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Adani shares drop after US SEC tries to bypass Indian Government to serve summonses
The shares of India's Adani Group firms fell between 2% and 11 % on Friday, after the U.S. market regulator requested permission from a court to email personal summonses to founder Gautam Adani as well as group executive Sagar Adani regarding alleged fraud and $265 million in bribery. Adani Enterprises' flagship company fell as much as 9.1%, to 1,890.23, the lowest level since May 19, 2023. India's Nifty 50 index fell 0.94%. Since last year, the SEC has tried to summon billionaire Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar in a high-profile U.S. legal case involving an Indian conglomerate. According to SEC filings, India had previously refused to serve summons on two occasions. The indictment was unveiled in November 2024 and accused Adani executives of participating in a scheme that involved paying bribes for the purchase of electricity by Adani Green Energy - a unit of Adani Group. Adani Group has labelled the allegations as "baseless", and said that it will seek "all legal recourse possible" to defend itself. It did not respond immediately to the'request for comment? on the latest filing dated 21 January. The shares of the green power unit dropped as much as 13 % on Friday. Urvi Dugar, Bengaluru Reporter; Mrigank Dhaniwala, Editor
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Holt, the new nuclear boss, will replace Babcock's CEO who is retiring this year.
Babcock, a British company, announced that its chief executive David Lockwood will retire at the end of the year 2026. Harry Holt, the former?Rolls Royce executive who heads the nuclear division of the company, is his successor. Lockwood was'responsible' for a turnaround of Babcock, which maintains Britain’s naval fleet and provides weapons systems, as well as supporting nuclear power projects during his five-year term, strengthening operations in order to drive profit growth. Babcock announced on Friday that Holt was a "chosen candidate after extensive searching" and cited improved performance from the nuclear unit. Holt is a British Army officer who, before working for Rolls-Royce, had a strong relationship with the Ministry of Defence. Babcock earns a significant?part of their?revenues. Lockwood stated, "It's been my privilege to be the leader of Babcock during a time that saw the COVID Pandemic, geopolitical turmoil around world and heightened focus on global safety." Babcock shares have increased by nearly 600% in the past five years. Lockwood's turnaround coincided both with the beginning of the Ukraine War and a period when governments have boosted defence spending due to geopolitical tensions. The company said that it is confident in meeting its growth targets by 2026, and added that the 'current forecasts could change depending on when an event occurs. Indonesian deal In November, Britain and Indonesia signed a deal worth 4 billion pounds ($5,40 billion), led by Babcock. The agreement aims to develop a maritime capability that will benefit the country's fishing and navy fleets in Southeast Asia.
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Wall Street Journal, January 23, 2019.
These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports. - ?U.S. On Thursday, President Donald Trump sued JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and the bank for $5? President Donald Trump sued JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon for $5? TikTok finalized a deal with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, each holding 15% stakes, and ByteDance, less than 20%. As a major winter storm threatens to cause power outages this weekend, the U.S. Energy Department?ordered? grid operators to tap into backup data power at centers and other facilities. The Trump administration has fired two Commerce Department officials who were tasked with protecting the U.S. against Chinese technology advances. This is the latest removal of personnel focusing on national security issues tied to Beijing. Former Special Counsel Jack?Smith has told lawmakers that he expects Trump to prosecute him, and that Justice Department officials will?follow the president's instructions. - ?U.S. Vice President JDVance is at the centre of a conflict between federal and municipal officials regarding immigration enforcement. He has called for greater cooperation with ICE, and blamed Minneapolis officials for their refusal to allow local police assistance.
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Copper rises after Chilean mine strike
Copper prices rose on Friday, after Capstone Copper announced that a workers’ strike forced a production?halt at the Mantoverde Mine in Chile. The most traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange closed daytime trade up 0.64% at 101,340 yuan ($14.553.65) per metric ton but ended the week lower by 0.52%. As of 0700 GMT, the benchmark three-month Copper on the London Metal Exchange had gained 1.30% and was expected to finish the week with a gain of 0.93%. The strike was triggered after Capstone and the largest union of mine workers failed to reach an agreement on collective bargaining. The company said on Thursday that a takeover began at the mine's desalination facility last Sunday. This led to disruptions. It was predicted that the mine would produce between?29,000 to 32,000 metric tonnes of copper cathodes by 2025. Freeport-McMoRan, a copper miner, said Thursday it expects about 85% - of production to be back online at its flagship Grasberg Mine, the second-largest copper mine in the world, by the'second half of the year. In October, a deadly mudflow shut down the mine and killed several workers. This sparked supply concerns and triggered a copper rally. The dollar index registered its biggest one-day fall in six weeks on Thursday, making greenback-denominated commodities cheaper for investors using other currencies. Greenland fears also diminished after U.S. president Donald Trump reversed his tariff threats and said that he would not take over the island with force. Tin and?nickel topped the charts on the London and Shanghai stock exchanges. Indonesia's recent decision to?reduce nickel ore mining quotes for 2026, as well a military-backed crackdown against illegal mining activities continued to unnerve?industry. The Shanghai nickel rose 3.99% to 148.010 yuan, while the most active tin on SHFE increased by 4.60%. The London benchmark for tin increased by 3.71%, to $53,800 per ton. Nickel rose by 3.94%, to $18,705. Aluminium, zinc and lead are among the other SHFE base materials that have seen a rise. LME Aluminium gained 0.40%. Zinc rose 0.87%. Lead was up 0.30%.
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After years of negotiations, India and the EU have reached a free trade agreement. What has been agreed?
India and the European Union have been working on a free trade agreement for years. An announcement is expected to be made at the India-EU Summit, which will take place in New Delhi on Tuesday. The following are the key elements of a trade agreement: RATIFICATION & IMPACT The pact, once signed and ratified, could increase bilateral trade and lift Indian exports, such as textiles and jewelry, which are currently subject to 50% U.S. duties since August. The fact that EU legislators voted earlier this week in favor of challenging the EU-South America Pact before the top court of the EU highlights the potential for parliamentary obstacles to delay or complicate the ratification. Separately, investment protection and geographic indications (GIs), are being negotiated, focusing the FTA on goods, services, and trade rules. WHY IT MATTERS NOW This would be India's ninth trade agreement in just four years. It reflects New Delhi's efforts to gain market access at a time when global trade is becoming more protectionist. The EU benefits from the deal because it diversifies supply chains and reduces dependence on China while also tapping India's $4.2 trillion fast-growing economy. INDIA GAINS GROWTH India is India's largest trading partner, along with the United States, China and the EU. Bilateral goods and service trade will exceed $190 billion by 2024/25. India exported $76 billion worth of goods and $30 in services to the 27-nation group. According to Global Trade Research Initiative (a Delhi-based think-tank), the average EU tariffs for Indian goods is relatively low, at around 3.8%. However, labour-intensive industries such as textiles and clothing face duties of up to 10%. The FTA will help to restore the competitiveness that was lost when the EU started withdrawing tariff concessions from the Generalised System of Preferences in 2023. This includes garments, pharmaceuticals, and machinery. It will also offset the impact of increased U.S. Tariffs. India also seeks to export IT services and professionals. GAINS FOR EU Exports of EU goods to India will face higher tariffs, with an average weighted tariff of 9.3% for $60.7 billion worth of?goods by 2024/25. Automobiles, auto components, chemicals, and plastics are subject to the highest duties. Tariff reductions would create opportunities for cars, chemicals, aircraft, machinery and other products, as well as improving access to services and procurement in one of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets. Key Sticking Points Agriculture and dairy products are excluded. India has resisted EU demands that it eliminate tariffs on over 95% of goods. It is now closer to 90%. Automobiles, wine and spirits are still sensitive. India may opt for a gradual reduction in tariffs or limited quotas instead of a sharp one, citing the risks to its domestic manufacturing. SERVICES AND RULES India wants to be "data-secured" under EU data regulations, and for professionals to move more easily. New Delhi is more flexible in areas such as labour, environment, and intellectual property. The EU wants to expand access to India's legal and financial services. INDIA'S RUBY FLAGS The EU's border carbon levy could reduce the gains in tariffs for Indian exporters. Other concerns include high non-tariff obstacles such as regulatory delays and stringent standards, and certification costs. What is next? Analysts claim that geopolitics, trade shocks and other factors have forced both sides to a pragmatic compromise. The pact's ability to deliver balanced gains depends on the final handling of carbon levies and other non-tariff barriers. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong; Manoj Kumar)
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Indian Oil replaces Russian crude with oil from Angola and Brazil as well as the United Arab Emirates, according to sources
Indian Oil Corp, the top refiner in the country, has purchased 7 million barrels from Petrobras and other suppliers for loading in March to replace Russian oil. Indian refiners have re-calibrated their strategies in order to move away from Russia as the top supplier and increase imports from the Middle East. This could help New Delhi to clinch a deal with the United States for lower tariffs. Sources said that the refiner purchased 2 million barrels Upper Zakum and 1 million barrels Murban from Shell. IOC also purchased 1 million barrels of each Angola Hungo and Clove grade from Exxon. IOC also "bought" 2 million barrels of Brazil's Buzios crude oil from Petrobras, according to the sources. The contract is optional and allows for flexibility in negotiating a deal on mutually agreeable terms. Prices were not available immediately. Due to confidentiality agreements, oil buyers and sellers usually do not comment about such deals. Trade data showed that India's Russian imports of oil fell to the lowest level for two years in December. Meanwhile, imports from OPEC countries rose 11 months. India became the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude oil after the start of the Ukraine War in 2022. However, refiners in the country reduced their Russian oil purchases in October following harsher Western sanctions against Russia's leading producers. IOC purchased Ecuadorean Oriente crude for the first and only time last month. It did this under an option supply agreement with Ecopetrol, the state oil company. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; Siyi Liu, Nidhi Verma)
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What is the debt owed by Venezuela to China and why does oil play a role?
The U.S. took over Venezuela's oil imports and redirected crude barrels which were used to pay off debts owed to China. What is the debt owed by Venezuela to China and why was it paid after Venezuela defaulted? HOW MUCH DO VENEZUELA OWES CHINA? The data on Venezuela's debt are sketchy, especially since 2017, when U.S. sanctioned triggered a default. AidData, a?research laboratory at the U.S. University William & Mary that tracks lending, estimated official sector Chinese lenders extended loan commitments of $106 billion to Venezuela from 2000 to 2018. Separately they calculated that $44 billion was outstanding in 2017. Current estimates vary. Brad Parks, from AidData, said that the estimate by Societe Generale of Venezuela's outstanding Chinese debt was $10 billion. JP Morgan estimates that total obligations?of $13 to $15 billion. Parks stated that it was unclear if Venezuela had repaid the principal or only made interest payments since the default in 2017. PDVSA sources said that China had granted Venezuela a grace for capital payments for 2019. This allowed debt service payments to compensate for crude cargoes. PDVSA internal documents estimate crude oil and fuel oils exports to China to be 642,000 barrels a day. Only a fraction of this amount is used to service debt. Why is the data so patchy? Venezuela hasn't produced reliable, comprehensive debt statistics in decades. Venezuela's central bank released the last figures in 2019. It is difficult to know what debts the country owes and if it has added more. Since 2004, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which tracks economies and debt, hasn't produced an "Article IV report" on Venezuela. Outside observers are left to piece together information using public statements by Venezuelan officials, sourced data, and the movements of crude exports, which is Venezuela's primary source of revenue. How was China still getting paid after default? Venezuela's main allies after U.S. sanctions had been imposed were Russia and China. AidData's Parks stated that most of Venezuela's debts to China are contracted through oil-backed loans with China Development Bank. Parks stated that the cash proceeds from some of the oil shipped to China went to a Beijing controlled account, and then on to service debts, even though sanctions?and default prevented many other creditors from being paid. IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO REPAIR CHINA? The United States said that it would funnel the proceeds from Venezuelan oil sales to a 'Qatar account, which it controls. Washington will then have to send money to China to 'keep servicing the debt. This is not likely, as the Trump administration has stated. CNPC is China's largest oil company and it also has assets in Venezuela. Sinovensa, its largest joint venture with PDVSA, pumps around 110,000 barrels of oil per day. Uncertain is how the U.S. plans to handle these cargoes. Bondholders and other creditors are also pushing their cases in the auction for Venezuela's most valuable asset abroad - the U.S. refinery company Citgo. China will not be involved in the auction due to Citgo's location within the United States.
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US control over Venezuelan oil could lead to a showdown with China on debt restructuring
The U.S.'s control over Venezuela's oil exports ensnared the barrels that were servicing debts to China. This could lead to another showdown between two superpowers, which would further complicate the South American nation's path towards avoiding default. Venezuela's $150billion foreign debt is believed to be a tenth loan from China, which the OPEC country was paying with oil cargoes – until the U.S. seized Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro this month. Experts in debt said that the impact of China's claim to the cargoes?and?any conflict with the United States?could make it harder for Venezuelans to restructure their debts after a default in 2017 and could put Beijing's collaboration on restructuring deals at risk for other developing countries. Even under the best circumstances this was going be messy. Trying to figure out where these creditors stood in the credit hierarchy, said Christopher Hodge. He is the chief economist at Natixis, and a former U.S. Treasury Official. Hodge stated that "the fact that America controls all finances in and out of the nation...seems to be unprecedented for me. We're going have such entanglements. Such opacity regarding the finances of a Government." Hodge pointed out that Venezuela's primary source of income is oil sales proceeds. Documents and sources of the state-run oil company PDVSA reveal that three supertankers were shuttling back and forth between Venezuela and China in the past five years, carrying oil to pay interest under the terms and conditions of a temporary deal struck in 2019. These shipments represent only a small fraction of Venezuela’s total crude oil exports to China. AidData, a lab of the U.S. University William & Mary which tracks lending, reported that some cash proceeds were sent from Venezuela to China and went to a Beijing-controlled account to pay off the debt, even though sanctions and defaults prevented payments to other Venezuelan creditors. Trump's administration now says that the proceeds of the sale Venezuelan oil will be sent to a Qatari account controlled by Washington. This could give the U.S. president himself considerable?leverage in deciding which creditors are paid and when. China's Foreign Ministry responded to a question about the cargoes, debts and payments by saying that Beijing had "repeatedly stated its position". Beijing has condemned the redirection Venezuelan oil exports at a?January 7th news conference. It added that "legitimate interests and rights of?China, and other countries of Venezuela in Venezuela should be protected". Taylor Rogers, White House spokesperson, said that Trump had negotiated an oil deal with Venezuela which "will benefit both the American and Venezuelan public". A U.S. official confirmed on Thursday that the Trump administration has allowed China to buy Venezuelan crude oil, but not at "unfair and undercutting" prices, as Caracas had previously sold it. The traders who manage Venezuelan oil sales offered some to Chinese refiners. However, these were private market transactions and not meant as debt repayments. The official from the United States said, "The people in Venezuela will receive a fair price from China and other countries for their oil." The Venezuelan Communications Ministry, which is responsible for all government press inquiries, did not respond immediately to a comment request. Other Options Trump may still strike a deal with China. Restructuring advisors warn that the planned U.S. control over Venezuela's oil sector and its revenues could upset the hierarchy of creditors. Lee Buchheit, a global sovereign debt expert, said that "all of these things" would have the effect of subordinating claims by legacy debt holders. He added that it was unclear whether Trump had the legal authority to decide who got paid first. Venezuelan bonds worth $60 billion went into default in 2017. A restructuring agreement will be needed to allow Venezuela to borrow money again and attract investment. In a typical restructuration, bilateral lenders get together to decide what losses they are willing to accept. This is usually done via the Paris Club, a group of creditor nations. The "comparable" loss threshold is set by the Paris Club of creditor?nations. Mark Walker, an experienced sovereign debt advisor, who worked previously on possible Venezuelan restructurings, said that "Comparability will be a challenge", particularly if the U.S. controls how oil revenues are used. Pushing China If the U.S. forces China to accept significant debt writedowns, and China refuses, it could slow down a restructuring process and even hinder Venezuela's recovery. This could keep Venezuela in "very dire straits for the foreseeable future", according to Jean-Charles Sambor of TT International. The company holds Venezuelan bonds. This would then limit the amount of money that Venezuela can afford to pay back to its bondholders and creditors. China has limited immediate leverage. Countries ?typically do not take other nations to court or arbitration over lending claims, Walker said, and would need to settle the situation "on a government-to-government basis". China has had a major impact on the world's developing countries. It is the biggest bilateral lender in the region and its cooperation with Paris Club was crucial for the last decade. Beijing reached a restructuring agreement via a platform known as the Common Framework, during Ghana's, Zambia's and Ethiopia’s debt restructuring discussions. Buchheit stated that "China's obvious lever is to refuse to participate in future Common Framework sovereign bond workouts until it feels it has been treated fairly by Venezuela." This threat would be very powerful.
Asia stocks soar after Bank of Japan holds rates
Stocks rose?in Asian trade on Friday, after the Bank of Japan held the benchmark interest rate. Gold and silver also surged to new highs as the U.S. Dollar came under renewed pressure.
The Nikkei gained 0.3%, while MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific share index outside of Japan was up 0.5%. S&P 500 futures traded between gains and losses. They were up 0.2%.
After the BOJ decision, the yen fell 0.1% to the dollar. It was last trading at 158.61 per dollar.
David Chao is the global market strategist at Invesco Singapore. He said that "the tone appears hawkish." The BOJ raised four out of six inflation forecasts, and said that if the forecasts come true, further rate increases are likely.
The statement did not comment on the recent volatility of Japanese government bonds. Chao said that it is "clear" that the Takaichi government is closely monitoring the bond markets and is worried about the recent meltdown. It would be comforting to see BOJ show the same level of attention.
At 3:30 pm local time (0630 GMT), BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda is scheduled to hold a press conference in order to explain his decision.
In the early trading session, data from the government showed that Japan's consumer prices increased?2.4% over a year ago in December, which was in line with analyst's estimates.
Wall Street stocks extended their recovery for a second consecutive day on Thursday after U.S. president Donald Trump backed down from earlier threats to impose tariffs on European goods and denied the possibility of taking over Greenland militarily. The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.9%.
In a report, analysts at Societe Generale stated that "markets have welcomed this shift with a rebound of risk assets as well as a flattening?of yield curves for government bonds." However, policy uncertainty is still high. "There are more twists and turn to come."
The U.S. Dollar Index, which measures the strength of the greenback against a basket six currencies, last rose 0.1% to 98.38. It was hovering around its lowest levels for the year, after Thursday's biggest one-day drop in six weeks.
Fed funds futures indicate a 96% implied probability that the U.S. Federal Reserve is likely to keep rates unchanged at its next 2-day meeting, scheduled for January 28. This was little changed from one day prior.
The yield of the 10-year Treasury Bond in the United States was down 1.2 basis point at 4.237%.
The dollar sank to its lowest levels of the year, and precious metals markets broke new records. Silver was up 2.8% to $98.88 an ounce. Gold rose for a fifth consecutive day, climbing by 0.1%?to $4943.43 an ounce. Platinum also reached new heights.
Kyle Rodda, senior analyst at Capital.com Melbourne, said that the dollar's weakness was due to a decline in U.S. prestige and credibility. He added that the rise in gold was the opposite of the decline in U.S. prestige. There are many factors that drive gold. The main reason for the gold price this week was the decline in?trust' in the U.S.
South Korean stocks led Asia's gains, with the KOSPI rising 0.9% for the third consecutive day. Thursday marked the first time that the?index had crossed the 5,000-mark, a landmark President Lee Jae Myung promised to achieve through market reforms as well as tax measures in order to close the "Korea Discount".
The gains in the tech-heavy index were attributed to Intel's Thursday announcement that its quarterly revenue and profits would be below expectations. The U.S. Chipmaker has been struggling to meet demand for server processors used in AI data centers, which caused its shares to drop 11% after-hours.
Brent crude futures last rose 0.9% to $64.61 per barrel. This was after Trump's more lenient tone toward Greenland, Iran, and other geopolitical threats eased concerns about disruptions in supply.
Bitcoin rose 0.7% to $89 817.64 while Ether was up 0.6% last at $2 961.52. (Reporting and editing by Christian Schmollinger, Jacqueline Wong and Gregor Stuart Hunter)
(source: Reuters)