July, 2022

• 16 July

  Britain’s aspiring leaders are far too quiet on Brexit

  

  The strangest thing about the turmoil surrounding UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s removal is the sustained lack of interest in Britain’s biggest and most pressing problem. Johnson bungled Brexit, and the country could be paying the price for years. His trade agreement with the European Union is broken and in danger of collapsing — threatening severe consequences for an economy ...

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• 16 July

  Going electric need not be complicated

  

  It may not have enough electric vehicles, powerpacks or the capital, but India has found a way towards mass electrification: swap batteries. The solution, where empty batteries can be exchanged for charged-up ones, is still in nascent stages in China, the world’s largest EV market, where it is anchored in strong government policy. Elsewhere, it hasn’t quite taken off. But ...

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• 16 July

  Is China stumbling into its own mortgage crisis?

    It is spreading like wildfire. Homebuyers in China are refusing to pay the mortgage on properties they’ve bought but that their financially strapped developers can’t finish. Some say that they will only resume payments when construction restarts. The protest involved more than 100 delayed projects as of July 13, up from 58 projects just one day earlier. The frustrated ...

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• 16 July

  Is Biden’s China policy delivering outcomes?

    Typically, the most effective foreign policy pairs smart tactical substance to an overarching strategic theme. Framing a foreign policy correctly can sustain domestic political support, attract allies and provide the intellectual guidance for action. Conversely, flawed framing can undercut any good that specific policies may otherwise be doing. When it comes to China, US President Joe Biden’s administration risks ...

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• 16 July

  Boeing needs a win at Farnborough Airshow

  

  Bloomberg As the aerospace world gathers in southern England next week for the first major commercial show since 2019, the stakes are particularly high for one half of the global planemaking duopoly. As ever, the spotlight at the Farnborough International Airshow will focus on the battle between Airbus SE and Boeing Co for orders, with rapid-fire, often last-minute announcements providing ...

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• 16 July

  Burberry upbeat on steady outlook

  

  Bloomberg Burberry Group Plc held its medium-term forecast steady despite severe lockdowns in parts of China in April and May that hurt demand for luxury products. The British fashion brand continues to target high-single digit revenue growth and a 20% margin at a constant currency in the medium term, as it “actively manages” the impact of lockdowns in China and ...

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• 16 July

  Amazon’s UK recruitment drive slows after pandemic

    Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc said it would create more than 4,000 new permanent jobs in the UK this year, the smallest number it’s announced in at least three years, despite planning to open two more fulfillment centers in the north of England. The new roles will span corporate, technology, as well as delivery and fulfillment positions, some of which will ...

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• 16 July

  Fast Retailing jumps as Uniqlo owner predicts record profit

    Bloomberg Fast Retailing Co climbed the most in three months after projecting a record full-year profit on a weaker yen and as strong sales globally outweigh a China slump due to Covid Zero lockdowns. Shares of Uniqlo’s owner surged as much as 8.5% in Tokyo, the biggest intraday gain since mid-April, and were 8.4% higher. The Topix was little ...

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• 16 July

  Wave of airline flight delays in 2022 mostly self-inflicted

  

  Bloomberg The share of US flight delays caused by airlines, as opposed to weather or air traffic control, has surged to the highest level on record, reflecting carriers’ struggle in the post-Covid rebound. Through April, airlines triggered about 58% of late flights so far in 2022, surpassing those that were tardy due to storms, the government’s air-traffic system and security ...

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• 16 July

  Pacific leader blasts Beijing’s botched attempt to strike pact

  

  Bloomberg China’s attempt to strike a wide-ranging economic and security pact in the strategically important Pacific region fell apart in May because of Beijing’s rushed attempts at diplomacy. The head of the Pacific Islands Forum held this week in Fiji said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had come to the region with an “outcomes document” already prepared, before any meetings ...

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