busting" at a U.S. Senate committee hearing in Washington on Wednesday. Senator Bernie Sanders, Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, told Schultz that "Starbucks has waged the most aggressive and illegal union busting campaign in the modern history of our country." "These are allegations and Starbucks has not broken the law," Schultz told Sanders during the hearing. His return to Starbucks as its interim leader in April 2022 was "95% focused on the operations of the business" and his involvement in the company's union strategy has been "de minimis," Schultz said. Republicans defended Schultz, praising the company's competitive wages, health benefits, employee stock purchase program and other benefits.

[1/2] Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz looks on during its Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Seattle, Washington March 21, 2012. Senators blasted ex-Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz on Wednesday over the company's "union busting" when he was at the helm. Starbucks has denied allegations that it illegally fired pro-union baristas or spied on workers as hundreds of stores organized unions starting in late 2021. "These are allegations and Starbucks has not broken the law," Schultz told Sanders during the hearing. His return to Starbucks as its interim leader in April 2022 was "95% focused on the operations of the business" and his involvement in the company's union strategy has been "de minimis," Schultz said.

☆ Ethics panel admonishes Graham for soliciting campaign donations during interview in Senate building
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ryan Nobles | Zoë Richards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Senate Ethics Committee said Thursday that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., violated Senate rules during a Fox News appearance last year when he requested donations for Hershel Walker's Senate campaign in Georgia. It is against Senate rules to seek campaign donations in a federal building. In its letter, the ethics panel issued an "admonishment" but opted not to sanction Graham. The panel also said Graham was a repeat offender, noting that he had asked for donations in an impromptu media interview in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in October 2020. "In response to a reporter's question regarding your reelection campaign fundraising, you directly solicited campaign contributions for your campaign committee," Coons and Lankford wrote.

☆ Prudential says exposure to SVB minimal, sales to China travellers pick up
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, March 15 (Reuters) - Asia-focused insurer Prudential's (PRU.L) said its exposure to collapsed Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is minimal, and expects little impact on its "conservative" balance sheet. "Our exposure to SVB is de minimis," Turner said. The insurer's stock price ended 1.18% lower in Hong Kong on Wednesday, while the broader market was up 1.52%. Its London-listed shares fell 4.7% by 9 a.m. GMTAnalysts say they expect a stronger pickup in sales from Chinese mainland visitors to Hong Kong, the insurer's key revenue centre. As China ended its Zero-COVID policy, border restrictions were removed last month allowing mainland visitors to go to Hong Kong and buy insurance again.

☆ Proptech VCs and startup founders already struggling from the housing-market downturn are now reeling from the Silicon Valley Bank collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The overnight collapse of Silicon Valley Bank after a social media and group chat-fueled bank run is creating yet another set of problems for an already ailing venture tech environment. The proptech industry has suffered over the past year as higher interest rates have throttled both the real estate and tech worlds. Silicon Valley Bank was the go-to lender of so-called venture debt, or debt that startups can raise along with their equity rounds of funding. The Silicon Valley Bank collapse "just punctuated it," he said, of the financial duress. Real estate lending warningsBanks make up almost a third of all commercial real estate lending according to CBRE.

☆ Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse ambitions are shrinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In a year, the metaverse went from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's obsession to rarely being mentioned. He mentioned AI four times, positioning the development of that technology as now being Meta's "single largest investment." Executives mentioned it half a dozen times during a call with Wall Street analysts, while the metaverse was not mentioned at all. It's a relief to investors and Wall Street analysts, who last year grew increasingly frustrated with Zuckerberg's once defiant tone on the massive cost of metaverse work. It's set to lose $15 billion this year and is on track to cost the company $20 billion a year going forward.

☆ Silvergate Capital shares drop more than 50% after the crypto bank delays its annual report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Silvergate Capital plummeted Thursday after the bank delayed the filing of its annual 10-K report as it evaluates events that have happened since the end of 2022. The company, which provides banking services to crypto businesses, was last lower by 52%. JPMorgan downgraded Silvergate shares Thursday along with other Wall Street analysts. Silvergate is has been facing several challenges since the end of last year, following the blowup of crypto exchange FTX. The crypto services company said in a statement that has de minimis corporate exposure to Silvergate and that it has stopped accepting or initiating payments to or from Silvergate.

☆ Starbuck's interim CEO Howard Schultz said he doesn't believe unions have a place at the coffee giant as unionization efforts spread
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Starbucks' interim CEO Howard Schultz said unions have no place at the company in a CNN interview. He said that unionization efforts reflect a "much bigger problem" beyond individual companies. Schultz, who stepped in as interim CEO of Starbucks in April 2022, told Harlow: "I don't think a union has a place in Starbucks." Schultz argued that Starbucks worker unionization efforts in America are reflective of a much bigger macro problem beyond the company itself. Unionization efforts from Starbucks workers began in Buffalo, New York in 2021 as workers grew tired of stores being consistently understaffed, poor working conditions during the pandemic, as well a demand for higher wages.

☆ Premarket stocks: Big Retail's cautious forecasts are spooking Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Forecasts from Walmart and Home Depot made for a grim day of trading on Tuesday. The mega retailers’ predictions of a weakening economy and a dip in consumer spending this year sent markets tumbling as Wall Street seemed to realize that the Federal Reserve’s campaign to quell inflation could yet lead to recession. What’s happening: We’ve written about the remarkable strength of the US consumer quite a bit here at Before the Bell. Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of America’s gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the US economy, so it’s nearly impossible for the economy to enter a recession as long as consumer spending is growing. American shoppers have almost single-handedly kept the US economy afloat by continuing to shell out cash for purchases despite stubbornly high inflation.

☆ Howard Schultz: Unions ‘a manifestation of a much bigger problem’
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —Fifteen years ago, Howard Schultz reprised his role as Starbucks CEO, returning to the helm to help put the struggling company back on course. Even before he officially rejoined the company, Schultz was already alarmed by the union push. In the months since returning as CEO, Schultz has doubled down on his opposition to the union. “The fact that Starbucks workers are continuing to organize and win shows just how much workers need and desire a union,” Starbucks Workers United said in a statement to CNN. As a CEO, Schultz has been responding “very typically,” Givan said, in how strongly he’s opposed the union.

☆ SpaceX, Tesla, and Boring Company execs are helping Elon Musk at Twitter, records reveal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Ever since, he has enlisted high-ranking executives and engineers from his other businesses, including SpaceX, Tesla and The Boring Company, to help out at the social media company, according to internal records obtained by CNBC and conversations with recent Twitter employees. Musk has also enabled partners from investment firms who participated in the Twitter buyout access to work within the social media company. In his testimony, Musk characterized Tesla employees' work for him at Twitter as "just a voluntary thing." He also said: "This was sort of an after-hours, just if you're interested in evaluating the -- helping me evaluate Twitter engineering, that would be nice. In addition to Tesla employees, Musk has also enlisted execs and employees from SpaceX, the reusable rocket and satellite internet services company he founded in 2002, to help him at Twitter.

☆ The Fed could raise rates to 5% and leave them there, and the central bank will only cut in the face of severe economic weakness, Bridgewater strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Fed could surprise markets by keeping the Federal Funds Rate elevated for an extended time, Bridgewater's chief investment strategist said. The Fed may initiate multiple rounds of tightening to tame inflation, which poses risks to markets. Only severe economic weakness would justify the Fed cutting rates. "What's not priced in is the Fed going high, and holding," Patterson told Bloomberg on Monday. Sustained elevated rates will catalyze dramatic changes to the investing landscape, in Patterson's view.

☆ Elon Musk says 50 Tesla software engineers brought in to review Twitter's code had volunteered for the job
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk told a court that 50 Tesla engineers working at Twitter weren't "Tesla assets." He said that's because the Tesla staff had volunteered to work at the company after-hours. Musk was testifying over a shareholder lawsuit which says his $55 billion pay package was excessive. When questioned if it was a good idea to use Tesla resources at Twitter, Musk said he "didn't think of this as using Tesla assets." Musk — who is the CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX, and is acting as CEO at Twitter — was in court over a Tesla shareholder lawsuit.

☆ Elon Musk says he doesn't want to be CEO of any company and tries to walk back SEC insults
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk said in court on Wednesday that he does not want to be the CEO of any company. "I expect to reduce my time at Twitter and find somebody else to run Twitter over time," he said. Musk explained during the testimony that CEO is not necessarily an apt description for the work he says he does at his companies. Musk said he only called on Tesla employees to assist him at Twitter on a "voluntary basis," and to work "after-hours" at Twitter. The Tesla CEO specified that, "This was an after hours-- just if you're interested in evaluating, helping me evaluate Twitter engineering… that'd be nice.

☆ Ford: U.S. should ease 'foreign entity' rules so that more EVs get tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Thursday the U.S. Treasury Department should limit the definition of a "foreign entity of concern" to ensure more electric vehicles can qualify for up to $7,500 in consumer tax credits. In August, Congress passed the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) legislation to restructure EV tax credits and, will, in the coming years, bar credits if any EV battery components were manufactured or assembled by a "foreign entity of concern" or if batteries contain critical minerals extracted, processed, or recycled by a foreign entity of concern. The company also said any U.S.-organized company, regardless of its owners, should not trigger the foreign entity rules. Ford also said automakers need a "de minimis standard" as part of foreign entity reporting requirements "so that unintended traces of critical minerals do not disqualify consumers from getting a tax credit." The foreign entity restrictions apply to vehicle battery components starting in 2024 and battery minerals beginning in 2025.

Standard Chartered (STAN.L), a competitor of HSBC in emerging markets, said earlier this year it would end all direct coal financing for clients by 2032. The Global Coal Exit List, which tracks finance firms' ties to the coal sector, said HSBC's fund arm exposure was $3.4 billion at end-November. HSBC said it will have engaged with all listed companies in its actively managed portfolios with more than 10% of revenues from thermal coal by next year. HSBC said in its 2021 annual report that the bank's thermal coal loan exposure was $1 billion, or 0.2% of its total wholesale loan book. When it comes to holding the boards of companies with significant thermal coal exposure to account, HSBC said its fund arm would vote against the election of board chairs at companies planning to expand production and use of thermal coal.

Search resuls for: "de minimis"

22 mentions found