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☆ Senate leader Schumer pushes for AI regulatory regime after China action
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday he had launched an effort to win bipartisan agreement for a new regulatory regime to address concerns about artificial intelligence. Schumer's office said "given the AI industry’s consequential and fast-moving impact on our society and global economy" he believes it is a matter of high urgency to act. The Biden administration on Tuesday said it is seeking public comments on potential accountability measures for artificial intelligence systems that have raised national security and education concerns. Schumer's office said he has for months been "discussing and circulating a high-level framework that outlines a new regulatory regime for artificial intelligence, engaging leading artificial intelligence experts to help inform the proposal." Schumer wants to create a "flexible and resilient AI policy framework across the federal government that can adapt as the technology continues to advance."

☆ China proposes measures to manage generative AI services
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, April 11 (Reuters) - China's cyberspace regulator unveiled draft measures on Tuesday for managing generative artificial intelligence services, saying it wants firms to submit security assessments to authorities before they launch their offerings to the public. The CAC said that China supports AI innovation and application and encourages use of safe and reliable software, tools and data resources, but content generated by generative AI had to be in line with the country's core socialist values. Providers will be responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train generative AI products and measures should be taken to prevent discrimination when designing algorithms and training data, it said. Providers will be fined, have their services suspended, or even face criminal investigations if they fail to comply with the rules. The public can comment on the proposals until May 10, and the measures are expected to come into effect sometime this year, according to the draft rules.

☆ China releases rules for generative AI like ChatGPT after Alibaba, Baidu launch services
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

These are AI services that are able to generate images or text after user queries. The powerful Cyberspace Administration of China released draft rules governing how generative AI products should be developed. Chinese regulators on Tuesday released draft rules designed to manage how companies develop generative artificial intelligence products like ChatGPT. So-called generative AI refers to algorithms trained with huge amounts of data that are able to generate content such as images and texts. On Tuesday, Alibaba unveiled Tongyi Qianwen, its generative AI product, that the e-commerce giant plans to integrate across various services.

☆ Micron Technology: China probes US chip maker for cybersecurity risks as tech tension escalates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has launched a cybersecurity probe into Micron Technology, one of America’s largest memory chip makers, in apparent retaliation after US allies in Asia and Europe announced new restrictions on the sale of key technology to Beijing. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) will review products sold by Micron in the country, according to a statement by the watchdog late on Friday. Last month, the Netherlands also unveiled new restrictions on overseas sales of semiconductor technology, citing the need to protect national security. In October, the United States banned Chinese companies from buying advanced chips and chipmaking equipment without a license. “The Chinese government may restrict us from participating in the China market or may prevent us from competing effectively with Chinese companies,” it said last week.

☆ Morgan Stanley just upgraded a global energy stock it says has 'significant' potential for growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Morgan Stanley upgraded the shares of French energy firm TotalEnergies . In a March 21 note, Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock from equal weight to overweight, raising its price target to 64 euros ($69) — representing nearly 16% upside. Morgan Stanley said TotalEnergies is the only major European energy company with an upstream business that can fund all the capital expenditure needed to realize its "significant growth potential." In the report, Morgan Stanley assessed the energy production assets of major energy companies in the wake of several key events in 2022 — the Russia-Ukraine war, bad weather and disrupted supply chains — which highlighted the "fragility of global energy supply." Morgan Stanley said TotalEnergies is one of few companies under its coverage of energy companies with growth potential, and estimates it has the ability to support 3.8% growth annually till 2030.

☆ London fears for its future as companies defect to Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —London is used to punching well above its weight in global financial markets. And 70% of global secondary bond market trading happens in the city, according to the London Stock Exchange. Beyond the jobs they create and the tax they generate, financial markets also channel capital into companies to fund future growth. In other words, to safeguard its future, London needs to reinvigorate its stock markets. Those “unicorns” should be listing in London “at an earlier stage,” Haynes argues, “rather than growing through private equity and being sold off to Nasdaq.”Hoggett of the London Stock Exchange puts it this way: “London needs to be young, scrappy and hungry.”

HONG KONG, March 8 (Reuters) - China has announced plans for a national data bureau, describing it as part of an effort to coordinate data resources in the country and to achieve a vision of "digital China" conceived by President Xi Jinping. Xi's vision for a "digital China" aims to see the country populated by smart, internet-connected cities and data treated alongside labour and capital as a key factor to drive the economy and help China compete more effectively globally. In December, China's top leadership published an outline of how China should develop basic data systems and utilize the country's data resources. Last week, they unveiled a new plan that aims for the country to lead digital development globally by 2035. Areas to watch include big data infrastructure, data processing, the digitization of government data as well as data encryption, they added.

The usually sleepy Ministry of Science and Technology will be tasked to help lead the country's efforts to reduce dependence on Western suppliers. Meanwhile, creating a National Data Bureau should streamline the myriad of regulations spanning cybersecurity, personal privacy and information transfer. The benefits of upgrading the science, technology and patent ministries are less clear. And despite China being the world's most prolific patent filer, 90% are low-value "trash", estimated one Chinese official in 2019. Other proposals from the State Council include creating a National Data Bureau to coordinate sharing and developing the country's data resources.

☆ US stocks will soon beat European peers again as hotter inflation means the region is heading into more aggressive rate hikes, BlackRock says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The S&P 500 this year has gained about 5% while German and French stocks are up in the 14% area. Good news on the economy means the European Central Bank (ECB) needs to hike rates more to cool inflation," wrote Wei Li, global chief investment strategist at BlackRock Investment Institute. "The ECB faces a stark trade-off between pushing up unemployment or living with persistent inflation," wrote Li. Market pricing indicates rates will peak around 3.9% compared with expectations of 3.2% in February, with fewer rate cuts expected next year. We're underweight European stocks but like the financial, energy, healthcare and consumer discretionary sectors," said Li.

☆ China eases data security deadline pressure for multinational companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, March 1 (Reuters) - Chinese regulators have eased some deadline pressure on multinational companies struggling to comply with new rules requiring them to seek approval to export user data, according to lawyers advising clients on the matter. In theory, global companies operating in China had until Wednesday, March 1 to submit extensive documentation that maps out their users' data flow as well as complete a security review and gain government approval. The rules were introduced in September by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) to strengthen cyber and national security. The issue affects a wide range of global companies that need to share Chinese user data with overseas offices and how strictly data security is enforced in the future will determine how far businesses may have to go in "localising" their data. The CAC on Friday also issued separate data security rules that apply to organisations with smaller user bases.

SYDNEY/HONG KONG, Feb 20 (Reuters) - New rules laying out how Chinese companies can list outside mainland China will often mean getting a nod from several domestic government agencies, potentially making for a lengthy approval process, investment bankers say. On one hand, the rules provide clarity after a regulatory crackdown by Beijing since mid-2021 that has slowed U.S. listings by Chinese firms to a trickle. Those hoops, combined with U.S.-Sino tensions over a multitude of issues from suspected spy balloons to trade friction, means a rush of Chinese firms seeking initial public offerings in New York is unlikely. Last year, U.S. listings of Chinese firms were worth less than $230 million, according to Refinitiv data, a massive drop from $12.9 billion in 2021. "I don't think an overseas listing for the start-up would get the Chinese regulatory nod due to data security.

☆ European markets set to open higher as investors await Fed notes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

European markets were set to open higher Monday, with attention this week set to be on the publication of Federal Reserve meeting notes. The index reached a one-year high, while both the U.K.'s FTSE 100 and France's CAC 40 touched record highs during the week. Investors will be keenly watching as the U.S. central bank releases minutes from its latest meeting on Wednesday. Markets in Asia-Pacific were mostly higher as the People's Bank of China left its 1-year and 5-year prime loan rates unchanged, as was widely expected. U.S. markets are closed for Presidents' Day.

☆ Investors pull cash from classic risk plays as Fed rate picture shifts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BofA Global Research's weekly "Flow Show", released on Friday, showed the largest outflows from technology funds since September, the largest outflows from emerging market debt funds in 14 weeks, and the largest outflows from junk debt funds in eight weeks. Emerging market debt funds saw outflows of $700 million, the largest weekly outflow in 14 weeks, according to the report which attributed the decline to debt investors reducing risk. High yield - or junk - debt saw outflows of $2.6 billion, the largest in eight weeks, and tech funds had $1.1 billion of outflows, the most since September. Elsewhere, there were $5.5 billion inflows to bonds, $1 billion inflows to cash, $300 million to equities and $45 million to gold. Reporting by Alun John; editing by Amanda Cooper and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Morning Bid: When doves cry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The market has succumbed to the Fed and is now pricing U.S. interest rates to stay above 5% for the year. This has pushed benchmark 10-year Treasury yields to their highest since late December, with the dollar at six-week highs. Thursday's report showed goods and services prices increased, raising questions about the goods disinflation narrative, according to strategists from Saxo Markets. UK retail data and French inflation data are on deck and will help investors to gauge the state of inflation in the region. The data comes a day after France's CAC 40 touched a record high while London's FTSE 100 continued its recent run of record highs.

☆ Morning Bid: Elusive peaks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Unlike much of last year, the rates market is now inclined to believe the central bank on the direction of travel. And implied year-end rates are as high as 5.12% - almost half a point higher than where the current rate sits. Two-year Treasury yields hit a three-month high at 4.72% on Friday, with 10-year yields at 3-month peaks too - homing in on 4% for the first time since November. So as impressive as this week's stock market resilience had been to the new inflation and rates environment, it appears to be buckling again already. Key developments that may provide direction to U.S. markets later on Friday:* U.S. Jan import and export prices, leading indicator.

☆ European markets expected to open lower after week of key data
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European markets are expected to open lower Friday as investors continue to assess the impact of inflation and production data from the U.S. and U.K. and company earnings. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed slightly higher Thursday after a choppy session that saw France's CAC 40 index hit an all-time intraday high. In the U.S., wholesale prices rose 0.7% in January, which was more than expected and encouraged fears over the country's stubbornly high inflation metrics. U.S. stock futures slipped Thursday night on the news. Asia Pacific markets traded lower on Friday as investors digested more economic data out of the U.S. and more hawkish commentary from the Federal Reserve.

☆ A luxury buying spree is sending shares of companies like Gucci owner Kering and Hermes soaring
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Kering and Hermes are up 17% and 23% year-to-date, partly on optimism around China's reopeningShares of LVMH hit an all-time high of $176.13 earlier this month. Kering, Hermes, and LVMH helped lead the French CAC 40 to a record high on Thursday. Shares of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, commonly known as LVMH, hit an all-time high of $176.13 earlier this month. Kering, Hermes, and LVMH made up a third of the French CAC 40 index's 14% gain this year, which helped propel the benchmark index to a record high on Thursday. The CAC 40 is outperforming the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, which has increased about 9% year-to-date as well.

The company sold 10 million American depository receipts (ADRs) at $19 apiece, according to its regulatory filings, and shares closed at $21.05. The deal is the biggest from a Chinese company selling shares in New York since LianBio (LIAN.O) raised $334 million in October 2021, according to Refinitiv data. Chinese company listings in the United States ground to a halt in 2021 after the debut of ride hailing giant Didi Global Inc (92Sy.MU) in June of that year. As a result, Chinese listings in the United States dwindled and mainland regulators also moved to draw up new guidelines governing companies selling shares overseas. Chinese companies raised nearly $230 million in U.S. listings in 2022, according to Refinitiv data, representing a massive drop from $12.85 billion a year earlier.

PARIS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - French luxury goods group Kering (PRTP.PA) has appointed Sabato De Sarno, a senior fashion designer at Valentino, as creative director of its top brand Gucci, it said on Saturday. "I am touched and excited to contribute my creative vision for the brand.”He will present his debut Gucci runway collection at Milan Women's Fashion Week in September 2023. Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri said that having worked with a number of Italy's most renowned luxury fashion houses, De Sarno "brings with him a vast and relevant experience." "Gucci - and the Kering shareholders - need courage and an original point of view." "The eyes of the world will be on him to see if he also has the required creative genius."

☆ Alibaba, Tencent 'golden shares': China is pulling different strings to control Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

According to a person familiar with the matter, the Chinese government is also discussing taking a similar stake in a mainland Chinese subsidiary of Tencent (TCEHY), the group that includes WeChat and a vast gaming business. The headquarters of the Cyberspace Administration of China in Beijing, China on July 16, 2021. “Golden shares” give their owners, usually governments, some level of control over companies, often those that were previously state-owned. In April 2021, a government entity acquired a 1% stake in a Beijing subsidiary of TikTok’s parent company Bytedance, according to Qichacha. The Communist Party may be easing off on fines and penalties, but the “golden shares” approach seeks the same end, which is “control and tight oversight,” said Capri.

☆ Didi's China ride-hailing app back on some app stores
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Didi Global's Chinese ride-hailing app returned to some Android app stores on Tuesday, according to Reuters checks and a source with direct knowledge of the matter, signalling its emergence from around 1-1/2 years of regulatory troubles. Didi has been awaiting approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of its 25 banned apps in China as a key step to return to normal business since its regulatory problems started in mid-2021. Its 25 mobile apps were then ordered to be taken down from app stores, the registration of new users was suspended, and it was fined $1.2 billion over data-security breaches. Didi said in a statement on Monday it had been given the green light from domestic regulators to resume new user registrations for its core ride-hailing app from Monday. Reporting by Yingzhi Yang and Julie Zhu Editing by David Goodman and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] The app logo of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi is seen reflected on its navigation map displayed on a mobile phone in this illustration picture taken July 1, 2021. Didi has been awaiting authorities' approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of its 25 banned apps in China as a key step to resume normal business since its regulatory troubles started in mid-2021. A lifting of the ban on Didi apps would come as Chinese policymakers seek to restore private sector confidence and count on the technology industry to help spur economic activity that has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay in the return of the apps had cast a shadow over Didi's business plans. That deal is primarily subject to the apps' resumption for official announcement, said the two sources.

☆ China acquires 'golden shares' in two Alibaba units
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] The logo of Alibaba Group is seen at its office in Beijing, China Jan. 5, 2021. REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, China, Jan 13 (Reuters) - China has acquired minority stakes with special rights in two domestic units of tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (9988.HK), business registration records showed, as Beijing extends a campaign to strengthen control over online content. Beijing has been taking 'golden shares' in private online media and content companies for more than five years, and in recent years expanding such arrangements to companies with vast troves of data. These golden shares, typically equal to about 1% of a firm, are bought by government-backed funds or companies which gain board representation and/or veto rights for key business decisions. Having such golden shares can be helpful to firms when they try to secure licences to disseminate online news and to show online visual and audio programmes, sources have told Reuters.

☆ China to allow Didi apps back online, in latest sign of regulatory thaw, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A logo for Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi is illuminated outside company headquarters on Jan. 21, 2022 in Hangzhou, China. Shen Longquan | Visual China Group | Getty ImagesChinese authorities are set to allow Didi Global's ride-hailing and other apps back on domestic app stores as soon as next week, five sources told Reuters, in yet another signal that their two-year regulatory crackdown on the technology sector is ending. Didi has been awaiting authorities' approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of its 25 banned apps in China as a key step to resume normal business since its regulatory troubles started in mid-2021. The one-week-long holiday period in China would help Didi start to attract new clients for the business and work towards bringing it back to normal, added two of the sources. China's central bank will step up support for private firms as part of steps to shore up the economy, while easing a crackdown on tech companies, Guo Shuqing, Communist party chief of the People's Bank of China, told state-owned CCTV on Sunday.

☆ Investors could find better stock market returns outside the U.S. in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

With the dollar weakening, it's time for U.S. investors to get more serious about going abroad for stock market gains. Europe, China, Japan, Asia are actually going to move from losers to winners," he said. The iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI), iShares MSCI China ETF (MCHI) and KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB) are invested in shares of Chinese companies. Chinese stocks make up 33% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) represents that index.

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