WORLD
China weighs more stimulus with $139 billion of special bonds
Prior sales of such bonds are rare: In the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998, for example, the government issued special debt to replenish capital for major state-owned banks. The most recent sale was in 2020, when authorities issued 1 trillion yuan worth of those bonds to pay for pandemic response measures.
WORLD
IMF’s Gita Gopinath says market bets on rate cuts are ‘premature’
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the fund’s first deputy managing director said that even after sharp hikes in borrowing costs in the last two years, the job is still not done as labor markets remain tight on both sides of the Atlantic.
WORLD
What is disease X? How scientists are preparing for the next pandemic
The idea was to encourage the development of platform technologies, including vaccines, drug therapies and diagnostic tests, that could be rapidly adapted and deployed in response to an array of future outbreaks with epidemic or pandemic potential.
BUSINESS
Indian rupee may be winner only if RBI eases hold
On its own, the stars are aligned for the rupee — prospects of large bond and stocks inflows on the back of JPMorgan Chase & Co’s inclusion of Indian debt in its emerging market index as well as a global risk-on sentiment.
WORLD
Vivek Ramaswamy leaves 2024 race, throws support behind Donald Trump
The entrepreneur plans to announce his support for Donald Trump during an event in Iowa later Monday, according to the person, who described Ramaswamy’s plans on condition of anonymity.
BUSINESS
Asia is home to most 2024 IPO debuts with India taking the lead
Of 38 global listings in the past two weeks, 34 were in Asia Pacific, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Americas followed with three newcomers, while the Middle East saw one and Europe had none, the data show.
WORLD
AI and climate change threaten nearly half the world’s businesses
PricewaterhouseCoopers’ poll of 4,702 company leaders around the world found that 45% said their businesses could fail in 10 years unless they adapt, up from 39% in 2023.
WORLD
De Beers cuts diamond prices to revive sales
While those efforts helped the market to pick up a bit, it’s unclear how much appetite trade buyers currently have.
BUSINESS
Axis Bank CEO Amitabh Chaudhry says India in a better place for economic growth
The $3.4 trillion economy, Asia’s third largest, is projected to expand 7.3% in the year through March, according to government estimates, buoyed by strong consumer and government spending, and a boost in manufacturing.
BUSINESS
Hyundai to spend $845 million fixing GM’s mothballed India plant
Hyundai last year bought the General Motors factory in Talegaon, which has stood idle for years after the US company struggled to sell it off following its exit from the country.
WORLD
Hyundai offers $7,500 cash bonus for EVs to match US tax credits
The discounts apply to the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Kona Electric, and the month-long incentive will last through Jan. 31, according to the Korean automaker’s website.
WORLD
US shoots down cruise missile fired from Houthi area in Yemen
The missile was fired Sunday at about 4:45 p.m. local time at the USS Laboon and shot down in the vicinity of the coast, US Central Command said in a social media post Monday.
WORLD
Foreigners sell China stocks in 2024 as economic woes worsen
Sentiment remained downbeat as deflationary pressures persist, while policy support has been underwhelming.
WORLD
Taiwan stocks rise as election result seen to force compromise
The election results indicate that the DPP will have to work with other major parties, including the more China-friendly Kuomintang, on policy. The Taiex stock benchmark gained as much as 0.7% before paring, while the local dollar fell.
WORLD
Artificial Intelligence will affect almost 40% of jobs, IMF Kristalina Georgieva says
“In most scenarios, AI will likely worsen overall inequality, a troubling trend that policymakers must proactively address to prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a blog post on the study.
WORLD
Rishi Sunak faces UK parliament over decision to strike Yemen
The strikes by US and allied forces last week have gone “some way” toward degrading the Houthis’ capabilities, Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, but that the UK is prepared to take action again if necessary.
WORLD
Panasonic to make upgraded EV battery as early as 2024
A revamped version of its 2170 cells will begin production at its manufacturing plant in Nevada sometime during 2024 or 2025, CTO Shoichiro Watanabe said in an interview.
WORLD
Bitcoin’s ETF hangover saddles the token with its worst streak in a month
The token fell as much as 1.9% before paring some of the slide to trade at $42,239 as of 9 a.m. Monday in Singapore. It has dropped for four straight days, the worst such run since mid-December.
WORLD
China’s Central Bank holds key rate steady in policy surprise
The People’s Bank of China maintained the rate on its one-year policy loans — called the medium-term lending facility — at 2.5%, contrary to widespread expectations among economists that it would make its first trim to the rate since August.
BUSINESS
Oil steady as middle east risks offset by softening fundamentals
Brent crude traded near $78 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate was close to $73 even after the US followed up the initial strikes against targets in Yemen with a fresh attack on a radar installation.
BUSINESS
Tesla gets a $94 billion reality check as EV winter sets in
The company has lost more than $94 billion in market valuation in just the first two weeks of 2024.
BUSINESS
Charting the Global Economy: Fed to lead pivot toward interest-rate cuts
Year of rate cuts anticipated, led by the Federal Reserve. Traders bet on Fed's aggressive approach as inflation control poses challenges.
TECHNOLOGY
Apple to shutter 121-person San Diego AI team in reorganization
Apple Inc. is reportedly closing down a 121-person team linked to its artificial intelligence operations in San Diego, putting many employees at risk of termination, as per sources familiar with the matter.
BUSINESS
Binance loses Indian traders to domestic rivals like WazirX
Binance's split from WazirX in 2022 seemed advantageous, but a government crackdown on offshore platforms has shifted dynamics, impacting the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange in the Indian market.
