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Aug 18 (Reuters) - Estee Lauder (EL.N) forecast annual sales and profit below estimates on Friday, indicating a slower-than-expected rebound in its travel retail business, mainly in Asia, and waning demand in the United States, sending its shares down about 3%. Analysts note that the drop in consumer demand in China and a slow recovery in Asia travel retail - sales made at airports or travel destinations like Korea and China's Hainan - could impact luxury companies like Estee, which makes about 30% of its annual revenue from the Asia Pacific region. "De-stocking and inventory levels in Asian Travel Retail… likely to remain the biggest headwind to growth over the next few quarters," said Bernstein analyst Callum Elliott. Estee expects full-year sales to rise between 5% and 7%, compared with an estimated 8.8% increase, according to Refinitiv data. It sees annual adjusted profit to be between $3.50 and $3.75 per share, compared with an expectation of $4.83.

Persons: Estee Lauder, It's, Tracey Travis, Lauder, Shannon Stapleton, Bernstein, Callum Elliott, Estee, Granth Vanaik, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Pooja Desai Organizations: Reuters, Nordstrom, REUTERS, L'Oreal, U.S ., Asia Pacific, Thomson Locations: Asia, United States, China, Korea, Hainan, Asia Pacific, New York, U.S, Americas, Mainland China, Bengaluru

Samsung's 11-year-old investment in ASML has been hugely lucrative. Over the past decade, ASML shares have delivered a whopping 25% annualised return to its shareholders. It's part of Samsung's ambitious $230 billion commitment to bolster South Korea's semiconductor and high-tech sectors over the next 20 years. Moreover, Samsung's cash is probably held in overseas affiliates and subsidiaries across different jurisdictions; its annual report lists hundreds of entities abroad. That should help ease Samsung’s vexing cash bind, but the company may still need to come up with some creative funding choices.

Persons: Taiwan's TSMC, ASML, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Samsung Electronics, Korean Economic, Intel, Samsung, HK, SFA Engineering, Apple, Korea Economic, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, KS, ASML, United States, Korea

☆ Missiles aren't the only threat from North Korea. Its conventional arms are just as deadly
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A fire assault drill by North Korean rocket artillery units at an undisclosed location in North Korea in March 2023 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In late 2022, CFR estimated North Korea had 1.3 million active military personnel, in addition to a 600,000 strong reserve force. Pinkston pointed out that North Korea is not the only one that can launch an attack at short notice. Holistic perspectiveWhy would North Korea need to develop missiles if it holds such a potent threat over South Korea — even if short-lived? However, Cha pointed out that there have also been studies that have shown the damage inflicted by North Korean artillery is "not that effective."

Persons: that's, Naoko Aoki, Victor Cha, Rand, Daniel Pinkston, Pinkston, Cha Organizations: North Korean, North, Korean Central News Agency, Reuters, Korea's, Rand Corporation ., of Foreign Relations, CFR, Korean, Artillery, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Rand Corp, Samsung Electronics, Rand, . Rand Corporation, LG, South Korean, Troy University, CNBC, Korea People's Army, CSIS Locations: North Korea, Korean, Korea, South Korea, Seoul, Pyongyang, U.S, Paju, counterfire, Washington, United States, Victor, Victor Cha Korea

A child plays the game "Honour of Kings" by Tencent at home in Dezhou, Shandong province, China July 2, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG, Aug 17 (Reuters Breakingviews) - China's economic woes have gifted Tencent (0700.HK) an unexpected silver lining. Revenue rose a decent 11% to 149 billion yuan ($20.4 billion), but fell slightly short of the average analyst forecast compiled by Refinitiv. That compares to the 151.7 billion yuan average analyst forecast of 21 analysts compiled by Refinitiv. Adjusted net profit, after excluding certain one-time and non-cash items, rose 33% to 37.5 billion yuan.

Persons: Tencent, Stringer, HONG KONG, Refinitiv, James Mitchell, pare, Alibaba, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, HK, Revenue, Tencent, Citi, Refinitiv, Thomson Locations: Dezhou, Shandong province, China, HONG, Tencent, Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Aug 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Hong Kong has lost some permanent appeal. The introduction of two sets of approvals was mandated three decades ago when foreign investors wanted additional protections to invest in the first wave of Chinese firms listing in Hong Kong. China's domestic securities laws have since developed and global investors can now directly buy shares onshore through various channels. That could lead to more onshore shares being issued relative to offshore shares, further diluting minority owners in Hong Kong. In 2020, Hong Kong shareholders vetoed the Bank of Zhengzhou's proposal to avoid such an outcome.

Persons: Hong Kong, HKEX, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Hong Kong Exchanges, HK, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Asia Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Corporate Governance Association, China Life Insurance, Wall, Hong, Bank of, Companies, Global, Hang Seng China Enterprise Index, Graphics Global, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, China, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong

A customer leaves one of the stores of discount retail chain Target in Ancaster, January 15, 2015. REUTERS/Peter Power/File PhotoAug 14 (Reuters) - Target (TGT.N) is expected to post its first quarterly drop in revenue in about six years when it reports results on Wednesday, as the big-box retailer reels from a shift in consumer spending away from discretionary goods to services. "Target is going to suffer more versus the others because they have a much larger consumer discretionary element to their business," Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said. At least 16 analysts have cut their price targets on the retailer since the beginning of June as its merchandise is skewed towards discretionary items such as clothes, electronics and beauty products. THE CONTEXTTarget in May had warned of dour second-quarter results as inflation forces consumers to shun non-essential goods.

Persons: Peter Power, Edward Jones, Brian Yarbrough, Erik Carnell's Abprallen, Group's Joseph Feldman, Jane Hali, Jessica Ramirez, Granth, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: REUTERS, Mastercard, American Express, Pride, Associates, Reuters, Refinitiv, Walmart, Target, Thomson Locations: Target, Ancaster, Bengaluru

CNN —Taiwan will never back down in the face of growing threats from China, the island’s vice president and presidential hopeful said Sunday during a transit through the United States, defying Beijing’s condemnation of his trip. William Lai, a front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential race in January, made a stop in New York en route to Paraguay, where he will attend the inauguration of its new president Tuesday. “When Taiwan is safe, the world is safe, and when there is peace on the Taiwan Strait, there will be world peace,” Lai said, according to Taiwan’s presidential office. In March, Taiwan’s President Tsai transited in California and met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, despite warnings and threats from Beijing. Following Tsai’s trip, China launched three days of live-fire military drills around Taiwan.

Persons: William Lai, Lai, Taiwan’s, ” Lai, ”, Xi Jinping, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Xi, “, Kevin McCarthy Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, US, Democratic Progressive Party, Harvard, Kuomintang, China’s Communist Party, Taiwan’s Locations: Taiwan, China, United States, New York, Paraguay, “, Taiwan Strait, ”, San Francisco, Beijing, California

☆ China-Philippines tensions: Is a maritime militia Beijing says doesn't exist causing chaos in the South China Sea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Most of the Chinese ships involved are marked “China Coast Guard,” but among the flotilla are also at least two blue-hulled vessels that resemble fishing boats. After the confrontation last weekend, China claimed the Philippines had violated its sovereignty by grounding the ship on the shoal. That symbiotic relationship became even clearer in 2021 when the China Coast Guard came under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Central Military Commission effectively making it part of Beijing’s military. The Chinese vessels “physically blockaded the supply ship. Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty ImagesChina’s waiting gameAnalysts say they don’t see any appetite in Beijing for actual combat over Second Thomas Shoal, but they also say China can afford to play a waiting game.

Persons: Thomas Shoal, Jay Tarriela, Thomas, “, ”, China’s, People’s Liberation Army –, Lyle Morris, CNN ‘, doesn’t, Ray Powell, SeaLight, Powell, Morris, ” Powell, Shoal, Ted Aljibe, Lionel Fatton, ” Washington Organizations: CNN, China Coast Guard, United, “, Philippine Coast Guard, Hague, People’s Liberation Army, PLA Navy, Chinese Central Military Commission, Asia Society, Center for China, National Security, Stanford University, Central Military Commission, US Navy, US Coast Guard, Getty, Webster University Locations: Philippine, South, Philippines, Spratly, United States, Beijing, China, Palawan, Sierra Madre, ”, South China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, Washington, Manila, Sierra, AFP, Switzerland

☆ Europe wants China in its corner on Ukraine. But their relations are a tricky balancing act
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —European officials took some small comfort when China attended a summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last weekend. The only downside is how it makes others think about China.”It’s no secret that China’s relationship with Europe has become tetchy. Multiple officials explained to CNN that the relationship with China is in a sort of stasis that tries to balance what Europe needs versus what Europe wants. Europe still imports vastly more from China than it exports, a reflection of the level of dependency it has on China. In 2023, European officials know that China represents a major security concern and that becoming overly dependent on China is a risk.

Persons: it’s, Vladimir Putin, “, ”, Wang Yi, Sergey Lavrov, Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, It’s, Russia –, Moscow’s, ” Alicja, €, Ursula von der Leyen, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, Jacques Witt, they’re, Sam Goodman, Goodman, Charles Parton Organizations: CNN, EU, “, Russia, Saudi Press Agency, Reuters, European Council, Foreign Relations, Europe, Investment, Beijing, European Commission, East, Risks Institute, Putin’s, Huawei Locations: China, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Beijing, Russia, Russian, Alaska, Europe, Washington, Brussels, Eurasia, Taiwan, France, Germany, Spain, Guandong, Guangzhou, Reuters Brussels, West, Putin’s Moscow, America

☆ With eyes on Taiwan, new China ban shows the U.S. may be learning lessons from mistakes with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Analysts said the U.S. was making such moves with an eye on rising tensions over Taiwan, given that the potential fallout from a conflict between China and Taiwan would be "unimaginable." Yurchenko, who spoke to CNBC ahead of the Wednesday announcement, dubbed the scale of the risks regarding Taiwan as "unimaginable." Beijing, meanwhile, has called for "reunification" with Taiwan, last year describing its status in a white paper as an "unalterable" part of China. watch nowElina Ribakova, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said that China was watching the West's approach to Russia closely. Western sanctions against Moscow keep coming, almost 1½ years after Russian forces crossed Ukraine's borders.

Persons: Drew Angerer, Joe Biden, Olena, it's, Olena Yurchenko, Yurchenko, Kyle Bass, Xi Jinping, Biden, Ukraine's Yurchenko, they've, Elina Ribakova, Ribakova, Daniel Ferrie, I'm Organizations: Getty, Wednesday, Foreign Ministry, Economic Security, of, of Ukraine, CNBC, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Moscow, Ukraine, European, European Union, Hayman Capital Locations: China, disassociation, Beijing, U.S, Russia, Taiwan, United States, Washington, of Ukraine, India, Taiwan Strait, Ukraine, Ukraine's, Moscow

☆ ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Review: Intimate International Relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( John Anderson | ) 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/red-white-royal-blue-review-prime-video-uma-thurman-nicholas-galitzine-taylor-zakhar-perez-67a80cb8

Persons: Dow Jones, thurman, nicholas, galitzine, zakhar, perez, 67a80cb8

☆ In New Zealand, defence and security become election issues amid China’s Pacific push
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

“Foreign policy, defence, our relationship with the Pacific - all of that will be far more relevant and the public will be more conscious of it compared to other elections, where it's been pretty much non-existent,” said Josie Pagani, a political commentator and host of the pre-election foreign policy debate. Sixty-three percent of voters say inflation and the cost of living are a most important issues of the election, a poll by the Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor released in June said. A second survey released last week by the country’s national intelligence and security board found increasing levels of concern about defence, security and foreign policy. Foreign policy doesn't usually play in New Zealand elections, said Jason Young, an associate professor of international relations and politics at Victoria University. The opposition National party, which polls indicate will win control of the government, hasn’t released its defence policy and said it needs more detail about AUKUS.

Persons: it's, ”, Josie Pagani, Andrew Little, “, Chris Seed, Jason Young, Helen Clark, Nanaia Mahuta, hasn’t, Gerry Brownlee, Lucy Craymer, Gerry Doyle Organizations: WELLINGTON, ”, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Victoria University, Washington, Labour, National, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, China, Solomon, Ukraine, Pacific, Zealand, United States, Australia, Britain, “, AUKUS, Zealanders

Poland's government, which faces October elections, is even suing Brussels over climate policies. Britain has already quickly gone from being a leader on the world stage to looking quite weak on green policies, he said. CITIZENS, BUSINESSESEurope's green policies are still more credible than U.S. ones, given see-sawing between electoral cycles in the United States, some analysts said. Rows over green policies have propelled right-wing populist parties to second place in both Dutch and German polls. "Otherwise citizens might start to feel that climate policy is always financially overwhelming and bad, and that sentiment is then exploited by populists."

Persons: Timm Reichert, Virginijus Sinkevicius, Sinkevicius, Anna Moskwa, Nathalie Tocci, Mats Engström, GREEN, Bob Ward, Ward, Rishi Sunak, Rob Jetten, Nina Scheer, Simone Tagliapietra, Tagliapietra, Kate Abnett, Sarah Marsh, Gloria Dickie, Anthony Deutsch, Angelo Amante, Pawel, Susanna Twidale, William James, Alexnder Smith Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Reuters, European People's Party, European Council, Foreign, United States, Grantham Research, London School of Economics, Political, Climate, Energy, Democrats, Thomson Locations: Gruenberg, Germany, EU, BERLIN, BRUSSELS, Netherlands, Brussels, Europe, United States, Grantham, India, China, Britain, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Rome, Warsaw

MOSCOW, Aug 10 (Reuters) - In Vladimir Putin's Russia, the Kremlin even writes the history textbooks. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky has published four history textbooks for 16- to 18-year-old schoolchildren giving a completely revised interpretation of the fall of the Soviet Union, the Putin era and the causes of the Ukraine war. The final chapter of the 447-page "History of Russia 1945 - the start of 21st Century" focuses on the causes of the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two - the Ukraine war that has left several hundred thousand soldiers injured or dead. "This is propaganda - it’s not a textbook," Mikhail Kopitsa, a Russian history teacher who left Russia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, told Reuters of the book. It ends with small biographies of some of the Russians who have fallen in the Ukraine war - which it does not call a war.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Vladimir Medinsky, Putin, Josef Stalin, Mikhail Kopitsa, Anatoly Torkunov, Napoleon Bonaparte, Guy Faulconbridge, Nick Macfie Organizations: KGB, Reuters, Kremlin, NATO, West, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Continental, Britain, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Vladimir Putin's Russia, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Soviet, Russia, Europe, United States, Russian, Moscow, The, Georgia, Montenegro, Ukrainian, Ukraine's, Crimea

Factors such as cheaper airfares and weaker currencies in Scandinavia could play a role, but one of the world's biggest tour operators TUI (TUI1n.DE) said on Wednesday that climate change will also drive more tourists northbound. Tour operators in places like northern Norway also see an increased demand. This had resulted in more direct flight routes to Northern Norway being created, it said. Heather Storgaard, a Scottish tourist, planned her summer vacation this year in Denmark, with a stop in Northern Germany. Wissenbach is often in Italy due to work but said she preferred the north for holidays.

Persons: Sebastian Ebel, Ebel, TUI, Fabio Scaglione, Diego Bruno, Bruno, Heather Storgaard, we'd, Margit Wissenbach, Joanna Plucinska, Marie Mannes, Rachel More, Alberto Chiumento, Mark Potter, William Maclean Organizations: Mastercard, TUI's, Stockholm, Thomson Locations: Europe, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Scandinavia, Poland, Belgium, Greece, Rhodes, Northern Norway, Turin, Italy, Italian, Spain, Scottish, Northern Germany, France, Germany, Switzerland, Gothenburg, Wissenbach

☆ Educational TikTok teaches history you might not learn in school
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Scholars and educators are increasingly using TikTok to share history that’s seldom found in textbooks — and their content is finding an audience. TikTok can fill in educational gapsKahlil Greene, known as Gen Z Historian on TikTok, is one of several educators on the platform who have built up a following around sharing little-known history. While some lawmakers and officials try to limit such instruction, that knowledge can be vital for students, said Ernest Crim III, a former high school history teacher who now makes educational content for TikTok. In fact, his educational content has resonated so widely that he left classroom teaching to make social media content full-time. TikTok educational content can empower communitiesEducational content on TikTok can also provide avenues for exploring one’s identity.

Persons: weren’t, Kahlil Greene, Greene, Martin Luther King Jr, “, ” Greene, Ernest Crim III, Crim, Ernest Crim III “, ”, TikTok, Carter G, Woodson, Henry Box Brown, Bill Darden, Viola Liuzzo, Selma, Moses Fleetwood Walker, Jackie Robinson, —, Ava DuVernay, ” Crim, Aslan Pahari, he’s, Pahari, — Pahari’s, “ I’m, they’re, “ They’re Organizations: CNN, Yale University, New York Times, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Facebook, Major League Baseball, MLB, Australian National University Locations: TikTok, —, White, California, Texas, Chicago, Black, Montgomery, Hughley, Sydney, South Asia, Central Asia, India, Afghanistan, Australia, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Pakistan, West

☆ China assures Russia it remains ‘impartial’ on Ukraine war after attending Saudi peace talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Lavrov “appreciates and welcomes the constructive role played by China” toward a political resolution of the “Ukraine crisis,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in their readout of Monday’s call. China has continued to bolster its economic, diplomatic, and security ties with Russia, despite Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing has never condemned. It did not send a delegation to previous international talks in Denmark in June, despite attempting to position itself as a potential peace broker on the conflict in recent months. That proposal, which Beijing put forward earlier this year, calls for peace talks to end the conflict. Ukraine and Russia remain publicly committed to prerequisites for direct negotiations that the other side finds unacceptable.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Wang Yi, Wang, Sergei Lavrov, ”, ” Wang, Lavrov “, Dmytro Kuleba, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, China’s, Affairs Li Hui, “, …, Lavrov, Russia “, ” “, Qin Gang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Russian, China’s Foreign Ministry, Saudi, Ukraine’s, ”, Affairs, Reuters, CNN, Tass, Communist Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, United States, Britain, Germany, India, Jeddah, ” Ukraine, American, Denmark, Europe, Washington

The logo of Tyson Foods is seen in Davos, Switzerland, May 22, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File PhotoAug 7 (Reuters) - Tyson Foods (TSN.N) missed Wall Street expectations for third-quarter revenue and profit on Monday, hurt by falling chicken and pork prices as well as slowing demand for its beef products. The company said it is closing four more U.S. chicken plants in a bid to reduce costs. The company's average sales prices fell 16.4% for pork and 5.5% for chicken, while rising 5.2% for beef. Tyson has eliminated U.S. jobs and already shut two chicken processing plants in a bid to reduce costs.

Persons: Arnd, Tyson, Granth, Tom Polansek, Milla Nissi Organizations: Tyson Foods, REUTERS, Hormel, packers, Rabobank, Thomson Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Bengaluru, Chicago

BEIJING, Aug 6 (Reuters) - China's decision to join international talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend seeking to end Russia's war in Ukraine signals possible shifts in Beijing's approach but not a U-turn in its support for Moscow, analysts say. "Beijing will not want to be absent from other credible peace initiatives that are led by non-Western countries." China did not attend the talks in Copenhagen in late June, despite being invited and having proposed its own 12-point plan for peace. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Li's involvement a "considerable breakthrough", according to Ukrainian media. While China's move was good for its image, Singapore-based analyst Li Mingjiang said Beijing would be looking to fine-tune its positions.

Persons: Yun Sun, Li Hui, Xi Jinping, Qin, Vladimir Putin, Dmytro Kuleba, Shen Dingli, Shen, China's, Li Mingjiang, Li, Geng Shuang, Moritz Rudolf, Yale Law School's Paul Tsai, Laurie Chen, Martin Quin Pollard, Greg Torode, William Mallard Organizations: NATO, Stimson, Qin Gang, People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, U.S, Ukrainian, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, United Nations, Security, Yale Law, Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Denmark, Russia, China, Washington, Jeddah, Copenhagen, Shanghai, Singapore

☆ Many Americans think NASA returning to the moon is a waste of time and it should prioritize asteroid hunting instead, a poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Mariel Borowitz | Teasel Muir-Harmony | The Conversation | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

A new report from the Pew Research Center shows most Americans support NASA but not a moon mission. But the specific priorities of the US space program have often been at odds with public opinion. Although somewhat at odds with the national space agenda, this valuation is not new. In addition, the United Nations' open-ended working group on reducing space threats has been meeting since 2022 to help avoid conflict in space. Countries have been working within the United Nations to develop and implement guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.

Persons: LOREN ELLIOTT, Johns Hopkins, Jon Emmerich, Elon Musk, Ryan Saunders, Codie Trimble Organizations: Pew Research Center, NASA, Service, Getty Images, Artemis, Pew, SpaceX, AP, Virgin Galactic, . Air Force, 625th Strategic Communications Squadron, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, US Air Force, Staff, ViaSat, United Nations, Space Agency Space Locations: Wall, Silicon, United States, AFP, States, Europe, Japan, Canada, China, Russia, Ukraine War, Ukrainian, Ukraine, United

The logo of the company Royal Caribbean is seen on the 'Wonder of the Seas' cruise ship, the world’s largest cruise ship, docked at a port in Malaga, southern Spain, April 30, 2022. Cruise operators lowered prices to lure passengers onboard following the pandemic, banking on onboard spending that has now reached record levels. Onboard spending in the second quarter rose 49.9% for Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCLH.N), compared with the same period in 2019, before the pandemic. Onboard spending rose about 36.8% for Royal Caribbean Cruises and 17.2% for Carnival in the same period. Carnival and Royal Caribbean said the percentage of guests who were new to cruising surpassed 2019 levels.

Persons: Jon Nazca, Patrick Scholes, Josh Weinstein, Bob Levinstein, Cruise, Carnival's Weinstein, Jason Liberty, Brandt Montour, Granth, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Royal, REUTERS, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Carnival Corp, Carnival, Cruise, Norwegian Cruise Lines, DISNEY WORLD, Walt Disney, Custom Travel, Reuters Graphics, Cruise Lines International, . Carnival, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Royal Caribbean, Malaga, Spain, U.S, Caribbean, Orlando , Florida, They've, Bengaluru, Doyinsola, New York

HONG KONG, Aug 3 (Reuters Breakingviews) - South Korea’s dealmaking skeletons are back to haunt. Paul Singer's Elliott opposed a $9 billion union eight years ago of Samsung C&T (028260.KS) and Chiel Industries. South Korea’s successful prosecution of Lee, Park and a former minister that oversaw NPS, provided cause for Elliott to demand payback. Elliott sued in 2018 and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in June awarded the U.S. fund over $100 million. Far from being the end of it though, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government is contesting that award in a British arbitration court.

Persons: Samsung's Lee, Paul Singer's Elliott, Elliott, Jay Y, Lee, Park Geun, Yoon Suk, Hague, Yoon, Taiwan's TSMC, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Korea Inc, Samsung, Chiel Industries, National Pension Service, NPS, U.S ., Korea, Trade, Global, Samsung Electronics, Apple, Tokyo, Korea's Ministry, Justice, Elliott Investment, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, U.S, Hague, Seoul, Korea, China, Beijing, Washington, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, United States

The Norwegian Pearl cruise ship is seen docked at Miami port, after Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd cancelled sailings amid rising fears of Omicron-related coronavirus infections, in Miami, Florida, U.S. January 5, 2022. Rival Royal Caribbean (RCL.N) last week forecast an upbeat third-quarter profit as well as lifted its annual profit expectations. Norwegian Cruise forecast its annual adjusted EBITDA, a key measure of profitability, between $1.85 billion and $1.95 billion, up from $1.80 billion to $1.95 billion previously. Despite undertaking price hikes on its itineraries, Norwegian Cruise has been bogged down by inflation and higher labor costs. Rival Carnival (CCL.N) has also forecast third-quarter profit below estimates on higher costs.

Persons: Marco Bello, Patrick Scholes, Royal, Harry Sommer, Norwegian's, Granth, Shinjini Organizations: Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, REUTERS, Reuters, Cruise, Royal, Truist Securities, Norwegian Cruise, Thomson Locations: Norwegian, Miami, Miami , Florida, U.S, Royal Caribbean, Bengaluru

E-commerce app Temu is taking on the larger Shein by selling cheap Chinese-made goods to Western consumers. The company owned by $119 billion PDD (PDD.O) is more like an online dollar store. Moreover, Temu offers generous discounts and free or subsidised shipping to users. Parent company PDD, whose Pinduoduo e-commerce unit competes with Alibaba (9988.HK) and JD.com (9618.HK) in China, discloses little about its overseas business. Temu offers everything from home appliances to electronics to toys, making it more of a direct competitor to Amazon.

Persons: Shein, Breakingviews, Temu, PDD, Bernstein, Peter Thal Larsen, Aditya Munjuluru, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, United States, Wall Street, Temu, Bloomberg, HK, PDD, Thomson, & $ Locations: HONG KONG, Western, China, U.S, United States, Shein

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