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☆ Nasdaq hits 13-month high as investors look ahead to OPEC+ meeting and Apple headset event
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It was a strong week for all three major stock indices, with the market bolstered Friday by strong jobs data and a deal in Washington to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. The S & P 500, the Nasdaq and the Dow Jones Industrial Average all finished the week roughly 2% higher. While Friday's rally broadened out beyond just the usual tech stocks, the Nasdaq ended Friday at its highest level since April 2022. This is the key data to look out for in the week ahead: Monday, June 5 9:15 a.m. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

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☆ Mercedes plans new electric van platform, 20% cost cuts by mid-decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - Mercedes-Benz's (MBGn.DE) van unit said on Tuesday that it plans a new, scalable platform for its electric vans that will reduce fixed costs by 20% by the middle of the decade and that electric models should make up 50% of its van sales by 2030. Electric vans should make up 20% of sales by 2026, Mercedes' van unit said, adding it expects double-digit margins on zero-emission model sales by the end of the decade. All new midsize and large van models will be based on what Mercedes described as an "innovative, modular and scalable electric architecture" called VAN.EA. Legacy automakers got off to a late start with their commercial electric vans, opening the door for other electric commercial vehicle (ECV) makers to gain a foothold, such as the Maxus brand from China's SAIC Motor Corp (600104.SS) has done in Europe. Customer demand for electric vans has taken off and is expected to outstrip supply for some years to come.

☆ A protestor threw a cake-like pastry at a board member's head during a Volkswagen meeting that descended into chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

About a dozen protestors reportedly created chaos at Volkswagen Groups annual meeting on Wednesday. One protestor threw what appeared to be a cake at a board member's head. The Associated Press reported that the pastry was thrown in the direction of Wolfgang Porsche, the chairman of Volkswagen Group's majority shareholder, Porsche SE. But recordings of the moment, uploaded to YouTube from news outlets including The Guardian, show VW Group chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch dodging remnants of the pastry that flew in his direction. A Reuters video from the event shows the protestors being led out of the meeting by security.

[1/3] Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG and Dr. Ing. He did not mention the company's Xinjiang plant in China, a joint venture with SAIC Motor (600104.SS), which has become a sore point for human rights activists as well as some shareholders, including top-20 investors Deka Investment and Union Investment. "Volkswagen must be certain that its supply chains are clean," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at Deka. Volkswagen's China chief visited the plant in Xinjiang earlier this year and said he saw no evidence of forced labour. Shareholders flagged rising competition from Chinese EV competitors in China, with BYD (002594.SZ) outselling Volkswagen as the top passenger car brand earlier this year.

☆ Chinese competition, Xinjiang plant loom large for Volkswagen investors at AGM
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, May 10 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) investors will demand answers from the carmakers' executives at its annual general meeting on Wednesday on its competitiveness in China and its contested plant in Xinjiang, advance copies of their speeches showed. "Volkswagen must be certain that its supply chains are clean," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at Deka. Volkswagen's China chief visited the plant in Xinjiang, jointly owned with SAIC (600104.SS) earlier this year and said he saw no evidence of forced labour. Shareholders will also flag the rising competition from Chinese electric vehicle competitors in China, with BYD outselling the Volkswagen brand to be the bestselling passenger car brand earlier this year. Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Jan Schwartz; Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Volkswagen defends China record at turbulent shareholder meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Volkswagen defended its record in China and its decision to jointly own a plant in the Xinjiang region after activists and investors lashed out at the carmaker at a volatile annual general shareholder meeting on Wednesday. The United Nations said last year that China's "arbitrary and discriminatory detention" of Uyghurs and other Muslims in its Xinjiang region may constitute crimes against humanity. Rights groups have documented abuses including mass forced labour in detention camps which China has denied. Investors called on Volkswagen to request its joint venture partner SAIC seeks an independent external audit of the Xinjiang plant. "Volkswagen must be certain that its supply chains are clean," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at Deka, a top-20 Volkswagen shareholder.

MG Motor's hybrid eHS model is set to hit Mexico's streets on Friday, alongside two combustion-engine models, the company said. However, hybrid models could be a step forward until there is more EV investment, analysts have said. "For your day-to-day, you'll have the benefits of an electric vehicle," Daniel Nava, vice president of MG Motor in Mexico, told Reuters ahead of the announcement. Nava said the price in Mexico reflects that the model is a plug-in hybrid, which is more costly than other hybrid models, and is comparable to competitors' prices. Nava said MG Motor had been in touch with officials in Nuevo Leon as well as other states as it considered building a plant in the country.

☆ Shanghai pushes carmakers for automotive chip investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies SAIC Motor Corp Ltd FollowBEIJING, April 15 (Reuters) - Shanghai will encourage SAIC Motor (600104.SS) and other vehicle manufacturers to actively participate in automotive chip investment, as well as support the formation of expert groups and industry alliances, government media The Paper reported on Saturday. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Liz Lee; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lack of electric vans opens door for Chinese, other EV makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/3] Tristan Thomas, CEO of Packfleet, demonstrates charging an electric van made by Chinese brand Maxus at the fully-electric package delivery firm's headquarters in London, Britain, October 27, 2022. Packfleet grew tenfold in 2022 and CEO Tristan Thomas said most of the company's 53-vehicle fleet are Maxus vans. SAIC said it sold 18,000 mostly electric Maxus brand vehicles in Western Europe and Scandinavia last year, including buses and pickup trucks. Fleet manager Sean Clifton has 50 additional Ford vans and 20 Maxus vans on order, but will need more soon as Asda electrifies its 1,300 delivery vans. There is no difference in delays for conventional and electric vans at Renault, said commercial vehicle marketing director John Cleworth.

☆ China's Zeekr launches electric SUV, targets Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Zoey ZhangCHENGDU, China, April 12 (Reuters) - Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr on Wednesday launched a compact, all-electric sport utility vehicle, as it targeted a premium market in China that has been dominated by German automakers. The Geely-owned [RIC:RIC:GEELY.UL] brand said it also planned to offer the SUV-styled Zeekr X and its Zeekr 001 EV sedan in Western Europe without saying when that would be. The company will start delivering the Zeekr X in China from June with a target of delivering 40,000 this year, An said. After Europe, Zeekr will target Asian markets outside China, An said without providing details. It sold 15,234 of its two existing models - the 001 sedan and the 009 multi-purpose vehicle - in the first quarter, accounting for just 2% of China's battery electric vehicle sales.

☆ Hot off an up quarter for stocks, investors turn to jobs, manufacturing data
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Another busy week of macroeconomic data will kick of the new quarter, following a volatile first quarter for stocks that ultimately finished in the black. The market's second quarter kicks off Monday with the ISM manufacturing report, followed on Tuesday by data on factory orders. We're looking for a Goldilocks report: not so hot to stoke more inflation fears, but not so cold to intensify worries about a recession. Wednesday's ADP employment report is also important, given the Fed's goal of slowing the job market to bring down inflation. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Luminar CFO defends lidar maker's pricing and revenue in the wake of a Goldman downgrade
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A Mercedes-Benz van retrofitted with different types of lidar systems, including Luminar's Iris, to showcase the differences in the technologies. Lidar maker Luminar Technologies , stung by a recent Wall Street downgrade, is responding in an unusual way: taking its case directly to the shareholders. "We continue to see Luminar as one of a handful of leaders in the very competitive lidar industry," Delaney wrote. "'Premium pricing' isn't a theoretical concept we are forecasting, but an achievement we have already made in our major customer contracts," Fennimore wrote in the shareholder letter. And the second point Fennimore says Goldman missed: The time frame Delaney chose to compare Luminar's valuation against those of its rivals.

Spot lithium carbonate prices assessed by Fastmarkets fell to 260,000 yuan ($38,079.06) per tonne this week, less than half the price quoted last November. Five analysts polled by Reuters last month had expected the price would drop to 300,000 yuan by the end of this year. "The unprecedented price cuts among traditional auto makers will eat EVs' market share in the short term, hitting lithium demand further," said Vicky Zhao, a Beijing-based senior analyst at Fastmarkets. Lithium prices in the United States and Europe have also fallen, albeit less sharply, amid rising but still tight supplies and a stronger outlook for EV sales. ($1 = 6.8279 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Siyi Liu and Dominique Patton; Editing by Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ From Tesla to under-the-radar battery stocks: Wall Street has a playbook for the EV boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The bank's "Battery Electric Vehicles Basket" comprises several stocks across the EV supply chain, including automakers Rivian , Lucid and Li Auto . This may be the opportune moment for Chinese EV brands to knock on the doors of Europe." Among the Chinese EV makers, BYD, Nio and Xpeng are "the ones to watch," according to Bernstein. "We expect Chinese EV players to find better success targeting the compact, mass market EV segment that has so far been under-penetrated in Europe," the bank said. Tesla and under-the-radar plays Tesla is one of Deutsche Bank 's top picks in the EV space.

☆ Volkswagen joins China price war as new emissions rule looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Guangzhou Automobile Group, the Chinese partner of both Honda Motor Co Ltd and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), has also offered subsidies running from March 15 to March 31. Chinese passenger vehicle sales fell 20% in January-February, industry data showed, even as some manufacturers offered reduced prices to stimulate demand. Sales of new energy vehicles, which include all-battery and plug-in battery-petrol hybrid vehicles, grew faster than the overall market, accounting for over 30% in February. In the same month, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ) outsold Volkswagen-branded cars for the second month in four. ($1 = 6.8923 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ SAIC-Volkswagen offers $537 mln in subsidies through April 30
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Guangzhou Automobile Group, the Chinese partner of both Honda Motor Co Ltd and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), has also offered subsidies running from March 15 to March 31. Chinese passenger vehicle sales fell 20% in January-February, industry data showed, even as some manufacturers offered reduced prices to stimulate demand. Sales of new energy vehicles, which include all-battery and plug-in battery-petrol hybrid vehicles, grew faster than the overall market, accounting for over 30% in February. In the same month, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ) outsold Volkswagen-branded cars for the second month in four. ($1 = 6.8923 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zoey Zhang and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ General Motors' China business is hurting, and it's not just because of Covid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

He purchased his Nio over models from rival Chinese automakers Xpeng , Li Auto and IM Motors. GM's operations in the country are much larger than those of its crosstown rival Ford Motor, for example. Equity income from GM's Chinese operations and joint ventures has fallen 67% since its peak of more than $2 billion in 2014 and 2015. And the rising quality of domestic-made electric vehicles helped support — and tap — growing nationalistic pride among China's consumers. In February, Ford named Sam Wu, a former Whirlpool executive who joined the automaker in October, as president and chief executive of its China operations, starting March 1.

☆ Morgan Stanley says this EV-adjacent stock can rally nearly 40% as adoption in China accelerates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hesai can outshine peers with its laser imaging, detection and ranging technology for electric vehicles, Morgan Stanley said. Analyst Tim Hsiao rated the stock overweight with a price target of $26.50. Hsiao's price target implies an upside of 39.5% from Monday's close. "We think Hesai outshines peers, with its superior scale and margin, and its strong project pipeline." The company also has a strong project pipeline that includes partnerships with established automakers such as Li Auto and SAIC and newer entrants including Jidu and Xiaomi .

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Tesla, Snowflake, Salesforce, Nio, Nvidia & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

JPMorgan downgrades Nio to neutral from overweight JPMorgan said it sees too many challenges after the Nio's earnings report on Wednesday. JPMorgan downgrades Dollar Tree to neutral from overweight JPMorgan said it sees too many macro headwinds for the discount retailer. Morgan Stanley upgrades Pinduoduo to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the ag-tech company is a "long-term growth story." Morgan Stanley reiterates Liberty Formula One as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's bullish on shares of the auto racing company. Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla as overweight Morgan Stanley said competitors can't keep up after Tesla's investor day on Wednesday.

REUTERS/Wolfgang RattaySummarySummary Companies Volkswagen China chief toured Xinjiang plant on Feb 16-17Carmaker contractually bound to plant until 2030Company notes 'more repressive approach' in region since 2015No indication of forced labour on visit - China chiefPlant no longer assembling cars, 65% staff cutBERLIN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is contractually committed to its plant in Xinjiang until 2030, it said on Tuesday, after its China chief made the first visit by senior management to the plant in mid-February and said he saw no signs of forced labour. Ralf Brandstaetter, who has headed the carmaker's China operations since the middle of last year, spent 1-1/2 days on Feb. 16-17 touring the facility with Volkswagen's compliance and external relations chief in China. I can try and verify the facts [from joint venture partner SAIC], and that's what I did. China has strenuously denied any abuses in Xinjiang. Around 190 workers had also undertaken retraining and qualification programmes at other SAIC plants across China.

☆ Volkswagen sees no sign of forced labor at its plant in Xinjiang
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Volkswagen faced a barrage of criticism from campaigners Tuesday after the head of its Chinese business said he saw no sign of forced labor during a visit to the carmaker’s plant in Xinjiang. Activists and an international group of lawmakers said verifying labor standards in the region was impossible. Rights groups have documented human rights abuses in Xinjiang since the 2000s, including mass forced labor in detention camps which the United Nations said could constitute crimes against humanity. Brandstaetter said he saw no signs of forced labor and that workers’ comments matched the reports Volkswagen had received from SAIC about the plant. Reputational riskVolkswagen says it has never found evidence of forced labor among its Xinjiang workforce and its presence is positive for the local population.

☆ Uber to introduce EVs in India in push to clean cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Aditi Shah | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies (UBER.N) said on Monday it will introduce electric vehicles (EVs) in India for ride-sharing, its first move to adopt clean cars amid an Indian government push for greater electrification of public transport and shared mobility. Uber's fleet partners will buy the EVs from Tata Motors (TAMO.NS), India's biggest electric carmaker, Prabhjeet Singh, president, Uber India and South Asia, said during a phone interview on Monday. Even with 25,000 EVs, electric cars will still be a fraction of Uber's current overall active fleet of 300,000 vehicles in India, according to Singh. Uber has set a 2040 target for 100% of its rides to be in zero-emission vehicles, public transport or with micro-mobility, including in India. Tata rival Mahindra & Mahindra (MAHM.NS) is the only other Indian automaker to build electric cars locally.

☆ VW's China JV with SAIC names Jia Jianxu as its new head
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] People visit the Volkswagen booth during a media day for the Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai, China April 19, 2021. REUTERS/Aly SongSHANGHAI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's joint venture with China's SAIC Motor (600104.SS) said on Monday it had appointed Jia Jianxu, a veteran executive at the state-owned Chinese automaker, as its new general manager. Since 2018, Jia has been the general manager at Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, a SAIC-owned vehicle seat maker, and helped develop its intelligent cockpit products. Jia's appointment comes as Volkswagen is ramping up its efforts in electric vehicles (EVs) in China, with its I.D. Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Investments in Indonesia's nickel industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are some of the major investment deals involving nickel in Indonesia:Jan. 2020: Indonesia bans exports of unprocessed nickel to attract investment in downstream processing. Dec. 2020: Indonesia's investment ministry signs an MOU with LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) on integrated EV battery investment with total investment of $9.8 billion. 2021: Indonesia establishes the Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), a joint venture of state owned enterprises to cooperate with foreign investors in developing an EV battery supply chain. Jan. 2022: Indonesia's Investment Ministry signs an MoU with Foxconn (2317.TW), Gogoro Inc, IBC and Indika Energy (INDY.JK) for investment in electric vehicle and battery development. Sept 2022: Vale Indonesia signs an agreement with Zhejiang Huayou to build a second plant to produce nickel MHP with 60,000 tonnes capacity.

LONDON/HONG KONG, Feb 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - China has been a golden goose for western carmakers like Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) and BMW (BMWG.DE). Chinese groups like electric vehicle leader BYD (002594.SZ), (1211.HK) are targeting foreign markets. At JATO’s estimate of 56,000 euros, the average price of an electric vehicle in Europe is still too high for most punters. The lower cost of manufacturing in China may help Chinese carmakers absorb tariffs, while western groups could suffer from reprisals. The result may be that western groups have to jostle for a smaller place in their home markets but also cut prices, hurting profitability.

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