Viewsroom: China-US trade deal is thin gruel 17 Oct 2019 President Donald Trump is touting the latest Sino-American talks as a real win, especially for farmers. China agreed to buy more agricultural goods like soybeans, but big issues like intellectual-property theft are still up in the air. Plus: The pros and cons of direct listings.
Viewsroom: General Motors strike runs on hot air 10 Oct 2019 Workers downed tools over three weeks ago, despite last-minute concessions by the U.S. carmaker. Job-security fears are a sticking point. So is the union’s need to prove its worth after a kickbacks scandal. Plus: U.S. basketball plays smart defense on China’s Hong Kong backlash.
Viewsroom: Mark Zuckerberg is stuck in 2006 3 Oct 2019 That’s when the Facebook CEO rejected Yahoo’s $1 bln takeover bid. Now he uses the decision to justify his grip on control and decisions on data, privacy and the chance of a breakup under a Democratic president. Plus: How a spat over shrubbery almost felled Credit Suisse’s CEO.
The Exchange: Matthew Putman 30 Sep 2019 The factory floor may be an odd place to find a musical virtuoso. But the founder of Nanotronics, a near-unicorn on the Brooklyn waterfront with Peter Thiel on its board, is as comfortable tinkling the ivories as he is tinkering with the complexities of process automation.
Viewsroom: WeWork overhaul won’t be enough 26 Sep 2019 Adam Neumann lost his CEO role and control of the shared-office provider after its valuation plummeted in preparation for a now-postponed IPO. But WeWork’s business model remains a problem. Plus: Thomas Cook’s collapse hits China’s Fosun. And: parsing financial climate pledges.
The Exchange: Lord John Browne 23 Sep 2019 The former BP boss-turned-renewable-energy-supporter-turned-gas baron stops by to discuss “Make, Think, Imagine,” his new book that’s part an explanation of and part an ode to the benefits of engineering. As UN Climate Week kicks off, he also discusses his take on global warming.
Viewsroom: Not your mother’s oil shock 19 Sep 2019 Saudi Arabia is quickly repairing the damage drones inflicted on its oil industry. But the fallout has implications for everything from security to U.S. shale drillers to climate change-driven alternative energy. Plus: Why are AB InBev and ESR restarting Hong Kong listing plans?
Viewsroom: Nissan’s car-crash CEO 11 Sep 2019 Hiroto Saikawa is stepping down amid controversy over his pay. It has implications for the company’s rocky Renault alliance, and by extension for the French carmaker’s recent attempt to merge with Fiat Chrysler. Plus, is activist Elliott Management going soft on AT&T?
Viewsroom: How money really can grow on trees 5 Sep 2019 Done right, reforestation can capture much of the carbon causing climate change. It would improve crop yields and water quality and lessen the power of floods and storms like Hurricane Dorian. There are good financial returns to reap, too. Plus: the Alibaba competitor to watch.
The Exchange: White House hopeful Tom Steyer 3 Sep 2019 The hedge fund founder has already spent millions to impeach Donald Trump. He’s now trying to replace the U.S. president, joining a crowded Democratic field. The Exchange went to his campaign office to discuss why he is running and what he thinks of businessmen as politicians.
Viewsroom: How to read the recession runes 22 Aug 2019 A U.S. downturn is near, judging by past early warning signals from yield curves to bank valuations. But fallout from the 2008 crisis has sapped them of some predictive power. Plus: what the exit of Cathay Pacific’s CEO says about Beijing’s response to the Hong Kong protests.
Viewsroom: WeWork unfurls the red flags 15 Aug 2019 The shared-office provider’s long-awaited IPO filing is packed with pointless life-affirming tropes. But it also details a host of conflicts of interest and other risks that should send investors running. Plus: India’s powerhouse Reliance is building a war chest for dominance.
Viewsroom: Vicious trade cycle traps U.S., China 8 Aug 2019 The White House’s decision to brand Beijing a currency manipulator is the latest move in a conflict riven by miscommunication, unrealistic expectations and no obvious way out. Plus: Why the LSE is paying $27 bln for Refinitiv, and which of the data firm’s owners comes out on top.
Viewsroom: Is Beyond Meat worth a bite? 1 Aug 2019 The meatless-burger maker is the best-performing IPO of the year by far. Now insiders are selling stock early as the company deals with rising competition, regulations and even a potential pea shortage. Plus: Using wine goggles to look at Western firms’ joint ventures in China.
Viewsroom: UK’s new PM looks for the exit 25 Jul 2019 Boris Johnson helped persuade Britons to vote to leave the EU. London’s former mayor now leads the country – and may find his pledge to quit the European bloc hard to keep. Meanwhile, U.S. watchdogs are circling Amazon, Alphabet, Apple and Facebook. Plus: Protests rock Hong Kong.
The Exchange: Andreessen Horowitz’s Scott Kupor 22 Jul 2019 The venture capitalist’s new book, “Secrets of Sand Hill Road,” is a fundraising guide for entrepreneurs. At his office off the famed Silicon Valley street he discusses with Breakingviews whether tech founders make good CEOs and details the biggest financial mistakes they make.
Viewsroom: AB InBev’s stubborn financial beer gut 18 Jul 2019 The $150 bln brewer of suds like Budweiser and Stella has scrapped its Asia unit’s Hong Kong float. CEO Carlos Brito now needs new ways to reduce the company’s debt. And as the second pulled IPO in weeks amid civil unrest, it puts the city’s financial hub under a spotlight.
The Exchange: Surviving the digital-media meltdown 8 Jul 2019 Venture capitalist Ben Lerer, whose firm backed BuzzFeed and Axios, drops by Breakingviews to discuss why startups in the news industry have been suffering. Unlike some of his peers, Lerer reckons these minnows can have mutually beneficial relationships with giants like Facebook.
Viewsroom: The great EU jobs carve-up 4 Jul 2019 After much unedifying horse-trading, European leaders have finally agreed on who will head the commission, central bank and other top roles. That has implications for the bloc’s future. Plus: Why Africa’s growth figures make worrying reading for the continent’s democrats.
Viewsroom: What makes companies proud of Pride? 27 Jun 2019 Neither profit nor investor pressure explain U.S. firms lining up to mark 50 years of the LGBT-rights movement. They may simply be doing the right thing. But the nation still has a long way to go. Plus: how the UK prime minister race affects the Bank of England’s next boss.