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The Trump administration is in talks to take an equity stake in Lithium Americas, which would insert the government into another private enterprise in the latest challenge to American free-market traditions.The move comes on the heels of Trump announcements establishing government holdings in struggling semiconductor giant Intel and the rare earth company MP Materials. Trump also secured a “golden share” for Washington in United States Steel as a condition of its sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel. Talks are still ongoing on the Lithium Americas stake, part of a renegotiation of a US Department of Energy loan held by the Canadian mining company and General Motors, said a Trump administration official.The White House has characterized the stock holding arrangements as a boon for taxpayers that points to Trump’s prowess as a dealmaker, while asserting that day-to-day management will be left to companies. But free-market advocates have reacted with various degrees of alarm to a trend they see as undermining the strength of the US system and stoking crony capitalism. In the US system, the government sets up the rules governing the private sector but generally stays out of it thereafter as firms respond to market signals.”It undermines competition,” said Fred Ashton, director of competition policy at American Action Forum, who believes inserting the state into private enterprise leads to inefficiency and benefits politically favored firms over those less connected.”We know the president likes to win so there’s no way the government lets these firms fail,” Ashton said.Trump administration officials recently made use of the US Steel golden share. The company had planned to keep paying 800 workers while idling an Illinois factory, but decided to keep the plant running after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick invoked the golden share, according to a Wall Street Journal report.”You need to let an executive of the company conclude the best use of the capital,” said governance expert Charles Elson of the University of Delaware, who criticized the White House intervention.”The government is not in the business of picking winners and losers in the capital system,” he said. “That’s why we have a capital system.”- Bipartisan consensus -It is not unprecedented for the US government to hold equity stakes. In response to the 2008 financial crisis, the US government amassed holdings in insurer AIG, General Motors and fellow automaker Chrysler as a condition of government support packages.But the Treasury Department sold off the shares after the crisis ended, reflecting a bipartisan consensus, according to Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute think tank, who said presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama embraced the free market.”Obama would have laughed out of the room the suggestion that the government take an equity stake in a manufacturing company,” Strain said in a recent column that also criticized the White House’s tying of Nvidia and AMD export licenses to payments to the government.Obama “understood that in America’s system of democratic capitalism, the government does not own or shake down private companies,” Strain said in the piece headlined “Is Trump a State Capitalist?”Strain, in an interview, predicted a “massive amount of crony capitalism” under Trump compared with the norm, but said the shifts will be too limited to significantly tilt the US macroeconomy given its size and tradition.Ashton said he agrees that US status as a free market economy is not seriously in question. But he believes Trump’s conduct is distorting company behavior, noting reports that Apple may take a stake in Intel following Apple CEO Tim Cook’s August White House visit when he presented Trump with a 24-carat gold piece.”It’s become so murky,” Ashton said. “We don’t know whether it’s a business decision because it’s a business decision or whether it’s a business decision because they have to please the White House in some way.”

Canada has signed a bilateral free trade agreement with Indonesia, which aims to eliminate or reduce tariffs on over 95 percent of Ottawa’s exports to its largest market in Southeast Asia.Several experts told AFP the strategic agreement is being made in the context of global economic turmoil, exacerbated by the protectionist policies of the United States.”This is the right deal at the right time with the right partner,” Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said, adding Indonesia is “Canada’s largest export market in Southeast Asia.”Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto called the agreement a “historic moment” during an official visit to Ottawa Wednesday, as it is the first of its kind with an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member country. “I’m very lucky to be the Indonesian president who brings this back to Indonesia,” Subianto said.Canada’s exports include wheat, potash, timber and soybeans.The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) agreement allows Canada to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region, in line with the strategy that was unveiled by the previous administration under Justin Trudeau.The agreement also provides for the elimination of more than 90 percent of tariffs on Indonesian imports, a boon to the export of garments and leather goods to the North American market.Simultaneously, a defense cooperation agreement was signed aimed at strengthening collaboration in military training, maritime security, cyber defense and peacekeeping.

Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order laying out a proposed deal for a US version of TikTok that would see Chinese ownership reduced to 20 percent and put control in the hands of the president’s allies.At a signing ceremony at the White House, Trump said the US version of the app would be run by “highly sophisticated” investors including Larry Ellison, the founder of cloud giant Oracle, tech investor Michael Dell and media tycoon Rupert Murdoch. Investment firm Silver Lake Management and Silicon Valley powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz are also thought to be part of the deal.”The proposed divestiture would allow the millions of Americans who enjoy TikTok every day to continue using it while also protecting national security,” Trump stated in the order, which affects TikTok’s approximately 170 million American users.The lineup of investors mentioned are all Trump allies but he insisted that the app would not toe any political line.”If I could make it 100 percent MAGA I would, but it’s not going to work out that way unfortunately. No… every group, every philosophy, every policy, will be treated very fairly,” Trump told reporters.The president confirmed that the US version of TikTok would feature a homegrown model of the app’s prized algorithm, often described as TikTok’s “secret sauce” that helped it grow into one of the world’s most popular platforms in just a few years. A White House official said Monday the algorithm would be “continuously monitored” to ensure it is “not being unduly influenced.”The new set-up for TikTok is in response to a law passed under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, that has forced its Chinese owner ByteDance to sell its US operations or face a ban in its biggest market. US policymakers, including Trump in his first presidency, have warned that China could use TikTok to mine data from Americans or exert influence through its state-of-the-art algorithm.Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement through successive executive orders, most recently extending the deadline until December 16, 2025. Thursday’s order extended that deadline still further, granting a 120-day enforcement delay to complete the transaction by January 23.Vice President JD Vance, the one-time venture capitalist who led the team to find a solution for TikTok, said the US entity would be valued at about $14 billion, though he added that it would ultimately be up to the investors to figure out its price.When asked if the Chinese authorities had signed off on the deal, Trump said that President Xi Jinping gave his green light in a phone call last week.”(I have) great respect for President Xi, and I very much appreciate that he approved the deal, because to get it done properly, we really needed the support of China,” he said.TikTok did not respond to a query seeking comment and confirmation, and Beijing has remained largely silent on any deal. After the Trump-Xi call, state broadcaster CCTV said Xi emphasized to his US counterpart that China supports market-based negotiations that align with Chinese laws.

Wall Street stocks retreated while the dollar rallied Thursday following stronger than expected US economic data that could delay Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.The US government revised its second-quarter economic growth rate upwards on Thursday to 3.8 percent from 3.3 percent, as consumers spent more than expected.It marks the fastest quarterly growth rate in nearly two years.”Is the US economy much stronger than believed?” queried InvestingLive currency analyst Adam Button, who added in a subsequent note that the US dollar could be poised to rally if there is a “big re-think” on the outlook for the US economy.The greenback rose Thursday against the euro, British pound and Japanese yen.But US equity indices retreated for a third straight day after posting a record on Monday.The stock market “did not like the good economic data we got this morning, because (it) basically calls into question the market’s assumption that the Fed will be cutting rates multiple times before the end of the year,” said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O’Hare.Analysts are focused on Friday’s release of the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation — the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) index — and next week’s nonfarm payrolls report.The US central bank — citing a weak labor market — last week announced its first rate reduction of the year, and forecast there could be two more by the end of 2025.But expectations were dealt a blow on Tuesday as Powell warned that stocks are “fairly highly valued” and that there was “no risk-free path” on rates.The PCE data “may also shift investor expectations over the speed and depth of additional easing measures from the US central bank,” said David Morrison, senior market analyst at financial services firm Trade Nation.Among individual stocks, Intel shot up nearly nine percent following reports the company has approached Apple about investing in the struggling chipmaker. Apple rose 1.8 percent.Amazon fell 0.9 percent as it reached an agreement to pay $2.5 billion to settle allegations from a US regulator that it used deceptive practices to enroll consumers in Amazon Prime and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions.Starbucks dipped 0.5 percent as it announced it would cut about 900 jobs and shutter some underperforming stores as part of a cost-cutting drive.In Europe, shares in German software giant SAP fell two percent after the EU launched an antitrust probe into the company.European stock markets were down at the close, including Zurich, which fell as the Swiss National Bank held rates at zero percent and warned that US tariffs were weighing on the economy.- Key figures at around 2020 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.4 percent at 45,947.32 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.5 percent at 6,604.72 (close) New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 22,384.70 (close)London (close) – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 9,213.98 Paris (close) – CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,795.42Frankfurt (close) – DAX: DOWN 0.6 percent at 23,534.83Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 45,754.93 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.1 percent at 26,484.68 (close)Shanghai – Composite: FLAT at 3,853.30 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1658 from $1.1738 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3335 from $1.3447Dollar/yen: UP at 149.81 yen from 148.90 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.42 pence from 87.29 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.2 percent at $69.42 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at $64.98 per barrel

Stock markets fell Thursday despite stronger-than-expected US economic growth data as investors await key inflation figures later this week.Morning trading on Wall Street deepened losses that began earlier this week as Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell tempered expectations about the pace of interest-rate cuts.The US government revised its second-quarter economic growth rate upwards on Thursday to 3.8 percent from 3.3 percent, as consumers spent more than expected.But analysts are focused on Friday’s release of the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation — the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index — and next week’s non-farm payrolls report.”Despite today’s solid GDP results, this week’s major focus is on tomorrow’s PCE report,” said Bret Kenwell, US investment analyst at the trading platform eToro.”Active investors will want to see an in-line or lower inflation result, keeping the Fed on pace for two more rate cuts in 2025.”The US central bank — citing a weak labour market — last week announced its first rate reduction of the year, and forecast there could be two more by the end of 2025.But expectations were dealt a blow on Tuesday as Powell warned that stocks are “fairly highly valued” and that there was “no risk-free path” on rates.The PCE data “may also shift investor expectations over the speed and depth of additional easing measures from the US central bank”, said David Morrison, senior market analyst at financial services firm Trade Nation.Among individual stocks, Apple shares rose slightly even though the European Union rejected the US tech giant’s plea for the bloc to repeal its landmark digital competition law.In Europe, shares in German software giant SAP fell two percent after the EU launched an antitrust probe into the company.European stock markets were down at the close, including Zurich, which fell as the Swiss National Bank held rates at zero percent and warned that US tariffs were weighing on the economy.In Asia, major indices were mixed.- Key figures at around 1530 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 45,978.42 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.6 percent at 6,601.15 New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.6 percent at 22,367.81 London (close) – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 9,213.98 Paris (close) – CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,795.42Frankfurt (close) – DAX: DOWN 0.6 percent at 23,534.83Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 45,754.93 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.1 percent at 26,484.68 (close)Shanghai – Composite: FLAT at 3,853.30 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1676 from $1.1737 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3348 from $1.3445Dollar/yen: UP at 149.74 yen from 148.91 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.50 pence from 87.29 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $68.19 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.5 percent at $64.65 per barreldan-bcp-lth-jxb/rlp

Talks on free trade deals between the European Union and Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines were “advancing very well”, the EU trade commissioner said on Thursday as the bloc sought to cement commercial ties in Southeast Asia.Maros Sefcovic’s comments came two days after the EU signed a trade deal with Indonesia, the region’s largest economy, after wrapping up nearly a decade of talks.”My message to my partners in ASEAN was that we do not want to stop here,” Sefcovic told journalists before meeting economic ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur.”We have been advancing very well in our free trade negotiations with Thailand, with the Philippines, but also with Malaysia,” he said.Brussels is seeking to strengthen ties beyond traditional trading partners in what is seen as a strategic response to global trade uncertainties and protectionism, particularly triggered by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.Sefcovic said he hoped current trade deals between the 27-nation EU and ASEAN partners would be finalised by 2027, which will mark half a century of negotiations between the two blocs.”It would really cement, I would say, the importance of our relationship,” Sefcovic said.The Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on Tuesday and is expected to be fully implemented by January 2027.The long-awaited trade deal will open investment in strategic sectors such as electric vehicles, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday Washington expected to finalise trade agreements with more Southeast Asian nations “in the coming months”. However, Greer, who spoke at the start of the ASEAN meeting of economic ministers, did not provide details or the names of countries involved. US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs of between 10 and 40 percent on ASEAN member states, with Laos and Myanmar facing the highest rate, while Singapore faced a baseline 10 percent levy.

Top-selling carmaker Toyota opened its new high-tech village in Japan on Thursday, an experimental project to test autonomous driving and other futuristic developments.It is touted as a real-life setting in which to trial myriad inventions, from flying taxis to robot pets and drones that escort you home at night.Around 360 Toyota staff and others related to the company will soon move in to smart homes in its “Woven City”.”This is a test course for the future, not just a town,” Toyota’s chairman Akio Toyoda told an opening event, according to national broadcaster NHK.The number of residents in the cluster of homes built on a disused Toyota factory at the base of Mount Fuji is eventually expected to grow to 2,000, the firm says.Toyoda has previously called it a “living laboratory where the residents are willing participants” and inventors can test ideas in a secure environment.”Homes in the Woven City will eventually serve as test sites for future technology, such as in-home robotics, to assist with daily life,” he said in January.One example could be robots that learn how to fold shirts, Toyoda said.The project, first announced in 2020, is led by his son, Daisuke Toyoda.”Much like test drivers for cars… our residents will be the ones who use and experience the new products and services our inventors develop.”The company’s e-Palette self-driving buses will also be tested at Woven City, among other autonomous logistics and driving technologies.

Stocks skidded Thursday as traders continue to pull back from the buying that has propelled markets to record highs in recent months, with upcoming US inflation and jobs data seen as likely to be the next catalysts for action.Investors have been on a buying spree since shares hit deep lows in the wake of Donald Trump’s April global tariff bombshell, with sentiment buoyed by trade agreements and signs that the Federal Reserve was about to resume its interest rate cut programme.The US central bank — citing a weak labour market and inflation that has not spiked — last week announced its reduction, and forecast there could be two more this year.However, while traders have been banking on a period of easing, some Fed officials, including boss Jerome Powell, are trying to take a more cautious approach, citing still-elevated inflation.His remarks this week that stocks are “fairly highly valued” and that there was “no risk-free path” on rates has tempered the euphoria on trading floors.The bank will be keeping watch on the release this week of its preferred gauge of inflation — the personal consumption expenditure index — and next week’s non-farm payrolls report.Tokyo held solidly in positive territory early Thursday, but most other markets trended lower.Hong Kong dropped, with tech titan Alibaba in the red after Wednesday’s gain of more than nine percent in reaction to its chief executive saying it planned to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence. Its US-listed stock piled on more than eight percent.And China’s biggest car exporter Chery Automobile rocketed more than at the start of its 13 percent on its trading debut in the city, having raised about US$1.2 billion in its initial public offering. It ended up 3.8 percent.There were losses in Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, Manila, Mumbai and Jakarta, while Sydney and Bangkok edged up with Shanghai and Seoul barely moved.London, Paris and Frankfurt fell.The tepid day came after a second day of losses in Wall Street for all three main indexes. While there appears to be some unease in recent days over the latest market rally. “With major regions in easy fiscal mode, and with the Fed cutting against a backdrop of broadening and accelerating profits, it’s not hard to argue for a boom in (earnings per share) and GDP growth,” Bank of America analysts wrote.”US (capital expenditure) and revisions are broadening beyond tech, sticky inflation could help sales and thus drive operating leverage. This is the higher probability ‘tail’ in 2026 than stagflation or recession, in our view.”And Pepperstone’s Michael Brown added that “the bull case has been a solid one for quite some time now, with the S&P having gone over 100 days without a daily loss of at least two percent, and remains firmly intact, with the underlying economy resilient and earnings growth robust”.”Furthermore, the Fed’s ‘run it hot’ approach, resulting in a looser policy stance, sooner than expected, tilts risks to the outlook to the upside.”- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 45,754.93 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.1 percent at 26,484.68 (close)Shanghai – Composite: FLAT at 3,853.30 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 9,232.69 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1733 from $1.1737 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3438 from $1.3445Dollar/yen: DOWN at 148.80 yen from 148.91 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.32 pence from 87.29 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $64.73 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $69.13 per barrelNew York – Dow: FLAT at 46,121.28 (close)

Nickel mining threatens one of the world’s most important marine biodiversity and coral hotspots in Indonesia, despite the government revoking several permits, a report warned Thursday.Analysis of recent and historic mining in the region showed a “domino effect of destruction,” ranging from deforestation on land to sediment run-off smothering coral reefs, the report by NGOs Auriga Nusantara and Earth Insight said.”Post-mining rehabilitation is very poor,” Auriga Nusantara executive director Timer Manurung told AFP. “We worry that the current nickel mining will impact Raja Ampat for decades to come.”Raja Ampat is part of the famed Coral Triangle, beloved by divers for its marine riches.In June, Indonesia’s government revoked permits for four of the five nickel mining companies operating in the cluster of islands and shoals in Southwest Papua Province.That followed an outcry from activists and residents over the impact of mining for the metal used in everything from stainless steel to electric vehicles.In September, the government allowed one company — PT Gag Nikel — to restart operations, arguing the impact “can be properly mitigated.”But NGOs say serious damage has already been done, and there is little sign of clean-up.Images captured by the groups in the region show sediment run-off turning otherwise emerald waters murky brown, downhill from stripped hilltops.They also documented bleached and damaged coral at current and former mining sites, near jetties and areas affected by sediment run-off.While warmer waters caused by climate change have caused coral bleaching in many parts of the world, Timer said coral just 50-100  metres (160-320 feet) away from the surveyed areas remained healthy.The groups also fear mining could restart in the region, noting no formal revocation letter has been published by the government so far.”Even though there is no active mining operation on sites, the staff of the companies and its heavy machinery are still there,” said Timer.Indonesia’s mineral resources ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Until earlier this year, nickel mining concessions covered 22,000 hectares (54,300 acres) of the Raja Ampat region’s 3.66 million hectares, much of it inside a designated UNESCO Global Geopark.These areas are recognised by the UN body for their “international geological significance” and are meant to be “managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development,” UNESCO says.Gag Nikel’s operations lie outside the Geopark.Indonesia has the world’s largest nickel reserves and has sought to spur domestic processing to capture more of the value chain.

Stocks moved narrowly Thursday as traders continue to pull back from the buying that has propelled markets to record highs in recent months, with upcoming US inflation and jobs data seen as likely to be the next catalysts for action.Investors have been on a buying spree since shares hit deep lows in the wake of Donald Trump’s April global tariff bombshell, with sentiment buoyed by trade agreements and signs that the Federal Reserve was about to resume its interest rate cut programme.The US central bank — citing a weak labour market and inflation that has not spiked — last week announced its reduction, and forecast there could be two more this year.However, while traders have been banking on a period of easing, some Fed officials including boss Jerome Powell are trying to take a more cautious approach, citing still-elevated inflation.His remarks this week that stocks are “fairly highly valued” and that there was “no risk-free path” on rates has tempered the euphoria on trading floors.The bank will be keeping watch on the release this week of its preferred gauge of inflation — the personal consumption expenditure index — and next week’s non-farm payrolls report.Tokyo held solidly in positive territory early Thursday, but elsewhere flitted between gains and losses.Hong Kong was flat, even as tech titan Alibaba jumped more than one percent to extend Wednesday’s gain of more than nine percent after its chief executive said it planned to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence. Its US-listed stock piled on more than eight percent.And China’s biggest car exporter Chery Automobile rocketed more than 13 percent higher on its trading debut in the city, having raised about US$1.2 billion in its initial public offering. There were also small losses in Shanghai, Sydney and Singapore while Taipei, Seoul and Manila were barely moved.That came after a second day of losses in Wall Street for all three main indexes. While there appears to be some unease in recent days over the latest market rally, economists at Bank of America were upbeat.”With major regions in easy fiscal mode, and with the Fed cutting against a backdrop of broadening and accelerating profits, it’s not hard to argue for a boom in (earnings per share) and GDP growth,” they wrote.”US (capital expenditure) and revisions are broadening beyond tech, sticky inflation could help sales and thus drive operating leverage. This is the higher probability ‘tail’ in 2026 than stagflation or recession, in our view.”- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 percent at 45,719.71 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 26,525.03Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,850.15Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1745 from $1.1737 on WednesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3455 from $1.3445Dollar/yen: DOWN at 148.74 yen from 148.91 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.30 pence from 87.29 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $64.73 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $69.09 per barrel