investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--IF YOU VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN HOPING FOR AN END TO WINE TARIFFS, WELL, SORRY, CHUMP!

“ When it comes to tariffs , it ’ s meet the new boss , same as the old boss.
” Many wine lovers hope that regime change in the US will bring an end to the punishing 25 percent tariffs currently being slapped on most French , German and Spanish wines .
That might happen , eventually .
But don ’ t look for action soon .
If anything , it ’ s possible that the US will put tariffs on even more European wines while the Trump administration is still in charge .
And those tariffs won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on January 20 , 2021 , even if Trump himself does .
It takes two sides to fight a war , and the European Union fired its own salvo last week , after being authorized by the World Trade Organization to impose tariffs on $ 4 billion in US goods .
The EU did not impose tariffs on most US wine , but it did slap 25 percent tariffs on rum , vodka , brandy and vermouth from the US .
The EU already has a 25 percent tariff on American whiskey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ben Aneff , president of the US Wine Trade Alliance .
“ I was certainly hoping that [ the EU ] would wait for the Biden transition to put their team in place and to begin negotiations around this issue .
I think it ’ s very possible that the USTR [ US Trade Representative ] will respond with retaliatory tariffs shortly .
We ’ re hopeful that they will leave wine out of this .
At this point they should have a full understanding that tariffs do absolutely nothing whatsoever to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on European wine have been an absolute failure in terms of influencing European policy .
I hope they ’ ll focus on something more effective.
” The trade war between the US and EU goes all the way back to 2005 , when both sides complained to the WTO that the other was subsidizing commercial aircraft production – Boeing in the US , Airbus in Europe .
It ticked along for more than a decade without significantly affecting US-EU relations until Donald Trump took the White House and decided that yesterday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice versa .
EU leaders probably breathed a sigh of relief , and perhaps opened a bottle of bubbly or two , when Trump was defeated in the US presidential election .
President-elect Joe Biden was known for his foreign policy expertise when he was still a US Senator ; it ’ s one reason Barack Obama asked him to be Vice President .
It ’ s a near certainty that US-EU relations will improve immensely as soon as Biden walks through the rings of security gates that now surround the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations don ’ t mean an easing of tariffs .
Aneff says Biden simply will not have time to make changes to the USTR before February , the next time it is scheduled to review the existing trade-war tariff schedule .
“ With respect to the current tariffs on wine , we have to be clearheaded here , ” Aneff told Wine-Searcher .
“ We ’ re still going to be in the middle of the civil aircraft dispute .
The Biden administration is not likely to have a new USTR representative by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examine tariffs ] rolls around again .
His cabinet will not have been approved .
Our job will be to tell the Biden administration why these tariffs should be a priority in the first 60 to 90 days of his administration .
There will likely not be new leadership at USTR to make these decisions .
We ’ re going to have to go to the Biden administration and make the pitch that eliminating these tariffs is good for America .
”

“When it comes to tariffs, it’s meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
Many wine lovers hope that regime change in the US will bring an end to the punishing 25 percent tariffs currently being slapped on most French, German and Spanish wines.
That might happen, eventually. But don’t look for action soon. If anything, it’s possible that the US will put tariffs on even more European wines while the Trump administration is still in charge. And those tariffs won’t magically disappear from the US government on January 20, 2021, even if Trump himself does.
It takes two sides to fight a war, and the European Union fired its own salvo last week, after being authorized by the World Trade Organization to impose tariffs on $4 billion in US goods. The EU did not impose tariffs on most US wine, but it did slap 25 percent tariffs on rum, vodka, brandy and vermouth from the US. The EU already has a 25 percent tariff on American whiskey.
“I was really disappointed,” said Ben Aneff, president of the US Wine Trade Alliance. “I was certainly hoping that [the EU] would wait for the Biden transition to put their team in place and to begin negotiations around this issue. I think it’s very possible that the USTR [US Trade Representative] will respond with retaliatory tariffs shortly. We’re hopeful that they will leave wine out of this. At this point they should have a full understanding that tariffs do absolutely nothing whatsoever to influence the EU. The current tariffs on European wine have been an absolute failure in terms of influencing European policy. I hope they’ll focus on something more effective.”
The trade war between the US and EU goes all the way back to 2005, when both sides complained to the WTO that the other was subsidizing commercial aircraft production – Boeing in the US, Airbus in Europe. It ticked along for more than a decade without significantly affecting US-EU relations until Donald Trump took the White House and decided that yesterday’s international enemies were his friends, and vice versa.
EU leaders probably breathed a sigh of relief, and perhaps opened a bottle of bubbly or two, when Trump was defeated in the US presidential election. President-elect Joe Biden was known for his foreign policy expertise when he was still a US Senator; it’s one reason Barack Obama asked him to be Vice President. It’s a near certainty that US-EU relations will improve immensely as soon as Biden walks through the rings of security gates that now surround the White House and takes occupancy.
But good EU-US relations don’t mean an easing of tariffs. Aneff says Biden simply will not have time to make changes to the USTR before February, the next time it is scheduled to review the existing trade-war tariff schedule.
“With respect to the current tariffs on wine, we have to be clearheaded here,” Aneff told Wine-Searcher. “We’re still going to be in the middle of the civil aircraft dispute. The Biden administration is not likely to have a new USTR representative by the time the next [deadline to examine tariffs] rolls around again. His cabinet will not have been approved. Our job will be to tell the Biden administration why these tariffs should be a priority in the first 60 to 90 days of his administration. There will likely not be new leadership at USTR to make these decisions. We’re going to have to go to the Biden administration and make the pitch that eliminating these tariffs is good for America.”


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--Why Trump Will Likely Win a Second Term

Why Trump Will Likely Win a Second Term

I want to stress in advance , that I DO NOT want to be political in this briefing .
I am not saying I LIKE any of the recent developments .
And I ’ m certainly NOT saying I want a particular candidate to win .
All I am saying is that the election is a mess and from what I can tell , no one in the media is actually outlining what ’ s to come based on the law .
Instead I ’ m seeing a lot of political opinion , being presented as fact , when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to believe the election is over .
Unless a candidate concedes , the election remains in play until December 14th when states cast their electoral college votes .
So , unless President Trump concedes between now and then , Joe Biden hasn ’ t won anything , no matter what the media tells you .
Indeed , the media has no say in this , anymore than they can decide what color the sky is ; they ’ re simply trying to get you angry so you ’ ll continue to watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your eyeballs to advertisers .
With that in mind , we need to take a step back and assess how this election is likely to play out based on the LAW , not public opinion or media propaganda .
Based on the law , it is highly possible and in fact probable that Donald Trump will end up winning the 2020 Presidential election .
Because the election is now in the courts .
And the courts have a clear precedent for how contested elections play out .
When the courts get involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of evidence .
Specifically , what a given court decides is compelling versus non-compelling evidence , and how the court chooses to address the issue of voter fraud if indeed there is compelling evidence .
For instance , if President Trump ’ s legal team goes to court and says , “ we want to have a vote audit in Michigan because there was voter fraud ” the first thing the court will ask them is , “ what evidence do you have to support this claim ?
” If the President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ we saw some numbers that looked suspicious , ” the court controls its urge to laugh , throws out the case , and that ’ s that .
However , if the President ’ s legal team responds , “ we have sworn affidavits from 50 witnesses , video evidence , as well as three whistleblowers ” then it ’ s a completely different story .
Once evidence of fraud is introduced to the courts via a lawsuit , the court , NOT the voters and certainly NOT the media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The courts can demand a vote audit of every single vote counted in an election .
If , during the vote audit , actual fraud is discovered , the court can rule that those votes are no longer valid , the formal vote counts can change , and it is possible that a given state ends up declaring a different winner .
Even if fraud is not discovered by the audits , but there is a particular problem with vote cards ( the wrong type of ink was used , the hole punch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the ballot as was the case in Florida in 2000 , etc . )
, the courts can deem those problematic votes as illegitimate .
This again can mean the formal vote counts can change , and it is possible that a given state ends up declaring a different winner .
This process is now underway in Georgia , Pennsylvania , Nevada , Wisconsin , Michigan , and Arizona .
Any one of those states could see Biden end up losing ( remember , he only won these states by 0.5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that if Biden loses even 10,000 votes due to fraud or some technicality ( the ballots arrived after the deadline ) , Trump could be declared the winner .
Again , I am NOT saying I want this to happen .
I am simply outlining how this process works .
If a court says “ jump ” you jump , no matter who you are .
Two weeks ago , Supreme Court Justice Alito ( as in the Supreme Court of the U.S. , not of just one state ) ORDERED the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separately any ballots that arrived after 8PM on election night .
This is a legal order from the Supreme Court of the United States .
If you disobey it , you can go to prison .
And because it ’ s a federal violation , the lawsuit isn ’ t going to be “ Joe Schmo vs. John Doe , ” it ’ s “ the United States of America vs. Joe Schmo.
” My sources tell me that for Alito to order this without any comment from other justices suggests the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his action .
So , this is the Supreme Court of the United States effectively stating , “ we are now getting involved in this mess.
” That is a big deal .
If you are looking for a reason as to why the media rushed into announcing Joe Biden as the President Elect Saturday ( the day after Alito ’ s order ) , this is probably it .
The Democrats and their media allies ( the media companies that lean left ) realize that once the courts get involved , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So , they are attempting to mount as much pressure as possible for President Trump to concede so that the election is finished before ever entering a courtroom .
Remember , the only way this election ends right now is if President Trump concedes .
If he doesn ’ t , but instead chooses to fight in court , then the process follows the path I outlined a little while ago , where the courts decide which votes count and which ones don ’ t .
For an election in which multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 0.5 % , the odds GREATLY improve for President Trump once these issues are introduced in court .
He only needs to have 10,000 or so ballots thrown out in order to flip multiple states .
And bear in mind , that if a given court accepts or rejects a given lawsuit , the situation doesn ’ t end there .
If either party or candidate is dissatisfied with a lower court ’ s ruling , they can appeal the ruling , which can result in the lawsuit moving up to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court , which serves as the ultimate arbiter of election law in the U.S .
This was the case with the 2000 Presidential election , when the Supreme Court ruled that vote cards from Florida that didn ’ t have clean hole punches were NOT valid , which gave the state to George W. Bush and resulted in Al Gore conceding the election on December 13th .
And the Supreme Court ’ s justices are currently 6-3 conservative to liberal .
Even if Roberts were to side with the liberals , the conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply , the ultimate arbiter in court rulings on elections favors Trump .
Provided he DOESN ’ T concede , the odds greatly favor him winning a second term .
That ’ s what the law and the courts say .
And they ’ re the ones that matter in this situation .
With that in mind , we recently published a special report titled , The MAGA Portfolio : Five Investments That Will Make Fortunes During Trump ’ s Second Term .
In it , we detail five HIGH OCTANE investments that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump wins a second term .
Each one of these investments is in a unique position to profit from the combination of Trump economic reforms and Fed monetary easing , combining high growth opportunities with extreme profitability .
We are offering this report exclusively to subscribers of our e-letter Gains Pains & Capital .
To pick up your copy please swing by :

I want to stress in advance, that I DO NOT want to be political in this briefing. I am not saying I LIKE any of the recent developments. And I’m certainly NOT saying I want a particular candidate to win.
All I am saying is that the election is a mess and from what I can tell, no one in the media is actually outlining what’s to come based on the law. Instead I’m seeing a lot of political opinion, being presented as fact, when it isn’t.
The media wants you to believe the election is over.
By law, it isn’t.
Unless a candidate concedes, the election remains in play until December 14th when states cast their electoral college votes.
So, unless President Trump concedes between now and then, Joe Biden hasn’t won anything, no matter what the media tells you. Indeed, the media has no say in this, anymore than they can decide what color the sky is; they’re simply trying to get you angry so you’ll continue to watch their awful shows so they can sell your eyeballs to advertisers.
With that in mind, we need to take a step back and assess how this election is likely to play out based on the LAW, not public opinion or media propaganda.
Based on the law, it is highly possible and in fact probable that Donald Trump will end up winning the 2020 Presidential election.
Why?
Because the election is now in the courts. And the courts have a clear precedent for how contested elections play out.
When the courts get involved in an election, it becomes an issue of evidence. Specifically, what a given court decides is compelling versus non-compelling evidence, and how the court chooses to address the issue of voter fraud if indeed there is compelling evidence.
For instance, if President Trump’s legal team goes to court and says, “we want to have a vote audit in Michigan because there was voter fraud” the first thing the court will ask them is, “what evidence do you have to support this claim?”
If the President Trump’s legal team’s answer is “we saw some numbers that looked suspicious,” the court controls its urge to laugh, throws out the case, and that’s that.
However, if the President’s legal team responds, “we have sworn affidavits from 50 witnesses, video evidence, as well as three whistleblowers” then it’s a completely different story.
Once evidence of fraud is introduced to the courts via a lawsuit, the court, NOT the voters and certainly NOT the media, is in charge of the election.
The courts can demand a vote audit of every single vote counted in an election. If, during the vote audit, actual fraud is discovered, the court can rule that those votes are no longer valid, the formal vote counts can change, and it is possible that a given state ends up declaring a different winner.
Even if fraud is not discovered by the audits, but there is a particular problem with vote cards (the wrong type of ink was used, the hole punch didn’t go all the way through the ballot as was the case in Florida in 2000, etc.), the courts can deem those problematic votes as illegitimate.
This again can mean the formal vote counts can change, and it is possible that a given state ends up declaring a different winner.
This process is now underway in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona.
Any one of those states could see Biden end up losing (remember, he only won these states by 0.5% for most of them). That means that if Biden loses even 10,000 votes due to fraud or some technicality (the ballots arrived after the deadline), Trump could be declared the winner.
Again, I am NOT saying I want this to happen. I am simply outlining how this process works. If a court says “jump” you jump, no matter who you are.
Speaking of which…
Two weeks ago, Supreme Court Justice Alito (as in the Supreme Court of the U.S., not of just one state) ORDERED the State of Pennsylvania to segregate and count separately any ballots that arrived after 8PM on election night.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
This is a legal order from the Supreme Court of the United States. If you disobey it, you can go to prison. And because it’s a federal violation, the lawsuit isn’t going to be “Joe Schmo vs. John Doe,” it’s “the United States of America vs. Joe Schmo.”
My sources tell me that for Alito to order this without any comment from other justices suggests the Supreme Court as a whole is supportive of his action.
So, this is the Supreme Court of the United States effectively stating, “we are now getting involved in this mess.” That is a big deal.
If you are looking for a reason as to why the media rushed into announcing Joe Biden as the President Elect Saturday (the day after Alito’s order), this is probably it.
The Democrats and their media allies (the media companies that lean left) realize that once the courts get involved, the odds of Biden actually winning drop dramatically. So, they are attempting to mount as much pressure as possible for President Trump to concede so that the election is finished before ever entering a courtroom.
Remember, the only way this election ends right now is if President Trump concedes.
If he doesn’t, but instead chooses to fight in court, then the process follows the path I outlined a little while ago, where the courts decide which votes count and which ones don’t.
For an election in which multiple states were “won” by less than 0.5%, the odds GREATLY improve for President Trump once these issues are introduced in court. He only needs to have 10,000 or so ballots thrown out in order to flip multiple states.
And bear in mind, that if a given court accepts or rejects a given lawsuit, the situation doesn’t end there.
If either party or candidate is dissatisfied with a lower court’s ruling, they can appeal the ruling, which can result in the lawsuit moving up to a higher court, eventually reaching the Supreme Court, which serves as the ultimate arbiter of election law in the U.S.
This was the case with the 2000 Presidential election, when the Supreme Court ruled that vote cards from Florida that didn’t have clean hole punches were NOT valid, which gave the state to George W. Bush and resulted in Al Gore conceding the election on December 13th.
And the Supreme Court’s justices are currently 6-3 conservative to liberal. Even if Roberts were to side with the liberals, the conservatives still hold the 5-4 majority.
Put simply, the ultimate arbiter in court rulings on elections favors Trump. Provided he DOESN’T concede, the odds greatly favor him winning a second term.
That’s what the law and the courts say. And they’re the ones that matter in this situation.
With that in mind, we recently published a special report titled, The MAGA Portfolio: Five Investments That Will Make Fortunes During Trump’s Second Term.
In it, we detail five HIGH OCTANE investments that are primed to EXPLODE higher when President Trump wins a second term.
Each one of these investments is in a unique position to profit from the combination of Trump economic reforms and Fed monetary easing, combining high growth opportunities with extreme profitability.
We are offering this report exclusively to subscribers of our e-letter Gains Pains & Capital. To pick up your copy please swing by:
phoenixcapitalmarketing.com/MAGA.html
Best Regards
Graham Summers
Chief Market Strategist
Phoenix Capital Research


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--Big Tech, Censorship and the American Public

I have been inside of the “ IT ” world for the better part of 35+ years professionally .
I had my first computer at home in 1979 .
I learned basic and assembly language in 1980 .
I have thousands of successful projects behind me at this point in life and have see a lot .
I have been around professionals from the pre-internet era to present which covers quite a bit of time .
Here are my personal observations about the industry and why you are seeing what you are now seeing .
Pre-Internet and even up through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IT field was born in the mid to late 60 ’ s and 70 ’ s .
Those of us born in that time frame were raised in a very different world .
The cold war was very much in place and Americans specifically had a much different feeling of feeling of patriotism and love of country .
We were raised in a world where we still had black and white TV ’ s , rotary phones , 8-Track tapes , and 3 channels on the TV .
Cable TV didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is today .
It was a different world .
All of your programmers then had a different world view , even though it typically attracted the “ nerd ” types then , those nerds were still American to the core , believed in love of country and rejected communism in all forms .
So , those of us initially in the IT field ( and we are still around ) had a very different value system back then .
Next to enter the field… those that were children born into a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have known no different and like the “ geek ” label .
These kids that were brought up in a very different environment were run through an educational system quite different than what us older folks experienced .
They were not held accountable — everyone got their participation award for just showing up — the “ PC ” culture was rammed into them and they were told that if they even questioned someone doing something that happened to involve someone of a different race that they were “ racist ” and should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world is unjust and that there is unfair equality everywhere .
THESE are the “ programmers ” and “ IT ” professionals that make up a majority of the big tech organizations now — and their CORE LIFE BELIEFS are that where they have no problem doing anything necessary to bring everyone around to their views .
If this means using the very tools ( platforms ) and technology at their disposal against what they believe to be “ the enemy ” they will do so , be good at hiding it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see it , and feel JUSTIFIED in what they are doing .
I see it all the time first hand .
I deal with people in the public and private sectors of IT related departments and organizations daily .
I *SEE* the cultures that are in various organizations , and the ones that are purely in the private sector ( Googles , Twitter , etc ) are filled to the rim with these young , “ justice warrior ” , the world is filled with injustice minded , well , kids .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even bother trying to work for one of these companies unless you were their already for a while or end up in the organization because your company was acquired and they needed you along for the ride to keep things running until such time as they can get rid of your “ old ass ” .
THIS is why you see a lot of what you are witnessing .
It is not ALL government corruption and politicians behind everything .
Sure , they play a large part in many things but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keyboards in these organizations and what mindset they have at their core .
Disclaimer : This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB .

by Cryptographer
I have been inside of the “IT” world for the better part of 35+ years professionally. I had my first computer at home in 1979. I learned basic and assembly language in 1980. I have thousands of successful projects behind me at this point in life and have see a lot.
I have been around professionals from the pre-internet era to present which covers quite a bit of time.
Here are my personal observations about the industry and why you are seeing what you are now seeing.
Pre-Internet and even up through 2000 most everyone you met in the IT field was born in the mid to late 60’s and 70’s. Those of us born in that time frame were raised in a very different world. The cold war was very much in place and Americans specifically had a much different feeling of feeling of patriotism and love of country. We were raised in a world where we still had black and white TV’s, rotary phones, 8-Track tapes, and 3 channels on the TV. Cable TV didn’t exist and the media was nothing like it is today. It was a different world. All of your programmers then had a different world view, even though it typically attracted the “nerd” types then, those nerds were still American to the core, believed in love of country and rejected communism in all forms.
So, those of us initially in the IT field (and we are still around) had a very different value system back then.
Next to enter the field… those that were children born into a world that always has had the Internet. They have known no different and like the “geek” label.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
These kids that were brought up in a very different environment were run through an educational system quite different than what us older folks experienced.
They were not held accountable — everyone got their participation award for just showing up — the “PC” culture was rammed into them and they were told that if they even questioned someone doing something that happened to involve someone of a different race that they were “racist” and should be ashamed. They were told that the world is unjust and that there is unfair equality everywhere.
THESE are the “programmers” and “IT” professionals that make up a majority of the big tech organizations now — and their CORE LIFE BELIEFS are that where they have no problem doing anything necessary to bring everyone around to their views.
If this means using the very tools (platforms) and technology at their disposal against what they believe to be “the enemy” they will do so, be good at hiding it from those they don’t want to see it, and feel JUSTIFIED in what they are doing. I see it all the time first hand.
I deal with people in the public and private sectors of IT related departments and organizations daily. I *SEE* the cultures that are in various organizations, and the ones that are purely in the private sector (Googles, Twitter, etc) are filled to the rim with these young, “justice warrior”, the world is filled with injustice minded, well, kids. If you are over age 30 don’t even bother trying to work for one of these companies unless you were their already for a while or end up in the organization because your company was acquired and they needed you along for the ride to keep things running until such time as they can get rid of your “old ass”.
THIS is why you see a lot of what you are witnessing. It is not ALL government corruption and politicians behind everything. Sure, they play a large part in many things but never ever forget WHO is behind the keyboards in these organizations and what mindset they have at their core.
Disclaimer: This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB.


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--Look what Trump just tweeted…

Look what Trump just tweeted…

The Fake recount going on in Georgia means nothing because they are not allowing signatures to be looked at and verified. Break the unconstitutional Consent Decree! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2020
Related:
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Fulton County, GA: The hand recount has been completed in this county. NO signature verifications occurred. There were NO bipartisan counters. The few official GOP monitors I spoke with said reports and complaints they made to election officials fell on deaf ears. @RealAmVoice pic.twitter.com/dCAsF7EiHW — Heather Mullins – Real America’s Voice (RAV-TV) (@TalkMullins) November 15, 2020
I asked Fulton County, GA Elections Director Rick Barron who’s decision it was to choose Fulton Workers to count ballots over bipartisan counters. He said it was about the cost. Do you think the GOP & Democrats could have each provided 125 counters in Fulton County? @RealAmVoice pic.twitter.com/EOUPdnQCIe — Heather Mullins – Real America’s Voice (RAV-TV) (@TalkMullins) November 16, 2020
The Trump legal team doesn’t have to prove the voting machines WERE manipulated, only that they COULD BE. Any judge in that situation would recognize the implications of using vote counting systems that are subject to manipulation #Election2020results — Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) November 14, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--The ECB faces problems from the Euro area banks as well as fiscal policy

This morning has brought us up to date on the state of play at the European Central Bank .
Vice President De Guindos opened his speech in Frankfurt telling us this about the expected situation .
So he has set out his stall as vaccine hopes get a relatively minor mention .
Thus he looks set to vote for more easing at the December meeting .
Also he rather curiously confessed that after 20 years or so the convergence promises for the Euro area economy still have a lot of ground to cover .
Looking ahead that is juts about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it has been just around the corner for a decade or so now .
He also points out there has been sectoral fragmentation although he rather skirts around the issue that this has been a policy choice .
Not by the ECB but bu governments .
Well Done the ECB !
As ever in a central banking speech there is praise for the central bank itself .
This theme is added to by this from @ Schuldensuehner Care is needed as QE has not been the only game in town especially for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saving 2,2 billion Euros a year from a QE plan it was not in !
It only was included this year .
But the large purchases have clearly reduced costs for government and no doubt makes the ECB popular amongst the politicians it regularly claims to be independent from .
But there is more .
It is a bit socco voce but we get a reminder that the ECB is willing to effectively finance a very expansionary fiscal policy .
That is why it has two QE programmes running at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in town is this .
There was a time when that would be an almost unimaginable sum of money but not know as if government ’ s do as they are told it will be increased .
Oh and there is a bit of a misprint on the sentence below as they really mean fiscal policy .
These are a running sore with even the ECB Vice President unable to avoid this issue .
Tucked away in the explanation is an admittal of the ECB ’ s role here so I have highlighted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen hurt the banks and this issue was exacerbated by the reductions in the Deposit Rate to -0.5 % as the banks have been afraid of passing this onto the ordinary saver and depositor .
Thus the Zero Lower Bound ( 0 % ) did effectively exist for some interest-rates .
This is in spite of the fact that banks have benefited from two main sweeteners .
This is the -1 % interest-rate of the latest liquidity programmes ( TLTROs ) and the QE bond purchases which help inflate the value of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the real elephant in the room .
We had got used to being told that a corner had been turned on this issue even in Italy and Greece .
Speaking of the latter Piraeus Bank hit trouble last week when it was unable to make a bond payment .
There is a lot of dilution going on here for private shareholders as we note that this is pretty much a nationalisation .
Meanwhile in Italy you have probably guessed which bank has returned to the news .
The equivalent of a Hammer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how like a financial vampire it keeps needing more .
Even Colin Jackson would struggle with all the hurdles around Monte dei Paschi .
Anyway we can confidently expect a coach and horses to be driven through Euro area banking rules .
If we look at the proposed solution we wonder again about the bailouts .
So job losses and it seems that muddying the waters will also be the order of the day .
A merger does reduce two problems to one albeit we are back on the road to Too Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course the ECB Holy Grail .
Just as Italy makes up its own rules… .
We are now arriving at Monetary Policy 3.0 after number one ( interest-rates ) and number two ( QE ) have failed to work .
In effect the role of monetary policy is to facilitate fiscal policy .
It also involves a challenge to democracy as the technocrats of the ECB are looking to set policy for the elected politicians in the Euro area .
However there are problems with this and somewhat ironically these have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial Times which starts with an apparent triumph .
So on a financial measure we have convergence .
But if we switch to the real economy we get this .
Switching to the banks we are facing the consequences of the Zombification of the sector as the same old names always seem to need more money .
Although there has been more hopeful news for BBVA of Spain today albeit exiting the country where banks seem to be able to make money .
Although the price will no doubt if the speech above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give a home to a Zombie or two .

by Shaun Richards
This morning has brought us up to date on the state of play at the European Central Bank. Vice President De Guindos opened his speech in Frankfurt telling us this about the expected situation.
The pandemic crisis has put great pressure on economic activity, with euro area growth expected to fall by 8% in 2020. ……The tighter containment measures recently adopted across Europe are weighing on current growth. With the future path of the pandemic highly unclear, risks are clearly tilted to the downside.
So he has set out his stall as vaccine hopes get a relatively minor mention. Thus he looks set to vote for more easing at the December meeting. Also he rather curiously confessed that after 20 years or so the convergence promises for the Euro area economy still have a lot of ground to cover.
The severity of the pandemic shock has varied greatly across euro area countries and sectors, which is leading to uneven economic developments and recovery speeds……..And growth forecasts for 2020 also point towards increasing divergence within the euro area.
Looking ahead that is juts about to be fixed, although a solution to it has been just around the corner for a decade or so now.
The recent European initiatives, such as the Next Generation EU package, should help ensure a more broad-based economic recovery across various jurisdictions and avoid the kind of economic and financial fragmentation that we observed during the euro area sovereign debt crisis.
He also points out there has been sectoral fragmentation although he rather skirts around the issue that this has been a policy choice. Not by the ECB but bu governments.
Consumers have adopted more cautious behaviour, and the recent tightening of restrictions has notably targeted the services sector, including hotels and restaurants, arts and entertainment, and tourism and travel.
Well Done the ECB!
As ever in a central banking speech there is praise for the central bank itself.
Fiscal support has played a key role in mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the economy and preserving productive capacity. This is very welcome, notwithstanding the sizeable budget deficits anticipated for 2020 and 2021 and the rising levels of sovereign debt.
This theme is added to by this from @Schuldensuehner
Jefferies shows that France is biggest beneficiary of ECB’s bond purchases. Country has saved €28.2bn since 2015 through artificial reduction in financing costs driven by ECB. In 2nd place among ECB profiteers is Italy w/savings of €26.8bn, Germany 3rd w/€23.7bn.
Care is needed as QE has not been the only game in town especially for Greece which is on the list as saving 2,2 billion Euros a year from a QE plan it was not in! It only was included this year. But the large purchases have clearly reduced costs for government and no doubt makes the ECB popular amongst the politicians it regularly claims to be independent from. But there is more.
While policy support will eventually need to be withdrawn, abrupt and premature termination of the ongoing schemes could give rise to cliff-edge effects and cool the already tepid economic recovery.
It is a bit socco voce but we get a reminder that the ECB is willing to effectively finance a very expansionary fiscal policy. That is why it has two QE programmes running at the same time, but for this purpose the game in town is this.
The Governing Council will continue its purchases under the pandemic emergency purchase programme (PEPP) with a total envelope of €1,350 billion.
There was a time when that would be an almost unimaginable sum of money but not know as if government’s do as they are told it will be increased.
The purchases will continue to be conducted in a flexible manner over time, across asset classes and among jurisdictions.
Oh and there is a bit of a misprint on the sentence below as they really mean fiscal policy.
This allows the Governing Council to effectively stave off risks to the smooth transmission of monetary policy.
The Banks
These are a running sore with even the ECB Vice President unable to avoid this issue.
The pandemic has also weighed on the long-term profitability outlook for banks in the euro area, depressing their valuations. From around 6% in February of this year, the euro area median banks’ return on equity had declined to slightly above 2% by June.
Tucked away in the explanation is an admittal of the ECB’s role here so I have highlighted it.
The decline in profitability is being driven mainly by higher loan loss provisions and weaker income-generation capacity linked to the ongoing compression of interest margins.
The interest-rate cuts we have seen hurt the banks and this issue was exacerbated by the reductions in the Deposit Rate to -0.5% as the banks have been afraid of passing this onto the ordinary saver and depositor. Thus the Zero Lower Bound ( 0%) did effectively exist for some interest-rates.
This is in spite of the fact that banks have benefited from two main sweeteners. This is the -1% interest-rate of the latest liquidity programmes ( TLTROs) and the QE bond purchases which help inflate the value of the banks bond holdings.
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Then we get to the real elephant in the room.
Non-performing loans (NPL) are likely to present a further challenge to bank profitability.
We had got used to being told that a corner had been turned on this issue even in Italy and Greece. Speaking of the latter Piraeus Bank hit trouble last week when it was unable to make a bond payment.
The non-payment of the CoCos coupon will lead to the complete conversion of the convertible bond, amounting to 2.040 billion euros, into 394.4 million common shares. It is noted that the conversion will not involve an adjustment of the share price and simply, to the 437 million shares of the Bank will be added another 394.4 million shares at the price of 0.70 euros (closing of the share at last Friday’s meeting). ( Capital Gr).
There is a lot of dilution going on here for private shareholders as we note that this is pretty much a nationalisation.
The conversion has one month after December 2 to take place and the result will be the percentage of the Financial Stability Fund, which currently controls 26.4% of Piraeus Bank, to increase to 61.3%.
Meanwhile in Italy you have probably guessed which bank has returned to the news.
LONDON/MILAN/ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s Treasury has asked financial and legal advisers to pitch for a role in the privatisation of Monte dei Paschi BMPS.MI as it strives to secure a merger deal for the Tuscan lender, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The equivalent of a Hammer House of Horror production as we mull how like a financial vampire it keeps needing more.
Italy is seeking ways to address pending legal claims amounting to 10 billion euros (£9 billion) that sources say are the main hurdle to privatising the bank.
Even Colin Jackson would struggle with all the hurdles around Monte dei Paschi. Anyway we can confidently expect a coach and horses to be driven through Euro area banking rules.
If we look at the proposed solution we wonder again about the bailouts.
Although banks have stepped up cost-cutting efforts in the wake of the pandemic, they need to push even harder for greater cost efficiency.
So job losses and it seems that muddying the waters will also be the order of the day.
The planned domestic mergers in some countries are an encouraging sign in this regard.
A merger does reduce two problems to one albeit we are back on the road to Too Big To Fail or TBTF.
There is of course the ECB Holy Grail.
Finally, we also need to make progress on the banking union, which unfortunately remains unfinished. Renewed efforts are urgently required to improve its crisis management framework.
Just as Italy makes up its own rules….
Comment
We are now arriving at Monetary Policy 3.0 after number one ( interest-rates) and number two ( QE) have failed to work. In effect the role of monetary policy is to facilitate fiscal policy. It also involves a challenge to democracy as the technocrats of the ECB are looking to set policy for the elected politicians in the Euro area. However there are problems with this and somewhat ironically these have been highlighted by the Twitter feed of the Financial Times which starts with an apparent triumph.
Italy’s bond rally forces key measure of risk to lowest since 2018
So on a financial measure we have convergence. But if we switch to the real economy we get this.
‘There is no money left’: the pandemic’s economic impact is ‘a catastrophe’ for people in southern Italy who were already in a precarious situation
Switching to the banks we are facing the consequences of the Zombification of the sector as the same old names always seem to need more money. Although there has been more hopeful news for BBVA of Spain today albeit exiting the country where banks seem to be able to make money.
PNC to buy U.S. operations of Spanish bank BBVA for $11.6 billion ( @CNBC )
Although the price will no doubt if the speech above is any guide will be pressure to give a home to a Zombie or two.
Podcast


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--What If Biden Wins?

What If Biden Wins?

The problem we will face if Biden wins is that the Democrats are hell-bent on not just raising taxes , but demonetizing the dollar to end hoarding of cash , which is what other countries are demanding behind closed doors .
Wall Street backed Biden , not Trump , as they did with Hillary .
This was the most expensive election in history costs $ 6.6 billion compared to $ 2.4 billion in 2016 .
Black Rock ’ s Flint is tipped to be Biden ’ s Secretary of Treasury – but he has no idea what he is stepping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move to end democracy and what Buttigieg is suggesting is the very structure of Europe where the head of states DOES NOT stand for election but is selected by political leaders .
We are the great unwashed , and the real driving force is to strip us of our freedom and our right to even vote .
I have been warning that Socrates has been pointing to the end of elections .
This is becoming a very serious trend .
We are just too stupid to be trusted with any right to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will capital flows deal with this nightmare ?
Normally , we have witnessed a capital flight from one region to another .
World Wars I and II sent capital fleeing to the dollar , thrusting it up to the reserve currency of the world at Bretton Woods since the USA then held 76 % of the official world gold reserves .
This time , we face a problem .
If the Democrats join this Schwab-Gates-Soros conspiracy of the Great Reset , as Trudeau has on behalf of Canada , the dollar itself may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It may also begin to flee to Asia .
Digitizing the dollar and canceling the paper currency around the world is indeed going to change everything .
But Schwab says you will own nothing and be happy by 2030 .
That is his and Thomas Piketty ’ s dream — Communism 3.0 .
In that case , they simply confiscate everything .
But canceling the dollar which is the only hedge many have against hoarding their own currencies which are routinely canceled will severely disrupt the world economy .
This single act will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to be worried about Schwab ’ s 2030 agenda .
Wall Street ’ s greed just may find they funded their own demise .
This reminds me of more of the Roman Emperor Maximinus ( 235-238 AD ) who simply declared that all private wealth belonged to the state .
That did not end well for him .
His own troops eventually turned against him , beheaded him , and sent his head to the Senate of Rome to show their new loyalty .
A lot of people died in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempts at communism .
It is highly questionable what is going to unfold .
It is probably up to the Supreme Court once again , but will they uphold the fake election or do what is right and call a fraud a fraud .
Those who just voted for Biden because they did not like Trump are about to see what “ representative ” government is all about – tyranny !
They run pretending to stand for something and when they are in , they waive all your rights .
Nobody has dared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ballot .
We are never allowed to vote on such matters .
Our representative decided usually based on who pays them the most .
No matter what they decide , we are headed toward extreme violence .
The question will become : Where to put assets ?

by Martin Armstrong
The problem we will face if Biden wins is that the Democrats are hell-bent on not just raising taxes, but demonetizing the dollar to end hoarding of cash, which is what other countries are demanding behind closed doors. Wall Street backed Biden, not Trump, as they did with Hillary. This was the most expensive election in history costs $6.6 billion compared to $2.4 billion in 2016. Black Rock’s Flint is tipped to be Biden’s Secretary of Treasury – but he has no idea what he is stepping into.
My biggest concern is the move to end democracy and what Buttigieg is suggesting is the very structure of Europe where the head of states DOES NOT stand for election but is selected by political leaders. We are the great unwashed, and the real driving force is to strip us of our freedom and our right to even vote. I have been warning that Socrates has been pointing to the end of elections. This is becoming a very serious trend. We are just too stupid to be trusted with any right to vote.
This begs the question, how will capital flows deal with this nightmare? Normally, we have witnessed a capital flight from one region to another. World Wars I and II sent capital fleeing to the dollar, thrusting it up to the reserve currency of the world at Bretton Woods since the USA then held 76% of the official world gold reserves. This time, we face a problem. If the Democrats join this Schwab-Gates-Soros conspiracy of the Great Reset, as Trudeau has on behalf of Canada, the dollar itself may simply be replaced by dollar-based assets. It may also begin to flee to Asia.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Digitizing the dollar and canceling the paper currency around the world is indeed going to change everything. But Schwab says you will own nothing and be happy by 2030. That is his and Thomas Piketty’s dream — Communism 3.0. In that case, they simply confiscate everything. But canceling the dollar which is the only hedge many have against hoarding their own currencies which are routinely canceled will severely disrupt the world economy. This single act will send capital to private assets, then we need to be worried about Schwab’s 2030 agenda. Wall Street’s greed just may find they funded their own demise.
This reminds me of more of the Roman Emperor Maximinus (235-238 AD) who simply declared that all private wealth belonged to the state. That did not end well for him. His own troops eventually turned against him, beheaded him, and sent his head to the Senate of Rome to show their new loyalty. A lot of people died in the process as always whenever we have these attempts at communism.
It is highly questionable what is going to unfold. It is probably up to the Supreme Court once again, but will they uphold the fake election or do what is right and call a fraud a fraud. Those who just voted for Biden because they did not like Trump are about to see what “representative” government is all about – tyranny! They run pretending to stand for something and when they are in, they waive all your rights. Nobody has dared to put Schwab’s 2030 agenda on the ballot. We are never allowed to vote on such matters. Our representative decided usually based on who pays them the most. No matter what they decide, we are headed toward extreme violence.
The question will become: Where to put assets?


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--Blackrock and Fidelity Are Betting Big On This $130 Trillion Mega-Trend

This isn ’ t just a megatrend .
It ’ s a movement in Big Money , and it ’ s the most profound redistribution of investment that the world ’ s biggest asset and wealth managers have recently seen .
Big money is fleeing anything that ’ s not sustainable .
By 2022 , PwC says that 77 % of institutional investors will stop buying non-ESG products entirely .
ESG fund assets will account for over 50 % of all European fund assets by 2025 .
That ’ s nearly $ 8 trillion .
And it ’ s only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ESG assets right now , but across the Atlantic , there ’ s nearly $ 120 trillion up for grabs .
Over 3,000 investors with over $ 110 trillion in assets under management support ESG investing .
Another industry-led group of 70 members with $ 9 trillion in assets under management does , too .
Because sustainability isn ’ t just outperforming the market … That ’ s partly why BlackRock , with some $ 6.5 trillion in assets under management , is now the King of Wall Street .
And it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , OTCMKTS : FDVRF ) -a tech-driven , multi-vertical , next-gen company with an multiple ESG-focused portfolio is grabbing headlines across North America ’ s biggest industries… From the $ 5-trillion global transportation industry and the $ 9 trillion healthcare industry , which is now explicitly tied to the fate of the $ 850-billion airline industry , to the $ 600-billion major league sports industry and the $ 26-billion food delivery segment … And the future of Facedrive verticals are multiple … with an uncompromising “ people and planet first ” viewpoint for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first carbon-offset ride-hailing company and environmentally friendlier food delivery to Tier 1 technology on the frontline of COVID-19 , an answer to major league sports ’ big revenue problem and … most recently , a major push into the U.S. with an EV subscription car service that plans to help change the way North Americans think about owning vehicles–forever .
Multi-Trillions of Dollars Looking for Somewhere To Invest This is a new generation of investors , and they ’ re looking for a new kind of investment : One that harnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s about avoiding potential financial losses and enduring scandals that can impact returns and product value .
That ’ s why PwC says that “ public awareness of ESG-related risks has catapulted climate change and sustainability to the top of the global agenda ” and that “ COVID has accelerated this shift , bringing the real-life impacts of overlooking ESG factors into the spotlight ” .
And that ’ s why BlackRock CEO Larry Fink says that “ awareness is rapidly changing , and I believe we are on the edge of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an expensive lesson for a company like Uber , which disrupted a hundred-year-old dynasty , bringing the taxi industry to its knees within 7 years .
But now finds itself on the wrong side of ESG history … Facedrive ( TSX.V : FD , OTCMKTS : FDVRF ) is on the right side and it ’ s working to disrupt the transportation industry from two flanking positions : Facedrive ’ s flagship ride-hailing platform was the first to offer riders a choice of EVs and hybrids .
And the first to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s because it was the first to foresee the problem with Uber and Lyft : They completely ignored sustainability , with ride-hailing resulting in nearly 70 % more pollution than whatever transportation it displaced .
It ’ s the first to bring cities and communities on as stakeholders , and it ’ s the first to treat its drivers as people who deserve living wages .
When you combine the $ 5 trillion global transportation industry with an energy industry whose renewables sector is growing dramatically , you get one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet … Steer , backed by an Exelon ( NASDAQ : EXC ) subsidiary , is planning the biggest disruption the global transportation industry has seen in decades .
And it was just acquired by Facedrive .
Washington , D.C.-based Steer is a high-tech vehicle subscription service that isn ’ t planning to simply disrupt the auto industry and change the way we “ own ” cars … This seamless , hassle-free technology is grabbing onto the ESG megatrend by giving subscribers access to their own virtual garage of low-emissions vehicles and EVs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upend the auto industry by offering an alternative to the tradition of owning , leasing or renting vehicles for everyday use … but it ’ s also promising to give the EV industry itself a huge boost .
From the best in high-tech contact-tracing tech that could help airlines , to a solution for revenue-starved major league sports , the verticals here are dizzying–but they ’ re all ESG , and they ’ re all high-tech .
Facedrive engineered a major coup at the height of the COVID pandemic , launching TraceSCAN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only viable application that features Bluetooth wearable tech integration .
It ’ s also got one of the biggest labor unions in the world on board , and more recently–official endorsement from the Government of Ontario , which is supporting its deployment–far and wide .
That ’ s because it ’ s the only tech that can effectively help trace coronavirus infections without use of a smart phone , and it could become crucial to open operations on everything from Parliament Hill ’ s major renovation project in Ottawa , to corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , long-term care facilities and outdoor venues .
But the biggest TraceScan coup took place just two weeks ago , when giant Air Canada signed a deal to launch a TraceScan pilot project for its employees .
Facing $ 1 trillion in losses now , and on track to shed 100 million jobs before the year is out , the global tourism industry is in trouble and contact-tracing is one of the best chances it has of getting things back on track .
Millions of workers around the world , from construction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t operate with a phone in hand 24/7 .
Nor can the at-risk elderly .
TraceSCAN Wearables take contact-tracing to a brand new level .
Facedrive combines complex algorithms in an AI-enabled mobile application with wearable devices built on the industry standard nRF52 Bluetooth chipset .
It ’ s a fully mobile COVID-19 alert on a wristband , in a tag worn around the neck or in a pocket pod .
And it intends to get us back to work , and back to fun–safely .
The news flow is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … And if you think contact-tracing , EV subscriptions and ride-hailing don ’ t have anything to do with each other … Which brings us to the next exciting vertical to come out of the Canadian ‘ Silicon Valley ’ company : One of the most interesting deals to come out of major league sports … with a tie-in to the world ’ s tech monoliths .
In August , Facedrive ( TSX.V : FD , OTCMKTS : FDVRF ) acquired Tally Technologies , the high-tech major league sports predicting startup founded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
To create new revenue opportunities for major league sports .
The NFL , NHL , and NBA know it .
It ’ s their next best chance for revenues , which depend on fan engagement that has been culled during a pandemic .
This is where the “ gamification ” of online major league sports engagement gets real with a free-to-play , predictive platform that gets fans hooked , and keeps them there .
And all of this evolved out of TraceMe , a celebrity content app founded by Wilson with money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Who of the supermajor tech world The biggest names on Wall Street are shifting their capital , in big numbers , and these are the ESG verticals they ’ re looking for … The news flow for ESG has a climate change , pandemic and “ people and planet ” first momentum that is fast and furious , and Facedrive ’ s ( TSX.V : FD , OTCMKTS : FDVRF ) deal flow is just as fast .
The ESG Trend Is Heating Up Tech giants across the board are diving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( NASDAQ : FB ) , for its part , has taken an innovative approach in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint .
Its data centers are some of the most resource-efficient on the planet , and it ’ s become an example for the entire industry .
And by the end of the year , it will have 100 % of its data centers running on green energy .
A massive and ambitious undertaking .
But if anyone can do it , it ’ s Facebook .
Facebook has even gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building more sustainable workplaces .
It ’ s building designs incorporate a number of renewable energy sources and water recycling methods , in addition to promoting the recycling and sustainability of all products consumed on site .
Facebook is by no means the only tech company pushing this trend , either .
Microsoft , Google and Apple are on making major moves to clean up their acts , as well .
And not only is it a big draw for investors , it ’ s forcing other industries to make changes , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prime example of a company pushing sustainability into the center stage of its operations .
In fact , Microsoft is going above and beyond in its carbon emissions pledge .
It is aiming to be carbon neutral in the next decade .
Not only is the tech giant taking a leadership role in reducing its carbon emissions , but it is also at the forefront of a technological wave that is actively helping other companies curb their emissions , as well .
Microsoft has created numerous resources to help monitor and evaluate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment , helping gather data to better understand where and how the world can improve .
Additionally , Microsoft is creating tools to better regulate the use of water and curb the world ’ s growing waste problems .
Not only has it helped other companies reduce emissions , it ’ s taking a serious stance on the climate crisis itself .
In fact , it ’ s pushing so hard that it is aiming to be carbon NEGATIVE by 2030 .
That ’ s a huge pledge .
And if anyone can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s no secret that Apple ( NASDAQ : AAPL ) has always thought outside of the box .
And when it brought back Steve Jobs in 1997 , the company really took off .
Jobs also paved the way to a greener future for the company .
From the products themselves , to the packages they came in , and even the data centers powering them , Steve Jobs went above and beyond to cut the environmental impact of his company .
Apple has made significant moves towards renewables .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 100 % renewable energy .
“ We proved that 100 percent renewable is 100 percent doable .
All our facilities worldwide—including Apple offices , retail stores , and data centers—are now powered entirely by clean energy .
But this is just the beginning of how we ’ re reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change .
We ’ re continuing to go further than most companies in measuring our carbon footprint , including manufacturing and product use .
And we ’ re making great progress in those areas too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s already having an impact .
Not only have they decreased their average product ’ s energy use by 70 percent .
They ’ ve reduced their total carbon footprint by more than 35 percent in just a few short years .
All while securing the title as the World ’ s First Trillion Dollar Company .
Not to be outdone , Google ( NASDAQ : GOOGL ) is jumping on the green bandwagon , as well .
It ’ s focus is on raising the bar for smarter and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited resources .
It is building sustainable , energy-efficient data centers and workplaces .
It is also harnessing artificial intelligence to utilize energy more efficiently .
Despite being one of the largest companies on the planet , in many ways it has lived up to its original “ Don ’ t Be Evil ” slogan .
Not only is Google powering its data centers with renewable energy , it is also on the cutting edge of innovation in the industry , investing in new technology and green solutions to build a more sustainable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce its carbon footprint has been well received by both younger and older investors .
And as the need to slow down climate change becomes increasingly dire , it ’ s easy to see why .
There ’ s a reason TSLA ( NASDAQ : TSLA ) has performed so well this year .
Investors love its message .
As one of the world ’ s most innovative car manufacturers , it has made electric vehicles cool again .
Its slick design is beloved across the world .
In fact , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tesla in cities like Hong Kong or San Francisco .
Musk is likely to emerge with three crowns on the ground : EVs , solar , and clean energy .
Each revolutionary .
It may seem easy to overlook Tesla ’ s solar business considering that the solar panel and battery segment brought in just six percent of the company ’ s revenue in 2019 .
But with the meteoric rise of ESG investing over the past couple of years , many companies , including traditional fossil fuel companies , have been investing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wind energy at an unprecedented rate .
Canadian companies are doing their part as well : Take telecom giant Shaw Communications Inc ( TSE : SJR.B ) , for example .
Shaw is taking a leadership role among Canadian telecom providers through its use of renewable energy , In fact , it is one of the biggest customers of Bullfrog Power which sources its electricity from a blend of wind energy and hydropower .
It is also building its own portfolio of clean energy investments .
BCE Inc ( TSX : BCE ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to great lengths to reduce its carbon footprint .
For the past 25 years , BCE has been at the forefront of the environmental movement .
Their environmental management system ( EMS ) has been certified to be ISO 14001-compliant since 2009 .
Boralex Inc. ( TSX : BLX ) is a homegrown Canadian renewable firm .
It has had a great influence in the adoption of renewable electricity domestically , and it ’ s even branching out into the United States , France and the United Kingdom .
The company ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydroelectric , thermal and solar sources and help power the homes of many people across the world .
Polaris Infrastructure ( TSX : PIF ) is another renewable firm taking a slightly more focused approach .
The company ’ s biggest projects are in Latin America .
It ’ s Nicaragua geothermal project , for example , is already producing over 77 MW of renewable electricity .
And in Peru , its El Carmen and 8 de Augusto power plants , is set to produce a combined 17MW of electricity in the near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : WPRT ) is a renewable energy provider for the transportation industry .
it provides systems for less impactful fuels , such as natural gas .
In North America alone , there are over 225,000 natural gas vehicles .
But that ’ s nothing compared to the global number of natural gas vehicles , which total over 22.5 million .
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Forward looking statements in this publication include that the demand for ride sharing services will grow ; that Steer can help completely change the way people view car ownership , that Steer can disrupt industry segments ; that the Tally app will become popular and start generating substantial revenues ; that the Tally sports predictive app will lead to online sports revenue ; that Tracescan could help the tourism industry deal with COVID and will sign new agreements for use of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be signed by Facedrive ; that Facedrive will be able to fund its capital requirements in the near term and long term ; and that Facedrive will be able to carry out its business plans .
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Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that riders are not as attracted to EV rides as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not become popular , may not lead to revenues from the app ; that competitors may offer better or cheaper alternatives to the Facedrive businesses ; TraceScan may not work as expected in commercial settings ; changing governmental laws and policies ; the company ’ s ability to obtain and retain necessary licensing in each geographical area in which it operates ; the success of the company ’ s expansion activities and whether markets justify additional expansion ; the ability of the company to attract drivers who have electric vehicles and hybrid cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providers of good and services for merchandise partnerships on terms acceptable to both parties , and on profitable terms for Facedrive ; and that the products co-branded by Facedrive may not be as merchantable as expected .
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By Sasha Kay
This isn’t just a megatrend. It’s a movement in Big Money, and it’s the most profound redistribution of investment that the world’s biggest asset and wealth managers have recently seen.
Big money is fleeing anything that’s not sustainable.
By 2022, PwC says that 77% of institutional investors will stop buying non-ESG products entirely.
ESG fund assets will account for over 50% of all European fund assets by 2025.
That’s nearly $8 trillion. And it’s only the beginning.
Europe may be trouncing ESG assets right now, but across the Atlantic, there’s nearly $120 trillion up for grabs.
Over 3,000 investors with over $110 trillion in assets under management support ESG investing. Another industry-led group of 70 members with $9 trillion in assets under management does, too.
Why?
Because sustainability isn’t just outperforming the market …
It’s BIg Money’s downside protection against ESG-related risks.
That’s partly why BlackRock, with some $6.5 trillion in assets under management, is now the King of Wall Street.
And it’s why Facedrive (TSX.V:FD, OTCMKTS:FDVRF) -a tech-driven, multi-vertical, next-gen company with an multiple ESG-focused portfolio is grabbing headlines across North America’s biggest industries…
From the $5-trillion global transportation industry and the $9 trillion healthcare industry, which is now explicitly tied to the fate of the $850-billion airline industry, to the $600-billion major league sports industry and the $26-billion food delivery segment …
And the future of Facedrive verticals are multiple … with an uncompromising “people and planet first” viewpoint for everything it does …
From the world’s first carbon-offset ride-hailing company and environmentally friendlier food delivery to Tier 1 technology on the frontline of COVID-19, an answer to major league sports’ big revenue problem and … most recently, a major push into the U.S. with an EV subscription car service that plans to help change the way North Americans think about owning vehicles–forever.
Multi-Trillions of Dollars Looking for Somewhere To Invest
This is a new generation of investors, and they’re looking for a new kind of investment: One that harnesses the profit of ESG.
It’s about avoiding potential financial losses and enduring scandals that can impact returns and product value.
That’s why PwC says that “public awareness of ESG-related risks has catapulted climate change and sustainability to the top of the global agenda” and that “COVID has accelerated this shift, bringing the real-life impacts of overlooking ESG factors into the spotlight”.
And that’s why BlackRock CEO Larry Fink says that “awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe we are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance”.
That’s a multi-million-dollar reshaping of finance …
It’s an expensive lesson for a company like Uber, which disrupted a hundred-year-old dynasty, bringing the taxi industry to its knees within 7 years.
But now finds itself on the wrong side of ESG history …
Facedrive (TSX.V:FD, OTCMKTS:FDVRF) is on the right side and it’s working to disrupt the transportation industry from two flanking positions:
#1 Next-Gen Ride-Hailing: The ESG Element
Facedrive’s flagship ride-hailing platform was the first to offer riders a choice of EVs and hybrids.
And the first to plant trees to offset its carbon footprint.
That’s because it was the first to foresee the problem with Uber and Lyft: They completely ignored sustainability, with ride-hailing resulting in nearly 70% more pollution than whatever transportation it displaced.
It’s the first to bring cities and communities on as stakeholders, and it’s the first to treat its drivers as people who deserve living wages.
#2 The Transportation Revolution
When you combine the $5 trillion global transportation industry with an energy industry whose renewables sector is growing dramatically, you get one of the most lucrative marriages of industry yet …
Steer, backed by an Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) subsidiary, is planning the biggest disruption the global transportation industry has seen in decades.
And it was just acquired by Facedrive.
Washington, D.C.-based Steer is a high-tech vehicle subscription service that isn’t planning to simply disrupt the auto industry and change the way we “own” cars …
This seamless, hassle-free technology is grabbing onto the ESG megatrend by giving subscribers access to their own virtual garage of low-emissions vehicles and EVs.
Not only is Steer planning to upend the auto industry by offering an alternative to the tradition of owning, leasing or renting vehicles for everyday use … but it’s also promising to give the EV industry itself a huge boost.
That deal includes a $2-million strategic investment by Exelon’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Exelorate Enterprises, LLC.
Multiple Verticals, Limitless ESG
From the best in high-tech contact-tracing tech that could help airlines, to a solution for revenue-starved major league sports, the verticals here are dizzying–but they’re all ESG, and they’re all high-tech.
Facedrive engineered a major coup at the height of the COVID pandemic, launching TraceSCAN, a homegrown Canadian COVID-19 tracing solution and the only viable application that features Bluetooth wearable tech integration.
It’s also got one of the biggest labor unions in the world on board, and more recently–official endorsement from the Government of Ontario, which is supporting its deployment–far and wide.
That’s because it’s the only tech that can effectively help trace coronavirus infections without use of a smart phone, and it could become crucial to open operations on everything from Parliament Hill’s major renovation project in Ottawa, to corporate offices, sporting events, healthcare facilities, long-term care facilities and outdoor venues.
But the biggest TraceScan coup took place just two weeks ago, when giant Air Canada signed a deal to launch a TraceScan pilot project for its employees.
Facing $1 trillion in losses now, and on track to shed 100 million jobs before the year is out, the global tourism industry is in trouble and contact-tracing is one of the best chances it has of getting things back on track.
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Millions of workers around the world, from construction and medical to education and security, can’t operate with a phone in hand 24/7. Nor can the at-risk elderly.
TraceSCAN Wearables take contact-tracing to a brand new level. Facedrive combines complex algorithms in an AI-enabled mobile application with wearable devices built on the industry standard nRF52 Bluetooth chipset.
It’s a fully mobile COVID-19 alert on a wristband, in a tag worn around the neck or in a pocket pod. And it intends to get us back to work, and back to fun–safely.
The news flow is expected to be packed with deals beyond Air Canada …
And if you think contact-tracing, EV subscriptions and ride-hailing don’t have anything to do with each other …
Think again.
It’s all high-tech.
Which brings us to the next exciting vertical to come out of the Canadian ‘Silicon Valley’ company:
One of the most interesting deals to come out of major league sports … with a tie-in to the world’s tech monoliths.
In August, Facedrive (TSX.V:FD, OTCMKTS:FDVRF) acquired Tally Technologies, the high-tech major league sports predicting startup founded by NFL superstar Russel Wilson.
Their plan? To create new revenue opportunities for major league sports.
The NFL, NHL, and NBA know it. It’s their next best chance for revenues, which depend on fan engagement that has been culled during a pandemic.
This is where the “gamification” of online major league sports engagement gets real with a free-to-play, predictive platform that gets fans hooked, and keeps them there.
And all of this evolved out of TraceMe, a celebrity content app founded by Wilson with money from the investment vehicles of the Who’s Who of the supermajor tech world
The biggest names on Wall Street are shifting their capital, in big numbers, and these are the ESG verticals they’re looking for …
The news flow for ESG has a climate change, pandemic and “people and planet” first momentum that is fast and furious, and Facedrive’s (TSX.V:FD, OTCMKTS:FDVRF) deal flow is just as fast.
The ESG Trend Is Heating Up
Tech giants across the board are diving head-first into the sustainability push. Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), for its part, has taken an innovative approach in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Its data centers are some of the most resource-efficient on the planet, and it’s become an example for the entire industry. And by the end of the year, it will have 100% of its data centers running on green energy. A massive and ambitious undertaking. But if anyone can do it, it’s Facebook.
Facebook has even gone a step further with its focus on building more sustainable workplaces. It’s building designs incorporate a number of renewable energy sources and water recycling methods, in addition to promoting the recycling and sustainability of all products consumed on site.
Facebook is by no means the only tech company pushing this trend, either. Microsoft, Google and Apple are on making major moves to clean up their acts, as well. And not only is it a big draw for investors, it’s forcing other industries to make changes, as well.
Microsoft (MSFT) is a prime example of a company pushing sustainability into the center stage of its operations. In fact, Microsoft is going above and beyond in its carbon emissions pledge. It is aiming to be carbon neutral in the next decade. Not only is the tech giant taking a leadership role in reducing its carbon emissions, but it is also at the forefront of a technological wave that is actively helping other companies curb their emissions, as well.
Microsoft has created numerous resources to help monitor and evaluate the impact of different businesses on the environment, helping gather data to better understand where and how the world can improve. Additionally, Microsoft is creating tools to better regulate the use of water and curb the world’s growing waste problems.
Not only has it helped other companies reduce emissions, it’s taking a serious stance on the climate crisis itself. In fact, it’s pushing so hard that it is aiming to be carbon NEGATIVE by 2030. That’s a huge pledge. And if anyone can do it, it’s Microsoft.
It’s no secret that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has always thought outside of the box. And when it brought back Steve Jobs in 1997, the company really took off. Jobs also paved the way to a greener future for the company. From the products themselves, to the packages they came in, and even the data centers powering them, Steve Jobs went above and beyond to cut the environmental impact of his company.
Apple has made significant moves towards renewables. All of Apple’s operations run on 100% renewable energy. “We proved that 100 percent renewable is 100 percent doable. All our facilities worldwide—including Apple offices, retail stores, and data centers—are now powered entirely by clean energy. But this is just the beginning of how we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. We’re continuing to go further than most companies in measuring our carbon footprint, including manufacturing and product use. And we’re making great progress in those areas too,” CEO Tim Cook explained.
And it’s already having an impact. Not only have they decreased their average product’s energy use by 70 percent. They’ve reduced their total carbon footprint by more than 35 percent in just a few short years. All while securing the title as the World’s First Trillion Dollar Company.
Not to be outdone, Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is jumping on the green bandwagon, as well. It’s focus is on raising the bar for smarter and more efficient use of the world’s limited resources. It is building sustainable, energy-efficient data centers and workplaces. It is also harnessing artificial intelligence to utilize energy more efficiently.
Despite being one of the largest companies on the planet, in many ways it has lived up to its original “Don’t Be Evil” slogan. Not only is Google powering its data centers with renewable energy, it is also on the cutting edge of innovation in the industry, investing in new technology and green solutions to build a more sustainable tomorrow. It’s bid to reduce its carbon footprint has been well received by both younger and older investors. And as the need to slow down climate change becomes increasingly dire, it’s easy to see why.
There’s a reason TSLA (NASDAQ:TSLA) has performed so well this year. Investors love its message. As one of the world’s most innovative car manufacturers, it has made electric vehicles cool again. Its slick design is beloved across the world. In fact, it’s likely impossible to NOT see a Tesla in cities like Hong Kong or San Francisco. Musk is likely to emerge with three crowns on the ground: EVs, solar, and clean energy. Each revolutionary.
It may seem easy to overlook Tesla’s solar business considering that the solar panel and battery segment brought in just six percent of the company’s revenue in 2019. But with the meteoric rise of ESG investing over the past couple of years, many companies, including traditional fossil fuel companies, have been investing in clean energy projects including solar and wind energy at an unprecedented rate.
Canadian companies are doing their part as well:
Take telecom giant Shaw Communications Inc (TSE:SJR.B), for example. Shaw is taking a leadership role among Canadian telecom providers through its use of renewable energy, In fact, it is one of the biggest customers of Bullfrog Power which sources its electricity from a blend of wind energy and hydropower. It is also building its own portfolio of clean energy investments.
BCE Inc (TSX:BCE)) is another Canadian telecom giant going to great lengths to reduce its carbon footprint. For the past 25 years, BCE has been at the forefront of the environmental movement. Their environmental management system (EMS) has been certified to be ISO 14001-compliant since 2009.
Boralex Inc. (TSX:BLX) is a homegrown Canadian renewable firm. It has had a great influence in the adoption of renewable electricity domestically, and it’s even branching out into the United States, France and the United Kingdom. The company’s primary energies are produced through wind, hydroelectric, thermal and solar sources and help power the homes of many people across the world.
Polaris Infrastructure (TSX:PIF) is another renewable firm taking a slightly more focused approach. The company’s biggest projects are in Latin America. It’s Nicaragua geothermal project, for example, is already producing over 77 MW of renewable electricity. And in Peru, its El Carmen and 8 de Augusto power plants, is set to produce a combined 17MW of electricity in the near future.
Westport Fuel Systems (TSX:WPRT) is a renewable energy provider for the transportation industry. it provides systems for less impactful fuels, such as natural gas. In North America alone, there are over 225,000 natural gas vehicles. But that’s nothing compared to the global number of natural gas vehicles, which total over 22.5 million.
By. Sasha Kay
**IMPORTANT! BY READING OUR CONTENT YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY**
Forward-Looking Statements
This publication contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this publication include that the demand for ride sharing services will grow; that Steer can help completely change the way people view car ownership, that Steer can disrupt industry segments; that the Tally app will become popular and start generating substantial revenues; that the Tally sports predictive app will lead to online sports revenue; that Tracescan could help the tourism industry deal with COVID and will sign new agreements for use of its alert wearables; that new tech deals will be signed by Facedrive; that Facedrive will be able to fund its capital requirements in the near term and long term; and that Facedrive will be able to carry out its business plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that riders are not as attracted to EV rides as expected; that the Tally app may not become popular, may not lead to revenues from the app; that competitors may offer better or cheaper alternatives to the Facedrive businesses; TraceScan may not work as expected in commercial settings; changing governmental laws and policies; the company’s ability to obtain and retain necessary licensing in each geographical area in which it operates; the success of the company’s expansion activities and whether markets justify additional expansion; the ability of the company to attract drivers who have electric vehicles and hybrid cars; the ability of Facedrive to attract providers of good and services for merchandise partnerships on terms acceptable to both parties, and on profitable terms for Facedrive; and that the products co-branded by Facedrive may not be as merchantable as expected. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
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investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--China Is Rapidly Expanding Its Oil Resources In Africa

China is making a major power play to expand its global energy influence .
The United States has long played an outsized role in global geopolitics and energy markets thanks to the shale revolution which jettisoned the country to the top of the fossil fuel food chain .
But if you ’ ve been keeping up with any headlines out of the Permian Basin over the last few years , you know that the shale revolution is dead .
As oil prices remain disastrously low , the U.S. is losing its foothold in global oil and energy markets , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maps are redrawn , China could very likely come out on top .
Under President Xi Jinping , Beijing has made considerable inroads into power markets around the world .
This is in no small part thanks to the country ’ s assertive Belt and Road Initiative , which was announced back in 2013 .
President Xi ’ s global infrastructure development program entails hefty Chinese-led investment in as many as 70 countries and international organizations around the world .
China ’ s move into global energy markets is diverse and widespread , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Beijing ’ s geopolitical efforts have been particularly pronounced in Africa , a largely untapped market for energy infrastructure development and demand growth that Beijing is quite keen to dominate .
In fact , China has been battling it out with Russia in recent months to establish dominance in the continent ’ s nascent nuclear sector .
While China is working to develop itself as a nuclear power in Africa , a renewable energy power for its own energy security ( not to mention the added benefit of some nice climate-friendly PR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( thereby endangering global climate goals while keepings its own emissions numbers relatively low ) , Beijing is also aggressively trying to move into oil and gas markets .
This initiative , too , is focused on Africa .
This week , Modern Diplomacy reported that “ China ’ s national oil companies are investing heavily in the exploration and production of oil and gas supplies in Africa , ” remarking that the continent is the “ second largest region in supplying oil and gas to China , after the Middle East , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imported oil and gas.
” China ’ s appetite for oil is nearly insatiable , and the nation has quickly risen through the ranks to become the largest importer of black gold in the world for two years in a row .
According to the Modern Diplomacy report , China has a whopping USD $ 15 billion worth of investments planned in Africa ’ s oil sector .
This massive price tag is split between three major players out of China : China National Petroleum Corporation ( CNPC ) , China Petroleum & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Offshore Oil ( CNOOC ) .
Africa , which suffers from a staggering US $ 50 billion per annum investment gap in its energy sector , is in many ways a wide open playing field for energy- and power-hungry Beijing .
Ostensibly , it is for this reason that Beijing is pouring considerably more cash into the African continent ’ s energy sector than into its other energy investment projects in the Americas .
GlobalData ’ s Coa Chai was quoted by the report as characterizing China ’ s current African investments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of spending is in Nigeria , Angola , Uganda and Mozambique .
SINOPEC and CNOOC are well-established in Nigeria and Angola , while CNPC has a stake in the Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique ” .
Overall , China has significantly ramped up its presence in nearly 20 African countries .
As China exponentially increases its presence in global energy markets , some pundits believe that the United States ( never one to go quietly ) could be headed into an “ energy export battle with China.
” The United States will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market sector for shale exports while China invests massive amounts of cash into its own energy infrastructure domestically and abroad .
While China ’ s appetite for energy is guaranteed to keep growing , it ’ s clear that President Xi will do all he can to make sure that China weans itself off of dependency on imports from countries like the United States .

By Haley Zaremba
China is making a major power play to expand its global energy influence. The United States has long played an outsized role in global geopolitics and energy markets thanks to the shale revolution which jettisoned the country to the top of the fossil fuel food chain. But if you’ve been keeping up with any headlines out of the Permian Basin over the last few years, you know that the shale revolution is dead. As oil prices remain disastrously low, the U.S. is losing its foothold in global oil and energy markets, and when the dust clears and the geopolitical maps are redrawn, China could very likely come out on top. Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has made considerable inroads into power markets around the world.
This is in no small part thanks to the country’s assertive Belt and Road Initiative, which was announced back in 2013. President Xi’s global infrastructure development program entails hefty Chinese-led investment in as many as 70 countries and international organizations around the world.
China’s move into global energy markets is diverse and widespread, from nuclear to coal to renewable energies. Beijing’s geopolitical efforts have been particularly pronounced in Africa, a largely untapped market for energy infrastructure development and demand growth that Beijing is quite keen to dominate. In fact, China has been battling it out with Russia in recent months to establish dominance in the continent’s nascent nuclear sector.
While China is working to develop itself as a nuclear power in Africa, a renewable energy power for its own energy security (not to mention the added benefit of some nice climate-friendly PR), and a coal power overseas (thereby endangering global climate goals while keepings its own emissions numbers relatively low), Beijing is also aggressively trying to move into oil and gas markets. This initiative, too, is focused on Africa.
This week, Modern Diplomacy reported that “China’s national oil companies are investing heavily in the exploration and production of oil and gas supplies in Africa,” remarking that the continent is the “second largest region in supplying oil and gas to China, after the Middle East, with over 25% of its total imported oil and gas.” China’s appetite for oil is nearly insatiable, and the nation has quickly risen through the ranks to become the largest importer of black gold in the world for two years in a row.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
According to the Modern Diplomacy report, China has a whopping USD$15 billion worth of investments planned in Africa’s oil sector. This massive price tag is split between three major players out of China: China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) and China National Offshore Oil (CNOOC).
Africa, which suffers from a staggering US$50 billion per annum investment gap in its energy sector, is in many ways a wide open playing field for energy- and power-hungry Beijing. Ostensibly, it is for this reason that Beijing is pouring considerably more cash into the African continent’s energy sector than into its other energy investment projects in the Americas.
GlobalData’s Coa Chai was quoted by the report as characterizing China’s current African investments as follows: “About two thirds of spending is in Nigeria, Angola, Uganda and Mozambique. SINOPEC and CNOOC are well-established in Nigeria and Angola, while CNPC has a stake in the Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique”. Overall, China has significantly ramped up its presence in nearly 20 African countries.
As China exponentially increases its presence in global energy markets, some pundits believe that the United States (never one to go quietly) could be headed into an “energy export battle with China.” The United States will likely fight hard to retain its dangerously dwindling market sector for shale exports while China invests massive amounts of cash into its own energy infrastructure domestically and abroad. While China’s appetite for energy is guaranteed to keep growing, it’s clear that President Xi will do all he can to make sure that China weans itself off of dependency on imports from countries like the United States.
By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com


investmentwatchblog--2020-11-17--Joe Biden Formally Listed As Criminal Suspect In Ukraine!

Video is from OAN .
Joe Biden is now wanted for crimes of high treason !

Video is from OAN. Joe Biden is now wanted for crimes of high treason!
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ZW