February, 2019

• 23 February

  What is driving iron ore’s latest price spike?

  There’s nothing worse than things going crazy at the office while you’re away on holiday. That’s what happened to Chinese iron ore traders over the past fortnight, after Vale SA’s Brumadinho dam disaster prompted fears that as much as 40 million metric tons of metal could be taken off the market while the Brazilian miner closed similar facilities. As mainland ...

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• 23 February

  UK’s moderate mutiny offers a hint of progress

  All too late, the British political system seems to be awakening to the insoluble crises posed by Brexit. With negotiations stalled and no obvious solution at hand, both main parties are on the verge of historic break-ups. Squint and you just might see some reasons for optimism. This week, 11 legislators — three from the Tories and eight from Labour ...

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• 23 February

  In Germany, the Green New Deal actually works

  

  Opponents of the US congressional Democrats’ Green New Deal point to Germany as an example of a country where similar policies have backfired. They should take a closer look; the US could do well to imitate Europe’s largest economy. Here’s how the case against Germany goes: Despite a sustained effort to boost sustainable sources of energy, carbon emissions haven’t fallen ...

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• 23 February

  Trump’s tariff threat leaves EU looking for plan B

  

  The European Union (EU) should “stop grumbling about Trump and start doing business with him,” according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. That will be easier said than done. For why, look no further than the US President’s threatened auto tariffs. The US is looking at unilaterally imposing a 25 percent tariff on cars imported from abroad on the flimsy ...

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• 23 February

  China’s recession-proof economy to get a stress test

  

  China bears have had a bad decade. Repeated predictions that China’s large and growing pile of debt would lead to an economic crash have been wrong so far. The country sailed through the global financial crisis. It has weathered the slowing global demand for its exports, the drying up of its excess rural labour supply, slowing coal production, and the ...

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• 23 February

  A phone that turns into a tablet!

  

  Bloomberg Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled a $1,980 smartphone with a foldable screen, a dramatic shift in the mass market for phones. The device has a 4.6-inch screen when used as a phone and can unfold into a tablet with a 7.3-inch screen, Samsung said during a demonstration kicking off its Unpacked event in San Francisco. The company said the new ...

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• 23 February

  Apple to combine iPhone, iPad, Mac apps

  

  Bloomberg Apple Inc. wants to make it easier for software coders to create tools, games and other applications for its main devices in one fell swoop — an overhaul designed to encourage app development and, ultimately, boost revenue. The aim of the multistep initiative, code-named “Marzipan,” is that by 2021, developers will be able to build an app once and ...

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• 23 February

  China not holding gaming approvals, says NetEase

  

  Bloomberg NetEase Inc. dismissed reports China is holding up gaming approvals as it untangles a huge backlog, saying the company is closing in on the release of Diablo Immortal for the world’s top gaming market. Chief Financial Officer Yang Zhaoxuan told analysts that select regulatory agencies are tweaking the process through which developers seek approval to make money off titles, ...

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• 23 February

  Airstream adds smart app controls, retains retro appeal

  

  Bloomberg Airstream—the maker of bullet-shaped, aluminum-clad trailers—finally has some contemporary technology to go with its Jetsons aesthetic. The brand from RV giant Thor Industries is introducing a new app for controlling its campers, from AC to lights. “It’s effectively a blend of a smart home and a connected vehicle,” said McKay Featherstone, Airstream’s vice president of product development. “We’re trying ...

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• 23 February

  Fed leans towards shortening maturity of Treasury holdings

  

  Bloomberg Federal Reserve policy makers look to be leaning towards shortening the average maturity of their holdings of Treasury securities once they complete normalization of the balance sheet later this year. Fed Vice Chairman for Supervision Randal Quarles and Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester both said this week they would favor such a move, while also noting that ...

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