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SOUTH KOREA: SAMSUNG HOLDS ECONOMY’S FATE

Samsung, the manufacturer that delivers 12.5 percent of South Korea’s annual GDP and 45 percent of its exports, continues to lay off workers as the number of coronavirus cases passed 1,500 last week, growing thirtyfold in a matter of days. The company, which employs more than 180,000 nationwide, closed one plant after a worker tested...

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START-UPS STARVING FOR FUNDS, ASK FOR BAILOUTS

Budding Chinese businesses were running short of funding because of China’s economic slowdown that began last year. Now the coronavirus has shut down large swathes of Chinese commerce and canceled entrepreneurs’ face-to-face meetings with possible backers. Venture capitalists typically like to meet entrepreneurs personally to get a “feel” for them. Without that personal contact, wallets...

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CHINA’S ECONOMIC WOES RIPPLE WORLDWIDE

The International Monetary Fund cut its estimate for China’s growth rate this year to 5.6 percent, down from the 6 percent it had forecast in January. About a third of global economic growth is driven by China’s economy, up from just 3 percent in 2000. Also in 2000, China made up 1.2 percent of world...

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CAR PARTS MAKER CLOSES ITALIAN PLANT, WARNS MORE TO COME

MTA, a European manufacturer of auto electronics, has shut its plant in Codogno, Italy, and warns if the plant doesn’t reopen quickly its other European factories will halt production, which would stop the assembly lines at BMW, Peugeot, and FiatChrysler factories across the continent. Europe’s carmakers and parts suppliers have relied on stockpiled components to...

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TRAVEL SUCCUMBS TO VIRUS

In response to the spread of the coronavirus, the U.S. has closed its borders to anyone who has visited Iran in the previous 14 days and is warning against travel to South Korea and parts of Italy. The Trump administration also has threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border. The strictures add to the travel industry’s...

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RETAILERS ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE

Macy’s department store chain reports slowing sales and supplies due in part to the coronavirus. The chain has about 70 stores for which Asians are a significant market. Sales have dropped, but “it’s nothing to be concerned about yet,” said Jeff Gennette, Macy’s CEO. He added that inventory coming from China also has slowed and...

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NO ENERGY IN ENERGY

U.S. energy stocks are performing farther below the S&P 500 average than at any time since Japan attacked the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor in 1941, according to the Bank of America. Meanwhile, in mid-month, investors rushed to dump energy-related junk bonds, driving borrowing costs for the riskiest companies to their highest since August 2016....

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PRESIDENTIAL REALITY SHOW®: DEMS FEAR “THE BERN”

Former Vice President Joe Biden won a clear victory in the South Carolina Democratic primary last Saturday, breathing life into his campaign after poor finishes in the first three primary states. Mr. Biden won 48.4 percent of the vote along the lion’s share of delegates while Bernie Sanders finished second with close to 20 percent...

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AFGHANISTAN: GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

After a successful seven-day truce period, last Saturday, the United States officially signed a peace agreement with the Taliban. While the agreement has conditions to be met in the future, this appears to be the best chance yet for the U.S. to finally extricate itself from the longest war in its history. The U.S.-Taliban peace deal...

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TURKEY/SYRIA: THREATS & ULTIMATUMS

As reported in last week’s Trends Journal, the threat of an expanding war is ever present as Turkey seeks to maintain a military presence in Syria’s northwest region of Idlib. This region has been controlled by rebels trying to oust the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad since 2011, but, over the past few...

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