Merkel

May, Merkel, Michigan, Moller-Maersk, Motley Crue

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May, Merkel,  Michigan, Moller-Maersk, Motley Crue

Caracal Global Daily
March 21, 2019
Curation and commentary from 
Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia 

Caracal Global Daily  = News + Analysis at the Intersection of Globalization + Disruption + Politics


TOP FIVE

✔️ Trump signals US to keep tariffs on China after deal

✔️ Rudderless Britain lurches towards no-deal

✔️ Dockworkers v robots, Los Angeles edition

✔️ Biden weighing steps to reassure voters concerned about his age

✔️ Ford said it would build its first autonomous vehicles in Michigan

ROSS RANT

Bloomberg Radio: Sound On: Trade, Fed, and Mueller: Bloomberg Chief Washington Correspondent Kevin Cirilli spoke with Mattie Duppler, Senior Fellow at the National Taxpayers Union and former Coalitions Director for the House GOP Conference, and Marc Ross, founder of Caracal Global.

You can listen here: https://bloom.bg/2JuIVy7
 

GLOBALIZATION

Trump signals US to keep tariffs on China after deal: WSJ reports, with the U.S. and China preparing for a fresh round of face-to-face negotiations, President Trump said the U.S. expected to keep tariffs on Chinese goods in place for a “substantial period of time,” even after a deal.

I can't think Lighthizer and Mnuchin thought this announcement was a good idea.

Hard to see how Xi's domestic politics will allow him to agree to a deal with Trump where tariffs are still in place. Even in Communist governments, factions and special interests exist.

AFP: US trade negotiators to visit China on March 28-29

Fund managers see a China slowdown as the top "tail risk."

FT: US agriculture secretary warns on China’s trade tactics

Sonny Perdue says Beijing’s ‘attitudes’ are hardening in talks to resolve spat.

Bullet train propaganda points to Xi reign beyond 2022: Nikkei reports, China's high-speed trains have been named "Fuxing," or rejuvenation, in accordance with Chinese Xi Jinping's slogan of the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

China asks citizens to study the revised constitution for 'new era.'

Italy’s populists split by lure of Chinese Belt and Road billions: The Times reports, the populist coalition governing Italy has fractured over plans to sign up for China’s Belt and Road infrastructure project on the eve of Xi’s visit to Rome. Italy is poised to become the first G7 country to commit to the programme, which aims to boost Beijing’s strategic reach while promising to improve transport links around the world. Critics in the United States and Europe say that Belt and Road is a plot to increase China’s geopolitical clout and push partners into debt. They have warned Italy against signing up.

Angela Merkel to UK: EU's 'door is wide open' despite Brexit: DW reports, the German chancellor has said she is open to a "short extension" to the Brexit deadline on certain conditions. She told the German parliament that the EU is committed to close cooperation with the UK in the future.

May heads to Brussels to plead for Brexit extension: FT reports, Prime minister faces backlash for blaming MPs for Britain’s political impasse.

Britain pleads for Brexit delay as crucial EU summit gets underway: WP reports, European leaders gathered for last-minute talks that could determine whether Britain crashes out of the bloc without a safety net in eight days, creating economic problems across the continent.

The European Union is poised to take control of Britain’s exit by rejecting Theresa May’s request for a three-month delay and setting a new withdrawal date of no later than 22 May.

May unites MPs in anger against her address: The Times reports ,PM Theresa May has been told that her attempt to turn voters’ anger on MPs opposing her deal has “trashed” efforts to win over Labour support. The prime minister’s attack on parliament appeared to have backfired today as MPs from opposing sides in the Brexit debate united to condemn her.

The Bank of England on Thursday expressed concerns that further "uncertainties" over a "cliff-edge" no-deal Brexit "could have a significant effect on spending" by businesses.

Robert Shirley: Theresa May’s very big gamble risks a no-deal Brexit: If EU is not bluffing, and Commons cannot agree on an alternative, then the clock will run down.

Iain Martin: Rudderless Britain lurches towards no-deal: As May and the EU play an idiotic game of chicken, this Brexit crisis has worrying echoes of the 2008 financial crash.

Lionel Laurent: Hard Brexit means a hard border for 6,000 stocks: The toxic political mood is infecting financial regulation. European and British supervisors are planning drastic measures in the event of no deal. 

Brexit to cost billions in income losses across Europe: DW reports, a new study shows that the British and the Germans would be the worst hit with total annual losses of up to €67 billion. People in the US and China could actually see a rise in incomes after Britain's exit from the EU.

Will Brexit spell bust for architecture? LAT reports, in an interview on the eve of the Brexit vote in 2016, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas predicted a future of “pea soup and a complete absence of coffee” if the referendum passed and Great Britain withdrew from the European Union. For the European sophisticate, long a part-time London resident, Brexit would mean “Little England” all over again — a small-minded, prim and grim place without espresso. Koolhaas said the European Union “modernized the English mentality,” helping the country find “a way of being English, or being continental and English.”

Russia: Wage growth has slowed sharply over the past year by remains in positive territory - Higher oil prices are boosting the ruble.

Norway hikes interest rate: AFP reports, Norway's central bank raised its key interest rate on Thursday and said it would continue to tighten its monetary policy due to the strength of the Scandinavian country's economy, in contrast to a slowdown in much of the rest of the world.

Yellow Vests: The French government's decision to deploy the army as a backup during Saturday's weekly "yellow vest" protests has drawn fire, with the opposition warning of the risk of using soldiers for law and order. Under pressure to prevent a repeat of last weekend's rioting and looting on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, the government on Wednesday announced plans to redeploy soldiers from the anti-terrorism Sentinelle patrol force to help police guard public buildings.

Brazil is dropping its visa requirement for US citizens. Beginning June 17, US, Canadian, Australian, and Japanese citizens can spend 90 days in Brazil from their date of entry, Brazil Tourism said in a statement. 

When democracy is no longer the only path to prosperity: Countries rated ‘not free’ are increasingly able to offer their citizens high incomes. Will democratic ideals lose their appeal?https://on.wsj.com/2WkHW5r 

DISRUPTION

Dockworkers v robots, Los Angeles edition: FT reports, dockworkers in Los Angeles are making a last stand against the automation of lucrative port jobs, in a backlash that affects a vital link in global trade. The International Longshore & Warehouse Union is fighting a plan by Denmark’s AP Moller-Maersk to use unmanned electric vehicles instead of diesel trucks to shuttle shipping containers around the largest port terminal in the US. The move would cut the company’s costs by reducing the need for truck drivers, and aid compliance with California’s tough air pollution rules.

New Goldman Sachs dress code points to a sartorial double standard in the workplace: LAT reports, Goldman Sachs, one of the last bastions of crisp-collared, bespoke-suited workplace attire, has loosened up. It announced an official "firm-wide flexible dress code" earlier this month. And at last — after the long, slow undoing of corporate formality — business casual seems to have triumphed in the American workplace. But for women and minorities who have been playing corporate catch-up for decades, a more casual dress code presents its own complications.

POLITICS

Powell presser: The Federal Reserve now believes its monetary policy is back to normal... The central bank's stance was more dovish than many analysts had expected.

The central bank's forecast for longer-term economic growth remains below 2%.

The market is increasingly convinced that the next move by the Federal Reserve will be a rate cut.


US whiskey exports dry up as tariffs bite: Reuters reports, American whiskey exports slumped in the second half of 2018, taking a blow from higher duties by the country’s trading partners following President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

The US Navy wants to shrink its aircraft carrier fleet: Bloomberg reports, the US military once wanted 12 carriers as part of a larger naval buildup. Its latest budget proposal would shrink that number to 10.

Reuters: Solar and wind firms call the 'Green New Deal’ too extreme

US court halts drilling in Wyoming over climate change
: FT reports, a judge says the government must consider greenhouse gas impact before selling oil leases.

Oil: Crude oil jumped in response to the news of lower US stockpiles, with WTI futures hitting $60/bbl.

LAT: Fentanyl overdose deaths in the US have been doubling every year

Dump the Electoral College? Some 2020 Democrats back liberals’ goals
: Bloomberg reports, there's a competition among progressives to push changes to the Constitution and Washington institutions.

Democratic candidates, pressured by party base, split on how liberal to be: WSJ reports, a push to the left among activists and freshman lawmakers is prompting 2020 contenders to test positions seen as politically untenable four years ago. The emerging camps have Bernie Sanders on the left, pragmatists closer to the center, and a third group trying to balance both.

Does being super liberal win Wood County, Ohio? Macomb County, Michigan? Orange County, FL?

Biden weighing steps to reassure voters concerned about his age: NYT reports, if he runs for the White House, Joe Biden and his advisers are considering announcing a running mate early, well before the nomination is sealed. They’re also considering a possible pledge to serve only one term, according to multiple party officials.

South Carolina 2020 Poll (Emerson College)

Biden 37%
Sanders 21%
Harris 9%
Booker 6%
O’Rourke 5%
Warren 5%

Trump has a positive approval rating of 50% with a disapproval of 44%

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) might have some election trouble in 2020, with 52% saying it’s time to give someone else a chance and 48% saying he should be re-elected


COMMERCE

Facebook: AI tools failed to catch New Zealand attack video: WSJ reports, Facebook acknowledged that the gruesome video of the New Zealand mosque shootings revealed gaps in its handling of live broadcasts by users, but pushed back against the idea of setting up a time delay.

Doomed jets lacked 2 safety features that Boeing sold as extras: NYT reports, the planes that crashed in Ethiopia and Indonesia weren’t equipped with optional safety features that could, in part, have helped the pilots detect erroneous readings. Now the company is making one of those features standard.

Evidence is mounting that a faulty software system may have crashed two planes.

Tencent reported its sharpest ever quarterly profit decline on Thursday, hit by China’s regulatory review of new games and one-off charges, and warned of slower video game launches due to a prolonged approval process.

Ford named former Amazon and Snap executive Tim Stone as chief financial officer.

Ford said it would build its first autonomous vehicles at a $50 million production center in Michigan as part of an earlier pledge to invest $900 million in manufacturing operations in the state. Production of the self-driving vehicles is expected to start in 2021, with hybrid vehicles being shipped in to be fitted with driverless technology, the carmaker said. 

Bloomberg: In yoga pants era, J. Crew's Madewell finds strength in denim

CULTURE

‘The Dirt’: Netflix's biopic about the hair metal band Motley Crue, revisits the rampant misogyny of a bygone era with little to no self-awareness, premieres Friday. The film is based on the group’s 2001 book, “The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band.” The book put the washed-up metal band back on the radar with lurid tales of bad-boy debauchery.

Caracal Insider Daily | January 25, 2018

ThreeBillboardsNumber10.png

Macron, Merkel, May, Trump, Davos, Alibaba + Kroger, Churchill, Beckham

Caracal Insider Daily
January 25, 2018
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia

Caracal Insider = Global Business News at the Intersection of Politics + Policy + Profits

Subscribe here
https://goo.gl/bSQKwA

What's a Caracal? https://goo.gl/wDfPU6

TOP FIVE

✔️ Macron leads France back into diplomatic limelight

✔️ Europe is back. And rejecting Trumpism

✔️ Trump out to show Davos elite he knows best

✔️ Alibaba and Kroger discuss partnership

✔️ The wardrobe of Winston Churchill

GEOECONOMICS

Macron leads France back into the diplomatic limelight: Spiegel reports, his seemingly never-ending handshake with Trump may have attracted the most attention. But beyond the headlines, French President Emmanuel Macron is changing his country's role in the world.

"France is back." -- French President Emmanuel Macron @ Davos

CNBC: France's Macron says globalization is going through a major crisis

Germany: Angela Merkel would lead a six-month minority government before calling new elections under contingency plans being drawn up by senior conservatives on the eve of coalition talks.

Europe is back. And rejecting Trumpism: NYT reports, Macron’s hourlong speech before the annual gathering of the world’s wealthy and powerful in the Swiss Alps came on the same day that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni issued their own forceful speeches toward advancing European integration while defending the notion of international cooperation.

Switzerland embraces cryptocurrency culture: FT reports, the alpine country emerges as global hub for initial coin offerings.

90% of growth will be outside the EU, and Brexit means Britain can benefit
The Times - Liam Fox

Ross says US won’t be a ‘sucker’ on trade: FT reports, US commerce secretary pushes panelists to ‘name a less protectionist country.’

US warns it will step up trade measures in 2018: FT reports, Mnuchin and Ross defend Trump administration against charges of protectionism.

WP: Trump will tell globalists at Davos that his nationalist agenda is working

Bloomberg: Trump out to show Davos elite he knows best


The buffoon presidency? Davos elites learn to live with Trump: Politico reports, the president will arrive in Switzerland to find global business leaders ready to welcome him — or at least to say he hasn’t been as bad as they thought he'd be.

Look for DJT to boast about US economic performance during his first year in office — unemployment down, the stock market up, robust growth, and tax reform. 

Tomorrow: Trump will speak with CNBC live at 6:00 am ET and will give his formal speech to Davos starting at 8:00 am ET time.

US destroyer tracking Russian spy ship off US coast: Navy Times reports, the US Navy is currently tracking a Russian spy ship spotted off the coast of North Carolina.

WSJ: US Commerce Secretary slams Beijing for protectionist actions under free-trade rhetoric

Sino FDI: China hauled in $144 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) last year — it’s most ever.

“I think globalization cannot be stopped. Nobody can stop globalization. Nobody can stop trade. And I believe, if trade stops, war starts.” -- Jack Ma of Alibaba @ Davos

Today: US-China Economy and Security Review Commission hearing on China Belt and Road Initiative at 9:45 am ET.

Reuters: Mexico’s drug cartels, now hooked on fuel, cripple the country’s refineries

Outspoken World Bank chief economist Paul Romer exits: FT reports, emails reveal clashes over issues ranging from grammar to methodology.

AMERICAN POLITICS

NYT: Trump says he is willing to speak under oath to Mueller

Mueller moving quickly: Bloomberg reports, US Special Counsel Robert Mueller is moving faster than expected and appears to be wrapping up at least one key part of his investigation — whether Trump obstructed justice. 

Sessions interviewed in Russia probe: The Hill reports, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed last week by special counsel Robert Mueller’s team as part of the Justice Department's investigation into Russian election meddling. 

Trump administration backs bills to toughen foreign investment rules: Reuters reports, the Trump administration supports bipartisan bills in Congress to toughen U.S. foreign investment rules amid growing concern about Chinese efforts to buy U.S. high-tech companies, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday. The legislation would broaden the government's power to stop foreign purchases of US firms by strengthening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

AP:Kushners drop much-criticized effort to raise Chinese cash

Duckworth to be first sitting US senator to give birth: AP reports, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth is pregnant with her second child. She will be the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office. 

California dreaming: For Democrats to flip the House this year, they’ll have to take some key seats in California.

ENTERPRISE

Walmart applies for 3D image patent for online grocery: BI reports, Walmart recently applied for a patent for a system that allows customers to preview food items selected for their online orders through pictures, according to CB Insights. The system, which is referred to as a “Fresh Online Experience” in the patent, would use 3D scanning to show online shoppers in-store items.

Alibaba and Kroger have had preliminary discussions about a partnership, apparently in a response to Amazon’s grocery moves. 

WP: Will millennials kill Costco? https://goo.gl/pSq16v

CNBC: Nine West could be the next retailer to file for bankruptcy

Reuters: Qualcomm signs $2 billion sales MOUs with Lenovo, Xiaomi, vivo, and OPPO

The EU fines Qualcomm $1.2 billion for anti-competitive practices.

GoDaddy has acquired Main Street Hub, a provider of social media marketing tools, for $125 million.

TechCrunch: Uber CEO hopes to have self-driving cars in service in 18 months

The next version of Apple's iPhone software will let people view their health records.

NBC: Tourism to US under Trump is down, costing $4.6 billion and 40,000 jobs

TRENDS

‘Never get high on your own supply’ – why social media bosses don’t use social media: Guardian reports, Developers of platforms such as Facebook have admitted that they were designed to be addictive. Should we be following the executives’ example and going cold turkey – and is it even possible for mere mortals? https://goo.gl/eTwggX

CULTURE

The wardrobe of Winston Churchill: The Rake reports, with the recent release of Darkest Hour, we examine Winston Churchill’s style and how it was recreated through the film’s authentic touches. https://goo.gl/xGPtxh

Elton John has announced his retirement from touring with a tour that will last for three years. 

SPORT

Beckham plans to unveil Miami MLS team on Monday: AP reports, Beckham and his partners are planning a Monday event to formally announce Miami’s new MLS team, as well as its name and logo, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. A spokesman for Beckham did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His group has said it wants the new team to begin play in the 2020 season.

Caracal Insider Daily | January 8, 2017

NKBook.jpg

Macron, Reshuffle, Merkel, Trade Crackdown, CES, Mayor Duggan, 'Three Billboards'

Caracal Insider Daily
January 8, 2018
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia


TOP FIVE

✔️ Macron launches state visit to China

✔️ May launches ministerial reshuffle

✔️ Merkel battles for her political survival

✔️ The Consumer Electronics Show opens this week

✔️ Mayor Duggan: how I halted Detroit’s decline

ROSS IN THE NEWS

“For those that care about a productive and engaged U.S.-China commercial relationship to take these polls seriously and engage Americans in Main Street coffee shops and at picnic tables for backyard summer BBQs.” Read the OpEd: In age of Trump’s twitter diplomacy, nations need to go beyond beltway by Richard Levick here: https://goo.gl/xBboqP

GEOECONOMICS

Today: French President Emmanuel Macron launched a state visit to China

France looks to deepen trade ties with Russia and China: WSJ reports, French President Emmanuel Macron plans to launch this effort when he makes his first visit to China in January and attends the St. Petersburg International Financial Congress—Russia’s answer to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland—in May.

Macron bets on horse diplomacy in China: AFP reports, in a response to panda power, French President Emmanuel Macron is betting on equine diplomacy during his first state visit to China -- presenting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a horse as a gift.

China's new 'Silk Road' cannot be one-way, France's Macron says: Reuters reports, Macron said on Monday China and Europe should work together on Beijing’s “Belt and Road” initiative, a project aiming to build a modern-day “Silk Road” he said could not be “one-way”.

French deals reach the highest value for a decade: FT reports, Macron’s pro-business policies lead to rising in optimism among chief executives.

France is open for business.

French presidents once acted like referees. Then came Emmanuel Macron: WSJ reports, the country’s new leader is moving rapidly to reshape France in his own image, revamping labor laws, co-opting opposition political parties and dividing union leaders. The question now is whether his free-market blitz will stick.

UK politics: Theresa May is on Monday expected to conduct the biggest ministerial reshuffle since last year’s election.

May says she will stay 'as long as people want me to' ahead of reshuffle: Sky News reports, the PM is expected to announce Cabinet changes on Monday as she seeks to balance the Tories' pro-Brexit and Remain factions.

The Times: May’s reshuffle begins with confusion over chairman

Trump and Brexit are no longer identical twins: Britain’s approach to the world more closely tracks the EU than America.
FT - Gideon Rachman

Merkel battles to save future as parties split: The Times reports, Angela Merkel began a five-day battle for her political survival yesterday as talks opened in Berlin to build a “grand coalition” between her divided conservatives and Martin Schulz’s Social Democrats.

WSJ: South Korea steps up cryptocurrency inspections at banks

Why bitcoin is the most dangerous global scam in 20 years: When bitcoin inevitably crashes, inexperienced investors who believed the hype could lose everything.
Inc. - Vivek Wadhwa 

China fills the vacuum: Beijing's global ambition poses 'world's biggest geopolitical risk.'
Nikkei - Ian Bremmer

AMERICAN POLITICS

WSJ: Bannon aims to mend rift with Trump over book

NYT: Bannon tries backing away from explosive comments

WP: Bannon tries to soften his scathing comments, but Trump’s fury persists

LAT: Bannon apologizes over damning portrait
in book as White House presses defense of Trump

Bannon apologizes as aides defend Trump’s fitness: FT reports, Trump’s former strategist expresses regret for comments in inflammatory book

Good to know this soap opera will continue for one more week and the media can't get enough of the drama.

Trump to call on Pentagon, diplomats to play bigger role in arms sales: Reuters reports, the Trump administration is nearing completion of a new “Buy American” plan that calls for US military attaches and diplomats to help drum up billions of dollars more in business overseas for the American weapons industry, going beyond the assistance they currently provide, US officials said.

White House preparing for trade crackdown: Politico reports, as Trump returns to a key campaign pledge, upcoming closed-door meetings will shed light on how aggressive the president plans to be.

Trump readies full trade arsenal: National security concern over Ant Financial amid NAFTA doubts, threats to Chinese exports.
Nikkei - Kevin Nealer

WSJ: Farmers seek signs that Trump has eased opposition to NAFTA

As Trump appeals to farmers, some of his policies don’t: NYT reports, the president will cast himself as a friend to farmers in a speech on Monday, but his position on trade and some parts of the new tax law threaten to undercut their interests.

DJT speaks to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention this afternoon.

Shutdown countdown: Congress is barreling towards a potential government shutdown after January 19.

Mayor Duggan: how I halted Detroit’s decline: The city’s infrastructure is working again, and it is bidding to host Amazon’s HQ.
FT

LAT: Mitt Romney appears a shoo-in for Utah's Senate seat. The question is how he'd handle Trump

ENTERPRISE

CES: The Consumer Electronics Show opens this week.

iPhones and children are a toxic pair, say two Big Apple investors: WSJ reports, Jana Partners and Calstrs are beginning an unusual campaign accusing Apple of failing to do enough to limit smartphone addiction among young users. 

I hope to create a product that is wildly successful, alters cultures, and is designed to be additive. After which, when I cash out obviously, I will tell the world said product is problematic. #iPhone #Facebook

Voice is the future - typing is so last century: Amazon and Google are going to the big CES dance this week, looking to find love for their voice-operated platforms.

I have a Google Home and love it - seamless and smart.

The first Alexa-enabled digital glasses will debut at CES.

Pfizer ends research for new Alzheimer's, Parkinson's drugs: Reuters reports, Pfizer is abandoning research to find new drugs aimed at treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, the U.S. pharmaceutical company announced on Saturday.

Ford plans this spring to offer a diesel engine version of its best-selling F-150 pickup truck.

US retailers signal they had a happy Christmas: FT reports, boosted by bubbling consumer confidence and a healthy jobs market, US shoppers spent 4.9 percent more during the holidays than they did a year ago, the biggest annual rise since 2011, preliminary data from MasterCard SpendingPulse shows. 

CULTURE

LAT: 'Three Billboards' and 'Big Little Lies' are the top winners of a very different kind of Golden Globes awards

@marcaross: Big winners tonight @ the Golden Globes:
Oprah
Big Little Lies
Lady Bird
Shape of Water
Tommy Wiseau
Gary Oldman
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Oprah


Oldman as Churchill: I saw the Darkest Hour and can report that Gary Oldman was sensational.

SPORT

Bama v UGA: College football’s national championship begins at 8 pm ET - The Crimson Tide are favored at -4.0 with a 45.5 O/U.

This is Nick Saban's seventh national championship game appearance. 

DJT is scheduled to attend the national championship game in Atalanta.

AFP: Barcelona to unveil $192 million man Coutinho

José Mourinho’s living hell: Everything he does magnifies Guardiola’s success
Guardian - Barney Ronay