DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Chinese authorities call on retired soldiers to help Foxconn iPhone plant -SSN
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Local authorities in China's Henan province are urging retired soldiers and government workers to take on stints at Foxconn's (2317.TW) iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday. Foxconn declined to comment on the hiring schemes, and also declined to give further updates on the Zhengzhou plant's manufacturing status. Apple last week lowered its forecast for shipments of the premium iPhone 14 model due to the situation. Reuters last month reported that Foxconn's production of Apple's iPhones at the Zhengzhou factory could slump by as much as 30% in November. On Tuesday, the Henan Daily reported that the factory received its first batch of new workers on Nov. 13.

The number of daily cases in China rose from 11,950 on Nov. 11, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Sunday. Capital city Beijing reported a record 235 new daily cases, up from 116 the previous day, local government data showed. Zhengzhou city in the Henan province, home to Apple supplier Foxconn's plant (2317.TW), reported a record 2,642 new daily cases. Foxconn has said it aims to resume full production in the second half of November, after operations were disrupted due to COVID prevention measures. read moreNHC said in a statement on Sunday that the COVID prevention and control situation remained "serious and complex".

☆ China eases Covid rules, shortening quarantine for inbound travelers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

BEIJING — China on Friday eased some of its draconian Covid rules, including shortening quarantines by two days for close contacts of infected people and for inbound travelers, and removing a penalty for airlines for bringing in too many cases. Under the new rules, centralized quarantine times for close contacts and travelers from abroad were shortened from seven days to five days. The requirement for three further days in home isolation after centralized quarantine remains. Inbound passengers are transported by bus to their quarantine hotels after arriving at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai in January. “This meeting further illustrates policymakers have started to focus more on optimizing the Covid control policies,” Goldman Sachs said in a note following Thursday’s Politburo Standing Committee meeting but before Friday’s announcement.

☆ China's COVID curbs intensify as cases surge to highest since Shanghai lockdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Aly SongBEIJING, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Chinese authorities stepped up COVID-19 lockdowns and other curbs to halt clusters from spreading as China's case load soared to its highest since this year's Shanghai lockdown, with Beijing and Zhengzhou seeing record daily cases. China reported on Friday 10,535 new locally transmitted cases for Nov. 10, the highest since April 29, when the country's commercial hub, Shanghai, was battling its most serious outbreak. The southern city of Guangzhou, the current epicentre of China's COVID fight, reported 2,824 new local cases for Nov. 10, the fourth day in which infections exceeded 2,000. TIGHTER MEASURESOther major cities such as Beijing, Zhengzhou and Chongqing have tightened measures this week as daily cases renewed all-time highs. Beijing reported 118 new local cases for Nov. 10, a daily record but still low compared with other Chinese cities.

☆ China warns against extra 'layers' of COVID curbs as outbreaks widen
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A boy gets tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a nucleic acid testing site, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China, November 9, 2022. China is grappling with its highest tallies of coronavirus cases since April, raising questions about its zero-COVID policy that has frustrated the public and inflicted damage on the world's second-largest economy. It cited improvements in the implementation of measures in some major cities such as Zhengzhou, in the central province of Henan. The economic costs of COVID in China, where the virus first emerged in December 2019, are being felt in most sectors. This month, Apple supplier and iPhone assembler Foxconn (2317.TW) was rocked by discontent over stringent COVID measures, with many workers fleeing the site.

The districts in Guangzhou subject to mass testing this week include Haizhu, which has seen the bulk of the city's cases. Lily Li, a Guangzhou resident, said the outbreak in the city had worsened in the past two days, having spread to Tianhe, just north of Haizhu. While COVID cases in China are small by global standards, the policy response has been relentless and mass testing for large populations has been the norm since 2020. Mass testing is generally free, but some local governments are resuming charges for tests as their finances come under strain amid a slowing economy. A COVID testing company in Xuchang, a city in Henan province, said on Tuesday they would stop all testing-related work from Friday due to late payments from authorities.

☆ Guangzhou's COVID outbreak deepens as more lockdowns loom in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The increase was modest by global standards but significant for China, where outbreaks are quickly tackled when they surface. Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, reported 2,377 new local cases for Nov. 7, up from 1,971 the previous day. "The lockdown situation has continued to deteriorate quickly across the country over the past week, with our in-house China COVID lockdown index rising to 12.2% of China's total GDP from 9.5% last Monday," Nomura wrote in a note on Monday. "We continue to believe that, while Beijing may fine-tune some of its COVID measures in coming weeks, those fine-tuning measures could be more than offset by local officials' tightening of the zero-COVID strategy." In the southwest metropolis of Chongqing, the city reported 281 new local cases, more than doubling from 120 a day earlier.

The comments marked the first time the two nations have been lumped into the list of major emitters that island states say should be held to account for damage already being wrought by global warming. "We all know that the People's Republic of China, India - they're major polluters, and the polluter must pay," Browne said. To date, climate vulnerable countries have called on historical emitters like the United States, United Kingdom and the EU to pay climate reparations. China itself has previously supported the creation of a loss and damage fund but has not said it should pay into it. The EU and United States have said that China, the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, should pay.

[1/5] A man holds an iPhone 14 as Apple Inc's new models go on sale at an Apple store in Beijing, China, September 16, 2022. "We continue to see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. However, we now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated," it said in a statement. Apple, which began selling its iPhone 14 range in September, said customers should expect longer waiting times. It has iPhone production sites in India and southern China, but its biggest is in the city of Zhengzhou in the eastern Chinese province of Henan.

[1/5] People look at Apple products as Apple Inc's new iPhone 14 models go on sale in Beijing, China, September 16, 2022. "We continue to see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. However, we now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated," it said. Its main Zhengzhou plant in central China, which employs about 200,000 people, has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with many workers fleeing the site. Foxconn, formally Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, is Apple's biggest iPhone maker, accounting for 70% of iPhone shipments globally.

☆ Apple supplier Foxconn says working to resume China production as soon as possible
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TAIPEI, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foxconn, Apple Inc's biggest iPhone maker, said on Monday it was working to resume full production at a major plant in China's Zhengzhou as soon as possible that has been hit by COVID-19 curbs, and revised down its fourth quarter outlook. "Foxconn is now working with the government in concerted effort to stamp out the pandemic and resume production to its full capacity as quickly as possible." Foxconn, formally Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, is Apple's biggest iPhone maker, accounting for 70% of iPhone shipments globally. Having previously guided for "cautious optimism" in the fourth quarter, Foxconn said it will "revise down" its outlook given events in Zhengzhou. Computing products, smart consumer electronics products, and cloud and networking products all showed double-digit growth last month, compared to the same period last year, the company added.

☆ China vows to continue with 'dynamic-clearing' COVID strategy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The country's strict COVID containment approach is still able to control the virus, despite the high transmissibility of COVID variants and asymptomatic carriers, an official from the China National Health Commission told a news conference. Asked if there would be a change of policy in the near term, disease control official Hu Xiang said China's measures are "completely correct, as well as the most economical and effective." The briefing followed a week in which markets surged on hope China would relax restrictions, buoyed further on Friday when a former disease control official told a banking conference that China would make "substantial" changes to COVID policy in the coming months. "We attach great importance to these problems and are rectifying them," said Tuo Jia, another disease control official. China reported 3,837 new COVID-19 infections for Friday, of which 657 were symptomatic and 3,180 were asymptomatic, a slight decrease from the six-month-high of 4,045 new COVID-19 infections reported a day earlier.

☆ The Fed, earnings, jobs and China: How we think about this week's deluge of data
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

It is very premature, in my view, to think about or be talking about pausing our rate hikes. The news sent those stocks reliant on China for growth — Starbucks, Estee Lauder and Wynn Resorts, among many others — higher. Or bad news could just be bad news if weak data signals a recession ahead. And good news could be good news: for example, if China reopens and U.S. companies exposed to the region see a boost in demand. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ China is caught in a zero-Covid trap of its own making
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“The new political ecology also provided more incentive for local governments to impose more draconian Covid control measures,” Huang said. Chinese health officials maintain that changing tack now would risk a huge surge in infections and deaths that could overwhelm the country’s fragile health care system. Zhengzhou, a city of 12 million, imposed sweeping lockdown measures last month after identifying dozens of Covid-19 cases. On Wednesday, the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, where the Foxconn plant is located, announced new lockdown measures. As the winter approaches, experts warn that China could be hit by a new wave of infections – and a new cycle of draconian lockdowns.

☆ World's largest iPhone assembly plant under new Covid lockdown in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An industrial park in China that is home to the world's largest assembly plant for Apple 's iPhones has been ordered to complete a seven-day Covid lockdown, according to a report by Reuters. The lockdown comes as Apple works to meet the demand for some of its new iPhones, which launched in September. The Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, located in central China's Henan province, is imposing "silent management measures," the report said. The lockdown marks a retightening of measures in the region after Zhengzhou unexpectedly lifted some restrictions on Tuesday, the report said. Apple still relies heavily on China for the majority of its iPhone production, but the tech giant has been diversifiying its supply chain.

☆ iPhone maker Foxconn has hit back at 'maliciously edited' videos of worker deaths at its facility following a COVID outbreak, after clarifying there have been no casualties
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Foxconn denied claims on social media that some of its workers died from COVID in their dormitory. Unverified videos circulating online claimed that eight workers died in one dormitory room. Foxconn called the footage "maliciously edited," and said no workers had died at its facility. According to the system, workers have to be transported directly from their dormitories to the factory and back. Reuters and Bloomberg reported separately this week that Foxconn is raising workers' wages at the Zhengzhou plant in an attempt to shore up its workforce amid the departures.

☆ Apple supplier Foxconn quadruples bonuses to staff hit by China COVID lockdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The original bonus scheme was initially outlined in an article on Monday by the government backed Henan Daily newspaper citing a senior unnamed Foxconn executive. CLOSED LOOP TOLLVideos circulating on social media appear to show departing Foxconn workers laden with luggage and walking along village roads towards their home towns. Many people who said they were Foxconn workers turned to social media to complain about receiving insufficient food or about the uncertainty of the situation. Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Henan Daily article. The Henan Daily is the official newspaper of Henan province, of which Zhengzhou is the capital.

☆ Apple supplier Foxconn gives bonuses to staff hit by COVID lockdown - media
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 1 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) supplier Foxconn (2317.TW) is handing bonuses to workers at its Zhengzhou plant in central China, Chinese government-backed media reported, as it works to quell employee discontent at the site over COVID curbs. Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Henan Daily article. The Henan Daily is the official newspaper of the province of Henan, of which Zhengzhou is the capital. It makes most of the phones at the Zhengzhou plant where it employs about 200,000 people, though it has other smaller production sites in India and south China. The Zhengzhou plant has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with several workers fleeing the site over the weekend.

☆ Apple supplier Foxconn gives pay rise to staff hit by COVID lockdown - media
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 1 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) supplier Foxconn (2317.TW) has increased wages and is handing bonuses to workers at its Zhengzhou plant in central China, Chinese government-backed media reported, as it works to quell employee discontent at the site over COVID curbs. Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Henan Daily article. The Henan Daily is the official newspaper of the province of Henan, of which Zhengzhou is the capital. It makes most of the phones at the Zhengzhou plant where it employs about 200,000 people, though it has other smaller production sites in India and south China. The Zhengzhou plant has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with several workers fleeing the site over the weekend.

☆ Shanghai Disney visitors told to stay home after COVID case, Foxconn ups bonuses
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Several Shanghai residents received fresh stay-at-home orders and mandatory testing notices on Tuesday as authorities raced to trace contacts linked to a COVID-positive woman whose visit to the city's Disney Resort prompted its temporary lockdown. The Shanghai Disney Resort on Monday abruptly shut its gates, locking in all visitors at the time and only allowing them to leave, hours later, after they had tested negative for the virus. Marvis He was among Disney visitors caught up in the resort's lockdown, having flown in from Shenzhen in hopes of enjoying the park's Halloween themed fireworks. Foxconn has been one of the biggest corporate names affected by a quasi-lockdown of Zhengzhou, a major logistics hub in central China. In recent days, videos appearing to show departing Foxconn workers laden with luggage and walking along village roads towards their home towns have gone viral on Chinese social media.

New Delhi CNN Business —Foxconn, one of Apple’s largest suppliers, is wrestling with major disruption at its biggest iPhone assembly factory in China, as anxious workers reportedly flee the facility, according to social media videos. “[We] fully understand your eagerness to go back home,” Foxconn told its employees over the weekend, according to a post on Zhengzhou government’s official WeChat account. The Zhengzhou campus is the world’s biggest iPhone factory and typically accounts for as much as 85% of iPhone assembly capacity, according to Lam’s estimates. State media has said that many Foxconn workers are among those walking miles to escape the city. While these disruptions will impact iPhone production in the near term, analysts say it may not dent Apple’s iPhone shipments in the key holiday season.

☆ Fearing COVID, workers flee from Foxconn's vast Chinese iPhone plant
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

He walked through the night, keeping to a northerly route, towards his hometown of Hebi, every step taking him farther away from iPhone maker Foxconn's (2317.TW) Zhengzhou plant, the Taiwan-based group's largest in mainland China. "There were so many people on the road," Yuan told Reuters on Monday, declining to give his full name because of the matter's sensitivity. "People would be called away in the middle of work, and if they don't show up the next day, that would mean they had been taken away," Yuan said. On Sunday afternoon, the company told Reuters in an emailed statement that workers were allowed to leave if they chose to. "I'll never go back to Foxconn," said Yuan, who has since been transported to Hebi and put under quarantine.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Output of Apple iPhones at major China plant could fall 30% amid COVID curbs -source
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Yimou Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The logo of Foxconn is pictured on top of the company's headquarters in New Taipei City, Taiwan October 31, 2022. A second person familiar with the situation said many workers remained at the Zhengzhou plant and that production was continuing. Foxconn on Oct. 19 banned dining at canteens at the Zhengzhou plant and required workers to eat meals in dormitories. Foxconn has not disclosed whether any workers at the Zhengzhou site had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Authorities have since Oct. 19 reported 264 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Zhengzhou, the capital of central Henan province.

☆ Workers in China flee major iPhone factory amid Covid curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Late on Saturday, cities near Zhengzhou, including Yuzhou, Changge and Qinyang, urged Foxconn workers to report to local authorities in advance before heading home. Apple did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment on the Foxconn situation. Photographs and videos circulating on Chinese social media since Saturday showed Foxconn workers, apparently returning home, trekking across fields in the day and along roads at night. In a show of support, residents in the vicinity left bottled water and provisions next to roads with signs such as: “For Foxconn workers returning home,” according to social media posts. “Some people were walking amid wheat fields with their luggage, blankets and quilts,” one user on WeChat, a popular social media platform, wrote about the images.

☆ Exclusive: Foxconn COVID woes may hit up to 30% of iPhone November output from Zhengzhou plant
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Yimou Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It also builds the device in India and southern China, but its Zhengzhou factory assembles the majority of its global output. A second person familiar with the situation said many workers remained at the Zhengzhou plant and that production was continuing. Foxconn on Oct. 19 banned dining at canteens at the Zhengzhou plant and required workers to eat meals in dormitories. Foxconn and local authorities have not disclosed the number of any infected workers at the site. Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan province, has since Oct. 19 reported 264 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases.

Search resuls for: "HeNan"

25 mentions found