Indo-Pacific, Pocahontas, Pokémon, Uber, NHL, NFL
Caracal Business Insider | Daily
November 28, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross
Caracal Business Insider: Politics + Policy + Profits
Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia
GEOECONOMICS
Agustín Carstens urges US to maintain leadership in worldeconomy: FT reports, the outgoing Mexican central bank governor, a leading figure in global finance, has urged the US to maintain its "openness and leadership in the world economy" and warned that weaker international rules would hurt business in the US and worldwide.
A barrel of WTI Crude is trading near $60.
BOE says British banks could handle a ‘disorderly’ Brexit: WSJ reports, the U.K.’s largest banks could withstand Britain crashing out of the EU.
Nothing to see hear - all is well - extravagant prices for a Mayfair property still good.....
US indicts three Chinese for alleged cyberattacks on Moody’s, Siemens: WSJ reports, a GPS technology developer also targeted by employees of a technology company in Guangzhou, according to the indictment.
US charges three Chinese nationals over hacking: FT reports, DOJ and FBI allege information was stolen from Moody’s Analytics, Siemens, and Trimble.
Chinese general hangs himself after facing graft probe: AFP reports, Zhang Yang, the director of the state's Central Military Commission's political department, was being investigated over connections to two corruption-tainted former senior military officers when he committed suicide on November 23, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Brussels rattled as China reaches out to eastern Europe: Nikkei reports, concerns Beijing's closer ties with EU's poorer nations will influence bloc's policies.
The ‘Indo-Pacific’ has always been about containing the rise of China: The use of the term to describe an emerging India-Japan-US-Australia alliance as a balance against Beijing is not a distortion of the term’s original meaning; it is the fulfillment of it.
SCMP - Abhijit Singh
Japan detects radio signals pointing to possible North Korea missile test: Reuters reports, Japan has detected radio signals suggesting North Korea may be preparing another ballistic missile launch, although such signals are not unusual and satellite images did not show fresh activity, a Japanese government source said on Tuesday.
AFP: Bali paradise turns to tourist nightmare as volcano rumbles
AMERICAN POLITICS
At Navajo veterans’ event, Trump calls Warren ‘Pocahontas’: NYT reports, standing in the Oval Office alongside three World War II code talkers, Mr. Trump made the unscripted comment about Senator Elizabeth Warren after other officials praised the veterans’ history and contributions.
#ClownShow
NYT: Senators race to pass tax bill by sweetening gains for rich
"Republicans, who are pressing for a Senate vote this week, can afford to lose only two of their members if they hope to pass the bill on party lines."
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) said on Monday he planned to vote for the tax bill.
Senate GOP making last-ditch changes to tax plan: Politico reports, McConnell still needs to win over key holdouts before a vote this week.
Tax reform good for moving trucks, possibly: Economists at Goldman speculate that the current tax proposals could prod about 2 percent to 4 percent of top earners in New York City to move elsewhere.
AP: FBI gave heads-up to fraction of Russian hackers’ US targets
"The FBI failed to notify scores of US officials that Russian hackers were trying to break into their personal Gmail accounts despite having evidence for at least a year that the targets were in the Kremlin’s crosshairs."
How tech is winning the Trump era: Politico reports, despite friction with the White House and furor over Russia, some of the president's initiatives would boost Silicon Valley's bottom line. https://goo.gl/rXi1UB
December 12: Alabama's special election with Roy Moore (R) and Doug Jones (D) on the ballot.
GLOBALIZATION EXPLAINED BY A MICHIGANDER
Marc A. Ross works with clients to develop executive education lectures, speeches, presentations, workshops, and conferences to help demystify globalization, disruption, and American politics. Learn more here.
ENTERPRISE
Death by Pokémon: The Verge reports, in the wake of the Pokémon Go craze, car crashes and fatalities jumped in physical regions associated with the augmented reality game.
Uber Japan’s chief departs for WeWork: Masami Takahashi is joining the co-working space company’s operations in Japan.
SoftBank to offer to buy Uber shares at roughly 30% discount: WSJ reports, SoftBank has told stakeholders in Uber that it will initially offer to buy shares at a nearly 30% discount to the company’s most recent valuation of $68 billion.
Lyft is raising an additional $500 million in funding. The additional funding round, led by Alphabet Inc’s CapitalG, is an extension of the $1 billion round announced in October.
Smartphone cargo: Yumanman and Huochebang, China’s two biggest Uber-like services connecting truckers with cargo, have agreed to merge, creating a company valued at more than $2 billion.
Tesla truck will need the energy of 4,000 homes to recharge: FT reports, the research raises questions about the viability of quick charging time for the new vehicle.
Toyota chairman wants to tap the brakes on electrics: Nikkei reports, automakers 'won't be able to turn a profit,' Takeshi Uchiyamada warns.
Net Neutrality: Airbnb, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter and Vimeo were among over 200 businesses that signed a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai dated Monday, Nov. 27 (as in Cyber Monday), trying to dissuade him from his planned net neutrality rule rollback vote.
Scenes from Sears: 2 locations tell a story of struggle in a tight retail market https://nyti.ms/2i4Q634
Microsoft signed up SAP as a cloud partner in its latest effort to challenge Amazon’s dominance in the market for web-based resources.
NYT: What’s in that can of Chock Full o’Nuts? ‘No Nuts,’ can promises https://goo.gl/GKyUjj
"Chock full o’Nuts started as a company that sold nuts before switching to coffee and operating coffee shops."
Reuters: Roark Capital to buy Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.9 billion
TRENDS
Cyber Black Friday: American consumers spent a record $5 billion on digital sales this Black Friday, a 16.9-percent increase in dollars spent online compared with last year
Shopping becomes a hybrid experience, as stores and smartphones intersect: CSM reports, even in era of rising e-commerce, consumers still want the physical-store experience. And mobile phones have become the bridge between both worlds. https://goo.gl/sh6vdt
Online = Offline | Companies need to excel in both formats to be successful
@FoxBusiness: Americans could be sitting on $33 billion of unused tech, report says
CULTURE
Grammy nominations this morning: The nominees for the 60th edition of the music awards will be announced at 8:30 am ET.
SPORT
Full NHL 100 Years documentary: Watch the entire film here: https://goo.gl/sGXhwq
Is this the end of the NFL?
NY Mag - Will Leitch
They used to wear Converse sneakers. How UNC’s long, close relationship with Nike began. https://goo.gl/9S3wKU
As sponsors shy away, FIFA faces World Cup shortfall: NYT reports, FIFA’s battered reputation is affecting its sponsorship program for next year’s World Cup. Several high-value slots remain empty with only six months to go.
AFP: Iran wrestler throws bout to avoid fighting Israeli
Caracal Business Insider | November 13, 2017
Indo-Pacific, TPP, Theresa May, General Electric, Hermès, Dunc’d On
Caracal Business Insider | Daily
November 13, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross
Caracal Business Insider: Politics + Policy + Profits
"You've got to win the politics to set the policy to ensure the profits." - Marc A. Ross, founder of Caracal Global.
Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia
GEOECONOMICS
Trump’s two messages to Asian partners: DealBook reports, on the one hand: Let’s band together to stop North Korea. On the other: Find your own way on trade.
LAT: Trump crosses Asia touting a 'free and open Indo-Pacific,' a shift in rhetoric if not actual strategy
NYT: Trump's trade policy is lifting exports. Of Canadianlobster.
WSJ: Pacific-Rim countries move closer to TPP deal without US
"Ministers agree on ‘core elements’ of revised trade pact; Canada’s reservations prevent final deal at APEC summit"
WSJ: Global trade booms, but headwinds blow
"Asia’s upturn in exports may be fleeting amid political risks, demographic trends"
Iran quake: A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit along the border of Iran and Iraq, killing hundreds of people in Iran.
Independent: Up to 40 Tory MPs now ready to sign letter of no confidence in Theresa May
The Times: Tory turmoil as 40 MPs say May must go
UK government tensions rise after leak of Johnson-Gove letter to May: Guardian reports, Theresa May faces possible defeats on vital Brexit votes, ministers are ‘aghast’ at demands for hard Brexit from Michael Gove and Boris Johnson
Sterling dropped 1% overnight to $1.3064.
"Sober people, by no means sympathetic to the left, are now predicting a Jeremy Corbyn government in months." - FT's David Goodhart
Brexit’s critical five weeks and the key dateshttps://goo.gl/rHz3hQ
LAT: Warnings of a weaker, poorer Britain emerging ahead of breakup with the European Union
Rajoy’s Catalonia bet: Bloomberg reports, the Spanish prime minister caught separatists off guard when he called a snap election as well as seizing control of the Catalan administration last month. But his plans for restoring stability in the region now hinge on preventing the rebels winning another majority on Dec. 21, and polls suggest the result is on a knife-edge.
Italians continue to emigrate despite strong economic recovery: FT reports, young leave in increasing numbers frustrated by dysfunctional labor market.
OTD: On November 13, 2015 Paris came under attack by terrorists who killed 130 people across Paris.
EU signs defense pact in decades-long quest: Reuters reports, France and Germany edged toward achieving a 70-year-old ambition to integrate European defenses on Monday, signing a pact with 21 other EU governments to fund, develop and deploy armed forces after Britain’s decision to quit the bloc.
Brazil rolls out the red carpet to lure Chinese money: FT reports, is China the savior or captor of the Latin American country’s assets?
AMERICAN POLITICS
After a disciplined week in Asia, Trump unloads on critics: NYT reports, in a stream of tweets, he called those raising questions about Russia "haters and fools" and said he could call North Korea's leader "short and fat."
Tax reform: The House is set to vote on its tax plan by the end of the week.
Tomorrow: AG Sessions will face more grilling Tuesday on Capitol Hill about his knowledge of meetings with Russian officials.
Security breach and spilled secrets have shaken the NSA to its core: NYT reports, a serial leak of the agency's cyberweapons has damaged morale, slowed intelligence operations and resulted in hacking attacks on businesses and civilians worldwide.
Jerry Brown’s legacy a major question for hopefuls looking to replace him
LAT - John Myers
NEED A SPEAKER?
Marc A. Ross works with clients to develop executive education lectures, speeches, presentations, workshops, and conferences to help demystify Globalization, Disruption, and American politics. Learn more here.
ENTERPRISE
ICO warning: The European Securities Markets Authority joined the list of regulators warning investors against initial coin offering.
Bloomberg: Bitcoin crashes and then surges in wild weekend action
The cryptocurrency plunged 15% late Saturday from nearly $6,500 to a low of $5,507.
Uber has approved SoftBank Group Corp.'s offer to buy a multibillion-dollar stake in the tech company.
Alibaba's Singles' Day sale brought in a record $25.3 billion in sales from shoppers in over 225 countries and regions, exceeding analysts' expectations with a 39 percent jump in sales.
GE's new chief sets focus on three key units: WSJ reports, General Electric Co.'s new leader plans to unveil a roadmap Mondayfor the conglomerate that will focus on three of its biggest business lines, but stops short of a breakup or more radical restructuring of the 125-year-old giant.
Smartphone music studio: The lip-synching app Musical.ly is to be sold for between $800 million and $1 billion to Chinese company Jinri Toutiao.
Silicon Valley sets sights on disrupting meat industry: FT reports, Bill Gates-backed start-up secures national US distribution for its veggie burgers.
@elonmusk: Tesla Semi Truck unveil to be webcast live on Thursdayat 8pm! This will blow your mind clear out of your skull and into an alternate dimension.
TRENDS
Moncler ditches catwalk shows for the social media generation: FT reports, luxury fashion group to target millennials with ‘flash’ events and online collections.
Email could generate $20 billion this holiday season: Adobe: MediaPost reports, the busiest time of the year for email marketers is just around the corner, and email could produce as much as $20 billion in online sales this holiday season.
Where self-driving cars go to learn: Arizona’s promise to keep the driverless car industry free of regulations has attracted dozens of companies, including Uber, Waymo and Lyft. https://goo.gl/RLv6kg
The path ahead: The future of life outdoors: We are becoming the world's first indoor species. Are we too late to change course? Explore the brutal truths and beautiful possibilities.
REI Co-op Journal
CULTURE
Radhika Jones, the editorial director of the books department at The New York Times and a former top editor at Time magazine, is expected to be named the next editor of Vanity Fair.
The fascinating woman behind Hermès' window displays: As a new exhibition dedicated to her work for the French fashion house opens at the Grand Palais in Paris, Alexander Fury chronicles the life of Leïla Menchari.
AnOther
SOTD
Brian Eno - An Ending (Ascent) https://goo.gl/VWTQKE
SPORT
LaVar Ball (Kenan Thompson), the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Lonzo Ball, explains why his son will be bigger than Kobe Bryant.
SNL - Weekend Update
This very long, super nerdy NBA podcast is making money: Bloomberg reports, Dunc’d On proves there’s an audience thirsty for hours and hours of two dudes talking about pro basketball. https://goo.gl/UYSZ3x