Caracal Business Insider | December 6, 2017

Jerusalem, China, ‘The Silence Breakers’, Ford, SoulCycle, International Olympic Committee

Caracal Business Insider | Daily
December 6, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Caracal Business Insider: Politics + Policy + Profits

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia

GEOECONOMICS

Embassy Jerusalem: Trump is poised to reverse decades of policy by declaring Jerusalem Israel’s capital, and moving the US embassy there.

FT: Trump plans to recognise Jerusalem as Israeli capital

Politico: State Department warns of violence ahead of Trump Jerusalem decision

NYT: Emmanuel Macron warns Trump over plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

West Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s government, but the Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

The new Gulf war: How Yemen became the most wretched place on earth https://goo.gl/yNYaSF

Brexit Britain's troubled quest to 'Asianize' the Commonwealth: London is struggling to find partners, even in India, where it has focused diplomatic efforts.
Nikkei - Humphrey Hawksley

AFP: Corsican nationalists call for 'real autonomy' but suspend bid for independence

Bitcoin extended its eye-popping rally breaking above $12,000.

US-China Business Council 2017 member survey: Top 10 challenges for American companies in China
 
1.    Competition with Chinese companies
2.    Licenses and approvals
3.    Investment barriers
4.    Uneven enforcement
5.    IPR enforcement
6.    Cybersecurity
7.    Cost increases
8.    US-China relations
9.    Data flow barriers
10.  Capital controls

You can read the full survey here: https://goo.gl/gYK2qg

China’s blurry cyber laws give US tech companies no security: WSJ reports, US-China Business Council survey shows widespread worries about lack of detail on new cyber rules six months since they came into force.

The trade group said 82% of respondents “are concerned about the impact of China’s cyber and data regulations.”

Apple’s Tim Cook: No point yelling at China: WSJ reports, the tech exec defends pulling 674 apps at Beijing’s request, says change can't happen from the sideline.

China pledges 'significant' market opening for foreign investors: Reuters reports, China will “significantly” widen market access for foreign investors, state radio on Wednesday quoted vice premier Wang Yang as saying, following a recent move to raise foreign ownership limits in local financial firms.

China mounts a fresh defense of globalization at an economic forum: Bloomberg reports, China “unequivocally rejects protectionism” and will seek to safeguard the global trading system, a top Communist Party official told visiting executives at an economic development forum. “History shows that no one will benefit from a protectionist approach,” Vice Premier Wang Yang told the Fortune Global Forum in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou on Wednesday.

Communist China's third era: 2012 to 2035?: Nikkei reports, Xi hangs 'do not disturb' sign as he dreams of belts, roads, and a strong military. https://goo.gl/xaywa4

@TIME: See why Chinese President Xi Jinping was named as a runner-up for TIME's Person of the Year 2017 #TIMEPOY http://ti.me/2ATWJ0i

US trade gap soars as imports from China hit record high: Politico reports, the US trade deficit jumped 8.6 percent in October as imports from China and other suppliers hit a record high ahead of the holiday shopping season, a Commerce Department report released Tuesday showed. The monthly trade gap totaled $48.7 billion, the highest level for a full month since Trump took office on Jan. 20.

News flash - Americans like to buy commodity products that assembled in Asia.

Reuters: B-1B bomber joins US-South Korea drills as tensions escalate

AMERICAN POLITICS

Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to testify today before the House Intelligence Committee behind closed doors.

NYT: Trump’s backing of Moore points to a GOP issue: Chaos

LAT: In Alabama, Bannon decries GOP leaders as Roy Moore battles rival amid molestation allegations

GOP fractures on Roy Moore’s bid for Alabama Senate seat: WSJ reports, Trump’s endorsement brings new support and funding for a candidate who is accused of sexual misconduct, but other Republicans withhold backing.

‘The Silence Breakers’ are Time’s Person of the Year: NYT reports, first it was a story. Then a moment. Now, two months after women began to come forward in droves to accuse powerful men of sexual harassment and assault, it is a movement. Time magazine has named “the silence breakers” its person of the year for 2017, referring to those women, and the global conversation they have started.

Friday: Trump campaign rally in Pensacola, Florida

LAT: Santa Ana winds roar through Southern California, whipping fires on destructive path

LAT: Ventura County under siege: 'It was like watching Rome burn'

BREAKING: Fast-moving wildfire burns in Bel-Air; 405 Freeway closed near Getty Center

Shutdown coming? Bloomberg reports, a Republican party faction in the US House is raising warnings about federal spending that have left leaders scrambling to avoid a shutdown when government funding runs out Friday.

ENTERPRISE

Google launches Android Oreo (Go Edition), a lightweight version of the OS designed for hardware with less than 1GB of RAM.

Google blocks YouTube on Amazon devices: FT reports, the move is the latest spat in a rare public battle between the two tech groups.

Boom Supersonic raises $10 million of a strategic investment from Japan Airlines. Boom is developing a passenger aircraft capable of Mach 2.2 flight, promising journeys of 3 hours 15 minutes between New York and London - or essentially the time it takes Amtrak's Acela train to move from DC to NYC.

SoulCycle announced it will be stocking exclusive products from fragrance brand Le Labo, best known for its fashion-insider-favorite, Santal 33.

UPS, overwhelmed by online orders, warns of delivery delays: WSJ reports, delivery networks are still trying to cope with the busiest shopping periods despite big investments in operations and capacity.

Disney is said to be nearing a deal to buy significant parts of 21st Century Fox.

Ford set for China tie-up with Alibaba to test online, direct auto sales: Reuters reports, Ford Motor Co is expected to sign as early as Thursday a deal with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd which may allow the U.S. automaker to test selling cars to consumers in China through Alibaba's online retail arm Tmall, as well as via a new “auto vending machine” store concept, according to a Ford source familiar with the matter.

TRENDS

Can this 107-year-old steelmaker be brought back to life? A Brooklyn-born turnaround artist bets he can revive Canada’s Stelco in a market dominated by global behemoths and cheap Asian producers. https://goo.gl/HZ78u7

SoulCycle is betting high fashion will get you spinning: The fancy workout chain has joined up with urban chic purveyor Public School, bringing a whole new level of swank to sweat. https://goo.gl/EzGCDM
 
CULTURE

The Atlantic: Top 25 news photos of 2017 https://goo.gl/MjojnP

Depeche Mode is having one of the most remarkable tours in modern music and its most-successful concert run ever. The band sold 1.27 million tickets through the first nine months of 2017, more than Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber or Bruno Mars.

NYT's best movies of 2017 https://goo.gl/yA1E5h

NYT's best cookbooks of 2017 https://goo.gl/PYrzp1

Bangkok street food eatery earns Michelin star: AFP reports, Jay Fai, named after the 72-year-old proprietor who took over from her father, is located in old Bangkok and features an open-air kitchen known for churning out crab omelets and curries.

A tour of David Rockefeller’s Rolodex: Contacts for the world’s rich and powerful: WSJ reports, Rockefeller kept a 5-foot high custom-built Rolodex with the names, phone numbers, and addresses of about 100,000 people he met over a half-century. It was top secret until now. https://goo.gl/YFYgVs

COTD: Who will be the next Tory leader?

HT ConservativeHome

SPORT

How the NBA is planning to cash in on legalized sports betting: ESPN reports, should the Supreme Court expand legalized sports gambling to New Jersey (and beyond), the NBA is prepared to move quickly and take advantage of a potentially massive revenue stream. https://goo.gl/gKWZvx

Nyet: The International Olympic Committee will ban Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics

Russia barred from 2018 Winter Olympics due to doping: WSJ reports, some Russian athletes will be able to compete at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics but by invitation only.

Shanghai Shenhua face tough Asian Champions League: AFP reports, Chinese FA Cup winners Shanghai Shenhua face a tough test in the 2018 Asian Champions League after being drawn Wednesday against top Japanese club Kashima Antlers and Australian A-League leaders Sydney FC.

Caracal Business Insider | December 5, 2017

Brexit, DUP, Venezuela, Deutsche Bank, Lamborghini, Ford

Caracal Business Insider | Daily
December 5, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

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

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia

GEOECONOMICS

FT: Pound falls on breakdown in Brexit talks

Theresa May fights to rescue deal after DUP backlash over Irish border plan

LAT: Britain hoped to initial a 'Brexit' deal, but an old controversy — the border in Ireland — forced a setback

May fights to save Brexit deal after DUP veto: The Times reports, Theresa May was warned last night that she has four days to salvage a Brexit deal or risk delays after the Democratic Unionist Party vetoed it at the eleventh hour.

Britain and EU fail to strike divorce deal: AFP reports, Britain and the EU failed to strike a Brexit divorce deal during talks in Brussels on Monday but said they were "confident" of reaching an accord later this week.

Sturgeon calls for special status, too: The Times reports, Nicola Sturgeon will demand a special Brexit deal for Scotland in line with any plan to solve the Irish border issue that would mean Northern Ireland keeping closer ties to the single market.

AFP: Spain drops international arrest warrant for Puigdemont

Nikkei: Venezuela crisis lets China and Russia maneuver in US backyard

Russia registers 9 US media outlets as 'foreign agents': AFP reports, the Russian justice ministry posted a statement saying that US-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty and seven of their media affiliates have been recognized as "carrying out the functions of a foreign agent."

Reuters: South Korea, US kick off large-scale air exercise amid North Korean warnings

AMERICAN POLITICS

NYT: Trump backs Moore, and RNC restores its financial support

Republicans appear increasingly confident that Moore will win the special election next week. This is correct. Moore will win and chaos will ensue.

Mueller points to Russia link in Manafort hearing: FT reports, the first assertion by investigators of possible ties between Trump campaign and Kremlin.

Bloomberg: Mueller subpoenas Trump Deutsche Bank records

Reuters: In slap at Romney, Trump says he wants Hatch to run for re-election

LEARN GLOBALIZATION IN 90 MINUTES 

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

Cineworld has agreed to buy Regal for $3.6 billion.

Lamborghini unveils the $200,000 Urus SUV.

Ford in the Middle Kingdom: Ford is rebooting in China, announcing plans to launch 50 new vehicles there, including 15 electrics, by 2025.

FT: Starbucks makes super-sized China bet as it looks beyond US

The new 30,000 square foot ‘super premium’ roastery is bid to maintain upscale reputation - the store would fit on half of a soccer pitch.

China could become Starbucks’ biggest market within a decade, says executive chairman Howard Schultz.

Starbucks has reached 130 cities in China where it operates about 3,000 stores.

Google missed out on China. Can it flourish in India?: NYT reports, as major companies chase India’s new internet users, Google is changing core products to work better on low-end smartphones and use less data. https://goo.gl/P6mi3G

Facebook introduced an app for children ages 13 and younger.

@BW: These are the best books of 2017 https://bloom.bg/2jRS4Rf 

Goldman Sachs to beef up Polish operations - the bank plans to hire about 250 new staff in Warsaw.

Bloomberg: Neiman Marcus CEO says affluent shoppers in ‘very good shape’

Drive and shop: GM said it will equip newer cars with in-dash e-commerce technology. The idea is to help drivers order food, find fuel or reserve hotel rooms by tapping icons on the dashboard screen, instead of using smartphones while driving.

CULTURE

Robin Wright will appear in the lead role of the sixth and final season of “House of Cards.”

RIP John Anderson: The former Republican congressman, left his party to run as a plain-spoken independent candidate for president in 1980.

PBS will offer Christiane Amanpour's CNN show to temporarily replace Charlie Rose.

SPORT

US soccer: Sunil Gulati will not run for a fourth term as US Soccer president.

Caracal Business Insider | December 4, 2017

Oligarch, Censorship, Cryptocurrency, Cannabis, CVS

Caracal Business Insider | Daily
December 4, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Caracal Business Insider: Your one-stop shop for Global Business News at the Intersection of Politics + Policy + Profits.

Reporting from New York, New York

GEOECONOMICS

Russia's long cyber game: The digital attack that brought Estonia to a standstill 10 years ago was the first shot in a cyberwar that has been raging between Moscow and the west ever since. https://goo.gl/xV2Xjn

Who’s an oligarch? Rich Russians fret over US sanctions label https://goo.gl/KUZc5i

China defends state control over the internet at technology forum: FT reports, the man who has helped shape President Xi Jinping’s policies has told the World Internet Conference — whose audience this past weekend included Tim Cook of Apple and Sundar Pichai of Google — that China had a right to regulate its own internet.

Apple, Google CEOs bring star power as China promotes censorship: Bloomberg reports, Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai made their first appearances at China’s World Internet Conference, bringing star power to a gathering the Chinese government uses to promote its strategy of tight controls online. Apple’s chief executive officer gave a surprise keynote at the opening ceremony on Sunday, calling for future internet and AI technologies to be infused with privacy, security and humanity. The same day, one of China’s most-senior officials called for more aggressive government involvement online to combat terrorism and criminals. Wang Huning, one of seven men on China’s top decision-making body, even called for a global response team to go well beyond its borders.

China limits waste imports: NYT reports, an intense crackdown by Chinese regulators on imported foreign waste destined to be recycled has had an impact on businesses and municipalities around the world.

Maybe China can't take over the world
Bloomberg - Christopher Balding OpEd

"Some of its greatest advances depend heavily on local conditions."

In South Korea, the virtual currency boom hits home: NYT reports, around the world, ordinary people, with no prior experience in virtual currencies, have been lured into the virtual currency markets in recent weeks by the soaring prices of Bitcoin and its competitors.

Venezuela to create a cryptocurrency amid bolivar's free fall: Bloomberg reports, on his Sunday television show, Maduro announced the nation would create its own “petrocurrency,” backed by reserves in oil, gas, gold and diamonds. It will enable Venezuela “to advance in monetary sovereignty, carry out its financial transactions to overcome the financial blockade,” Maduro said.

"The 21st century has arrived!"

Trudeau in China: Trade will be high on the agenda this week as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits China in a bid to boost business ties with the world's second-largest economy. 

Canada could make billions from legal pot: CNN Money reports, Canada's Cannabis Act was introduced in the Canadian Senate Tuesday, its last legislative stop. The bill enjoys wide public support and the backing of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. According to recent estimates from Marijuana Business Daily, an industry publication, annual sales for Canada's recreational marijuana market could range between $2.3 billion and $4.5 billion by 2021.

"Canada faces one last hurdle to becoming the first G7 nation to legalize recreational marijuana."

Theresa May fails to strike Brexit border deal with Irish government: Guardian reports, the lack of agreement threatens to put back progression of Brexit negotiations to the second phase, ahead of crunch meeting between PM and Jean-Claude Juncker

Second referendum: Bloomberg reports, fifty percent of UK voters think there should be a second referendum on the final Brexit deal, a poll by Survation for the Mail on Sunday showed.

Copy-paste trade deals: The UK government wants to copy about 40 trade accords and turn them into bilateral agreements so international commerce won’t be disrupted after the split.

AMERICAN POLITICS

Passage of Senate tax bill puts R&D tax credit in doubt: WSJ reports, an unintended consequence of late decision to keep the corporate alternative minimum tax could be the loss of some tax breaks; companies push back.

Trump emboldened: Buoyed by Senate passage of his tax overhaul proposal, Trump told donors in New York on Saturday that he'll be “unbeatable” in 2020. 

GOP pushes to avoid a government shutdown, but the path is tricky: NYT reports, a two-week stopgap measure would provide more time to negotiate, but obstacles loom on both sides of the aisle as lawmakers push their own priorities.

NYT: Alabama's disdain for Democrats looms over its Senate race

Yes, Donald Trump, you said that
NYT - Billy Bush OpEd

"Of course he said it"

Suspended: ABC News has suspended investigative journalist Brian Ross for a month because of an error in his reporting about Trump.

Driverless car bill hits Senate speed bump: The Hill reports, the measure was set up under a fast-track process with the hopes of getting it over the finish line this year, but multiple senators are blocking the legislation from moving forward.

Politico Playbook power list: 18 to watch in 2018 https://goo.gl/G5MzPS

ENTERPRISE

CVS Health Corp. is going to buy health insurer Aetna Inc. for about $67.5 billion.

Facebook has opened its new London office, stating it would add 800 more jobs in the UK capital next year.

GooBook: WPP's GroupM expects Google and Facebook to account for 84% of global digital investment in 2017.

Australia to probe Facebook, Google over media disruption: Reuters reports, Australia’s competition regulator said on Monday it would investigate whether U.S. online giants Facebook and Alphabet Inc’s Google had disrupted the news media to the detriment of publishers and consumers.

Walt Disney Co. has "reengaged" in talks with 21st Century Fox about buying some of its assets.

WSJ: Bitcoin is the world’s hottest currency, but no one’s using it

$100 trillion will happen: The total value of companies listed on the world's stock markets as of Friday's close was $98,750,067,000,000 -- within touching distance of $100 trillion for the first time.

TRENDS

Why a Gen-X CEO hired a Millennial to help him keep a learning mindset https://goo.gl/jvvdnn

Legal marijuana: According to investment firm Cowen & Co., the legal US cannabis market is expected to reach $50 billion in annual sales by 2026.

CULTURE

Call Me by Your Name has been chosen as best picture by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.