AstraZeneca: Britain’s biggest FTSE firm drafts plans to spin off Chinese business – reports June 19, 2023 AstraZeneca, London’s biggest listed company, is looking at plans to spin off its Chinese businesses to protect it from geopolitical tension, according to a report. Citing people familiar with the situation, the Financial Times said the British-Swedish drugs giant has been in talks with bankers for several months. When contacted by the PA news [...]
Pirelli chief cannot be chosen by Chinese largest investor, Italy government rules June 19, 2023 Italy’s government has ruled that China’s Sinochem cannot designate the chief executive of Pirelli despite being its main shareholder with a 37 per cent stake, the Italian tyre maker said on Sunday. The decision is part of the measures announced this week by Rome’s right-wing administration to shield the autonomy of Pirelli and its management. [...]
‘Constructive’: US and China meet in bid to cool tensions June 18, 2023 US secretary of state Anthony Blinken and China’s foreign minister Qin Gang met today in Beijing to begin a two-day set of talks. Whilst neither side expects a major breakthrough to emerge, US officials said the main goal is to stabilise a relationship that has become extremely tense. The talks come at a time of [...]
China told ‘secret UK police stations’ must “not operate in any form” June 6, 2023 The Chinese Embassy has been told running overseas police stations in the UK is “unacceptable” and that “they must not operate in any form”, the security minister has said. Tom Tugendhat set out the findings of an investigation into allegations of unofficial Chinese overseas police stations operating in the UK which stood accused of seeking [...]
‘Increasingly authoritarian’ China poses ‘biggest challenge of our age’, Sunak warns May 21, 2023 Rishi Sunak has warned that an increasingly authoritarian China poses the “biggest challenge of our age” after discussing how to tackle aggression from Beijing with western allies. The prime minister said that it is the “only country with both the means and intent to reshape the world order” after meeting with leaders at the G7 [...]
Aston Martin share price soars after Chinese car giant Geely doubles stake to 17 per cent May 18, 2023 Aston Martin shares soared by more than 12 per cent this morning after Chinese automotive group Geely said it will increase its shareholding to 17 per cent with an investment of £234m. The investment will see Geely almost double its stake in the marque, becoming its third biggest shareholder, just behind Lawrence Stroll’s Yew Tree [...]
Sunak in China row over Confucius Institute U-turn May 18, 2023 Downing Street has refused to elaborate on Rishi Sunak’s decision not to ban controversial Confucius Institutes from operating in the UK. The Prime Minister previously pledged during his leadership bid to bar the 30 Beijing-linked organisations from running on UK soil. Confucius institutes are Chinese cultural and language outposts. But he has now walked back [...]
China soft data signals economic recovery running out of steam May 16, 2023 China’s April industrial output and retail sales growth undershot forecasts, suggesting the economy lost momentum at the beginning of the second quarter and intensifying pressure on policymakers to shore up a wobbly post-Covid-19 recovery. Tuesday’s batch of data, which also showed a further decline in property investment, adds to concerns about the outlook for the [...]
Burberry: Luxury British brand’s investors hopeful of China spending resurgence May 12, 2023 Luxury retailer Burberry could prove its buyers have been sheltered from cost-of-living pressures when it unveils its full-year financial results on Thursday. The historic British brand, which has benefitted from the reopening of the Chinese economy this year, is expected to show a jump in profits and sales for the year ending in March. The [...]
The Notebook: James Ashton on his new book, microchips and bullishness May 11, 2023 Book-writing novices need know one thing before putting metaphorical pen to paper: submitting that manuscript after months of toil is far from a full stop.