World Economic Forum, EU, Kamala Harris, Philip Morris, Oscar Nominations

World Economic Forum, EU, Kamala Harris, Philip Morris, Oscar Nominations

Caracal Global Daily
January 22, 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

✔️ World Economic Forum annual meeting opens in Davos

✔️ Merkel and Macron sign new treaty to revive EU

✔️ Kamala Harris is running for president

✔️ Philip Morris keeps powder dry on cannabis

✔️ Roma and The Favourite lead Oscar nominations
 

GLOBALIZATION

Switzerland: The World Economic Forum annual meeting opens in Davos.

The world braces for slower growth: WSJ reports, China’s trade dispute with the US, Brexit, Italian fiscal troubles and a fall in German industrial production are all signs of the sweep of a brewing synchronized global slowdown.

Trump, Macron, and May skip Davos.

The International Monetary Fund trimmed its global growth forecasts on Monday and a survey showed increasing pessimism among business chiefs.

A survey by PwC of nearly 1,400 chief executives found that 29 percent believe global economic growth will decline over the next 12 months, the highest percentage since 2012.

Dozens of ministers ready to quit over no‑deal Brexit: The Times reports, up to 40 members of the government will resign next week if Conservative MPs are banned from voting for a plan to stop a no-deal Brexit, No 10 has been told. Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, has demanded that all Tory MPs are allowed a free vote on plans.

Merkel and Macron sign new treaty to revive EU: DW reports, a follow-up pact to the Elysee Treaty marks the latest gesture of friendship between France and Germany. The new bilateral pact pledges deeper cooperation between the two nations and paves the way for EU reforms.

Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou: The US will proceed with the formal extradition from Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, Canada’s ambassador to the United States told the Globe and Mail, as Beijing vowed to respond to Washington’s actions. The deadline for filing is Jan. 30, or 60 days after Meng was arrested on Dec. 1 in Vancouver.

Reuters: Canada should ban Huawei from 5G networks, says former spy chief

China’s plan for tech dominance is advancing, business groups say: WSJ reports, in a joint report to the US Trade Representative, the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce in China say Beijing’s ambitious plan to become a global technology leader is being widely implemented, casting doubt on efforts by Chinese officials to play down its significance.

Taiwan draws up China tech blacklist to elevate ban on Huawei: Nikkei reports, security concerns also prompt ban on use of Hikvision and Dahua products.

Nikkei: Xi plans talks with Modi to counter US on trade and Indo-Pacific

How Huawei wooed Europe with sponsorships, investments, and promises: NYT reports, as the Chinese telecommunications giant faces scrutiny over its security, its careful cultivation of European governments and customers is at risk of unraveling.

Brussels fines Mastercard €570m for restricting competition: FT reports, credit card group limited banks’ ability to ‘shop around’, EU says.

AFP: Ex-PM Tymoshenko launches bid for Ukraine presidency

US, North Korean spies have held secret talks for a decade: WSJ reports, years of covert contacts with America’s bitter adversary helped pave the way for President Trump’s summit with Kim Jong Un. A comprehensive description of how the channel worked adds texture to the public picture of mutual threats and stymied talks.

DISRUPTION

Tokyo airport tests driverless bus to shuttle visitors.

POLITICS

Election 2020: Kamala Harris (D-CA) is running for president

South Carolina already looms large for Democrats in 2020: NYT reports, in an increasingly diverse Democratic Party, South Carolina will be the first presidential primary in which a majority of voters will be African-American.

Democrats seek changes to revamped NAFTA deal: FT reports, Demands raise prospect of stand-off or even new negotiations over trade pact.

FT: Five books that explain the US government shutdown

It’s even worse than it looks: How the American constitutional system collided with the new politics of extremism - Norm Ornstein and Thomas Mann
White trash: The 400-year untold history of class in America - Nancy Isenberg
The unwinding: An inner history of the new America - George Packer
Dark money: The hidden history of the billionaires behind the rise of the radical right - Jane Mayer
Devil’s bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump and the storming of the presidency - Joshua Green

OTD: In 1946 President Truman signed a directive establishing the Central Intelligence Group, from which the CIA was later created.

COMMERCE

Philip Morris keeps powder dry on cannabis: FT reports, tobacco group wary of large investment amid differing regulatory policies worldwide.

Foxconn is considering producing the devices in India.

CNBC: Shares of eBay surge as Elliott Management reveals $1.4 billion stake, recommends portfolio review

Elliott said eBay should off StubHub, as well was its "portfolio of Classifieds properties."

Toyota + Panasonic announce electric car battery tie-up

CULTURE

Roma and The Favourite lead Oscar nominations: WSJ reports, Roma and The Favourite took the lead in the Oscar race, receiving 10 nominations each, including best picture and best lead actress, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its nominees on Tuesday.

Best picture nominees: 

Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book 
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice

Actor in a leading role:

Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Willem Dafoe, At Eternity's Gate
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Actress in a leading role:

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma
Glenn Close, The Wife
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

NYT: Green Book wins PGA award and has best picture in sight 

SPORT

AO Semis:

Men's:

#1 Tsitsipas v Nadal
#2 TBD

Women's:

#1 Kvitova v Collins
#2 TBD

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NATO, Brexit, Trevi Fountain, Flywheel, SoulCycle, Ford, VW, Juventus

NATO, Brexit, Trevi Fountain, Flywheel, SoulCycle, Ford, VW, Juventus

Caracal Global Daily
January 15, 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 discussed pulling US from NATO

✔️ Theresa May faces up to crushing defeat in the Commons

✔️ Church and Rome battle over tourist coins

✔️ Competition has Flywheel and SoulCycle spiraling into an identity crisis

✔️ Ford + VW advance alliance plans on vans, pickups

ROSS RANT

Here are 27 things I learned from James Altucher last year @ Ross Rant 

GLOBALIZATION

NYT: Trump discussed pulling US from NATO, aides say amid new concerns over Russia

UK parliament votes on Theresa May's Brexit deal: The odds currently looked stacked against her, setting the stage for further political turmoil just 10 weeks before Britain's scheduled departure from the bloc.

Tonight, between 7:00 and 9:30 pm, (2:00 - 4:30 pm ET) the Commons will finally have its say on the Brexit deal.

Theresa May faces up to crushing defeat in the Commons.

Reuters: With 2,300-word letter, Macron launches debate to quell 'yellow vest' unrest

“For me, there is no banned issue. We won’t agree on everything, which is normal in a democracy. But at least we’ll show we’re a people which is not afraid of talking, exchanging, debating,” Macron wrote in the letter published by his office.

Trevi fountain = Church and Rome battle over tourist coins: The Catholic Church and the mayor of Rome are at odds over the reallocation of funds collected from the famous Trevi Fountain. Some of the money is set to address the city's ills and no longer go entirely to charity.

Approximately  €1.5 million ($1.7 million) in coins thrown into the iconic Trevi Fountain by tourists each year.

180: Chinese exports support as many as 180 million jobs in China, or nearly one-quarter of formal employment there.

No so fast my friend: The US Chamber of Commerce cautions against overstating progress in the US-China talks.

China's foreign direct investment into the US dropped precipitously in 2018, data show: In 2018, Chinese foreign direct investment into the US fell to just $4.8 billion — a massive decline from $29 billion in 2017 and $46 billion in 2016, according to independent researcher the Rhodium Group.

"The decline comes amid trade tensions between the US and China and as Beijing adds pressure on Chinese companies to reduce their global holdings and reduce debt levels."

Space: China plans another moon mission this year and eyes Mars in 2020.

DISRUPTION

Utah was named the best state for entrepreneurs, according to Amazon's data regarding small and medium businesses.

Top 10 most entrepreneurial states:

1. Utah
2. California
3. New York
4. Colorado
5. New Jersey
6. Washington
7. Florida
8. Delaware
9. Massachusetts
10. Oregon

84: Life expectancy in Japan is 84 years, the highest in the world, and due to a low birth rate Japan’s population is graying fast. Nearly 30 percent of the country is older than 65.

Competition has Flywheel and SoulCycle spiraling into an identity crisis: Cheaper classes and luxury at-home bikes like Peloton are cutting into their customer base. Still, SoulCycle continues to eye expansion. It now has 90 studios in 20 markets in the United States, and it recently opened its first studios in Las Vegas and Denver. Next up, SoulCycle will expand its international footprint with its first studio in London. Today, cycling has contributed to the global $87.2 billion health club industry, operating across more than 200,000 clubs in 2017 alone, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. In total, these clubs serve 174 million members, an increase of 33.6 percent from 2008’s 45.6 million members.

POLITICS

WP: Trump’s extravagant, $3,000, 300-sandwich celebration of Clemson University

The grand total? According to WP analysis, Trump spent about $2,911.44 on feeding the team. A sixth of that is the fries alone, though, so take with a grain of salt. (The fries; also their estimate.) Half of the cost was incurred at McDonald’s alone.

Politico: Dulles closes screening lanes, lines sprawl in Atlanta as shutdown strains air travel

50 moments that define an improbable Presidency @ The Atlantic 

@WSJPolitics: Ivanka Trump will “help manage the U.S. nomination process as she’s worked closely with the World Bank’s leadership for the past two years,” a  White House representative said

Roll Call: Beto meets Oprah: Former Texas congressman to sit down with talk show host

Kasich going Hollywood: United Talent Agency (UTA) announced it had signed Kasich as one of its clients.

“will help [Kasich] navigate the next phase of his public and private life.”

Online gambling: The Justice Department has decided that all online gambling is illegal—that would even include online lottery ticket sales. 

COMMERCE

@TheStreet: "What sells cars is driver image. Someone pulls up and see someone else in a vehicle and they say wait, they have something I don't have. They have the future." 

Ford is expected to unveil a trans-Atlantic alliance with Volkswagen this morning that will first focus on commercial vehicles and moves that will save the companies billions of dollars. 

Automotive News: Ford, VW advance alliance plans on vans, pickups

@MikeMartinez_AN: .@Ford CEO Jim Hackett: "It's my opinion that you can't do this alone."

Alibaba had more sales in one day last year than McDonald’s had for all of 2018. 

Microsoft signs a huge deal with Walgreens, as Amazon's growing interest in health care looms large: On Tuesday Microsoft said it has signed a multiyear deal with Walgreens Boots Alliance. Under the deal, Walgreens Boots Alliance is signing up more than 380,000 employees for its Microsoft 365 cloud apps offering, including Office 365, Windows 10, and mobility and security tools. The company will move most of its information technology workloads to Microsoft's Azure public cloud.

CNBC: Huawei CEO says company doesn't spy for China and praises Trump in rare appearance

Ren Zhengfei, the CEO and founder of Huawei, said he would "definitely" refuse any request from the Chinese government to access the company's user data; also praised Trump, calling him a "great president." 

CULTURE

OTD: In 2009, a US Airways jet piloted by Chesley Sullenberger crash lands on the Hudson River after colliding with a flock of geese. It becomes known as the "Miracle on the Hudson" as all 155 people aboard survive.

RIP: Broadway legend Carol Channing, best known for her starring role in Hello Dolly!, is dead at age 97

I was a cast member in a Brother Rice- Marian Players' high school production of Hello Dolly!​

SPORT

Juventus eye US market to attract fans and grow brand: “The US and China are the key markets for our international growth,” Giorgio Ricci, chief revenue officer at Juventus. “The interest of Juventus in the US is driven by some key factors. One is the millennial generation is the biggest in US history—around 92 million people. Professional soccer is ranked as the second-most-popular sport among people aged 12-17. Our research has given us 27 million potential Juventus fans (in the US). Those are people who declare they are interested or very interested in the club.”

CFL on American TV: Every game from the Canadian Football League (CFL) will be available live to fans in the United States through a new multi-year agreement with ESPN and ESPN+ the league announced today.​