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"His style is to discuss monetary policy based on facts and evidence," Inoue told Reuters in an interview on Monday. "Unlike Kuroda, Ueda won't immediately turn things around after assuming the post. "He'll likely let economic data guide policy decisions." If he were to become governor, Ueda could introduce a new monetary policy framework that could include a revamped type of forward guidance, Inoue said. "If he were to become governor, Ueda will likely put emphasis on maintaining financial system stability," he added.

☆ Meta's chief business officer will leave the company after 13 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Marne Levine, vice president of global partnerships and business development for Facebook Inc., speaks during the Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. Meta 's Chief Business Officer Marne Levine is stepping down after 13 years with the company, Meta announced in a release Monday. Levine previously served as vice president of global public policy at Facebook, chief operating officer at Instagram and vice president of global partnerships, business and corporate development at Facebook. Levine was named Facebook's chief business officer in the summer of 2021, a few months before it changed its name to Meta to indicate its focus on the yet-to-be-developed metaverse. "I'm grateful for our partnership, her commitment to Meta, and the energy she brought to the company every day."

But unlike ICBC and its peers, Ant neither took deposits, nor piled risky loans onto its balance sheet. Free from the red tape that binds regular banks, the loans facilitated by Ant ballooned. Digital offerings accounted for half of overall consumer loans in China, Fitch Ratings calculated in 2021. Ant is set to become a licensed financial holding company, putting it under the close watch of China's main banking regulator. Beijing wants Chinese consumers to consume, so is likely to indulge controlled growth of consumer credit.

☆ World's largest drone maker is unfazed — even if it's blacklisted by the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Nessa Anwar | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowThe world's biggest drone maker DJI found itself embroiled in the Russia-Ukraine conflict last year. It includes the Mavic 3 drone, and Aeroscope, a drone-detection platform that enables users to identify the location of a drone operator. We've stated unequivocally that we have had nothing to do with treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang," Welsh said. A drone's firmware is what the drone uses to control all the important operations, like flight, battery management and data protection. Paolo Stagno, a cyber security expert, said there is a black market of modified DJI drones' firmware.

☆ Chinese drone maker DJI is dominating the market – despite being blacklisted by the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Nessa Anwar | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The global drone market is expected to grow from $30.6 billion in 2022 to $55.8 billion by 2030, according to a report by Drone Industry Insights. DJI's first commercially successful product was the Phantom drone, which DJI founder Frank Wang claims made DJI the first company to bring "military-grade technology" to the public. "The unfortunate thing is that (DJI drones are) very reliable. In December 2021, the Shenzhen-based drone maker was placed on an investment blacklist by the U.S. government, banning American investors from buying or selling shares in the company. Watch the video above to understand why the Chinese drone maker is dominating the market – despite being blacklisted by the U.S.

When asked about the matter at a news conference after the end of the U.S. central bank's latest policy meeting on Wednesday, Powell declined to say whether Fed officials had begun planning for a possible default. "If there were pressures pushing the funds rate higher the (Fed market desk) would automatically add reserves to deal with that," William English, a Yale School of Management professor, said in a recent interview. As head of the Fed's monetary affairs division at the time, it was English who briefed officials in 2011 on possible options. The approach "appeared acceptable" to Fed officials previously, and was included in a draft statement the central bank had prepared in the event a debt limit compromise was not reached. But I don't want to say what I would and wouldn't do, if we have to actually deal with a catastrophe."

☆ Nick Clegg led Meta's decision to reinstate Trump to Facebook and Instagram. Here's how the former UK deputy prime minister charmed his way into Mark Zuckerberg's inner circle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Philip Webster | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

Nick Clegg has risen quickly to become one of Mark Zuckerberg's closest confidants at Meta. Clegg, a former UK deputy prime minister, led the decision to reinstate Donald Trump to Facebook. It was updated on February 16, 2022 following the news that Nick Clegg had been promoted to the role of President for Global Affairs. In a challenging economic climate, the Lib Dems and their Conservative coalition partners voted to raise tuition fees. Nick Clegg (left) and Chris Huhne appearing on the BBC's "The Andrew Marr Show" in October 2007.

☆ Orange bitcoin Mercedes owner at Davos hits back at critics, says not his car's fault people lost money
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The orange Mercedes was parked along the Promenade in Davos. Nobody in the vicinity saw who parked it there. DAVOS, Switzerland — The mystery of the orange bitcoin car, that was first spotted by CNBC on Monday at the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland, has been solved and the owner is not impressed with its critics. But since the crypto market slide of 2022, there are far fewer crypto firms with flashy store fronts at Davos. CNBC asked people in the vicinity on Monday whose car it is but nobody saw who parked it.

☆ Traders don't want to believe the Fed, so get used to a lot of choppiness
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Then Fed officials get on the tape say they're going to keep raising rates and keep them high until hell freezes over. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic on Monday said the central bank should raise interest rates above 5% and stay there for "a long time." Inflation data continues to show signs of cooling, but it's still high, and the Fed doesn't want to declare victory so they keep jawboning the markets down. The source of tension is that the trading community doesn't want to believe the Fed, and many are arguing the Fed is using stale data. "Wall Street does not believe the story being spun by the Fed," Harry Katica from Saut Strategy told his clients.

HONG KONG, Jan 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Jack Ma is leading China’s consumer internet out of the sin bin. After his fintech champion Ant said its founder will cede control, shares in affiliate Alibaba (9988.HK), rose 7% in Hong Kong on Monday morning. The company on Saturday announced that Ma's 50%-plus voting stake will be whittled down to roughly 6%, and a fifth independent director will join the board. Follow @mak_robyn on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSChinese financial technology company Ant on Jan. 7 announced its founder Jack Ma will give up majority control of the company as part of a broader "corporate governance optimization". Ma held more than 50% of voting rights in Ant via his investment vehicle, Hangzhou Yunbo, which effectively controlled two other entities that owned a combined 53.46% stake in Ant.

HONG KONG, Jan 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Western Digital (WDC.O) faces a daunting M&A challenge. Both outfits specialise in a type of memory chip called NAND flash, which is used in smartphones, computers and data centre servers. Yet even if the logic for a combination looks more compelling against this backdrop, the M&A hurdles Western Digital faced in 2021 are even more challenging today. The union between Western Digital and Kioxia will be a long slog, but worth it. Shares of Western Digital rose 7.7% to $35.63 during after-hours trading in New York on Jan. 4.

☆ At CES 2023, Sony's 'Gran Turismo' flags new entertainment strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

It also represents a significant bridging of the divides between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony PlayStation and Sony Music, according to a dozen current and former senior executives interviewed by Reuters. “I defined our identity as a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation on technology,” Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said. Sony’s “creative entertainment” company approach extends beyond content. A Sony-Honda electric vehicle, scheduled to reach consumers by 2026, is being framed as a rolling showcase of Sony’s entertainment, gaming and camera sensor prowess. This August will bring another test of Sony’s strategy when “Gran Turismo” hits theaters after languishing for 12 years.

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, is gearing up to supply cars, and the chips and batteries that go into them, to global marques. It sees automakers entrusting the company with production in Indonesia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the United States and beyond. Getting there requires Foxconn ditching a tried and tested business model. To make smartphones, the company relies on a few factories it owns in China and it has little say over the underlying supply chains and which components to use. Foxconn has also tied up with Ohio-based Lordstown Motors (RIDE.O) in the United States; its factory is already making electric pickup trucks and could start supplying to other American brands within a year.

The dollar, a beneficiary of rising U.S. interest rates, was on track for its best annual performance in seven years. The dollar index , which measures the greenback against six major currencies, dipped 0.16%. Sterling was set for its worst performance against the dollar since 2016, when Britain voted to leave the European Union. "Averting a downturn is a tall order," said Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank, noting that the odds are stacked against economies emerging unscathed from global policy tightening. U.S. Treasuries and German bonds, the benchmarks of global borrowing markets, lost 16% and 24% respectively in dollar terms this year.

☆ Asia stocks gain as investors find foothold at end of brutal 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 0.71%, but is set to end the year down 19% - its worst performance since 2008. Reuters GraphicsFutures indicated European stocks were unlikely to retain the end-of-year cheer, with the Eurostoxx 50 futures down 0.16%, German DAX futures 0.13% lower and FTSE futures down 0.01%. China's blue-chip CSI 300 Index (.CSI300) and the Shanghai Composite Index (.SSEC) were both up 0.6%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) rose nearly 1%. In the currency market, the U.S. dollar was on track for its best annual performance in seven years. Sterling was set for its worst performance against the dollar since 2016, when the UK voted to leave the European Union.

☆ Asia stocks rise as investors find foothold at end of brutal 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 0.71% and was set to end December flat. The index is set to end the year down 19% - it's worst performance since 2008. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) rose 0.22%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index (.AXJO) rose 0.34%. China stocks (.SSEC) were 0.63% higher, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) rose 1.5%. Sterling was set for its worst performance against the dollar since 2016, when the UK voted to leave the European Union.

Sinead McSweeney, global vice president for public policy, has left Twitter, according to two sources. The layoffs and departures of a high-ranking leader comes as regulators around the globe question Twitter's content moderation work and protection of user data after Musk cut the staff from more than 7,000 to under 2,000. The public policy team is responsible for interacting with lawmakers and civil society on issues including free speech, privacy and online safety. Nick Pickles, senior director for global public policy strategy, has taken over McSweeney's role, the two sources said. One source told Reuters that half of the 30 remaining members of Twitter's public policy team were cut on Wednesday, implying 15 people were laid off.

☆ Historic biodiversity agreement reached at U.N. conference
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Negotiators reached a historic deal at a United Nations biodiversity conference early Monday that would represent the most significant effort to protect the world’s lands and oceans and provide critical financing to save biodiversity in the developing world. The global framework comes a day before the U.N. Biodiversity Conference, or COP15, is set to end in Montreal. China, which holds the presidency at this conference, released a new draft earlier in the day that gave the sometimes contentious talks much-needed momentum. The most significant part of the agreement is a commitment to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030. “The new text is a mixed bag,” Andrew Deutz, director of global policy, institutions and conservation finance for The Nature Conservancy, said.

HONG KONG, Dec 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - America’s chip war against China will make only partial inroads in 2023. After unveiling sweeping new export restrictions in October, Washington appears to have successfully lobbied friendly governments including Japan and the Netherlands to join. Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher already said in November her government "will not copy the American measures one-to-one". Rival Nikon (7731.T) made sales of over 153 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in China, some 28% of total. In November, Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher confirmed the Netherlands was in talks with the U.S. government about new export restrictions.

Policymakers hope an ambitious deal can spur nature conservation in the same way that an international pact in Paris in 2015 helped mobilize efforts to limit planet-warming carbon emissions. However, the text mentions only that $20 billion to $30 billion per year comes from developed countries by 2030. "Probably we will have to reach an agreement between $30 billion and $100 billion," Colombia's Muhamad told reporters. The draft deal does not mention setting up a separate facility. Lastly, risks from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals would be reduced by at least half, but the text does not address slashing their overall use.

A combination of targeted subsidies and local demand will help. China's dependence on foreign suppliers for lithography machines, used to print patterns onto silicon wafers, light-resistant wafer coatings known as photoresists and other vital tools cannot be understated. A 2021 report found that Chinese chipmakers buy less than a fifth of their equipment by value from local suppliers and that the country has localised less than 8% of annual equipment demand. China's equipment specialists, such as little-known firms NAURA Technology Group (002371.SZ) and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (688012.SS), are probably too small to effectively absorb massive amounts of government funding anyway. The majority of the funds will be used to subsidise the purchase of domestic semiconductor equipment by Chinese chipmakers.

The Chinese pharmaceutical giant may revive a buyout of its 32%-owned traditional medicine arm listed in Hong Kong. The state-backed group's latest bid for China Traditional Chinese Medicine (0570.HK) looks generous. China TCM's woes are a stark contrast to mainland-listed rivals, including some with heavy exposure to drugs presented as fixes to Covid-19. Assuming some of that enthusiasm can rub off on China TCM, that makes Sinopharm's latest offer look like a steal. Follow @mak_robyn on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSSinopharm is considering reviving a bid for China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 7, citing people familiar with the matter.

☆ Fed Chair Powell is having a communication problem with the market
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

No matter what Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tells market participants these days, it seems they only hear the good stuff. Two recent examples: First in July, when Powell hinted that smaller interest rate hikes could be on the way. Chair Powell is really trying to message the fact that the fed funds rate has to be restrictive to tamp down inflation. A month and a half later, Powell delivered an uncharacteristically terse speech at the Fed's annual Jackson Hole, Wyoming summit. One more chance So Powell heads into next week's Federal Open Market Committee meeting with another opportunity to set the market straight.

HONG KONG, Dec 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Covid-19 lockdowns and protests across China have highlighted the risks of the mutual dependence between Taiwan's Foxconn and its top customer Apple (AAPL.O). It makes 70% of the world’s iPhones, according to Fubon Research. Meanwhile Apple’s huge investments into Foxconn have paid off: the U.S. company is the most profitable smartphone maker by far. Foxconn has been scrambling to contain the fallout, offering bonuses to temporary workers and shifting production to other facilities. At the time, Foxconn said it was bringing the situation under control and was coordinating with other plants to increase production.

HONG KONG, Nov 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Pershing Square boss Bill Ackman is taking another tilt at the Hong Kong dollar , betting the government will be forced to break its link to the greenback. His logic is stronger today than when he took the plunge in 2011 but it’s up to Beijing, not Hong Kong. Back then Ackman famously predicted that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority would allow the local currency to strengthen against the U.S. dollar. A secular decline in Hong Kong might ultimately sabotage the peg at some point. On the other hand, Hong Kong is a city, not a country.

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