Viewsroom

Viewsroom: America’s topsy-turvy regulators

23 May 2019

Qualcomm lost a lawsuit brought by one DC overseer, even as the DOJ intervened, while $26 bln T-Mobile US-Sprint merger is getting yanked around by agencies with opposing views. Doing business is hard when agencies no longer act in unison. Plus: Is Luckin Coffee going cold?

Viewsroom: The lasting effects of Trump’s tariffs

16 May 2019

Washington and Beijing may yet find a way to end their escalating trade war soon. But for many businesses, the damage already inflicted will be hard to undo. Plus: CEO Mark Zuckerberg might not welcome more calls to break up Facebook, but shareholders could benefit.

Viewsroom: Oil M&A fight may end with no winner

9 May 2019

Occidental boss Vicki Hollub corralled BofA CEO Brian Moynihan and investor Warren Buffett to her side to seal a $38 bln offer for Anadarko. Her tactics scared off rival bidder Chevron but may alienate her own shareholders. Plus: Malaysia’s reform efforts since the 1MDB scandal.

Viewsroom: Apple versus Alphabet

2 May 2019

Both Silicon Valley giants are looking for the next big thing after a slowdown in their main product – iPhone sales at Apple and online ads at Alphabet. Lower expectations mean Tim Cook’s outfit has more time to act. Plus: Activist Dan Loeb puts Sony back under the microscope.

Viewsroom: What’s driving Lyft’s valuation?

4 Apr 2019

The ride-hailing firm is worth $30 bln after its stock-market debut, even though its losses are growing. Shareholders are betting a shift to autonomous driving will steer it to a profit, but that may be a long way off. Plus: Saudi Aramco lets investors drill into its finances.

Viewsroom: German bank M&A’s questionable logic

21 Mar 2019

Putting Deutsche and Commerz together might create a national banking champion. A more likely outcome, though, would be a poorly performing behemoth. Meanwhile, Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess commits the mother of all CEO gaffes. Plus: sizing up a Chinese housing unicorn.

Viewsroom: Boeing’s struggles

14 Mar 2019

The U.S. aircraft maker is facing a crisis after a second crash involving an updated version of its workhorse 737 jet. There’s a financial hit to Boeing from countries grounding the plane; but there are geopolitical implications, too. Plus: China tries to stimulate its economy.

Viewsroom: Hostile gold diggers

7 Mar 2019

The three-way takeover fight involving Newmont, Barrick Gold and Goldcorp is full of aggression and big egos. Breakingviews columnists unpick the gold-mining M&A frenzy and debate whether cooler heads can prevail. Plus: China telecom giant Huawei has a public-relations challenge.

Viewsroom: Warren Buffett eats crow

28 Feb 2019

Kraft Heinz’s poor earnings, $15 bln writedown and accounting investigation forced the Berkshire Hathaway boss to admit he overpaid for the nuts-to-Velveeta cheese purveyor. Breakingviews columnists discuss what went wrong. Plus: Trump buys more time in his China trade spat.

Viewsroom: Brexit breakups

21 Feb 2019

Foreign carmakers are closing some UK plants as lawmakers defect from both the Labour and ruling Tory parties. How will this affect the looming deadline to quit the EU? Plus: Vegan diets are more than a fad.

Viewsroom: Down Under’s upheaval

14 Feb 2019

Falling house prices and slowing Chinese growth are putting Australia’s record of almost 28 years of economic expansion at risk. The banking industry got dinged after a gripping year-long investigation. And a change of government looks likely. Breakingviews dives into the issues.

Viewsroom: U.S. water crisis may evaporate wealth

7 Feb 2019

Overuse and climate change are sapping the Colorado river, source of a fifth of U.S. GDP and at least $1.3 trln of market value. The feds and basin states are struggling to adapt, but investors pay little heed. Plus, can India Prime Minister Modi’s budget help him win re-election?

Viewsroom: Why did PG&E file for bankruptcy?

31 Jan 2019

The California utility may face up to $30 bln in wildfire costs. But shareholders see value and lenders were willing to stump up cash. The board’s desire to cut other expenses may have driven the decision. Plus: How U.S. charges against Huawei may affect the telco industry.

Viewsroom: Global elite-lite takes Davos downer

24 Jan 2019

Pessimism reigns supreme at the annual gathering in the Swiss Alps thanks to trade wars, the U.S. government shutdown and rising populism. Several major leaders stayed away entirely. The event remains a networker’s dream, but self-awareness and problem-solving are sorely lacking.

Viewsroom: China’s slowdown is not created equal

17 Jan 2019

People in the Middle Kingdom are buying fewer iPhones and cars, but Nike and others are chugging away nicely. Meanwhile, India’s struggling rural farmers are a force too big to ignore in this year’s general election. Plus: The Detroit auto show reflects the industry’s gloom.

Viewsroom: High anxiety hits SoftBank’s vision

10 Jan 2019

Rising rates, lower oil prices, wobbly markets and the backlash against Saudi Arabia could put Masa Son’s $97 bln fund on the spot this year. Elsewhere, some Indian tech startups may take the world by storm. Plus, Breakingviews picks three indicators to monitor the world economy.

Viewsroom: Who will be 2019’s free-trade champion?

3 Jan 2019

Big economies are throwing up tariffs, but East Africa’s common market could swell to 250 mln people if Ethiopia joins the club. Breakingviews columnists also predict this year will bring the end of easy money for Chinese startups, and a challenge to Tesla from Lyft and Uber.

Viewsroom: Dealing in high anxiety

20 Dec 2018

Equity valuations are in the stratosphere and geopolitical risk is running hot. Breakingviews columnists predict how that’ll affect markets in 2019, from trade-war fallout to Indian privatizations, a Deutsche Bank rally and mining M&A. They also assess last year’s prognostications.

Viewsroom: French misery gives Italy some company

13 Dec 2018

President Macron hopes a 10 bln euro splurge from state coffers will mollify rioters calling him the “president of the rich.” But it’ll worsen the country’s deficit, risking an EU rebuke. It may, though, offer cover for Italy, whose debt load is causing friction with Brussels.

Viewsroom: Trade war pause may only delay fight

6 Dec 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s leader Xi Jinping agreed to a cooling-off period in an escalating tariff spat. Will the ceasefire yield results or is it a stalling tactic? The markets are spooked. Breakingviews columnists discuss the issue from both sides of the Pacific.