January, 2018

• 23 January

  Germany investor sentiment gains

  Bloomberg German investor confidence rose to an eight-month high in January, setting an optimistic tone for Europe’s largest economy in 2018. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said that its index of investor expectations increased to 20.4 from 17.4 in December. Economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted a gain to 17.7. Germany’s economy has been enjoying a ...

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• 23 January

  Netflix value tops $100bn, matches Goldman Sachs, Qualcomm

  

  Bloomberg Netflix Inc. surged in late trading after a blow-out quarter, vaulting past $100 billion in market value for the first time to put the video service on a lofty perch with the likes of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. The world’s largest online TV network reported its strongest year of subscriber growth to date. Netflix added 24 ...

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• 23 January

  Davos shows ‘weakness of western leaders’

  

  Bloomberg It’s been a decade since western bankers commanded the deference in Davos they enjoyed before the financial crisis. That blight appears to be spreading to politicians. The so-called masters of the universe headed to this year’s annual gathering of the global elite are looking less than magisterial. With the US in “America First” mode under Donald Trump, Britain consumed ...

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• 23 January

  Irish border dispute fails to die down

  

  Bloomberg For UK Prime Minister Theresa May, the Irish border issue may resurface sooner than she imagined. In a deal agreed last month to unlock divorce talks with the European Union, May guaranteed no hard border will re-emerge on the island of Ireland after Brexit. If all else fails, Northern Ireland will play by the same EU rules that apply ...

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• 23 January

  US must play ‘preeminent’ role as peace broker: Pence

  Bloomberg US Vice President Mike Pence said the US should retain its dominant role as mediator of the Israeli-Palestinian conf-lict, rebuffing Palestinian appeals to the European Union to take the reins. “The United States has played a historic role in this region to pursue and promote peace, and I think the United States should continue to play a preeminent role,” ...

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• 23 January

  Infighting plagues S Africa opposition ahead of vote

  

  Bloomberg South Africa’s main opposition party is proving to be its own worst enemy as it bids to topple the ruling African National Congress from power in next year’s elections. Instead of capitalising on voter antagonism towards the ANC and President Jacob Zuma over a succession of scandals, the Democratic Alliance has stumbled, with its mayors’ performance drawing criticism in ...

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• 23 January

  US aid chief visits Raqqa amid stabilisation push

  WASHINGTON / Reuters The US government’s aid chief, Mark Green, made an unannounced visit to Raqqa in Syria, the most senior US civilian official from the Trump administration to visit the war-struck northern city months after it was retaken from IS. Green was accompanied by head of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel as the United States ramps up ...

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• 23 January

  Trump’s tariffs biggest blow to renewables yet

  

  Bloomberg President Donald Trump dealt his biggest blow to the renewable energy industry yet. Trump approved duties of as much as 30 percent on solar equipment made outside the US, a move that threatens to handicap a $28 billion industry that relies on parts made abroad for 80 percent of its supply. The tariffs are the latest action by Trump ...

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• 23 January

  China seeks to replenish gas supplies ahead of icy blast

  

  BEIJING / Reuters China is pulling in ships from all over to avoid a natural gas supply squeeze ahead of another cold snap and as the world’s most populous nation prepares for Spring Festival celebrations. Fuel demand in January and February typically slows as temperatures improve compared with the busiest month, December, but data suggests this year could buck the ...

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• 23 January

  Big oil projects start to get off the ground as prices surge

  Bloomberg The global oil industry’s backlog of big drilling projects is starting to shrink as prices improve. From production vessels tapping Brazil’s deep-water reserves to pipes connecting rigs to underwater wells in China, the number of ventures delayed since the oil crash that finally got approval to get off the ground totaled 18 last year, according to a report by ...

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