David Fuller and Eoin Treacy's Comment of the Day
Category - General

    Italy Rethinks Its Close China Ties as US Backs Stronger Break

    This article from Bloomberg may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section:

    “Italy is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and what to do with the cooperation pact is a real diplomatic conundrum for Meloni,” Francesca Ghiretti, an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies research firm, said in an interview.

    “Renewing it would send a very difficult message to Washington, but not renewing it would put a strain in relations with China.”

    With US-China relations deteriorating, Beijing is looking to prevent Europe from following Washington, particularly on measures like export controls of key technologies. The EU is struggling to balance a desire to engage with China on trade and investment with resisting economic coercion.

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    Haleon is feeling in rude health after the flu season

    This article from The Times may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section:

    Haleon was demerged last July in the largest London stock market listing in more than a decade. It is the first listed company to be focused purely on consumer health and its product portfolio spans oral and respiratory health, digestive health, pain relief and vitamins, minerals and supplements.

    In an update, it said that sales within its respiratory health unit had jumped by 39 per cent to £510 million in the first quarter to March 31. Oral health sales rose by 9.4 per cent to £811 million, pain relief sales increased by 14 per cent to £724 million and sales of digestive health and other products climbed by 11.9 per cent to £536 million. Only its sales of vitamins, minerals and supplements were flat, at £405 million, leaving total revenue for the quarter up 13.7 per cent at £2.99 billion.

    Haleon said the pressure on its vitamins, minerals and supplements unit was “largely” because of a strong quarter for its Emergen-C supplement brand during the coronavirus wave in early 2022. Sales had risen at a double-digit pace in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Latin America and Asia Pacific, it said. Trading in the Asia Pacific region had been boosted “by strength in China, particularly in pain relief as lockdowns ended, combined with elevated Covid-19 and cold and flu incidence”.

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    Biden to hike payments for good-credit homebuyers to subsidize high-risk mortgages

    This article from The Washington Times may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section: 

    Mortgage industry specialists say homebuyers with credit scores of 680 or higher will pay, for example, about $40 per month more on a home loan of $400,000. Homebuyers who make down payments of 15% to 20% will get socked with the largest fees.

    The new fees will apply only to Americans buying houses or refinancing after May 1.

    Lenders and real estate agents say the changes will frustrate homebuyers with high credit scores and homeowners seeking to refinance because the rule punishes them for their relatively strong financial positions.

    “The changes do not make sense. Penalizing borrowers with larger down payments and credit scores will not go over well,” Ian Wright, a senior loan officer at Bay Equity Home Loans in the San Francisco Bay Area, told The Washington Times in an email message. “It overcomplicates things for consumers during a process that can already feel overwhelming with the amount of paperwork, jargon, etc. Confusing the borrower is never a good thing.”

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    Top 25 Psychiatric Medications for 2020

    This article from psychcentral.com may be of interest. Here is a section: 

    Psychiatric medications are a crucial part of treatment for many mental health conditions, helping to ease symptoms and boost mental well-being. But there are some more commonly prescribed.

    Mental health conditions are complex. Just one medication will help in some cases. Other times, you might try a few different medications before finding the right one or even need more than one medication.

    Psychiatric medications are an important part of many people’s treatment plans, including therapy and other strategies. While they can’t cure your mental health condition, they can help manage your symptoms.

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    LVMH Is Shifting Out of Hong Kong as Chinese Shoppers Stay Home

    This article from Bloomberg may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section:

    LVMH is shifting resources out of Hong Kong, reflecting waning interest in what used to be Asia’s premium shopping hub as mainland Chinese consumers switch to shopping at home.

    The top global luxury conglomerate wants to focus more of its investment in burgeoning metropolises such as Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen as Hong Kong loses its relevance in the Greater China region, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. 

    To that end, it’s already moved the regional headquarters of some brands, including the group’s local head office, to Shanghai, and relocated some senior executives to the mainland, the people said.

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    Please note - The Big Picture Video will posted later than usual on Friday due to my travel schedule

    CATL Says New Super Strong Battery May Power Electric Flight

    This article from Bloomberg may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section: 

    China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., known as CATL, unveiled its strongest battery to date Wednesday, saying that it could one day be used to power electric aircraft.  

    The battery, which loads more power into a smaller package, has an energy density of 500 watt-hours per kilogram, CATL’s Chief Scientist Wu Kai said during a presentation at the Shanghai auto show. CATL’s most recent battery, called Qilin, has an energy density of 255 Wh/kg and can power an electric vehicle for 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) on one charge. 

    The technology, which CATL calls a condensed state battery, is potentially a breakthrough that will help electrify sectors wed to fossil fuels because existing batteries are either too heavy or unsafe. Still, questions remain about the materials it will use, its cost and ultimate market impact.
     

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    India Needs More Than a Bigger Population to Top China's Economy

    This article from Bloomberg may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section: 

    Over the period to 2040, India will likely add 270 million people to its urban population, according to the International Energy Authority.

    The shift is already on display in India’s megacities. Shiny new apartment buildings dot the capital Delhi as the newly wealthy ramp up realty investments. A top developer recently sold $1 billion of luxury homes in three days in Gurugram, one of Delhi’s satellite cities.

    But public services are still poor — India’s Supreme Court has even warned that air traffic controllers might be forced to steer planes around the massive garbage dumps on Delhi’s outskirts if they get any bigger. 

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