Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s former defense minister and next prime minister, hopes to make significant changes to the military alliance structure in the country and aims to create a military alliance akin to NATO.
ECONOMIC UPDATE – MARKET OVERVIEW
The economic data coming in across the globe is gloomy. The facts are in the numbers. Factory orders in Japan keep shrinking as its PMI slumped to 49.7 in September from 49.8—below the 50.0 mark for the third straight month... which signals negative growth.
FEDERAL RESERVE’S TERMINAL PHASE FOR THE ECONOMY, AND THE MARKET
Status-Post the latest Federal Open Market Committee/FOMC meeting, (what a joke, “Federal”), which occurred on Wednesday September 18th, 2024, the U.S. has been thrust into what will prove to be THE most economically destructive monetary policy phase of all time.
TOP TREND 2023, OFFICE BUILDING BUST: OFFICE TOWERS FALLING
American Equity Partners (AEP) bought 1 Tower Center, a 24-story office block, in 2019 for $38 million—a good deal at the time but a higher price than many similar buildings fetch now.
ROBOTICS AND AI AUTOMATION VS. LONGSHOREMEN’S UNION
Automation: it’s a major reason why a national strike by America’s unionized dock workers may be about to bring the country to a supply chain standstill.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THEY TAKE YOU TO WAR: NETANYAHU RISES IN POLLS AS HE RAMPS UP WAR
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has benefited politically from his recent terror attacks in Lebanon, and polls show that his Likud party is the most popular in the country—after suffering a setback after the Hamas attack last year.
ZELENSKY’S VICTORY PLAN EQUALS DEFEAT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented the Biden administration with his so-called “victory plan” last week and the initial reaction in the White House is doubt that the strategy presents any new ideas to end the war and expel Russian forces.
Global Economy
FAST-FASHION GIANT MISSING PROFITABILITY TARGET
Sweden’s H&M, the global fast-fashion house, has said it will likely not reach its goal of a 10-percent operating margin this fiscal year.
VOLKSWAGEN CUTS ITS FINANCIAL OUTLOOK AGAIN
For the second time in less than three months, Volkswagen has pared back its 2024 financial projections, citing a weak market for its passenger cars.
PARTNERSHIP TAKES ORDERS IN EUROPE FOR CHEAP CHINESE EVS
The partnership between Chinese automaker Leapmotor and Stellantis, owner of 14 auto brands including Fiat and Peugeot, is taking orders for a low-priced Leapmotor electric “city car” and an all-electric SUV, both to be sold in Europe.
The Israel War
NETANYAHU’S GRIP IN ISRAEL STRENGTHENS AS U.S. PREPARES TO DEFEND COUNTRY FROM ‘IRANIAN ATTACK’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to consolidate power Sunday when he appointed a former rival in his Cabinet.
NETANYAHU TELLS IRANIANS THEY WILL BE FREE SOON
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Iranians in a video message that they will be free soon “and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think.”
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THEY TAKE YOU TO WAR: NETANYAHU RISES IN POLLS AS HE RAMPS UP WAR
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has benefited politically from his recent terror attacks in Lebanon, and polls show that his Likud party is the most popular in the country—after suffering a setback after the Hamas attack last year.
AI
OPEN AI WILL HELP T-MOBILE HOLD ONTO ITS CUSTOMERS
OpenAI is partnering with cell phone company T-Mobile to build an AI that will help the phone service gain customers and keep those it has.
A CHATBOT IS NOW AN AUTHORIZED INVESTMENT ADVISOR IN ISRAEL
The Israel Securities Authority has approved a chatbot named Bridget to give advice about which stocks to buy or sell in response to users’ questions.
INVESTORS LINE UP TO BE PART OF OPENAI’S $6-BILLION FUNDING PACKAGE
After OpenAI recently announced it would seek $6 billion in new financing, investors grabbed their checkbooks.
Hi-Tech Science
FALSE TEETH? NO, GROW NEW REAL TEETH INSTEAD
After succeeding with mice and ferrets, Japanese researchers are preparing to begin a year-long trial of a treatment that can regrow missing teeth in humans.
NUCLEAR POWER GOES UNDERGROUND
Startup company Deep Fission has a unique take on the idea of small, portable nuclear reactors in development by the U.S. energy department as well as several private firms. (See “A New Generation of Nuclear Power Plants is Here,” 9 Aug 2022.)
BRAIN STRUCTURE MAY EXPLAIN CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL VIEWS BUT NOT LIBERAL ONES
Whether you lean right politically may be a result of how your brain is put together, according to new research from the American College of Greece.