December, 2018

• 3 December

  South Korea’s export growth disappoints

  Bloomberg South Korea’s November exports grew at a slower pace than some economists forecast amid a slowdown in sales to China, the nation’s biggest trading partner. The value of shipments abroad rose 4.5 percent from a year earlier, compared with a 6.6 percent gain forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Exports to China dipped 2.5 percent as Chinese display ...

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• 3 December

  Indian graphite maker sees more gain on China skies

  

  Bloomberg The world’s most profitable graphite electrode maker expects China’s push for blue skies to fuel higher margins as it bolsters demand for the steelmaking ingredient. India’s HEG Ltd. expects revenue to more than double and the pretax margin to rise to as much 75 percent as demand remains strong because of environmental curbs in China, according to Chief Executive ...

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• 3 December

  Mexico, Canada diverge in metal tariff relief hopes

  

  Bloomberg Fresh off signing their trade deal with the US, the governments of Canada and Mexico are diverging on the continent’s other trade fight over metals tariffs — with Mexico setting hopes for a deal sooner than Canada. The three countries signed their new deal in Buenos Aires to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) despite US tariffs on ...

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• 3 December

  Euro-area factories hit as demand drops

  

  Bloomberg Euro-area manufacturers saw activity slow further as concern over trade wars and political instability hit demand for machines and other investment goods. IHS Markit’s Purchasing Manager’s Index for factories fell to 51.8 in November from 52 in October. While the reading exceeded a prior flash estimate of 51.5, it marked the weakest growth in more than two years. “Production ...

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• 3 December

  Goldman backs NEA’s $1.4bn VC spin-off fund

  Bloomberg New Enterprise Associates (NEA), one of the largest venture capital (VC) firms in Silicon Valley, is selling off a chunk of its more mature startup investme-nts to a separate fund run by one of its partners. Goldman Sachs Group Inc, an investor in NEA, bought a stake in the new $1.35 billion fund, which expands the Wall Street firm’s ...

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• 3 December

  Brexit prompts financial firms to weigh Dutch licences

  

  Bloomberg As Brexit nears, the Dutch authorities processing banking and markets licenses are starting to feel the heat. About 50 banks and other financial institutions are having or have had talks with the Dutch central bank about setting up shop in the Netherlands, according to Tobias Oudejans, a spokesman for the institution. Fewer than five companies have been granted licenses ...

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• 3 December

  AT&T plans 3-tiered streaming options

  

  Bloomberg AT&T Inc is putting its new Time Warner arsenal of media properties to work, unveiling plans to roll out a three-tiered streaming-video service to compete with Netflix Inc. One of the new products launching late next year will be a movies-only plan, the company said. Another will have original programming as well as blockbuster films. And the highest-priced choice ...

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• 3 December

  California ponders PG&E’s future amid protests

  

  Bloomberg California’s top energy regulator isn’t sure how to fix PG&E Corp. As protesters chanted “No bailout” at a public meeting, California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Picker said the company “lacks a clear vision for safety” and will face a sweeping review following the deadliest wildfire in state history. “Is there a different model to ensure that we have ...

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• 3 December

  Donald Trump vs. the Fed

  

  President Trump, do yourself a favour. Stop attacking the Federal Reserve and its chairman, Jerome Powell (yes, the same Powell you nominated). The result would be better for you, better for Powell and — most important — better for the country. Unfortunately, Trump can’t seem to restrain himself. The Fed has been raising short-term interest rates since late 2015 and ...

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• 3 December

  Taiwan learns to love nuclear, a little

  

  Just as the sun seems to be setting on nuclear power in rich countries, Taiwan’s voters have delivered it a new lease on life. A plebiscite on whether to repeal a law requiring the country’s four operating reactors to switch off by 2025 passed with 59.5% of the vote in the country’s local elections. As a result the government will ...

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