May, 2019

• 21 May

  Thai economy falls to weakest since 2014

  

  Bloomberg Thailand’s economy grew at the slowest pace since 2014 in the first quarter as weaker global demand and trade tensions weighed on exports. Gross domestic product rose 2.8 percent from a year ago, down from a revised 3.6 percent in the fourth quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Council said. That’s the slowest pace since the end of ...

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• 21 May

  Japan auto group ‘disappointed’ by Trump’s stance on imports

  

  Bloomberg The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said it is “profoundly disappointed” by US President Donald Trump’s declaration that imported vehicles and parts threaten national security, echoing a statement made just days ago by Toyota Motor Corp. Although the comments are unusually strong, the source is no surprise: Toyota President Akio Toyoda is also chairman of JAMA, the influential trade group. ...

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• 21 May

  Huawei ban clouds world’s growth outlook

  

  Bloomberg US restrictions on China’s telecom giant Huawei threatens to snuff out a nascent recovery in semiconductor demand, a key driver of economic growth in technology powerhouses including South Korea and Taiwan. China dominates purchases from Asian semiconductor exporters and bought 51 percent of their exports in 2017, according to analysis by Citigroup Inc economists Jin-Wook Kim and Johanna Chua. ...

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• 21 May

  Oil firms join lobbying push for US carbon tax

  

  Bloomberg Oil companies, automakers and consumer products manufacturers will unleash a campaign for a US tax on carbon dioxide emissions even though it may lead to higher prices for their products. Oil companies BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are giving $1 million each to the Americans for Carbon Dividends advocacy campaign, underwriting its efforts to persuade Congress to ...

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• 21 May

  T-Mobile under pressure to sweeten Sprint package to get regulatory nod

  

  Bloomberg T-Mobile US Inc. suffered a significant setback in its bid for regulatory approval of its takeover of Sprint Corp. after failing to win over the US Justice Department with a remedy package, putting pressure on the companies to offer more concessions. The wireless carriers could try to sell additional assets to resolve the department’s concerns that the deal would ...

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• 21 May

  Slowdown in US housing helps landlords raise rents

  

  Bloomberg The US housing slowdown is turning out to be a gift to apartment landlords. After all, those people who aren’t buying still need somewhere to live. Data from Zillow shows that home-price appreciation continued to slow in April from a year earlier, driven in part by softening West Coast metros like San Jose and Seattle. The company also reported ...

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• 21 May

  Tesla in ‘code red’ as sell-off after capital raise exceeds 20%

  

  Bloomberg Tesla Inc.’s stock rout following this month’s $2.4 billion capital raise intensified after a once-bullish analyst called the range of issues facing the electric-car maker a “code red situation.” The shares have dropped in nine of the last 10 trading days, a stretch that started the day Tesla closed offerings of new stock and convertible bonds to shore up ...

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• 21 May

  Indonesia vote: Jokowi wins second term, rival cries foul

  

  Bloomberg Indonesian President Joko Widodo won last month’s bitterly contested election by a double-digit margin, official results showed on Tuesday, an outcome rejected by his rival who threatened a legal challenge amid threats of street protests by his supporters. Widodo, known as Jokowi, won 55.5 percent of the national vote, compared to his challenger Prabowo Subianto’s 44.5 percent, the General ...

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• 21 May

  May faces Brexit showdown, seeks ministers’ backing

  

  Bloomberg Theresa May faces a showdown with her cabinet on Tuesday as she seeks their backing for one last push for her divorce deal with the European Union. Pro-Brexit ministers and those looking to succeed May as prime minister are expected to lead objections as they debate proposals to make the agreement more attractive to the opposition Labour Party, potentially ...

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• 21 May

  Austria’s Kurz faces no-confidence vote

  

  Bloomberg Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is set to face a no-confidence vote as soon as next week, raising the specter of a deepening state crisis. His decision to sack nationalist Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, triggering the resignation of the remaining Freedom Party cabinet members, estranged his erstwhile partners and raised the chances that the parliamentary motion will pass with Freedom ...

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