A would-be Boeing Co. takeover target has found its own dance partner. Woodward Inc., a maker of cockpit controls and engine-actuation systems, announced last week that it’s merging with fellow aerospace supplier Hexcel Corp. The all-stock deal values Hexcel, a maker of lightweight composite materials, at about $7.5 billion including debt, with Woodward shareholders set to own about 55% of ...
Read More »China spins a trade-deal trap in bad debt market
China is opening the deepest, darkest corner of its strained financial system to American financial institutions. It’s not clear why investors would want to go there, even with their eyes wide open. As part of President Donald Trump’s phase one trade deal, China will allow US institutions to apply for asset management company licenses (beginning with the provinces), permitting them ...
Read More »The case for taking Pearson private looks stronger than before
The club of UK takeover targets that never get bought has an undisputed leader — Pearson Plc. But the logic of taking the troubled educational publisher private now looks stronger than it has for some time. The company’s defenses could scarcely be weaker, and there’s a plausible recovery strategy to be built amid the wreckage. The firm has been clobbered ...
Read More »Capital controls become disturbingly popular
In the late 20th century, economists generally accepted the notion that financial capital should be allowed to flow freely between countries. But economists are beginning to question this consensus. That could lead to less open financial and currency policies around the world, or herald the coming of a new global monetary order. There are a number of reasons that free ...
Read More »â€˜Valuation cases’ wanted for a red-hot rally in equities
Bloomberg Stack up US equities next to almost anything that is used to measure value right now, and the picture can elicit anxiety. Up 13 of the past 15 weeks, the S&P 500 is trading at historically high levels versus earnings, expected profits and sales. Does that mean there’s no way to justify putting more money into a market where ...
Read More »Currency volatility dips to its lowest level ever
Bloomberg Stocks may be grabbing most of the headlines, but equities aren’t the only asset class in uncharted territory. Global currency volatility has dropped to the lowest level ever recorded. After the US and China put pen to paper on a trade deal that reaffirmed an agreement not to devalue their currencies, the JPMorgan Global FX Volatility Index is trading ...
Read More »Hedge-fund demand is booming, says Grayscale
Bloomberg Traditional hedge funds, pensions and endowments are boosting cryptocurrency holdings, according to the biggest Bitcoin trust provider. Grayscale Investments, which lets accredited investors own Bitcoin and other coins via its funds, said it took in $608 million last year, surpassing the total amount raised the previous six years. The majority of the inflows — about 71% — came from ...
Read More »Boeing lags behind Airbus in race for China’s next big order
Bloomberg The long-awaited trade agreement between the US and China may pave the way for Boeing Co to resume sales to the world’s second-largest aviation market, but the American giant has much catching up to do against European archrival Airbus SA. China Aviation Supplies Holding Co, which buys planes on behalf of the nation’s airlines, has been in talks with ...
Read More »Flybe rescue may include subsidies for some UK routes
Bloomberg The UK government is considering subsidising some routes operated by regional airline Flybe as part of the rescue deal struck with the owners of the country’s biggest domestic carrier, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Any decision to grant Flybe routes so-called public service obligation status would come on top of a deferral of air passenger ...
Read More »Ethiopia aims to build Africa’s largest airport
Bloomberg Ethiopia plans to start building Africa’s largest airport at $5 billion within six months and continue the ascendancy of its national carrier, the most profitable on the continent. The new airport, 70 kilometres from the existing Bole International Airport in the capital Addis Ababa, will be able to handle as many as 100 million passengers yearly, Ethiopian Airlines Chief ...
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