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☆ An oil expert breaks down China's role in crude markets as a key Russian fuel sinks far below the $60-a-barrel price cap
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian Urals, the nation's largest crude oil export, is trading at roughly $38 a barrel, well below the $60 price cap. "Softer market conditions have made the [price] cap somewhat moot," he told Insider. But in Brew's view, the key variable behind cheap Russian oil is China. Whether China sees fuel demand come roaring back will hold the biggest sway over prices for Russian oil. "Softer market conditions have made the [price] cap somewhat moot," Brew said.

Now, as the virus sweeps through a country of 1.4 billion people who lack natural immunity having been shielded for so long, there is growing concern about possible deaths, virus mutations and the impact, again, on the economy. Beijing reported five COVID-related deaths on Tuesday, following two on Monday which were the first fatalities reported in weeks. Authorities have also been racing to build so-called fever clinics, facilities where medical staff check patients' symptoms and administer medicines. In the past week, major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wenzhou announced they had added hundreds of fever clinics, according to government WeChat accounts and media reports. A survey by World Economics showed on Monday China's business confidence fell in December to its lowest since January 2013.

☆ Rouble plunges below 68 per dollar to hit over 7-month low
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Alexander Marrow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Rouble dives around 5% against dollar, yuanHits 68.1100 vs dollar, weakest since May 11Weak oil prices, sanctions fears hurtThis content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in UkraineMOSCOW, Dec 19 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble slumped past 68 per U.S. dollar to a more than seven-month low on Monday, hurt by low oil prices and fears that sanctions on Russian oil could crimp the country's export revenue. By 1248 GMT, the rouble was 5.3% weaker against the dollar at 68.02 , its weakest mark since May 11. The currency also lost 4.2% to trade at 72.00 against the euro , its weakest since May 6. Relatively low oil prices and risks of lower export revenue in the light of the $60-a-barrel price cap on Russian oil imposed by the G7, the European Union and Australia, have pressured the rouble. The dollar-denominated RTS index (.IRTS) was down 5.4% to 982.8 points, a more than two-month low.

☆ Russia's deep oil discounts drove revenue down $700 million last month even as its exports jumped, the IEA says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's revenue from oil exports fell by $700 million in November, according to the IEA. Deep discounts and falling crude prices drove down revenue despite a jump in exports, it said. A G7 price cap on Russian crude will slash output and pressure global prices upward next year, the agency added. Deep discounts and lower global crude prices drove Moscow's export revenue down by $700 million in November to $15.8 billion, the IEA said in its monthly report. This comes alongside the impact of recent declines in global oil prices amid fears of a recession.

☆ Shares of this under-the-radar global miner are set to rally 50%, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares in Sylvania Platinum , a little-known London-listed miner, are set to rise by 50%, according to Ben Davis, mining analyst at Liberum Capital. The company, which extracts metals such as platinum, palladium, and chrome, also offers an 8% dividend yield. Shares in the company were trading around £1 ($1.21) Friday, but Davis sees them hitting £1.50 in 12 months. Sylvania Platinum is also favored by Neil Shah, director at the investment research group Edison Group. The metals the company extracts are bought by both investors and industrial customers, which means their prices are more resilient than other commodities during economic downturns.

WASHINGTON/SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec 8 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law, is about to engage in a real-life courtroom fight over virtual reality. On Thursday, a high-profile trial kicks off in which the FTC will try to prevent Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) from buying virtual reality app developer Within Inc. The FTC sued in July to stop the deal, saying Meta's acquisition of Within would "tend to create a monopoly" in the market for virtual reality (VR) fitness apps. The majority of the more than 400 apps available in the Quest app store are produced by external developers. Meta owns the most popular virtual reality app in the Quest app store, Beat Saber, which it acquired in 2019.

In sparse comments on workplace conditions, however, national health officials have urged that high-risk areas should be much more narrowly defined, while production or business operations continue elsewhere. As he stockpiles medicines against such an eventuality, he has told staff to follow new guidelines to stay home if they got infected, in which case he plans to pay them half their wages. To avoid disruption from any infections, Yang initially considered shutting the factory early ahead of the Lunar New Year, but ultimately set aside that option. In Beijing, some state firms and banks are grouping staff into teams to ensure work continues despite any outbreak, sources told Reuters. "I am confident it will be a mess for about 3 months," saidthe firm's executive vice president, Renaud Anjoran.

☆ The price cap on Russian oil is 'immaterial' and won't make a significant difference on market pricing, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The European Union's price cap on Russian oil started Monday, and it's set to $60 a barrel. The CEO of Vanda Insights told Bloomberg that the impact of the price cap on markets, however, will be muted. "Even as the price cap has been set currently at $60, it's above five dollars above where Russian crude has been trading towards the end of last week." "It's certainly not going to achieve one of its critical aims, which was to try and crimp Russian oil revenues," Hari said. Hari said it will be the combination of weak demand in China and a global economic downturn that determine how oil prices move, rather than the price cap on Russian crude.

☆ Ukraine urges tougher Western squeeze on Russian oil prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Saturday for a lower price cap on Russian oil than the one agreed to by Ukraine's Western supporters, while Russian authorities called the $60-per-barrel cap harmful to free, stable markets. The cap is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea. "It would be necessary to lower it to $30 in order to destroy the enemy's economy faster," Yermak wrote on Telegram, staking out a position also favored by Poland — a leading critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. The Russian Embassy in Washington insisted that Russian oil "will continue to be in demand" and criticized the price limit as "reshaping the basic principles of the functioning of free markets." A post on the embassy's Telegram channel predicted the per-barrel cap would lead to "a widespread increase in uncertainty and higher costs for consumers of raw materials."

☆ Piper Sandler cuts estimates for Apple's Dec quarter as China worries mount
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 1 (Reuters) - Analysts at Piper Sandler on Thursday cut their revenue and iPhone sales estimates for Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) December quarter, as Beijing's strict lockdowns crimp production at the world's biggest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China. The brokerage now expects $119 billon in revenue for the current quarter from an earlier projection of $127.3 billion, with iPhone unit sales of about 74 million against 83 million previously expected. "More than 50% of assembled iPhones come from Foxconn's (2317.TW) Zhengzhou plant. Production woes for Apple were heightened by a rare example of large-scale labour unrest in China, where Foxconn workers clashed with security personnel in Zhengzhou. Apple might prioritize iPhone 14 Pro production over other models, the brokerage said, given the higher average selling price for the product.

South Korea's economic growth was fast losing momentum at latest measure as higher living costs erode household income and crimp demand, pressuring the Bank of Korea (BoK) to strike a balance between inflation and growth. All but one of 30 economists in the Nov. 15-21 poll forecast the BoK would raise its policy rate (KROCRT=ECI) by 25 basis points to 3.25% on Thursday. If the majority view prevails, the BoK will take rates to the highest level since 2012. "Amid climbing concerns about growth and the credit market, the case for hiking at a more gradual pace has strengthened further." Nearly 60% of respondents, 17 of 30, forecast another hike by 25 basis points by end-March, taking rates to 3.50%.

☆ Rising Interest Rates Put Small Business Owners’ Plans on Hold
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Ruth Simon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Add rising interest rates to the challenges that small businesses are already grappling with, including inflation, labor shortages and strained supply chains. Some small businesses are cutting back on borrowing, paying down debt or delaying expansion plans as interest rates rise. Others worry that rising rates will boost prices charged by suppliers and crimp customer demand.

That would surpass the October 2020 peak of 89% in the central bank series dating back to 2006. "It reduces the degree of freedom for the central bank to manage monetary policy," said Ramos. Brazil's central bank has held interest rates at 13.75% since August, after 12 straight hikes that lifted rates from a 2% record low in March 2021. Lula campaigned openly against the constitutional spending cap that limits spending growth to inflation. The proposal also removes some public investments from the cap, opening space for another 23 billion reais in public spending next year.

The valuations of listed financial technology firms have plunged 70% in 2022, analysts at Jefferies Group said in a note last week. The Columbus, Ohio regional bank is scouring for more targets after it bought Torana, a payments fintech, in May. PNC Financial Services Inc (PNC.N) in September bought Linga, a fintech focused on restaurant operations and sales. The slide in fintech valuations coincides with banks earning more from traditional lending businesses as interest rates rise. Fintech deals enable banks to buy new technology or products instead of developing them in-house.

☆ Even with slower inflation, consumer sentiment weakened sharply in November, survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

On an annual basis, the headline index reading fell 18.8%, while the current conditions measure was off 21.5% and the future expectations measure slid 17%. The University of Michigan release comes a day after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index rose 0.4% in October, below the 0.6% estimate. "For low-income households in particular, higher prices for essentials limit discretionary spending, crimp savings, and contribute to higher credit card debt." Inflation expectations edged higher in the month despite October's CPI reading, which showed that year-over-year prices rose 7.7%, compared to 8.2% the previous month. The sentiment index reached its historic low in June as worries accelerate that the U.S. already was in recession or heading for one.

The economy would likely grow above the government's 6.5%-7.5% growth target for 2022, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told a media briefing. On a quarterly basis, gross domestic product (GDP) rose 2.9% versus a 0.1% contraction in April-June and an expected 1% rise, the data showed. "While these developments are remarkable, I want to underscore that our nation still faces a considerable burden in the form of high inflation," Balisacan said. Balisacan said the government remained committed to fighting inflation to protect people's purchasing power, including by tightening monetary policy. "In the face of surging prices, that's a big upside surprise," said ING economist Nicholas Mapa.

☆ EU backs watering down of final Basel bank capital rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - European Union member states have backed a temporary watering down and two-year delay to 2025 for the final leg of the globally agreed Basel III bank capital rules, the Czech EU presidency said on Tuesday. EU states will now negotiate a final deal with the European Parliament in early 2023. Most of the Basel III rules, a set of tougher capital rules for banks after the global financial crisis more than a decade ago, have already been implemented. EU ministers backed a two-year delay to the start date for rolling out the final rules, pushing it back to January, 2025. Smaller banks would benefit from simpler disclosure, and EU states pushed back against attempts at stricter EU harmonisation in checking whether top bank staff are 'fit and proper'.

Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) jumped over 6% following a report that the company was planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid 1 2Unofficially, the S&P 500 climbed 0.96% to end the session at 3,806.90 points. S&P 500 by market capOf the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, eight rose, led by communication services (.SPLRCL) which was up 1.83%, followed by a 1.73% gain in energy (.SPNY). Advancing issues outnumbered falling ones within the S&P 500 (.AD.SPX) by a 2.8-to-one ratio. The S&P 500 posted 18 new highs and 15 new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 93 new highs and 221 new lows.

[1/4] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2022. Traders are now betting on 61% odds of a 50-basis point rate hike at the U.S. central bank's meeting in December. Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) climbed 5.4% following a report that the company was planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.14-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.02-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded 15 new 52-week highs and 11 new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 58 new highs and 145 new lows.

[1/2] A Wall Street sign outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, New York, U.S., October 2, 2020. A split government could result in political gridlock that stymies major policy changes, an outcome that investors see as favorable for equities. Shares of Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) climbed 5.4% following a report that the company was planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners for a 1.31-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 1.10-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded six new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 43 new highs and 95 new lows.

☆ China coal imports slip from 10-month high in Oct as COVID curbs crimp demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Muyu Xu | Clyde Russell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 7 (Reuters) - China's coal imports slipped in October after hitting a 10-month high in September, as Beijing's ultra-strict COVID-19 restrictions dampened demand for the power generation fuel. Coal arrivals in October totalled 29.18 million tonnes, up 8.3% from a year earlier, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Monday. Coal imports hit 33.05 million tonnes in the prior month. Coal-fired power and heating plants typically start to build inventory in October. But a stronger dollar is making imported coal more expensive for Chinese buyers and eating into profit margins at power plants.

☆ Hong Kong stocks log best week in more than a decade
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) soared more than 5% on Friday and finished the week up 8.7%, logging its biggest gain since 2011. China’s Shanghai Composite (SHCOMP) rose 5.3% this week, its best performance in more than two years. David Chao, global market strategist for Invesco Asia-Pacific, said some of this investor angst appears to have lifted. The Hang Seng shot up 5.4%, while the Shanghai Composite gained 2.4%. The Hang Seng has plummeted 31% year-to-date, compared to a 22% drop in the S&P 500.

☆ Most Gulf markets drop as cenbanks toe hawkish Fed line
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

read more read moreSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the region's two largest economies, both increased rates by 75 basis points. The Saudi central bank, also known as SAMA, lifted its repo and reverse repo rates to 4.5% and 4%, respectively. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (<.TASI>) dropped 0.8%, hit by a 1.6% fall in Al Rajhi Bank (<1120.SE>) and a 2.1% drop in Riyad Bank (<1010.SE>). Since Oct. 27, SNB market-cap has shed 25.74 billion riyals ($6.85 billion), according Refinitiv Eikon Data. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (<.EGX30>) rose 0.2%, helped by a 1.2% gain in Commercial International Bank Egypt (<COMI.CA>).

☆ October job growth could be slowest in nearly 2 years, but unemployment remains extremely low
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Economists expect 205,000 jobs were added in October, and forecast the unemployment rate stayed at 3.5%, according to Dow Jones. That compares to job growth of 263,000 in September. Job squeeze seen, but not yetEconomists expect rate hikes will eventually slow the economy enough to crimp the job market. He expects 170,000 jobs were added, which would be the slowest job growth since there was an actual contraction in payrolls in December 2020. "We added 3.8 million jobs year-to-date, and it's the second strongest annual number since 1984," she said.

SEOUL, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Across South Korea, events such as autumn foliage festivals and K-Pop concerts are canceled, and grief-stricken communities are putting off gatherings after a Seoul crowd crush killed at least 154 people, threatening to crimp growth further. Universities have canceled weekend retreats known as MTs, and the opening event of the two-week Korea Sale Festa, the Korean version of the Black Friday, was called off. South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju called off the Jeju Olle Walking Festival, scheduled from Nov 3 to 5. The Korea Baseball Organization and Korea Volleyball Federation both said there won't be cheerleaders during its championship series. South Korea's economic growth already decelerated last quarter in response to slowing exports and a weakening currency.

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