Europe throws ignition cars a thin lifeline 28 Mar 2023 A last-minute EU deal will exempt autos running on carbon-neutral propellants from a 2035 combustion engine ban. That may help sports carmakers like Ferrari. Such fuels are costly and energy-intensive. Brands betting big on electric rides, like VW, will struggle to change tack.
Bank health barometer could use own health warning 28 Mar 2023 Stock market investors interpreted last week’s jump in Deutsche Bank’s credit default swaps as a sign of distress. Yet thin trading in parts of the $12 trln market for speculating on creditworthiness can exaggerate moves. Add social media and it can feed self-fulfilling spirals.
Water finance pipe is full of recycled pledges 28 Mar 2023 Attendees left the UN’s first H2O confab in 46 years pledging to invest $300 bln. To hit that target, governments and companies like Veolia and Xylem mostly repackaged old commitments or dressed up ordinary outlays as new spending. Global water policy needs more pressure.
Jack Ma is Beijing’s prodigal entrepreneur 28 Mar 2023 The Alibaba founder is back in China, prompting an ephemeral Alibaba stock rally. His rehabilitation appears part of an official campaign to revive business confidence, and has a whiff of desperation. It highlights Beijing's love-hate relationship with the private sector.
Nvidia’s crypto-turned-AI excitement is promising 27 Mar 2023 The $670 bln chipmaker’s CTO Michael Kagan said crypto collapsed because it wasn’t useful for society. But AI is, and chip sales for digital currency mining can be replaced by AI. It’s not only a safer bet. Nvidia’s well placed to capture a big chunk of its ballooning growth.
Musk’s Twitter markdown falls short of the mark 27 Mar 2023 In stock grants to the social media app’s shrunken staff, the billionaire owner imputes a $20 bln valuation, or less than half what he paid. Getting there involves financial jiu-jitsu. Include the effects of leverage and falling revenue, and the equity is probably worthless.
SVB sale puts too-big-to-fail risk in a new bottle 27 Mar 2023 First Citizens got a good deal buying Silicon Valley Bank’s assets. For regulators, it’s a tradeoff. The buyer’s balance sheet has nearly quadrupled in just over a year. Until flaws in overseeing fast-growing banks are fixed, promoting aggressive expansion brings new pitfalls.
Xavier Niel can feast on European telco misery 27 Mar 2023 The French tycoon has assembled a privately owned telecoms empire worth about $33 bln, Breakingviews calculates. Behind the scenes he’s manoeuvring to further spread his wings. Purchases of stakes in Vodafone and Luxembourg-based Millicom signal the scale of his ambition.
Capital Calls: Saudi and Credit Suisse, EU patents 27 Mar 2023 Concise views on global finance: The resignation of the chairman of Saudi National Bank, Credit Suisse’s largest shareholder, may prompt a quiet period for other investors; big companies want Europe’s new system for registering intellectual property to cover more countries.
US corporates and China hug awkwardly in Beijing 27 Mar 2023 Executives from Apple, Visa and others showed up at the country’s flagship investment summit to network with top officials. Both sides hope China’s reopening will reassure American investors. A consumption revival would help, but politics is making decoupling the default thesis.
Even a half-empty glass would satisfy dealmakers 24 Mar 2023 Despite efforts to put on brave faces, M&A advisers gathered in New Orleans betrayed uncharacteristic pessimism. Just as clients were coming to grips with tougher financing, regulatory and valuation considerations, banks started collapsing. Confidence is in ever-shorter supply.
Bank investors grapple with scary post-truth world 24 Mar 2023 Shares in European lenders like Deutsche Bank fell by as much as 10%. There’s no clear problem, since they’re liquid and well-capitalized. But Credit Suisse effectively failed days after regulators declared it sound. It leaves markets jittery, and banks uncertain how to respond.
Bitcoin is a solution looking for a problem 24 Mar 2023 Peter Thiel says the cryptocurrency is an inflation hedge, and bitcoin’s price has soared since Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. But his actions don’t match that advice, and the Fed’s backing of the system is antithetical. Plus, importantly, bitcoin, unlike gold, is speculative.
Capital Calls: Microsoft/Activision, Subscriptions 24 Mar 2023 Concise views on global finance: The software giant convinced UK regulators to drop one of two major concerns about its $69 bln deal. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has picked an easier — and less controversial — fight than its antitrust crackdown.
Deutsche Bahn $16 bln sale has non-obvious endgame 24 Mar 2023 The German railways group may sell logistics arm DB Schenker for over $16 bln to cut debt. The most obvious fit is rival DSV. But selling to private equity or French shipping giant CMA CGM could mean fewer job cuts, which may be more appealing to Deutsche Bahn’s state owner.
War on cow farts is stinky but necessary job 24 Mar 2023 Cattle’s digestion is a big driver of harmful gas emissions. To curb them, New Zealand is taxing farmers and Europe may shrink livestock numbers. Both steps have angered harvesters and may inflate food prices. The noise will teach consumers to treat beef like fossil fuels.
Perfection is enemy of $15 bln Toshiba buyout 24 Mar 2023 A group led by Japan Industrial Partners will offer less than two times what foreign activists paid per share to bail out the firm in 2017. It’s not the dream deal outsiders hoped for, but markets are uneasy and geopolitics fast-changing. If it goes through, it’ll be a win.
Hong Kong sharpens fine art edge over Singapore 24 Mar 2023 After a record $1.7 bln of turnover in 2021, ructions in China cooled the city’s auction houses last year. But Art Basel is crowded with Chinese collectors this week. As Hong Kong competes with its southern rival to serve the wealthy, its art market is a potent advantage.
TikTok pile-on opens two cans of worms 23 Mar 2023 US lawmakers grilled Shou Zi Chew about his short-form video network’s data collection and influence. Yet these are separate problems – both much bigger than TikTok. There are other Chinese apps that gather US customer details and plenty of homegrown tech firms that sway ideas.
Ford’s path to electric glory requires rocket fuel 23 Mar 2023 The US carmaker revealed $3 bln of losses in its electric-vehicle unit, with $3 bln more coming this year. Its targets suggest $8 bln of operating profit by 2027. That gives investors a roadmap for Ford’s race against Tesla, and a clearer vision of how ambitious that is.
Short-seller attack blunts Block’s edges 23 Mar 2023 Shares of the Jack Dorsey-led payments company dropped over 10% after Hindenburg Research flagged customer-quality issues and loopholes that have supported its growth. These seem troublesome not terminal, but it’s enough to put a question over Block’s generous valuation.
Canada’s retail problems augur insular economy 23 Mar 2023 Nordstrom became the latest US chain to fold up north after failing to crack a relatively small market with local competition. Fewer major metropolitan areas than the US is one issue, but the challenges aren’t confined to the sector. Canada is at risk of further isolating itself.
Spooked dealmakers scurry back into their foxholes 23 Mar 2023 Beyond high-profile cases against Google, US trustbuster Jonathan Kanter is rewriting the anti-consolidation playbook. As he shreds historic guidance, pursues criminal charges and focuses on labor, CEOs are putting M&A on ice. It’s worth waiting to see which policies stick.
Capital Calls: Bank of England, Wonder drugs 23 Mar 2023 Concise views on global finance: The UK central bank has joined peers in raising rates, but there’s not much room to keep hiking. Meanwhile, a drug that might help smokers’ lung is could be good for makers Regeneron and Sanofi, but even better for society.
Zombified Evergrande will haunt for years to come 23 Mar 2023 The Chinese developer’s plan to restructure $20 bln of offshore debt proposes long repayment terms and sweeteners of dubious value. If approved, Evergrande still needs twice the amount in financing to finish building presold homes. The next problem is for onshore borrowers.
Swiss CoCo litigation may have a broader payoff 23 Mar 2023 Holders of Credit Suisse’s $17 bln contingent convertible bonds think authorities were wrong to wipe them out. A legal challenge will take years. Still, Bern might decide to placate angry investors. And a fight will discourage countries considering following the Swiss example.
Credit Suisse rescue sends shockwaves far and wide 23 Mar 2023 The ailing Swiss lender was saved by UBS with a $3 bln takeover. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate why the deal pushes up bank funding costs, how the new mega-lender affects Switzerland’s financial system, and why bank deposits are becoming less reliable.
John Lewis needs a breakup more than a rescue 23 Mar 2023 The UK employee-owned retailer wants to raise $2.5 bln to improve its ailing stores. But that could leave a new investor owning nearly half the company, undermining its mutual status. Merging its grocer Waitrose with rival M&S would bring in cash and forge a more viable player.
Tencent puts spring back in its step 23 Mar 2023 After years of crackdowns and quarantines, the $423 bln giant sees green shoots sprouting in its video-games and ads businesses. The combination of regulatory respite, a post-lockdown consumption bounce plus cost cuts have put Tencent in a sweet spot for 2023.
Deposit guarantees are the new Jedi mind trick 22 Mar 2023 Savings in US banks are safe, say Fed chief Jay Powell and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. If depositors believe them, they’re right, and confidence in the system should bounce back. The catch is that risk-free banking isn’t theirs to give. Even if it were, the cost is high.