Ian Bremmer, Ronny Jackson, Michael Cohen, Emmanuel Macron, Cleveland Browns

Marc Ross Daily
April 26, 2018
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia

Marc Ross Daily  = Global Business News at the Intersection of Politics + Policy + Profits

Subscribe here: https://goo.gl/bSQKwA

TOP FIVE

✔️ Rage at globalism is just the beginning

✔️ Kim meets Moon for historic peace talks - tomorrow

✔️ Macron urges US to engage world, reject nationalism

✔️ Jeff Bezos v the world

✔️ Donald Trump is right - China must play by the rules

GEOECONOMICS

Rage at globalism is just the beginning: Workers everywhere fear lost jobs and wages. Citizens fear surging waves of strangers who change the face and voice of the country they know. They also fear terrorists and criminals who kill for reasons no one can understand. They fear that the government cannot or will not protect them.
Fortune - Ian Bremmer

Kim meets Moon for historic peace talks: The Times reports, Kim Jong-un will become the first North Korean leader to visit South Korea tomorrow morning, leading the most high-powered delegation from Pyongyang to step outside the country to date. At 9.30am local time (1.30am GMT), Mr Kim will travel to the border crossing of Panmunjom and walk on foot.

Saudi Arabia hopes to sell $10 billion of state assets by 2020. 

AFP: Ukraine says Chernobyl remains an 'open wound' 32 years on

Germany sees US imposing tariffs on EU from May 1: AFP reports, Germany expects Washington to impose punitive tariffs on EU aluminium and steel imports from May 1, a government source said Thursday, hours before Chancellor Angela Merkel was to head for the United States. "From today's perspective, we must assume that the tariffs will come on May 1," when an exemption period ends, said a German government source on the eve of Washington talks between US President Donald Trump and Merkel.

Bloomberg: Brexit fuels talk of united Ireland even as loyalists hold firm

Macron urges US to engage world, reject nationalism: AFP reports, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United States to reject narrow nationalism and engage the world, telling U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday that modern economic and security challenges must be a shared responsibility.

WSJ: Huawei under criminal investigation over Iran sanctions: Probe raises the stakes for Huawei, which faces a series of moves by Washington to diminish its already-limited business dealings in the U.S.

Chip wars - China closing in on second $19 billion semiconductor fund: sources: Reuters reports, China’s state-backed semiconductor fund is near to closing a 120 billion yuan ($18.98 billion)investment round for a second fund to support the domestic chip sector and help cut reliance on imports amid a bruising trade standoff with the United States.

Deciphering China’s AI dream: The context, components, capabilities, and consequences of China’s strategy to lead the world in AI http://bit.ly/2qZxqDi

"For all China's vaunted reams of data and outsized R&D spending, its development of artificial intelligence is only half as good as the United States', according to a side-by-side assessment by an Oxford University researcher."

Beijing ready to hit back if U.S. curbs Chinese investments: WSJ reports, the U.S. threat of investment restrictions is already damping the enthusiasm of Chinese businesses, with some canceling or slowing plans to invest in the American market, China’s Commerce Ministry said. Ministry spokesman Gao Feng, without specifying what actions China could take, said Beijing is prepared to respond if the U.S. goes ahead with the plan. “We are sticking to our bottom-line thinking and are prepared to take action,” he told reporters Thursday at a routine briefing. Rising uncertainty about the possible U.S. restrictions has already led some Chinese firms to reconsider their investment plans there, Mr. Gao said. He didn’t name any specific businesses but said that reduced investment from Chinese companies could affect U.S. employment and economic growth.

Trump’s China gamble: Bloomberg reports, the president’s top economic and trade officials — including Steven Mnuchin, Larry Kudlow, Robert Lighthizer and Peter Navarro — will soon head to China to try to prevent tit-for-tat tariffs from taking effect. But analysts doubt they can convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to make any big concessions. And as Saleha Mohsin and Jennifer Jacobs report, White House advisers aren’t even clear on what sort of deal Trump would accept.

Bloomberg - Tim Culpan: Huawei probe needs fast workhttps://bloom.bg/2HMcx8n

"China may have its own target if this drags on."

Bloomberg - Editorial: Dealing with China’s high-tech ambitions

"China’s aspirations aren’t the problem. Its methods are."

FT - Jamil Anderlini: Donald Trump is right - China must play by the rules https://on.ft.com/2I2dBTh

"But he must be careful not to alienate potential allies in his tussle with Beijing."  

AMERICAN POLITICS

BREAKING: White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdraws from VA nomination

Michael Cohen says he will invoke the fifth amendment in Stormy Daniels case: WP reports, the declaration by Trump’s longtime personal attorney, who is seeking to pause proceedings in the civil case brought by the adult film star, cited an “ongoing criminal investigation” by the FBI and a U.S. Attorney’s office in New York.

How the Trump show gets old: A big slump in season two is a hallmark of the president’s entire career. This time the “show” is the White House, and his response will affect the world. So what are we in for? https://politi.co/2HsYQrv

Business baffled by Trump's goals in China trade battle: Politico reports, as the Trump administration prepares for high-level trade talks with China, no one seems to have the answer to one key question: What will it take for President Donald Trump to declare victory and withdraw his threat to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion worth of Chinese goods? "Based on my conversations, both with U.S. government officials and Chinese government officials, there's been a lack of specificity in what China could do that would satisfy the United States and avoid the imposition of tariffs and investment restrictions or anything else," Erin Ennis, vice president  the US-China Business Council, said during a panel discussion Wednesday hosted by the Global Business Dialogue, an industry-funded group.

ENTERPRISE

Jeff Bezos v the world: why all companies fear 'death by Amazon' http://bit.ly/2HoWail

"With its profound knowledge of its customers, Amazon can move into almost any sector – striking fear into the hearts of rivals. And the $740bn company is ‘just getting started’"

Ford car plans: By 2020, almost 90% of company’s sales in NA will not be cars

LAT: Ford is saying so long to the likes of the Fusion and the Fiesta passenger cars

China is opening its car market. But not enough, say auto companies. NYT reports, when President Xi Jinping announced measures to further open up China’s auto industry to foreign carmakers, the global industry initially cheered. Now the cheering has stopped. As details are emerging, foreign auto executives attending China’s annual auto show in Beijing this week said Mr. Xi’s initiative was too narrow and vague to change business on the ground. 

FT: Carmakers say China liberalizations of little help

"Companies already locked in after pouring billions into domestic joint ventures"

The head of Tesla’s Autopilot semiautonomous-driving system departed for Intel.

Bloomberg: China's craving for entertainment drives Shanghai Disney growth

"The Shanghai park logged more than 11 million visitors in its first year of operations, putting it in the top seven of theme parks worldwide."

UK corporate giants sign pact to cut plastic waste: AFP reports, more than 40 British companies including major retailers and soft drinks companies on Thursday pledged to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging as part of an anti-pollution push.

TRENDS

AR > VR: Hot on the heels of Zara’s augmented reality-activated window display, athletic apparel startup Outdoor Voices is using AR to offer early access to its new running collection.

Hit-and-run fatalities soar as more people walk or bike to work: WSJ reports, hit-and-run crash deaths are rising nationwide, and pedestrians and bicyclists account for close to 70% of the victims, according to a new report, as more people cycle to work and motor-vehicle fatalities are at a near-decade-high level. https://on.wsj.com/2r0pu4E

CULTURE

A lynching memorial is opening. The country has never seen anything like it.: NYT reports, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opening Thursday in Montgomery, Ala., is dedicated to victims of white supremacy.

SPORT

LaVar Ball pulls sons LiAngelo and LaMelo from Lithuanian team: LAT reports, It appears that a dispute with the coach of the Lithuanian pro basketball team that brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball joined this season has led their father, LaVar, to pull the two from the team. 

"We're not going to waste our time no more," LaVar told reporters in Lithuania.

NFL 2018 Marc Ross Mock Draft:

Round 1

1. Cleveland Browns - It doesn't matter.

2. New York Giants - Anyone would be lucky to play ball in the Big Apple.

3. New York Jets - The ghost of Broadway Joe only grows larger.

4. Cleveland Browns - It doesn't matter.

5. Denver Broncos - 22 playoffs appearances since 1977.

6. Indianapolis Colts - Take all your meals at St. Elmo Steak House

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bring back the original uniforms.

8. Chicago Bears - "You're never a loser until you quit trying." -- Mike Ditka

9. San Francisco 49ers - Do they still play professional football?

10. Oakland Raiders - Can you draft the Golden Knights?

11. Miami Dolphins - Hilarious.

12. Buffalo Bills - It hasn't been the same since the 90s.

13. Washington Redskins - Overrated franchise.

14. Green Bay Packers - Legacy hampers the team - the last championship was in 2010.

15. Arizona Cardinals - That turf field looks nice.

16. Baltimore Ravens - You'll win a championship once a generation - enjoy it.

17. Los Angeles Chargers - Is Shohei Ohtani available?

18. Seattle Seahawks - At least you have access to good coffee and Amazon Go

19. Dallas Cowboys - Don't Mess with Texas. Learn it. Know it. Live it.

20. Detroit Lions - Ask to be traded to a CFL team.

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Boomer Esiason was the best.

22. Buffalo Bills - See 12.

23. New England Patriots - How much do you like to win?

24. Carolina Panthers - People like living in North Carolina.

25. Tennessee Titans - You have to wear those uniforms, sadly.

26. Atlanta Falcons - You can have early access to Atlanta United FC matches.

27. New Orleans Saints - Seems like a swell city to play professional football.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Too bad Sidney Crosby isn't available.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars - Enjoy all the trips to London Town.

30. Minnesota Vikings - Spectacular stadium.

31. New England Patriots - Win. Win. Win.

32. Philadelphia Eagles - Bradley Cooper is a season ticket holder - that's cool.