The pandemic is making itself felt again in China, where it all began. And Washington is about to experience weeks of fire awaiting Joe Biden's inauguration as president. In this climate, futures on the US stock exchanges open down, coming off the new historical record set on Friday, while the dollar gains positions, appreciating for the fourth consecutive session (1,217 the euro -0,3%). While waiting for the political picture to clarify in the USA, the markets are slowing down after last week's euphoria. But Asia is bursting with health under the impetus of chips, which, for the first time, have exceeded the value of the energy sector by capitalization: 45% of semiconductors are produced in Asia, above all in the Far East.
Tokyo closed for public holidays, the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Mumbai rose, the Kospi of Seoul and the CSI 300 of the Shanghai and Shenzen lists fluctuated around parity. The Tokyo stock market is closed for the holidays.
THE NEW GALAXY IS ON THE WAY, THE CONTAGIONS ARE BACK IN CHINA
A new crisis is looming between Seoul and Tokyo. South Korea's supreme court has ruled that Japan will have to pay $90 for each surviving woman who was subjected to violence in Japanese brothels during World War II. Tokyo has never acknowledged guilt.
Korea also in evidence for the Las Vegas electronics fair where the new Galaxy will be presented.
In China, yesterday, 103 new people infected with the Corona Virus were counted, from 69 the previous day: it is the strongest increase in the last five months. Most of the cases are in Habei province bordering the Beijing area.
Producer prices released tonight by the National Bureau of Statistics signal that the Chinese economy is accelerating in its recovery from the effects of the pandemic: in December the index fell by 0,4% yoy, the smallest drop since February; consensus expected -0,8%. The month-on-month increase (+1,4%) is the strongest in the last four years.
EVEN AMAZON SILENCES TRUMP AT IMPEACHMENT RISK
The fate of Donald Trump, silenced by social networks, obviously remains at the center of the markets' attention. Between tomorrow and Wednesday, Congress will have to pronounce on the impeachment request signed by about 200 parliamentarians for now.
The trend of Facebook, Google and Twitter should also be followed, targeted by conservatives for silencing the President's accounts. The same goes for Amazon and Apple for shutting down far-right site Parler.
The conquest of the majority in the Senate by the Democrats could be greeted today by a rise in the stocks of renewable energy, the electric car and, above all, marijuana.
Beyond the news from the White House, there are numerous corporate appointments.
GM PROMISES ONE MILLION ELECTRIC CARS BY 2025
We begin with the conference on the health sector of JP Morgan, the traditional appointment for the innovations of pharma research.
CES opens this week, the Las Vegas consumer electronics show, this year in a virtual edition. It will be an opportunity to present the auto industry's responses to the news of the landing in the sector announced by Apple. Starting from the new Mercedes infotainment dashboard to the announcements of Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, who will explain how she intends to achieve the goal of one million electric cars by 2025.
TEN BILLION I INCOME FOR SHAREHOLDERS OF US BANKS
The first results of the budget should also be followed. We start with the Delta Airlines accounts to continue on Friday with the big banks: JP Morgan, Wells Fargo and Citigroup: buybacks are expected for over ten billion dollars.
Brent oil down 1% to 55,4 dollars a barrel, from +8% last week.
Gold at 1.821 dollars an ounce, -0,2%. Bitcoin down 6%, to $35.500, +7% yesterday.
THE RACE TO SUCCEED ANGELA MERKEL STARTS
Hot week for Eurozone politics. On Saturday, the CDU will elect the new leader who in September will take the place of Angel Merkel, who reaffirmed her willingness to end her extraordinary career at the top of German (and European) politics after 16 years. To replace him are the conservative Friedrich Merz, the moderate Armin Laschet and Norbert Roentgen, head of the party for foreign countries.
GUALTIERI DELIVERS THE NEW RECOVERY TODAY
No less hot is the political climate of the Bel Paese. Today ministers Gualtieri and Provenzano, who worked on rewriting the recovery plan with 209 billion European funds, will send the party leaders the document which also absorbs the changes requested by the majority forces themselves, primarily Italia Viva. There are about 150 pages, with some significant changes compared to the first draft rejected by the Renzians. Starting with the balances of the "Health" chapter, to which 19,7 billion are diverted, against the previous nine.
Tomorrow the Council of Ministers which should examine and approve the plan, with the unknown factor of Iv who – study the papers – will have to decide whether to give his support, abstain or vote against by withdrawing his ministers.
S&P UPGRADES FCA TO TRIPLE B BEFORE THE MERGER
The accounts of Brunello Cucinelli in Piazza Affari should be noted.
Pending the merger with PSA (and the birth of Stellantis), the agency S&P Global improved the long-term debt rating of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles by one notch, bringing it from “BB+” to “BBB-“.
