Bz Nwz

Today’s Issue Cluster: Rail

Germany – China Woes Send Traders Running From DAX
AVs – Google reveals self-driving car slip-ups
Coal – Obama to Halt New Mining Leases on Public Lands



MAJOR DATA POINTS

US – Dec: Industrial output slumps for third month; -0.4% from -0.9% / R / WSJ

US – Dec: Retail Sales Fell; -0.1% from +0.4% / WSJ / R / AP / FT

US – Dec: Producer Prices Down; -0.2%, core +0.1% / WSJ / R / AP

US – Jan: UMich Consumer Sentiment at Seven-Month High; 93.3 from 92.6 / B



MARKETS

Germany – China Woes Send Traders Running From DAX B * * *



ECONOMICS

Germany – Consumers Spend Like They Haven’t Since 2000 B *

UK – Manufacturing sector in recession FT * * *

Greece – Inflation Returns After Three Years of Falling Prices B *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

Germany – AfD at an all-time high of 11.5% / b *



MONETARY POLICY

ECB – Minutes Divulge Support For Bigger Rate Cut WSJ

ECB – ‘Never have minutes displayed discord so much’ / b *



FINANCE

EU – Why European Banks Must Compete On Wall Street WSJ *



REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

EU – Unemployment rate / motw *



SERVICES

MANUFACTURING

AVs – US Proposes $4b to Encourage Driverless Cars WSJ / FT / R / NYT / R

AVs – Google reveals self-driving car slip-ups AFP / WSJ / LACBS

AVs – Industry contemplates future of driverless, shared vehicles FT * *

AVs – Behind Toyota’s Late Shift Into Self-Driving Cars WSJ * *

AVs – Baidu says to develop self-driving buses within three years R

AVs – US vows ‘nimble, flexible’ approach on rules R

AVs – Google hits out at CA rules FT / WSJ / R / NYT / FT



TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Rail – Commodities slide triggers US ‘freight recession’ FT / WSJ * * *

Rail – Oil trains sidelined by deepening slump in US shale FT * *

Rail – Drop Accelerates, Pointing to US Weak Spots B *

Rail – Carloads are looking recessionary B *

Rail – Roads Face Rough Ride This Year WSJ / WSJ / WSJ *

Rail – Mergers could be destructive to shareholders: CSX R / FP / WSJ / FT



COMMODITIES

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Coal – Obama to Halt New Mining Leases on Public Lands NYT

Coal – Arch Files for Bankruptcy WSJ / AP *

Coal – US production falls to lowest level in nearly 30 years AP

Coal – Technology will help bury producers FT

Coal – Low-lying Bangladesh targets jump in use FT

Coal – Downturn Hammers Budgets in WV and WY WSJ *



HEALTH

ENDNOTE

Poverty solved, via Facebook *



Today’s Issue Cluster: Currencies

Japan – Foreigners Get It Wrong on Stocks
Cocoa – 2015?s Best Commodity Could Turn Into This Year’s Nightmare
Oil – Market’s Last Bastion of Strength Is Now Crashing



MAJOR DATA POINTS

Germany – 2015: Economy notches up consistent growth; +1.7% from +1.6% / AFP

US – Dec: Import prices plunge on lower petroleum costs; -1.2% from -0.5% / R / WSJ

US – Week: Jobless claims rise; +7k to 284k / R / B / WSJ



MARKETS

Currencies – Dollar’s ascent enters autopilot mode FT *

Currencies – Devaluations by Asian Tigers Could Hinder Global Growth NYT

Currencies – Rash of devaluations turns spotlight on Nigeria and the Gulf FT *

Currencies – Rand has lost 30% of its value WSJ

Currencies – Year’s Worst-Hit Currencies Recover B *

Currencies – Yuan Falls Sharply in Offshore Market WSJ *

Currencies – Renminbi borrowing rate plunges in HK FT *

Currencies – Behind Yuan’s Tiny Drop, Indications of True Crisis Lurk B *

Currencies – The renminbi should keep falling FT *

Currencies – Bets Against Yuan Face Rocky Road WSJ

Currencies – Weakness Has a Smaller Effect on Exports WSJ *



ECONOMICS

Japan – Years of falling prices have scarred the economy FT *

Japan – Foreigners Get It Wrong on Stocks B * *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

BOJ – What Happens When Japan Runs Out of Bonds to Buy? WSJ *



FINANCE

Japan – Banks Step Up Foreign M&A Lending WSJ *



REAL ESTATE

Japan – Tokyo property: bargain basement FT



LABOR & EDUCATION

Japan – Profits Surge, but Not Wages WSJ *

Japan – ‘Off-message Abe needs to get back on track’ FT *



SERVICES

MANUFACTURING

TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

COMMODITIES

Cocoa – Prices Off to a Bad Start in 2016 WSJ

Cocoa – 2015’s Best Commodity Could Turn Into This Year’s Nightmare B *

Cocoa – Price Fall Coincides With Ramp Up in LatAm Supply B *

Cocoa – Chocolate Makers Fight a Melting Supply WSJ * * *



ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Oil – US crude dips below $30 FT / WSJ * *

Oil – $20 Doesn’t Sound So Crazy Anymore B *

Oil – Crude at $10 Already a Reality for Oil Sands / b *

Oil – The Real Price Is Far Lower B *

Oil – Delayed projects total nears $400b FT / FT * * *

Oil – China Drinks Up Crude Then Spits It Out WSJ *

Oil – Market’s Last Bastion of Strength Is Now Crashing B *

Oil – Could Saudi Aramco Be Worth 20 Times Exxon? WSJ / FT * * *

Oil – Saudi Aramco: Bigger Oil, Bigger Trouble WSJ *

Oil – Aramco IPO could mark the end of the post-war order E * *



HEALTH

ENDNOTE

The Best and Worst States for Powerball Winners B *



Today’s Issue Cluster: US Real Estate

US – 93% of Counties Haven’t Recovered From Recession
Retail – Macy’s Woes Cast Shadow Over Other Mall Retailers
NatGas – Tugboats Left Useless by Shale Boom Have Job to Do



MAJOR DATA POINTS

China – Dec: Exports fall less than forecast; -1.4% from -6.8% / R / WSJ / AP / b *

EZ – Nov: Industrial production falls; -0.7%, +1.1% yr / eu *



MARKETS

US – A Bad-News Stock Barometer Flashes Red WSJ *

US – Bond yields sound warning on economy FT *



ECONOMICS

US – 93% of Counties Haven’t Recovered From Recession wsj *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

FINANCE

US – Big five investment banks hurt by China and oil FT *

US – There is less competition among banks than first meets the eye E *

US – Your Bank Is Going to Pay More for Your Savings Soon WSJ *



REAL ESTATE

US – The Return of the Affordable Starter Home B *

US – Apartment Rents Leap at Fastest Pace Since Crisis WSJ *

US – How to Profit From Rising Rents: Build Apartments WSJ *

US – Reis Apartment Vacancy Rate Increases / cr *

US – Reis Mall Vacancy Rate Declined / cr *



LABOR & EDUCATION

US – Retail using tech to meet higher demand with fewer workers WSJ



SERVICES

Retail – Holiday Sales Rise, but Not All Stores Are Cheery WSJ * *

Retail – Stores grapple with online rise and ways to fill quiet aisles FT * *

Retail – Macy’s Woes Cast Shadow Over Other Mall Retailers B *



MANUFACTURING

Planes – Airbus: Outsells Boeing WSJ / AP *

Planes – Airbus: Shrugs off China concerns R *

Planes – Boeing: Delivers Record Number of Commercial Jets WSJ / FT / R

Planes – A380: Airbus Wins All Nippon B

Planes – A350: Airbus pledges to increase output of new wide-body jet FT

Planes – A320: Strongly outselling rival 737 FT / B *



TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

COMMODITIES

Sugar – ‘New US diet rules would take 20% bite out of use’ R / AP / WSJ *

Sugar – Sudan Arises as Hub WSJ

Honey – EPA Says Insecticide May Pose Risk to Bees WSJ



ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

NatGas – Cheniere Energy’s shipment turns US into exporter FT * * *

NatGas – Tugboats Left Useless by Shale Boom Have Job to Do B * *



HEALTH

ENDNOTE

Most Popular Bank by State motw *



Today’s Issue Cluster: China Markets

China – Challenge getting poor to buy vacant homes
Ship – Yards Vanish as China Loses Appetite for Ore
Oil – China Demand Showing Signs of Cracking



MAJOR DATA POINTS

US – Dec: JOLTS openings just shy of estimates; 5.431m from 5.349m / sa



MARKETS

China – Official: Bets Against Yuan Are ‘Ridiculous and Impossible’ WSJ

China – Did Beijing Change the Way It Fixes the Yuan? WSJ *

China – Faces currency issues beyond US dollar FT

China – Opens new front in war on speculators FT *

China – ‘Intervention by Beijing Is Worsening Market Woes’ WSJ *

China – Renminbi remains firm against basket FT * *

China – Two renminbi rates converge FT / WSJ *

China – ‘Murderous’ Yuan Rate Jolts HK Currency Hub B

China – Market Illness Has Gotten More Contagious WSJ *

China – U-turn stokes circuit breaker debate FT *

China – Doubts are raised over party-state’s financial management FT **

China – Asian markets ensnared by turmoil FT *



ECONOMICS

China – Era of Easy Choices Is Over WSJ *

China – Backed by their government, companies splash out abroad N *

HK – Retail Slows as Mainland Tourists Stay Away WSJ *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

Taiwan – China looms large as political pendulum swings N *



MONETARY POLICY

FINANCE

China – Banks feel the heat of meltdown FT

China – Claims it has a ‘stable and healthy’ financial system FT *



REAL ESTATE

China – Challenge getting poor to buy vacant homes R



LABOR & EDUCATION

China – Police arrest activists in campaign against unrest FT *



SERVICES

Gaming – Macau Casinos End Dismal Year on Low Note WSJ / NYT *

Gaming – Macau GDP falls 24% in third quarter / t *

Gaming – Macau Fortunes Hit 5-Year Low, Lead on Vegas Narrows B * *

Gaming – Why Odds Are Long for Macau Recovery WSJ *

Gaming – Rising debt and slowdown in EMs are a bad combination FT *



MANUFACTURING

Ship – Yards Vanish as China Loses Appetite for Ore B * *



TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Ship – Owners rocked by sinking charter rate FT / FT / FT *

Ship – US Port Traffic Grew at Slowest Rate Since Recession in 2015 WSJ



COMMODITIES

Commods – China Hunger Wanes, and Pain Spreads Among Producers NYT



ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Oil – China Demand Showing Signs of Cracking B *

Oil – Plunge Sparks Bankruptcy Concerns WSJ *



HEALTH

H5N6 – Chinese woman dies of bird flu, another woman critical AP

H1N1 – Flu virus kills 14 in Costa Rica AP



ENDNOTE

Bowie’s new album heads to #1 / r *



Today’s Issue Cluster: US Labor

Insurance – Bracing for the Self-Driving Future and Fewer Accidents
Travel – Cruise Industry’s Big Three Could Steam to 20% Gains
Crops – Unwanted Piles of Corn, Soy Spur Most-Bearish Outlook Ever



MAJOR DATA POINTS

China – Dec: CPI muted; 1.6% from 1.5% / FT / WSJ / R

US – Nov: Consumer Borrowing Rises at Slowest Pace in 10 Months; +$14.0b from +$15.6b B *



MARKETS

EMs – Cutting a Path Through Turmoil WSJ *



ECONOMICS

EMs – Coming under ‘even more pressure’ FT * * * *

EMs – A world without an engine N * *

EMs – Demographic dynamics reshaping emerging Asia N *

World – World Bank Cuts Growth Forecasts B * *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

Fed – Robust Job Gains Should Reassure Officials to Continue Increases WSJ / R

Fed – Dilemma: Jobs vs. China WSJ *

Fed – Fed to raise rates again in March: Reuters poll / R *

Fed – Probability of March Fed Rate Hike Declines / b *



FINANCE

Insurance – Insurers Find Tracking Devices Are a Tough Sell WSJ * *

Insurance – Bracing for the Self-Driving Future and Fewer Accidents NYT

Insurance – Natural catastrophe losses total $90b in 2015: Munich Re AFP *



REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

US – Jobs growth defies global pressures FT

US – How Much Slack Is Left in the Labor Market B * *

US – Payrolls in 2015 slower than 2014 / r *

US – Lower Jobless Claims Don’t Point to Robust Labor Market WSJ * *

US – Lincoln’s sub-3% jobless rate keeps companies on hunt for talent WSJ *

US – Job Growth Seen as Anemic as Workforce Ages WSJ

US – Im­mig­rants make up 17% of the work­force NJ *

US – A Rising Share of Working Women Have Full-Time Jobs wsj *

US – Digital advances uneven across economy FT *

US – ‘As the Gig Economy Changes Work, So Should Rules’ WSJ *



SERVICES

MANUFACTURING

TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Travel – Cruise Industry’s Big Three Could Steam to 20% Gains Bn *

Travel – Global ocean cruise passengers / ft *

Travel – US Hotels: 2015 is Best Year on Record / cr *



COMMODITIES

Crops – Unwanted Piles of Corn, Soy Spur Most-Bearish Outlook Ever B * *

Crops – Reforms drive Argentine grain export revival FT * * *



ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

ENDNOTE

The book really is better than the movie wapo *



Today’s Issue Cluster: Streaming

Germany – DAX Hurt More Than Others by China’s Swoon
Mobiles – Samsung Q4 guidance underscores headwinds
Insurance – Obama Administration Optimistic About Goal



MAJOR DATA POINTS

US – Dec: Jobs growth beats estimates; +292k from +252k (was +211k) / FT / WSJ / NYT / R / B / cr *

US – Nov: Weak wholesale inventories point to slower growth; -0.3% from -0.3% / R



MARKETS

China – Flip-Flops on Stock Crash Rule and Adds to Chaos B / FT

China – Why Beijing Shifted on Yuan, and How It Backfired WSJ *

China – Stocks Gain as State Funds Buy B *

China – Steps up capital controls to stem outflows FT *

China – Rout scythes $2.3t off world stock markets FT



ECONOMICS

Germany – DAX Hurt More Than Others by China’s Swoon WSJ

Germany – US and EU pulling exports; China now a drag / t *

Germany – A particularly high portion trade is with EMs / bi *

Germany – Weak hard data at odds with upbeat PMIs b *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

FINANCE

EU – Investment banks capitalise on rivals’ retrenchments FT * *

EU – Banks Still Play Catch-Up on Capital WSJ *

EU – Banks weigh up cost of keeping staff in London FT *



REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

SERVICES

Media – Netflix launches in 130 new markets FT / WSJ / R / NYT / B / map * *

Media – New on Netflix’s 2016 Agenda: Making Real Money B *

Media – T-Mobile Executives Defend Video-Streaming Service WSJ

Media – The Year Wall Street Cut the Cord B *

Media – Pandora Stock Could Fall 20% or More Bn



MANUFACTURING

TECH

Mobiles – Apple Scales Back Orders for Its iPhones WSJ / R *

Mobiles – Apple’s App Sales Hit $20b; Signs of Slower Growth WSJ / R

Mobiles – Apple Shares Fall Below $100 WSJ / R *

Mobiles – Samsung Q4 guidance underscores headwinds R / WSJ / NYT

Mobiles – Huawei Eyes US Smartphone Market WSJ

Mobiles – Fitbit launches latest smartwatch FT / WSJ / FT / FT * *



TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

COMMODITIES

Commods – Rout Forces Resource Firms to Cut Further WSJ *

Commods – Industry wrongfooted by slump FT *



ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

Insurance – Obama Administration Optimistic About Goal NYT

Insurance – Young Adult Health Sign-Ups Disappoint WSJ *

Insurance – GOP Health Plans Are Works in Progress WSJ



ENDNOTE

Name of Stalin spelled with buildings in Skarysko-Kamienna, Poland? motw *



Today’s Issue Cluster: China Markets

Autos – Electric: Can’t Take the Cold
Telecoms – NYC Unveils Its First Super-Fast WiFi Kiosks
Zika – US Becomes More Vulnerable to Tropical Diseases



MAJOR DATA POINTS

EZ – Nov: Unemployment falls to lowest level in four years; 10.5% from 10.6% / AFP / eu *

EZ – Nov: Retail trade down; -0.3%, +1.4% yr / eu *

US – Week: Jobless claims fall; -10k to 277k / R / WSJ / AP



MARKETS

China – Trading Called Off for Second Time This Week WSJ / FT / NYT / B * *

China – Shortest Day Will Prolong the Pain WSJ *

China – Controlling Markets Has Become a No-Win Game for Beijing WSJ *

China – Terrible Start to 2016 Has Beijing Fighting Fires B / B *

China – Uncertainty Over Stock-Selling Ban Clouds Markets WSJ *

China – Market Interventions Postpone Grim Reality wsj *

China – Market meltdown a tale of policy mis-steps ft *

China – Investors Get Door to US WSJ *

China – Gap between renminbi rates widens to record FT / WSJ / B *

China – Loses Its Grip on the Yuan WSJ / FT *

China – Yuan poses communication challenge FT *

China – Yuan Still Faces a Long Road to Global Prominence B * * *

China – Depreciating yuan making it harder to get reading on economy WSJ



ECONOMICS

POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

Fed – Minutes Concerned About Low Inflation WSJ / FT / NYT / R / AP / B *

Fed – Poised to Look a Bit More Divided WSJ



FINANCE

REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

SERVICES

MANUFACTURING

Autos – Electric: GM Unveils Chevy Bolt Model WSJ / FT / NYT

Autos – Electric: Tesla Ramps Up Hiring as Rivals Loom WSJ / at / WSJ

Autos – Electric: Tesla Won’t Get a Charge Out of This Car WSJ *

Autos – Electric: Faraday Unveils Amped-Up ‘Concept’ Car WSJ / FT *

Autos – Electric: Ford to spend $4.5b FT

Autos – Electric: Can’t Take the Cold BW *



TECH

Telecoms – New York City Unveils Its First Super-Fast WiFi Kiosks B / FT *

Telecoms – Orange Engages Bouygues in Merger Talks WSJ *



TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Uber – No-Holds-Barred Expansion Strategy Fizzles in Germany NYT / WSJ

Lyft – GM Invests $500m WSJ / FT / NYT / R / B / FT *



COMMODITIES

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

Zika – Alarm Spreads in Brazil Over a Virus NYT / WSJ

Zika – US Becomes More Vulnerable to Tropical Diseases NYT *



ENDNOTE

Landscape Artist Beats Your Snow Angel artnet * * *



Today’s Issue Cluster: Autos

World – Biggest Economies Face $7t Debt Refinancing Tab in 2016
World – Half a Million Bank Jobs Have Vanished Since 2008
AVs – Accident rates are twice as high as for regular vehicles



MAJOR DATA POINTS

EZ – Dec: Markit PMI hits 4.5-year high; 54.3 from 54.2 / m *

US – Dec: Markit PMI at 12-month low; 54.0 from 55.9 / m *

US – Dec: ISM Non-Manufacturing Index Falls; 55.3 from 55.9 / WSJ

US – Nov: Factory orders dipped; -0.2% from +1.3% / AP

US – Dec: Private Payrolls Better Than Expected; +257k from +211k / WSJ / B / R

US – Nov: Trade gap narrowed 5%; exports fell, -0.9%, imports fell more, -1.7% / WSJ / R / AP / cr *



MARKETS

World – Biggest Economies Face $7t Debt Refinancing Tab in 2016 B *

World – EMs Save $2.8t War Chest B *

World – The Worst May Be Over for EM Capital Outflows B *



ECONOMICS

POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

World – Central Banks’ Shock Therapy Has Investors on Edge WSJ *

World – Divergence Between Fed, Other Central Banks WSJ *



FINANCE

World – Half a Million Bank Jobs Have Vanished Since 2008 B *



REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

SERVICES

MANUFACTURING

Autos – US: Industry scores 2015 sales record FT / WSJ / NYT / R *

Autos – US: Big SUVs Fuel Production Boom WSJ

Autos – US: Younger Buyers Help Keep Sales Humming WSJ *

Autos – US: Sales Explode in an Ever-Changing Market NYT *

Autos – US: Industry Looks for Bumper Year in 2016 WSJ / WSJ *

Autos – US: Leasing is unspoken sales driver B * *

Autos – US: Jeep Boosting Sales to Car-Rental Firms WSJ *

Autos – China: Surge drives global car sales to record high FT * * * *

Autos – China: Price Matters More Than Volume WSJ *

Autos – China: Volvo aims high with its second premium model FT *

Autos – Asean: Hits two-speed car market FT **

Autos – RVs: More Hit the Road, but They Are the Cheaper Models WSJ *

Autos – Tech: Makers Losing Battle for Dashboard Apps WSJ *

Autos – VW: US lawsuit brings it back down to earth with a bump FT * * *

Autos – VW: Schedules pit stop for 11m cars FT * * *

Autos – VW: A grey November FT / AP / FT / FT *

Autos – VW: Cheating affects fewer cars R / AP / WSJ / FT / NYT

Autos – VW: Kept Earlier Emissions Issue From Regulator WSJ *

Autos – VW: Tries to get a grip after emissions scandal FT * *

Autos – VW: Dealers Suffer WSJ *

Autos – VW: Could kill US diesel market, Continental says R



TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Avs – Driverless Cars Steal the Show WSJ

AVs – Toyota snubs Apple and Google on car tech FT / R / NYT / FT

AVs – Accident rates are twice as high as for regular vehicles B

AVs – Ford in Talks with Google WSJ *



COMMODITIES

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

ENDNOTE

World City Populations 1950-2030 bm *



Today’s Issue Cluster: Oil & Middle East

Gulf – Saudi Arabia-Iran row spreads
US – Banks hit by cheap oil
Ship – In World With Too Much Crude Oil, 1,100-Foot Steel Monsters Rule



MAJOR DATA POINTS

EZ – Dec: Inflation holds steady at low rate; 0.2% / AP / B / eu *



MARKETS

Currencies – Riyal peg looms as talking point for 2016 FT *



ECONOMICS

Gulf – Saudis and Iran in Worst Clash Since 1980s B / FT / WSJ *

Gulf – Saudi Arabia-Iran row spreads B / CNN *

Gulf – The perils of relying on the sticky stuff E * *

Gulf – IMF warns on growth FT *

Gulf – Gloom descends as oil price slump hits economy FT

Gulf – Mideast Bankers Find Desert Is No Oasis WSJ *

Saudi Arabia – Unprecedented Subsidy Cuts B / FT / NYT *

Saudi Arabia – To tap global bond markets as oil fall hits finances FT * *

Saudi Arabia – Consumers Are Still Spending B * *

Saudi Arabia – No gain without pain FT / FT * *

UAE – Drops fuel subsidies to boost finances FT *

Dubai – The nuclear deal’s other winner E *

Qatar – World Cup woes add to business jitters FT * *

Iran – Hopes to raise hundreds of billions of dollars WSJ *

Iran – Businesses feel the squeeze as Tehran tightens up on tax FT * *

Iran – Eyes Iraq trade decades after war FT * *

Iran – End of sanctions offers new outlook, says central bank chief FT *

Iran – The removal of sanctions will be good, but also disruptive E *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

FINANCE

US – Banks hit by cheap oil FT

US – Banks Bet on Energy Comeback WSJ *



REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

SERVICES

MANUFACTURING

TECH

TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Ship – In World With Too Much Crude Oil, 1,100-Foot Steel Monsters Rule B * *



COMMODITIES

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Oil – Slides to 11-Year Low as Producers Seen Worsening Glut B *

Oil – Not Even OPEC Can Fix Glut WSJ *

Oil – Russian Output Hits Post-Soviet Record B * *

Oil – Peace in Libya Is Signaling More Pain in the Market B *

Oil – Guyana Discovery May Be 12 Times Larger Than Economy B *

Oil – Dreaming of energy security, India pumps desert crude AFP

Oil – US’s Producing States Battered B *

Oil – Companies brace for a grim 2016 FT *

Oil – Companies Gird for Weaker Prices in 2016 WSJ / FT *

Oil – Companies Keep Wells in Reserve NYT *

Oil – From Glut to Shortage? Some Say It Could Happen WSJ *

Oil – What Could Drive the Price Up WSJ *

HEALTH

ENDNOTE

Iran Has Been Hiding One of the World’s Great Collections of Modern Art B *
Bacon triptych worth an estimated $75m



Today’s Issue Cluster: India

Online – Surge Means Many Not-So-Happy Returns for Retailers
2016 – Looks like a breakthrough year for Google Fiber
Floods – Choking Everything From Oil to Wheat in US



MAJOR DATA POINTS

Japan – Dec: Final Markit manufacturing PMI steady; 52.6 / R

SK – Dec: Exports Fall for a 12th Month; -13.8% not -11.7% / B

China – Dec: Markit PMI shrank for a 10th month; 48.2 from 48.6 / R / WSJ

China – Dec: Official PMI shrinks for fifth month; 49.7 from 49.6 / FT / WSJ / B / AP

US – Dec: ISM lowest since Jun’09; 48.2 from 48.6 / bi

US – Dec: Markit lowest since Oct’12; 51.2 from 51.3 / m

US – Nov: Construction spending falls; -0.4% from +0.3% / R



MARKETS

India – When Analysts Make Predictions, Don’t Bank on Accuracy WSJ *



ECONOMICS

India – Economic Growth Accelerates WSJ

India – RBI contradicts government on impact of Chinese slowdown TOI

India – Flush Startups Face Shortage of Skilled Workers WSJ *

India – The “new China”? B * *

India – Investors see the next solar power FT * *

India – Energy demand / E *

India – Bollywood Tries to Induce Payment for Video NYT

India – Bollywood ballyhoo N * *



POLITICS & FISCAL POLICY

MONETARY POLICY

RBI – Rajan’s next challenge: Winning over moms and pensioners B * *



FINANCE

REAL ESTATE

LABOR & EDUCATION

SERVICES

Online – Bumper holiday season sends Amazon soaring FT / NYT *

Online – Amazon Investors Emboldened by 3 Million New Prime Members B *

Online – Surge Means Many Not-So-Happy Returns for Retailers B *

Online – Mexican E-Commerce Grows, but Requires Some Coaxing WSJ *



MANUFACTURING

TECH

2016 – Apart from a few stocks, the US markets are in a slump FT *

2016 – Listings fall as tech groups opt to stay private FT * * *

2016 – Innovators gear up for CES and search for gadget to drive sales FT * *

2016 – Looks like a breakthrough year for Google Fiber bgr / mf *

2016 – Adobe, Microsoft, Red Hat Aim For Cloud Makeovers IBD

2016 – China Likely Faces Tougher Sledding WSJ *



TRADE & TRANSPORTATION

Delivery – Christmas woes for FedEx amid ecommerce surge FT

Delivery – Third time’s a charm for UPS at Christmas, but FedEx stumbles R / WSJ

Delivery – Trucker Teams Drive to the Rescue of Online Shipping WSJ

Delivery – Regulators Weigh Satellite Tracking for Drones WSJ *



COMMODITIES

El Niño – From Cattle to Coffee, Farmers Weather Worst WSJ



ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Floods – Choking Everything From Oil to Wheat in US B / R / WSJ / AP / B / R *



HEALTH

ENDNOTE

US Blizzard Warnings, 2005-2014 motw *