Rabu, 27 November 2019

Stocks look set for new records on US-China trade harmony - Fox Business

US stocks pointed higher on Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving after setting fresh highs on Tuesday, spurred by optimism over trade talks between the U.S. and China.

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Investors are awaiting fresh U.S. home sales data, a key measure of inflation, and Washington’s latest quarterly estimate of economic growth.

Investors have grown more hopeful over trade negotiations as the world’s two economies keep their rhetoric in check. The latest signals indicating that China and the U.S. are making progress toward a deal on trade have been particularly encouraging, as new U.S. tariffs are set to hit Dec. 15 on many Chinese-made items on holiday shopping checklists, such as smartphones and laptops.

EXCLUSIVE: FORMER FED CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS WHY MARKETS ARE BOOMING DESPITE TRADE WAR

Investors hoping that Washington and Beijing can agree on terms of a deal that halts their trade dispute, or at least stops it from escalating.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “We’re in the final throes of a very important deal. I guess you could say one of the most important deals in trade ever.”

That followed an announcement by China’s Commerce Ministry that said negotiators for both sides had spoken on the phone and agreed to more talks aimed at reaching a deal. The latest development came a day after China announced new guidelines for the protection of patents and copyrights, which has been a key issue in the dispute.

While most of the news on trade tensions between Washington and Beijing pointed toward progress, the Department of Commerce on Tuesday announced a plan to begin requiring case-by-case approvals of all purchases by telecommunications companies of equipment that might pose a security risk.

The move follows an order by President Donald Trump in May declaring a national emergency as a first step toward barring such deals. Major telecoms gear suppliers like China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. would likely be the hardest hit. The Commerce Department proposal could complicate efforts to clinch the trade deal.

DOW SCORES 100TH RECORD CLOSE UNDER TRUMP

The risk is “optimists are getting ahead of themselves on hopes of a US-China trade deal,” Mizuho Bank said in a commentary. “And not merely because the details of a 'Phase-1' deal may end up disappointing. Instead, the bigger risk is an augmented form of ‘bait and switch’ with regards to U.S.-China trade conflict; where investors seduced by a rapidly progressing 'Phase-1' trade deal are blind-sided by the escalating tech tensions between the U.S. and China.”

GLOBAL STOCKS

Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3% to 7,423.42 while the CAC 40 in France edged 0.1% lower to 5,924.05. Germany’s DAX lost less than 0.1% to 13,229.04. Wall Street looked set for a tepid start, with the future contract for the Dow Jones Industrial Average almost unchanged at 28,126.00. The future for the S&P 500 inched 0.1% higher to 3,145.60.

In Asian trading, Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 0.3% to 23,437.77 while the S&P ASX 200 in Australia climbed 0.9% to 6,850.60. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.3% to 2,127.85. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose 0.2% to 26,954.00. The Shanghai Composite index lost 0.1% to 2,903.19, while India’s Sensex added 0.2% to 40,910.06.

Shares fell in Malaysia but rose in Taiwan and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 index rose 0.2% to 3,140.52, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2% to 28,121.68. The Nasdaq composite added 0.2% to 8,647.93. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 0.1% to 1,624.23.

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The major stock indexes are on track for strong gains this year. The S&P 500 is up by more than 25%, while the Dow is up by more than 20%. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, is now up by more than 30%.

Surprisingly good corporate earnings, solid economic data, interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and more optimism on the part of investors about the prospects for a U.S.-China trade deal have helped spur the market higher since late October.

In energy trading, benchmark crude oil lost 5 cents to $58.36 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It rose 40 cents to settle at $58.41 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, lost 3 cents to $63.18 per barrel.

The dollar rose to 109.17 Japanese yen from 109.03 yen on Tuesday. The euro slipped to $1.1006 from $1.1021.

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2019-11-27 10:15:15Z
CBMiXWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZveGJ1c2luZXNzLmNvbS9tYXJrZXRzL3N0b2Nrcy1sb29rLXNldC1mb3ItbmV3LXJlY29yZHMtb24tdXMtY2hpbmEtdHJhZGUtaGFybW9uedIBYWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZveGJ1c2luZXNzLmNvbS9tYXJrZXRzL3N0b2Nrcy1sb29rLXNldC1mb3ItbmV3LXJlY29yZHMtb24tdXMtY2hpbmEtdHJhZGUtaGFybW9ueS5hbXA

Selasa, 26 November 2019

Home price gains accelerate in September, S&P Case-Shiller Index says - CNBC

A prospective home buyer is shown a home by a real estate agent in Coral Gables, Florida.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

After shrinking for much of this year, home price gains are now growing again.

On a national level, prices rose 3.2% annually in September, up from a 3.1% gain in August, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. The 10-City Composite annual increase was 1.5%, unchanged from the previous month. The 20-City Composite rose 2.1% annually, up from 2.0% in August.

Of the 20 cities covered, Phoenix, Charlotte and Tampa saw the highest annual gains, with 6.0%, 4.6% and 4.5% annual gains respectively. Ten of the 20 cities saw larger price increases in the year ending September 2019 versus the year ending August 2019.

Home prices are rising most in the Sun Belt, where housing is generally more affordable than in the east or west. San Francisco was the only city in the composites to show an annual decline in home prices (-0.7%).

"After a long period of decelerating price increases, it's notable that in September both the national and 20-city composite indices rose at a higher rate than in August, while the 10-city index's September rise matched its August performance," Craig J. Lazzara, managing director and global head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices, wrote in a release. "It is, of course, too soon to say whether this month marks an end to the deceleration or is merely a pause in the longer-term trend."

Other measures of home prices have shown multiple months of re-acceleration in prices, and other factors in the housing market point to price strength going forward.

Mortgage rates have been very low since the spring. The average rate on the 30-year fixed has hovered between 3.6% and 4% since June, giving buyers more purchasing power and helping to reignite the heat under home prices.

The housing market is also currently plagued by a critically low supply of homes for sale. The shortage is worst at the lower end of the market, and that is where prices are rising fastest. Demand is strong, thanks to low rates and to the largest generation aging into its homebuying years. Low supply and high demand are the perfect storm for higher prices.

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2019-11-26 14:00:00Z
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5 things to know before the stock market opens Tuesday - CNBC

1. Dow set for higher open after another record close

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on November 04, 2019 in New York City.

Spencer Platt | Getty Images

U.S. stock futures were pointing to a modestly higher open Tuesday on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all closed at record highs Monday, putting year-to-date gains at 20%, 25% and 30%, respectively. Optimism surrounding U.S.-China talks on a "phase one" trade deal boosted the stock market Monday and there's further evidence of possible progress Tuesday. China's Ministry of Commerce said its top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, spoke with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday morning local time. "Both sides discussed resolving core issues of common concern," the ministry said.

2. Powell: Rates probably won't rise anytime soon

Jerome Powell, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019.

Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images

With the final 2019 meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers just two weeks away, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell signaled interest rates are unlikely to rise anytime soon, saying Monday the central bank remains firmly committed to seeing the inflation rate go up to 2%. Inflation has been well below that level for 2019, despite three rate cuts over the past four months. Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan told CNBC on Tuesday he expects fourth-quarter growth to be "weak" as business cut inventories due to trade concerns. Investors will be looking for more clues on the U.S. economy Tuesday morning, when the September S&P/Case-Shiller report on home prices and government data on October new home sales are released.

3. House Democrats preparing final impeachment report

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., joined by other House Democrats, speaks during a press conference after the House Intelligence Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry of President Trump in Longworth Building on Wednesday Nov. 13, 2019.

Caroline Brehman | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said impeachment investigators are pulling together their findings. House Democrats could deliver a finalized report as early as next week after several closed-door depositions and two weeks of public hearings looking into President Donald Trump's intention when he asked Ukraine's leader in a July phone call to investigate political rival Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly said he's done nothing wrong, calling the impeachment inquiry a "hoax" and a "witch hunt." He said there was "no quid pro quo" on that call. If the Democratically controlled House were to vote for impeachment, the Republican-controlled Senate would hold a trial on the evidence.

4. Google fires four workers for alleged wrongdoing

Alphabet's Google has terminated four employees for allegedly sharing sensitive information after weeks of internal dissent related to the mistrust of leadership. At least two of the employees were at the center of recent worker protests. Rebecca Rivers, who previously spoke out about Google's contracts with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, tweeted she was one of them. Last week, a group of 20 Google employees in San Francisco protested the interrogation of Rivers and another employee, Laurence Berland, who had been placed on sudden and indefinite administrative leave for allegedly sharing sensitive information.

5. Cybertruck vs. F-150 — Elon Musk says 'bring it on'

Tesla's futuristic pickup truck appears set to go head to head against the Ford F-150 in an "apples-to-apples" battle. The anticipated showdown, which could take place next week, comes after Tesla this week unveiled its all-electric Cybertruck and showed a promotional video of the vehicle towing a F-150.

Critics of the demonstration have argued the test was unfavorable to Ford. Sundeep Madra, vice president at Ford X, tweeted Monday, apparently urging Tesla CEO Elon Musk to send over a Cybertruck for a tug-of-war test. In a tweet directly replying to the Ford X vice president, Musk replied, "Bring it on."

CNBC's before the bell news roundup

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2019-11-26 12:36:00Z
CAIiEBm0nNlsZEHxYvO2SV1I2_8qGQgEKhAIACoHCAow2Nb3CjDivdcCMJ_d7gU

Elon Musk promises Cybertruck vs Ford F-150 tug-of-war rematch - The Verge

A few days after Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s new Cybertruck, he posted a video of the truck taking part in a tug of war with a Ford F-150, which showed the electric Cybertruck easily overpowering the Ford pickup. But after accusations that the competition was unfair, Musk has agreed to a re-match, saying he’ll aim to record a new video next week.

A number of blogs pointed out the apparent disparity in the match-up. The F-150 seems to be a rear-wheel drive model while the Cybertruck is all-wheel drive. The F-150 looks to be a lower-spec STX package with a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, meaning it’s probably lighter than the Cybertruck. It even seems like Tesla’s vehicle is given a head start!

The video was controversial enough that scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson waded in to offer his opinion on Twitter, pointing out that electrical vehicles are “famously heavy” over the axles, which would give the Cybertruck greater traction in a tug-of-war.

And Ford itself also got involved, with Sundeep Madra, vice president of the automaker’s venture incubator Ford X, challenging Musk to an “apples to apples test.” Musk responded quickly: “Bring it on,” adding that he’ll “aim to do this next week.”

Will it happen though? A Ford spokesperson told Motor1 that Madra’s tweet was “tongue-in-cheek,” though that doesn’t answer the question of whether the challenge was serious. We’ve reached out to Ford and will update this story if we get a confirmation.

Really, though, Musk can’t lose in this sort of a competition. The market for pickups in the US is deeply loyal, with customers generally sticking to one of a handful of brands, including Ford’s F-series and Fiat Chrysler’s Ram trucks. If Tesla is going to make in-roads here it needs to be as visible as possible, so a little bit of chest-thumping can’t hurt.

Even if the Cybertruck lost in a re-match, Musk could say that Tesla will improve the vehicle before it starts rolling off assembly lines (scheduled for 2022). Better still, he could demand a tug-of-war against Ford’s own upcoming electric F-150, which is currently in the works. Now that would be “apples to apples.”

We’ll have to wait and see if the re-match happens, but whatever the outcome I’m sure Ford and Tesla fans will only want to see more.

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2019-11-26 10:54:27Z
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Google tensions deepen over firings of 'Thanksgiving Four' - Yahoo News

Google employees contend that four of their colleagues were fired in retaliation for worker organizing (AFP Photo/Ben STANSALL)

San Francisco (AFP) - Google on Monday fired four employees on the grounds they had violated data security policies, but the tech titan was accused of persecuting them for trying to unionize staff.

The dismissals of the quartet -- dubbed the "Thanksgiving Four" on social media -- deepened staff-management tensions at a company once seen as a paradigm of Silicon Valley freedoms but now embroiled in numerous controversies.

A memo to employees titled "Securing our data" sought to correct what Google contended was misinformation about the purported wrongdoing, saying it involved "systematic searches for other employees' materials and work."

Google, the money-making engine of parent company Alphabet, confirmed a copy of the note published by Bloomberg News but declined to comment further to AFP.

The memo said the information accessed by the individuals, "along with details of internal emails and inaccurate descriptions about Googlers’ work, was subsequently shared externally."

But the Tech Workers Coalition said the employees had been fired for "organizing at work" and urged others at Google to speak out.

"This is meant to scare workers, don't let it," the campaign group tweeted, appealing for other employers to step in and hire the four. At least one job offer came through in response.

One of the workers fired was connected to a petition condemning Google for working with the US customs and border patrol agency, which has been involved in President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.

"Four of our colleagues took a stand and organized for a better workplace," read a Medium post by Google Walkout for Real Change, which organised a staff protest last year over the issue of sexual misconduct.

"This is explicitly condoned in Google's Code of Conduct, which ends: 'And remember ... don't be evil, and if you see something that you think isn't right — speak up.'

"When they did, Google retaliated against them."

Authors of the post contended that Google policies on data security were tightened simply to provide cover for getting rid of the workers.

"This is classic union busting dressed up in tech industry jargon, and we won't stand for it," they said.

- Global disputes -

The Google workplace has been disrupted by employee opposition to top-level decisions ranging from forging contracts with the US military to tailoring a version of the search engine for China.

A year ago, Google employees poured out of premises at its Mountain View campus and around the world to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct allegations.

When they were still suspended prior to the firings, two of the quartet on Friday addressed a protest rally at the company's San Francisco offices, according to US media.

Jeffrey Hirsch, a University of North Carolina law professor and former National Labor Relations Board attorney, said Google could face legal problems unless it could show a consistent approach towards other staff accused of the same conduct as the four.

"If not, Google will likely have to reinstate the employees and pay them back pay," he told Bloomberg.

Google's virtual monopoly on internet searches has provoked accusations that it abuses its global dominance to attract more advertising money at the expense of others, such as the news media.

In France, an alliance of press groups is fighting back with a complaint under the European Union's new copyright law. AFP has brought a separate complaint against Google.

Like Facebook and Twitter, Google also stands accused of turning a blind eye to political disinformation on its platforms.

Last week, the search leader updated how it handles political ads, stepping up actions it says it is taking in the buildup to the US presidential election next year.

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2019-11-26 11:23:00Z
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Ford challenged Tesla to an 'apples to apples' tug-of-war between pickup trucks — Musk says 'bring it on' - CNBC

Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk gestures while introducing the newly unveiled all-electric battery-powered Tesla Cybertruck at Tesla Design Center in Hawthorne, California on November 21, 2019.

FREDERIC J. BROWN | AFP | Getty Images

Tesla's futuristic pickup truck appears set to go head-to-head against the Ford F-150 in an "apples to apples" tug-of-war battle.

The anticipated showdown, which could take place as early as next week, comes shortly after Tesla unveiled its all-electric Cybertruck.

During the promotional event in Los Angeles last week, which turned into a somewhat embarrassing debut for the company's first electric pickup truck, Elon Musk showcased a promotional video of the vehicle engaging in a tug-of-war battle against a Ford F-150.

The 16-second clip, which has since been viewed more than 12 million times, shows Tesla's Cybertruck hardly breaking a sweat during the display, as it comfortably pulls a screeching Ford F-150.

However, critics of the demonstration have since argued the test was unfavorable to the U.S. automaker.

Sundeep Madra, vice president at Ford X, sent a message via Twitter to Musk on Monday, apparently urging the Tesla CEO to send over a Cybertruck for an "apples to apples" tug-of-war test.

In a tweet directly replying to the Ford X vice president, Musk replied: "Bring it on."

A Ford spokesperson was not immediately available to comment when contacted by CNBC Tuesday morning.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson — who has previously suggested that he believes Musk is more important than Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg — was one of those skeptical about the legitimacy of the original tug-of-war test.

Tyson said the stunt may not have demonstrated the pickup truck's engine power, challenging Musk to "fully load" the Ford F-150, "giving highest traction to its rear wheels, then try to drag that up the hill."

Musk agreed to do that next week.

He has since suggested the next tug-of-war test will be available to watch via webcast.

Botched demo

On Sunday night, Musk said Tesla had received 200,000 orders for its Cybertruck, despite a botched demo that led to a broken window and sparked meme's making fun of the vehicle's steel trapezoid shape.

At the unveiling, Musk tried to showcase the Cybertruck's durability by having the company's design chief hurl a metal ball at one of the Cybertruck's armored glass windows.

The window ended up cracking. Then another ball was thrown at another window and it shattered, too.

— CNBC's Lora Kolodny contributed to this report.

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2019-11-26 10:12:00Z
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Senin, 25 November 2019

Uber stopped from operating in London - The - The Washington Post

Henry Nicholls Reuters A photo illustration shows the Uber app and a bus in London, Britain, June 25, 2018.

LONDON — London’s transport authorities on Monday announced they will not renew Uber’s license to operate in the British capital after thousands of trips were made with someone other than the booked driver.

In a statement, Transport for London (TfL) said that there were “several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk.”

Uber’s license expires at midnight on Monday. The company, which announced it will appeal the decision, can continue to operate until a final decision is made. 

This is the second time in two years that transport authorities have rejected the ride-hailing app’s bid to renew its operating license in London, one of its largest European markets.

[Uber: The ride-hailing app that says it has ‘zero’ drivers]

The app, which employs tens of thousands of drivers, is hugely popular with users in London — and unpopular with London’s iconic black cabbies.

Uber said it will appeal the decision and that, for its 3.5 million users in London and 45,000 drivers, it will be business as usual during that time. “We have fundamentally changed our business over the last 2 years, setting the standard for safety in the industry. TfL’s decision on our London licence is wrong and we will appeal,” the corporation tweeted.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s chief executive, said even though the company should be “held to a high bar,” the decision was “just wrong.”

This is the latest setback for Uber, which has clashed with transport bodies and traditional taxi-driver markets around the world. Uber has been banned, or stopped service in, countries including Denmark, Hungary and Bulgaria.

In London, transport authorities in September 2017 dropped the bombshell that they would not renew Uber’s license amid safety concerns. The company successfully appealed that decision and was granted an extension.

TfL said that Uber had made a number of improvements since then, but they didn’t go far enough. One key concern, they said, was a change to Uber’s system that “allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other Uber driver accounts.” They said that this allowed at least 14,000 trips where passengers were picked up by someone other than the booked driver.

The transport body also said that some of the drivers that were dismissed or suspended were able to open new Uber accounts, potentially “compromising passenger safety and security.”

Uber’s rivals wasted little time in applauding the move.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, a trade body for London’s black cab industry, said that “The Mayor and TfL have taken the right and only decision to keep Londoners safe.”

Bolt, an Estonian ride-hailing company that has thousands of London drivers on its books, said in a statement that “we continue to pay the utmost attention to the credentials of drivers we permit to use our platform.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who will face a mayoral election contest next year, said “I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users but their safety is the paramount concern.”

Read more

When rides go wrong: How Uber’s investigations unit works to limit the company’s liability

Inside the new Uber: Weak coffee, vanishing perks and fast-deflating morale

Internal data shows Uber’s reputation hasn’t changed much since #DeleteUber

Could Europe’s Uber ruling affect the future of the gig economy?

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news

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2019-11-25 14:03:00Z
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