Written by Econintersect
Early Bird Headlines 14 November 2019
Econintersect: Here are some of the headlines we found to help you start your day. For more headlines see our afternoon feature for GEI members, What We Read Today, published Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which has many more headlines and a number of article discussions to keep you abreast of what we have found interesting.
Please share this article – Go to very top of page, right hand side for social media buttons.
Notice: We have changed the form of content coverage for Early Bird. We will provide discussion only for Asia Markets news and a small number (often 1 or 2) other articles. The remainder of the content will be headlines (with links) only.
Key Articles
Global
- Asia markets mixed as China’s October industrial production data misses forecasts (CNBC) Stocks in Asia were mixed on Thursday, while China’s October industrial production data showed it missed expectations. Mainland Chinese shares gained on the day. The U.S. dollar index was last lower at 98.399 but up from an earlier low of 98.321. Oil prices rose in the afternoon of Asian trading hours. The international benchmark Brent crude futures contract added 0.61% to $62.75 per barrel. U.S. crude futures gained 0.68% to $57.51 per barrel. Spot gold was up 0.1% at $1,464.31 per ounce, as of 0401 GMT, while U.S. gold futures rose 0.1 % to $1,464.80 per ounce. U.S. treasury yields were lower in the afternoon after being higher in the morning.
.
U.S.
- How Democrats and Republicans are laying out their arguments for impeachment (USA Today) As the public bore witness to the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, one thing became clear: Members from both sides of the aisle thought their side won. The House Intelligence Committee wrapped up the hearing after over five hours of testimony from State Department official George Kent and Ambassador Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine.
.
- Ambassador’s cellphone call to Trump from Kyiv restaurant was a stunning breach of security, former officials say (The Washington Post) A U.S. ambassador’s cellphone call to President Trump from a restaurant in the capital of Ukraine this summer was a stunning breach of security, exposing the conversation to surveillance by foreign intelligence services, including Russia’s, former U.S. officials said. The call – in which Trump’s remarks were overheard by a U.S. Embassy staffer in Kyiv – was disclosed Wednesday by the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, William B. Taylor Jr., on the dramatic opening day of public impeachment hearings into alleged abuse of power by the president. Taylor testified, referring to the president’s desire for a probe of the son of Trump’s potential political opponent in 2020, Joe Biden, and the Ukrainian energy company on whose board Hunter Biden once served:
“The member of my staff could hear President Trump on the phone” asking U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland about “the investigations.”
- Appeals court clears way for Congress to seek Trump financial records (The Hill) The federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday ruled that House Democrats can obtain President Trump’s financial records, setting up a potential Supreme Court challenge. The circuit court judges declined a request from Trump to have the court’s full bench of judges hear the case after a three-judge panel in October denied Trump’s request to shield his longtime accounting firm Mazars from having to comply with lawmakers’ subpoena for records.
The judges voted 8 to 3 against rehearing the case. Those in the majority included seven judges appointed by Democrats, including Chief Judge Merrick Garland, and one Republican appointee, Judge Thomas B. Griffith. The dissenters were all Republican appointees.
The ruling does not mean Democrats will immediately have access to Trump’s records. Trump’s lawyers have already indicated they would appeal to the Supreme Court.
.
China
- China’s economic slump continues as manufacturing growth slows sharply, investment growth hits 20-year low (South China Morning Post)
- Industrial production grew by 4.7 per cent in October, down from 5.8 per cent in September, and below analysts’ forecasts
- Retail sales and fixed asset investment growth also declined in October, as pressure builds on Beijing to arrest the downturn in the economy
.
- The two sides are at a stalemate despite saying a month ago they had an agreement in principle.
- The U.S. is trying to secure stronger concessions from China to regulate IP protections and to stop the practice of forced tech transfer.
- The Wall Street Journal reported China is hesitant to commit to a specific amount of agricultural products in the text of a potential deal.
.
Other important articles
U.S.
- Pompeo ‘on shifting sand’ as impeachment probe reveals his role in Ukraine pressure campaign (USA Today)
- Trump vows new Ukraine transcript release in post-impeachment hearing press conference (Fox News)
- Impeachment Hearings Open With Revelation on Trump’s Ukraine Pressure (The New York Times)
- The GOP Ukraine defense asks us to believe Trump cared deeply about things he rarely discussed (The Washington Post)
- GOP senator: Republicans don’t have votes to dismiss impeachment articles (The Hill)
- Top Republican blasts Ukraine ambassador during tense questioning, ‘obviously wrong’ (Fox News)
.
UK
Germany
Turkey
- ‘A big fan’: Trump welcomes Turkey’s Erdogan despite bipartisan concern over Syria attack (USA Today)
.
Israel
Russia
- 2 dead, 3 injured in a school shooting in Russia (Associated Press)
South Korea
China
- Hong Kong students hunker down for showdown amid talk of curfew (Reuters)
- Dramatic new video of Hong Kong clashes (Fox News)
[script type=”text/javascript” src=”https://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=6102690329001&w=466&h=263″]
.
Australia
Bolivia
- Morales’ shadow looms large in Bolivia as clashes test new leader (Reuters) Bolivian security forces clashed on the streets of La Paz with supporters of unseated president Evo Morales on Wednesday, firing tear gas to clear crowds who hurled rocks and set fires in a test to Bolivia’s new interim leader, Jeanine Anez.
.
