DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

[1/6] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, Thursday, July 6, 2023. Both sides are sceptical that Yellen's visit will be able to take much heat out of U.S.-China ties, however, with officials accepting that both countries have placed safeguarding national security above economic ties. Yellen will address "unfair" practices by China, including recent punitive actions against U.S. firms and market access barriers, the official added. On Friday she will meet China's Premier Li Qiang and former economy tsar Liu He, who is widely seen as a close confidant of President Xi Jinping. They come ahead of a possible meeting between President Joe Biden and Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering scheduled for November in San Francisco.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Mark Schiefelbein, Yellen, Nicholas Burns, Li Qiang, Liu He, Xi Jinping, Wang Huiyao, Yellen's, Zhu Feng, Xie Feng, Trump, Wu Xinbo, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Xi, Yew Lun Tian, Andrea Shalal, Joe Cash, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: . Treasury, Beijing Capital International Airport, REUTERS, U.S, Center for, Nanjing University, Global Times, Fudan University, Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, REUTERS BEIJING, U.S, Center for China, United States, Russia, Washington, Asia, San Francisco

☆ Lazard, facing a dealmaking drought, is on a mission to boost its money management business. It won't be easy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The group extends guidance on geopolitical matters to clients as well as colleagues, like the asset management arm's sprawling salesforce. The firm is making a series of changes to ramp up its asset management business. Lazard has had an asset management business for decades, but it's a business that's finding new relevance on Wall Street. Incoming Lazard CEO Peter Orszag, pictured here in May, has made improving the asset management business a priority. "When it comes to the asset management business, the picture is probably more blurry," said Richard Bruyère, managing partner of the Paris-based asset management advisory firm Indefi.

Persons: Lazard, Evan Russo, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Peter Orszag, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, it's, Russo, Orszag, Ray McGuire, Jennifer Ryan, Goldman Sachs, Brennan Hawken, Richard Bruyère, Bruyère, Ryan, Hartley, Morgan Stanley, Janus Henderson, Ashmore, Devin Ryan, AllianceBernstein, Larry Cohen, " Russo, Peter Organizations: Lazard, BlackRock, Citi, New York, North, Incoming Lazard, REUTERS, UBS, Investors, Firms, Virtus, Liontrust, Bank's JMP Securities Locations: Russia, New York, Washington, North America, Paris, Taft, Asia

☆ Yellen's China visit aims at 'new normal' with Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Chinese officials are concerned about the Biden administration's plans to limit U.S. companies' China investments and what they see as moves to decouple the two economies. "There is no substitute for diplomacy," said one senior administration official. "Secretary Yellen’s trip is more than a step toward preparation for a potential Biden-Xi meeting at APEC. Despite the cooling relations, trade between the U.S. and China grew in 2022 for the third year in a row, U.S. Commerce Department data show. Two other Cabinet secretaries, Commerce chief Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, met in May with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

Persons: Janet Yellen's, Biden, COVID lockdowns, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Wu Xinbo, Yellen's, Gina Raimondo, Derek Scissors, Yellen, Russia's Wagner, Joe Biden, Xi, Scott Kennedy, Jake Colvin, Donald Trump, Colvin, Lifeng, Liu He, Raimondo, Katherine Tai, Wang Wentao, Andrea Shalal, Michael Martina, Lun Tian Yew, Dan Burns, Heather Timmons, Andrea Ricci Organizations: . Treasury, China's Fudan University, American Enterprise Institute, U.S, Economic Cooperation, Biden, APEC, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Foreign Trade, . Commerce Department, Treasury, . Trade, Chinese Commerce, Thomson Locations: China, Russia, U.S, Beijing, Ukraine, United States, Asia, San Francisco, Washington, Zurich, Wang Wentao .

☆ Treasury's Yellen to visit China this week to expand communications
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China protested loudly when Biden subsequently referred to Xi as a "dictator," but analysts say the remark had little impact on efforts to improve ties. "We seek a healthy economic relationship with China, one that fosters growth and innovation in both countries," the official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to give details on which Chinese officials Yellen would meet in Beijing. A second administration official told Reuters that Yellen was expected to meet the Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Yellen would underscore Washington's determination to strengthen its own competitiveness while responding with allies to what Washington calls "economic coercion" and unfair economic practices by China, the first official said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, Yellen, Andrea Shalal, Ross Colvin, Nick Zieminski Organizations: . Treasury, Treasury, Washington, Reuters, Micron Technology, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, U.S

☆ US warns new Chinese counterespionage law puts companies at risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. on Friday warned about a new Chinese counter-espionage law, saying American and other foreign companies in the country could face penalties from Chinese authorities for regular business activities. Chinese lawmakers this year passed a wide-ranging update to Beijing's anti-espionage legislation that goes into effect on July 1, banning the transfer of any information related to national security and broadening the definition of spying. It said the ambiguities of the law meant that "any documents, data, materials or items" could be deemed relevant to Chinese national security, also putting journalists, academics and researchers at risk. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has emphasized national security since taking office in 2012. U.S. officials have told Reuters that since the enactment of the Chinese law in April they have received a flood of questions from businesses and other groups about the risks of traveling to China.

Persons: Xi Jinping, China Nicholas Burns, Michael Martina, Chizu Organizations: U.S . National Counterintelligence and Security, People's, U.S, China, U.S ., Reuters, The U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, People's Republic of China, Beijing, Washington, The

☆ The good news and the unknowns for bank stocks after the Fed's latest stress tests
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Understandable because this year's stress tests came against a backdrop of uncertainty for the sector. The stress tests Starting in the aftermath of the 2007-2009 Great Financial Crisis, bank stress tests were designed as a tool to ensure that so-called too-big-to-fail institutions could endure a similar calamity. WFC MS YTD mountain Wells Fargo vs. Morgan Stanley YTD performance It's worth noting that Wells Fargo is in a unique situation compared to its rivals. He added that the "stress tests only really address a macro environment where rates decline during a crisis. A sign is posted in front of a Wells Fargo Bank on April 14, 2023 in San Bruno, California.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Nicholas Colas, Wells Fargo, Doug Butler, Wells, Colas, Chris Kotowski, Oppenheimer, Banks, Kotowski, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Wells, Silicon Valley Bank, Bank, Research, CNBC, Fed, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Rockland Trust, Citi, Equity, WFC, Wall, Wells Fargo Bank Locations: U.S, Silicon, Wells, Rockland, Wells Fargo, San Bruno , California

☆ Startup studio Fractal created 130 companies in 3 years. Founders say the deal structure has led VCs to 'blacklist' them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Melia Russell | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

www.fractalsoftware.comOf the dozens of Fractal startups that have raised a seed round of funding, about half had Bienville Capital lead the deal, according to people familiar with the matter. Others say they knew what they were getting into with a venture studio, where a large ownership position is standard. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty ImagesThe biggest draw for some Fractal founders was its plug-and-play approach. The founder of one Fractal startup remembered a time when his company was struggling to grow its customer base. That firm is raising a new $325 million fund to provide additional funding to Fractal companies exclusively, according to a person familiar with the effort.

Persons: Fractal's, he'd, they'd, Andreessen Horowitz, Mike Furlong, Nate Baker, Bienville, —, Brendan Smialowski, Founders, Angela Lee, Furlong, Baker, Ezra Shaw, who'd, who's, It's, Lee, She's, 8VC, Bain, Jeff Greenberg, Omri Bloch, who've, didn't, Stephanie Palazzolo, Melia Russell Organizations: Flatiron Health, Bienville, Insight Partners, Bienville Capital, Getty, Columbia Business School, Alpha, Midwest, Science, Olympic Club, Tiger Global, Craft Ventures, Founders, Vertical Venture Partners, Zag, Crew Capital, Bain Capital, Universal, Foundation, Fifth Locations: Bienville Capital, New York, Bienville, Indio, AFP, Santa Monica , California, Miami, San Francisco, GreenSpark, Columbia, Barti, Aktos, Bessemer, 8VC

Banks typically provide research to clients as part of a broader offering of services, but that changed when the European Union introduced the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II laws in 2018 to improve transparency. "It took about a year for us to become compliant to MiFID II laws -- it was a long, intense process," said Candace Browning, head of BofA Global Research. U.S. financial firms were initially given an exemption by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which expires on July 3. "Companies continue to face challenges complying with the MiFID II unbundling requirement and U.S. law," said Joe Corcoran, SIFMA's managing director and associate general counsel for capital markets. 'EXPENSIVE AND COMPLICATED' In Europe, asset managers under MiFID II are not allowed to pay for research through broker commissions on trading -- instead, investors are billed separately by banks for research.

Persons: Banks, Candace Browning, Joe Corcoran, SIFMA's, SIFMA, MiFID, Michael Eastwood, Jefferies, Jesse Forster, BofA, salespeople, Browning, Forster, Russell Sacks, Nupur Anand, Lananh Nguyen, Deepa Babington Organizations: YORK, Bank of America Corp, Jefferies Financial, European Union, Financial, BofA Global, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, SEC, Jefferies, Coalition, King, Spalding, Thomson Locations: Europe, U.S, Greenwich, Coalition Greenwich, New York

McKinsey says generative AI could add $7.3 trillion in value to the world economy each year and believes half of today's work activities could be automated between 2030 and 2060. The latest Bank of America survey in June showed 29% of global investors don't expect AI to increase profits or jobs. "There's a lot of focus on the risks that generative AI can bring. He sounded confident over the capacity of some professional information and data providers, which own proprietary data, to integrate generative AI into their products. Cristina Matti, small and midcaps portfolio manager at Amundi, said indiscriminate investing was not an option for investors seeking AI exposure.

Persons: Gilles Guibout, UK's Pearson, Chegg, Pearson, Thomas McGarrity, Andrea Scauri, Scauri, Capgemini, Cristina Matti, Danilo Masoni, Lucy Raitano, Chizu Organizations: Nvidia, McKinsey, AXA Investment, Bank of America, Microsoft, RBC Wealth Management, Accenture, Thomson Locations: MILAN, Europe, United States, Paris, Lemanik, Amundi

☆ Special Report: US, Swedish prosecutors study graft complaint naming son of Turkey's Erdogan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( David Gauthier-Villars | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +16 min

The proposed plan was detailed in communications and business documents seen by Reuters, as well as by a person familiar with the matter. A screengrab shows information about the AL-100K dashboard breathalyzer on the website of Swedish company Dignita Systems. Reuters was unable to confirm independently whether President Erdogan and his son Bilal were aware of, or had involvement in Dignita's alleged kickback scheme. Ibn Haldun University was founded by Turgev, a charity organization President Erdogan helped create in the 1990s, when he was mayor of Istanbul. In 2016, Italian prosecutors conducted a money-laundering probe into Bilal Erdogan on suspicion he had brought cash into the country without declaring it.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Dignita, Bilal Erdogan, Anders Eriksson, Bilal, Dignita's, Scott Greytak, Ibn Haldun, Turgev, Erdogan's, Eriksson, Irfan Gunduz, Gunduz, Erdogan’s, " Eriksson, Bilal –, Bilal Erdogan –, – Dignita, Smart, Matthew Strausz, Anders, David Gauthier, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Reuters, Dignita Systems, Dignita's U.S, Turkish, U.S . Department of Justice, International U.S, DOJ, Smart, Apollo Global Management, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Nordic, Swedish, Ibn Haldun University, Ibn, Dignita, Tugva, BMZ, Islamic, Smart Start, Thomson Locations: United States, Sweden, Swedish, U.S, Turkey, Washington, States, Texas, Ankara, Stockholm, Istanbul, Turkish, Tugva, Islamic State, Syria, Russia, American, Gunduz

☆ Your 401(k) match is 'free money'—but you might not be able to take it with you when you leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here's what she and other financial pros say you should know about your 401(k) match. How a 401(k) match worksFirst, a quick reminder of how 401(k) matches work and why financial planners love them so much. "I would invest enough to get the company match first, before paying off high interest rate loans," says Jeremy Finger, a CFP and founder of Riverbend Wealth Management. What is a 401(k) vesting schedule? Any 401(k) match you receive from your employer likely comes with some strings attached.

Persons: Kevin Brady, Catherine Valega, Jeremy Finger, they've, you'll Organizations: Wealthspire Advisors, CNBC, Green Bee, Riverbend Wealth Management, Employers Locations: New York City, Winchester , Massachusetts

Spokespeople for Micron and the Indian government, including its technology ministry, did not respond to requests for comment. A senior Biden administration official said the White House was "encouraged" by the number of U.S. firms considering India investments. An Indian industry source familiar with Micron's approvals said the so-called Assembly Testing Marking and Packaging will be built in the city of Sanand. Micron could procure and package chip for clients at the plant, or other companies could send their chips for testing before shipping. The source added that Micron's India plant would boost Modi's vision of making India a semiconductor base but true success would require actual manufacturing.

Persons: Narendra Modi's, Modi, Biden, Aditya Kalra, Aftab Ahmed, Trevor Hunnicutt, Conor Humphries, David Goodman Organizations: chipmaker Micron, U.S, Micron, FedEx, MasterCard, House, White House, Reuters, Biden, United, U.S . Commerce Department, Thomson Locations: India, DELHI, WASHINGTON, Gujarat, China, Sanand

☆ 'Hell of a job': Biden's reaction and 5 other takeaways from Blinken's trip to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Leah Millis | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. President Joe Biden said Secretary of State Antony Blinken "did a hell of a job" in Beijing. His comments came after Blinken's high-profile diplomatic mission to China, aimed at soothing strained ties with Beijing. In a surprise meeting, Blinken met Chinese President Xi Jinping for a 35-minute meeting toward the end of his two-day visit. He is the highest-level American official to visit China in nearly five years. Here are other takeaways from Blinken's trip to China:Progress madeBiden wasn't the only one who saw progress in the talks.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Leah Millis, Joe Biden, Biden, Blinken, Wang Yi, Qin Gang, Xi, Blinken's, Qin, Mark Hannah, Hannah, Bonnie Gasler, Gasler, Wang, Robert Daly, Wilson, Daly, Taiwan Blinken, CNBC's Organizations: of, People, Afp, Getty, Beijing, U.S, U.S . State Department, State Department, Eurasia Group Foundation, CNBC, German Marshall Fund, Tech, China, Institute, East China, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations Locations: Beijing, China, U.S, Bali, Washington, Taiwan, South, East

Where can a Chinese buyer purchase top-end Nvidia (NVDA.O) AI chips in the wake of U.S. sanctions? A model similar to OpenAI's GPT would require more than 30,000 Nvidia A100 cards, according to research firm TrendForce. Nvidia's more advanced H100 chips, only on the market since March, appear much harder to come by. He added the premiums currently commanded by Chinese vendors for A100 and H100 chips could collapse in the future as many of the Chinese AI startups that were driving purchases would eventually withdraw from the market. ($1 = 7.8307 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Josh Ye in Hong Kong, David Kirton in Shenzhen and Chen Lin in Singapore; Additional reporting by Fanny Potkin in Singapore; Editing by Brenda Goh and Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden's, OpenAI's, Ivan Lau, Hong, ByteDance, Vinci Chow, Charlie Chai, Josh Ye, David Kirton, Chen Lin, Fanny Potkin, Brenda Goh, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Nvidia, SEG, Reuters, supercomputing, HK, U.S . Department of Commerce, China's, Information, Tencent Holdings, Taobao, Chinese University of Hong, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, SHENZHEN, China, U.S, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shanghai

☆ US lawmakers to press automakers to cut reliance on China over supply chains- Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The GM logo is seen on the China Headquarters in Shanghai, China, August 29, 2022. REUTERS/Aly SongWASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers will travel to Detroit on Tuesday to press the heads of automakers Ford Motor (F.N) and General Motors (GM.N) to slash reliance on China over supply chains, particularly when it comes to electric vehicle batteries, Bloomberg reported. The four lawmakers - Republicans Mike Gallagher and John Moolenaar, and Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Haley Stevens - are part of the newly formed House of Representatives China Select Committee. They will argue that dependence on China over supply chains undercuts U.S. firms, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing a source familiar with the matter, adding the lawmakers would meet Ford CEO Jim Farley and GM CEO Mary Barra, among other executives. Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly Song WASHINGTON, Mike Gallagher, John Moolenaar, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Haley Stevens, Jim Farley, Mary Barra, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Kanishka Singh, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Ford Motor, General Motors, Bloomberg, China, Ford, U.S, Thomson Locations: China, Shanghai, U.S, Detroit, Beijing, Washington

☆ China's Xi meets Bill Gates, calls him 'an old friend'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In a post on his personal blog, Gates said he and Xi had discussed global health and development challenges such as health inequity and climate change. Gates stepped down from Microsoft's board in 2020 to focus on philanthropy in the fields of global health, education and climate change. In early 2020, Xi wrote to Gates thanking him and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for pledging assistance to China, including $5 million for its fight against COVID-19. Apart from meeting Xi, Gates gave a speech at the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute about the need to use technology to solve global health challenges during his visit. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Beijing municipal government, which founded the institute with Tsinghua University, also pledged to each provide $50 million to bolster the institute's drug discovery capacity.

Persons: Xi's, Gates, Xi, Xi Jinping, Bill Gates, We've, Melinda Gates, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Qin Gang, Qin, Hong Kong Newsrooms, Brenda Goh, Christopher Cushing, Edwina Gibbs, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Microsoft, Melinda Gates Foundation, COVID, U.S, Daily, Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Tsinghua University, Thomson Locations: China, BEIJING, United States, Xi's, American, U.S, Beijing, Hainan province, Hong Kong

☆ Exclusive: Xi Jinping tells Bill Gates he welcomes U.S. AI tech in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates delivers his speech at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, August 16, 2022. Xi also discussed Microsoft's (MSFT.O) business development in China during their meeting in Beijing, one of the sources said. When asked for comment, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation directed Reuters to the post. His meeting with Gates comes as U.S.-China relations are at their lowest point in decades, with AI a key flashpoint. Microsoft is a backer of OpenAI, whose chatbot ChatGPT ignited a global AI buzz last year that has spread to China.

Persons: Bill Gates, Kim Hong, Xi Jinping, Xi, Gates, Melinda Gates, Jason Neely, Jan Harvey Organizations: Microsoft Corp, National Assembly, REUTERS, U.S, Microsoft, Melinda Gates Foundation, Reuters, Information Office, chipmaker Micron, LinkedIn China, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, China's, U.S, Hong Kong

☆ GOP lawmakers urge DOJ to probe Chinese IP theft from U.S. small businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Two top Republican congressmen on Thursday urged the Justice Department to investigate intellectual property theft from American small businesses by Chinese actors. "Ensuring the safety of American small businesses from IP-related crimes is crucial, and we urge the U.S. Department of Justice to utilize all tools and capabilities at its disposal," the lawmakers wrote. Gallagher is chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, while Williams chairs the House Committee on Small Business. Evidence of Chinese IP theft from U.S. businesses dates back several years. In 2019, 1 in 5 North American companies on the CNBC Global CFO Council reported IP theft from Chinese companies within the last year.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Elise Stefanik, Steve Scalise, Wisconsin, Roger Williams of, General Merrick Garland, Gallagher, Williams, China — Organizations: Chinese Communist Party, Republican National Committee, Washington , D.C, WASHINGTON —, Justice Department, U.S . Department of Justice, Small, National Bureau, Asian, Commission, American Intellectual, U.S . Trade Representative, U.S, CNBC Global, CCP, DOJ's, Force, Intellectual, Fox Business, China, GOP Locations: Washington ,, WASHINGTON, Roger Williams of Texas

☆ Canada's Bell deepens news industry gloom with 1,300 job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The layoffs will mostly affect management and follow thousands of cuts in the media industry that has been wrestling with dwindling ad dollars, elevated levels of inflation and the ongoing shift from cable TV to streaming. The company expects Bell Canada's legacy phone revenue to decline by $250 million each year, while the news operation posts annual operating losses of $40 million. "Our industry is experiencing a major disruption," said senior executive Wade Oosterman in an internal memo seen by Reuters. The Canadian telecom industry has over recent years come under pressure from the government to bring down phone bills in a concentrated market. Affected employees will be informed this week, Bell said, adding that vacant positions were eliminated to minimize the impact on teams.

Persons: Bell, Wade Oosterman, Chrystia Freeland, Samrhitha Arunasalam, Aditya Soni, Shilpi Majumdar, Shinjini Organizations: Bell, Inc, Reuters, Google, Facebook, U.S, CTV, Canadian Finance, Canada, Thomson Locations: Canadian, London, Los Angeles, Washington, Ottawa, Bengaluru

☆ UBS completes Credit Suisse takeover to become wealth management behemoth
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Noele Illien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

ZURICH, June 12 (Reuters) - UBS (UBSG.S) on Monday said it had completed its emergency takeover of embattled local rival Credit Suisse (CSGN.S), creating a giant Swiss bank with a balance sheet of $1.6 trillion and greater muscle in wealth management. The merger also brings to an end Credit Suisse's 167-year history, marred in recent years by scandals and losses. Credit Suisse shares were up 0.9% on their last day of trading, while UBS were up around 0.8% in early trade. UBS is set to book a massive profit in second-quarter results on Aug. 31 after buying Credit Suisse for a fraction of its so-called fair value. Ermotti has, however, warned the coming months will be "bumpy" as UBS gets on with absorbing Credit Suisse, a process UBS has said will take three to five years.

Persons: Sergio Ermotti, Colm Kelleher, Jean Dermine, Arturo Bris, Ermotti, Noele Illien, John O'Donnell, Miranda Murray, Tomasz Janowski, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: UBS, Credit Suisse, Swiss, Banking, Finance, INSEAD, IMD, Competitiveness, U.S, NEXT, Credit, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Swiss, Switzerland

☆ Opinion | America Has a Chance to Make Farming More Climate Friendly
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Robert B. Semple Jr. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

Why, when we think of climate change, do we think of big oil, not big ag; Exxon and not Tyson? It’s time you met the big ag lobby, one of the most powerful influences on policy in America. But when we started digging into the big ag lobby, we discovered it’s basically — “The most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. So the big ag lobby has one key aim — block environmental regulation. I absolutely envy how good these lobbyists are at their job.” It’s outrageous what the big ag lobby has gotten away with.

Persons: “, Peter Lehner, He’s, I’m, It’s, Tyson, Jennifer Jacquet, She’s, Peter, she’s, ”, Zippy Duvall, “ —, John Boehner, —, You’ve, Waxman, Markey, Obama, American Farm Bureau Federation didn’t, ” —, JBS, don’t, they’re, Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, I’ve, they’ve Organizations: Agriculture, ExxonMobil, Shell, Exxon, Washington , D.C, American Farm Bureau Federation, Capitol, U.S . Farmers, Tyson, New York Times, Republican, Senate’s Agriculture, pharma Locations: America, United States, Lake Erie, U.S, China, Washington ,, Kyoto, Senate’s

WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. economy is strong amid robust consumer spending but some areas are slowing down, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday, adding that she expects continued progress in bringing inflation down over the next two years with a strong labor market. Yellen said that inflation can subside while maintaining a strong labor market, with unemployment in the 4% range, up slightly from the 3.7% reading in May. "We've always thought an unemployment rate with four as the first digit is a very strong labor market," Yellen said. She said the economy has slowed somewhat, easing pressures in the labor market, but "we still have a very healthy labor market, wage gains are significant." Asked about former Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker's view that the federal funds rate, at 5.0-5.25% now, will have to rise to 6% to tame inflation, Yellen said that was a decision for the Fed.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, We've, Jeffrey Lacker's, David Lawder, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu, Chizu Nomiyama, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Treasury, CNBC, Federal, Richmond Federal, Securities and Exchange Commission, European Union, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Google, Meta using 'bullying tactics' against Canada's news bill, says PM Trudeau
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, June 7 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O) and Meta Platforms (META.O) are using "bullying tactics" against a Canadian push aimed at ensuring financial support for news publishers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday. The proposed legislation is designed to compel internet giants like Google and Meta's Facebook to negotiate commercial deals and pay publishers for their content. The U.S. firms say proposals in the bill, dubbed the "Online News Act," are unsustainable for their businesses. The legislation passed Canada's House of Commons in December and is in the unelected upper chamber of the parliament, which rarely blocks legislation cleared by the lower house. "The various internet giants like Meta are posting every year record profits while at the same time local independent news is struggling across this country," Trudeau said.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Shay Purdy, Meta, Ismail Shakil, David Ljunggren, Daniel Wallis Organizations: OTTAWA, Google, Facebook, Commons, Meta, Thomson Locations: U.S, Canada, Ottawa, Australia, Europe

☆ The decision to split Sequoia Capital into 3 entities puts to bed any questions of a power struggle at the VC powerhouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

VC powerhouse Sequoia Capital announced Tuesday that it is splitting into three entities. One of those entities, Sequoia China, known locally as HongShan, will operate as a distinct firm. The mighty Sequoia Capital is dropping branches. The decision puts to bed any question of a power struggle at one of Silicon Valley's most respected firms. And unlike some other global firms that had veto power over investments overseas, according to Bloomberg, Sequoia China had full autonomy to strike its own deals.

Persons: Roelof Botha, Neil Shen, Forbes, Alex Konrad, Doug Leone, Instagram, Bytedance, Botha, Shen, Julian Bek, Elon Musk's Organizations: Sequoia Capital, Sequoia, XV Partners, YouTube, Bloomberg, Shen, Sequoia China, Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, Elon, Twitter, Fidelity Locations: Sequoia China, China, Europe, HongShan, India, Southeast Asia, Sequoia, Sequoia Capital China, Asia, Silicon Valley, London, FTX

☆ U.S. Firms Raise Corruption Concerns in Legal Battle Over Ukraine Grain Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Ian Talley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-firms-raise-corruption-concerns-in-legal-battle-over-ukraine-grain-deal-91b4b0de

Persons: Dow Jones Locations: ukraine

Search resuls for: ". Firms"

25 mentions found