Macron, Russians, Nepal, Trump Tariffs, Homaro Cantu, Instacart, WIP
Marc Ross Daily
April 6, 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
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TOP FIVE
✔️ Macron sets out overhaul of French parliament
✔️ Trump administration punishes Russians
✔️ Nepal's PM walks tightrope on India visit
✔️ Trump orders officials to look at $100 billion in new Chinese tariffs
✔️ Ds crowd midterm field, banking on turnout surge
GEOECONOMICS
@AP: BREAKING: Trump administration punishes 7 Russian oligarchs, 17 government officials with sanctions.
Macron sets out overhaul of French parliament: FT reports, plans to reduce seats, use more PR and simplify procedure put in train
Merkel and Trump are planning talks in Washington on April 27.
Anti-migrant party urged to ditch Silvio Berlusconi: The Times, the leader of Five Star Movement has challenged the anti-migrant party League to dump ally Silvio Berlusconi and join forces in a populist government instead. The Italian president has begun talks to patch together a new government after the elections on March 4produced a hung parliament.
Carlos Puigdemont, a wanted man in Spain for having led Catalonia’s unconstitutional referendum on independence last year, was released on bail by a German court.
Nepal's prime minister walks tightrope on India visit: Nikkei reports, courted by Delhi and Beijing, Oli wants to extract investments from both
Trump orders officials to look at $100 billion in new Chinese tariffs: The Hill reports, Trump on Thursday ordered the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to consider slapping $100 billion in additional tariffs on China, escalating a heated trade dispute between Washington and Beijing. The move comes one day after China proposed $50 billion in tariffs on a variety of US goods in response to Trump’s own tariff threat. "In light of China’s unfair retaliation, I have instructed the USTR to consider whether $100 billion of additional tariffs would be appropriate," Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.
WP: Trump seeks additional tariffs on $100 billion of Chinese goods in escalation of trade confrontation
AP: China vows to fight US ‘at any cost’ as trade spat worsens
@CNBCnow: BREAKING: China will not hesitate with 'major response' to new tariffs - Ministry of Commerce
@AFP: #UPDATE China calls on the EU to take a joint stand against US protectionism as the tit-for-tat trade rift between Washington and Beijing threatened to entangle Europe http://u.afp.com/oqDF
Why China is confident it can beat Trump in a trade war: NYT reports, China’s leaders sound supremely confident that they can win a trade war with President Trump. “China is not afraid of a trade war,” the vice minister of finance, Zhu Guangyao, declared at a news conference to discuss possible countermeasures. More than once, he cited the history of the “new China” — which began its extraordinary economic revival four decades ago — as evidence that it would “never succumb to external pressure.”
CNBC: US-China Business Council president on negotiating with China: John Frisbie, US-China Business Council president, discusses the outlook for the US-China trade environment as both countries announce tit-for-tat tariffs against each other. https://cnb.cx/2GXaaPB
Bloomberg TV: John Frisbie says the business community want US, China to come to the table: US-China Business Council President John Frisbie discusses trade tariffs and who gets hurt from a trade war. He speaks with Alix Steel on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Americas." https://bloom.bg/2JowBva
AMERICAN POLITICS
Democrats crowd midterm field, banking on turnout surge: WSJ reports, Democrats are fielding challengers for nearly every Republican House incumbent this year, including some of the reddest territory in the country, in a radical change from the last midterm election in 2014.
In an already tough election year, Dana Rohrabacher is struggling with his own party: LAT reports, The Orange County Republican has drawn more than a half-dozen Democratic challengers, some of whom have raised more cash than the 15-term congressman. Election handicappers declared his race a toss-up, protesters have shown up at his home and district office, and Rohrabacher's name has frequently come up during the investigation into Russian election meddling because of his connections to key figures in the inquiry. Then Scott Baugh, a well-known Republican who spent more than a decade leading the county party, decided to run against him. https://lat.ms/2HaBcjW
Vice interview with Trey Gowdy - make time to watch it - the truth is ugly: Republican Trey Gowdy Was Known For Being Hyperpartisan — Until Trump http://bit.ly/2H5bujc
Trump will skip this year WHCA dinner.
@BenSasse: Hopefully the President is just blowing off steam, but setting Amer agriculture on fire is not a plan.
Crain's Detroit Business: How Michigan businesses would be affected by China tariffs http://bit.ly/2IAL722
News Observer: ‘It really hits North Carolina’: China goes after tobacco in latest tariff fight http://bit.ly/2EmVbc9
The Jersey Journal - Editorial: Is the threat of a US-China trade war anything more than sabre rattling?
Trump’s easy campaign promises run into the difficulties of reality: WP reports, Freed from the caution of former advisers, Trump has spent recent weeks returning to the gut-level basics that got him elected: tough talk on China, a promise of an immigration crackdown and an isolationist approach to national security. Several people who have spoken to the president say he is telling advisers that he is finally expediting the policies that got him elected and is more comfortable without a number of aides around him who were tempering his instincts. And he often cites rising poll numbers in recent weeks as a reason he should do it his own way, these people said.
Top 20% of Americans will pay 87% of income tax https://on.wsj.com/2HeaGGB
John Kasich is back in New Hampshire. It’s not for the foliage. NYT reports, on the itinerary for the Ohio governor and 2016 presidential hopeful: a diner visit, a Q. and A. at a college and criticism of President Trump amid speculation about a 2020 run.
Patagonia vs. Donald Trump: We all knew the legendary outerwear company Patagonia lived and breathed the adventurous life. We knew they cared about the environment. But it wasn’t till Trump came along that we realized they were ready to fight. http://bit.ly/2q9EdK7
ENTERPRISE
Amazon is considering whether to use Alexa to launch a person-to-person payments feature.
Bon Appetit: What's the Deal with the Food at T.J. Maxx? A look inside the sourcing of America's messiest (and most eccentric) discount pantry. http://bit.ly/2GzQ0LX
WSJ: GE urged to dump auditor KPMG after 109 years by proxy advisers
Nine West reportedly could file for bankruptcy protection as soon as today.
Instacart has raised another $150 million from existing investors like Coatue Management.
MGM Resorts has made "back-channel" approaches to Wynn Resorts about a takeover.
Tencent shows off their vision for the future of unmanned retail http://bit.ly/2GEo7T2
“WeChat payment, whether in retail, catering or other formats, is gradually promoting and cooperating with the entire retail industry in China, including department stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. There is no one format that does not support WeChat payment.”
TRENDS
Another 10 promising retail technology ventureshttp://bit.ly/2IukED5
"Having rooms with business model canvases, sharpies and sticky notes is not innovation culture." -- @tendayiviki
@ThisIsSethsBlog: Words on slides http://tinyurl.com/ya9vm2j6
Four key lessons in entrepreneurship from the hottest names in hip-hop http://bit.ly/2Ep6Bwl
1. They just start
2. The tools are practically free
3. Make language your leverage
4. Everything’s a WIP (work in progress)
CULTURE
LAT: Al Pacino portrays beloved and disgraced Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in new HBO film
Meet the shoe surgeon, whose sneaker designs sell for up to $10,000: WSJ reports, LA-based Dominic Chambrone takes sneakerhead devotion and expertise to the next level. https://on.wsj.com/2GGFVJh
The life and death of Homaro Cantu, the genius chef who wanted to change the world: Guardian reports, how a homeless child grew up to become the most inventive chef in history. http://bit.ly/2uSkVh5
SOTD
A Flock of Seagulls- Space Age Love Song http://bit.ly/2HeJI1D
SPORT
I've been there: Sergio Gárcia, the defending Masters champion, was front and center of an extraordinary scene on the return to the course which yielded his greatest triumph as he took 13 strokes at the par-five 15th.
Masters leaderboard:
1 - Jordan Spieth -6
T2 - Tony Finau -4
T2 - Matt Kuchar -4
T4 - Henrik Stenson -3
T4 - Adam Hadwin -3
T4 - Patrick Reed -3
T4 - Charley Hoffman -3
T4 - Hao-Tong Li -3
T4 - Rory McIlroy -3
T4 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello -3
WSJ - Jason Gay: My Masters is Paris-Roubaix. Golf is fun, but on Sunday morning, cycling offers a rock fight for the ageshttps://on.wsj.com/2HaChs0
Women on the verge: Outside Magazine reports, the champions, trendsetters, and fighters reshaping the outside world. http://bit.ly/2q9dZYl