Trump rolls the dice on recovery as stimulus talks break down

Linda J. Dodson

The stimulus talks stalled on the size of the package. The gap between Trump’s “very generous offer” of a $1.6 trillion package and the Democrats’ $2.4 trillion proposal was too large for the president to stomach.  The Democrats’ version contained a new stimulus cheque, an extension of higher benefits for unemployed workers, […]

Walmart enters talks to buy TikTok with Microsoft

Linda J. Dodson

Walmart, America’s biggest retailer by revenues, has struggled to match Amazon’s growth in internet shopping but is making a renewed push into online retail, hastened by the pandemic. While not a natural steward of TikTok, whose key audience is smartphone-wielding teenagers and young adults, the company is believed to see the […]

Indonesia holds talks with US to lure companies from China

Linda J. Dodson

JAKARTA — Indonesia is in talks with the U.S. government over the possible relocation of American companies operating in China to the archipelago, as businesses and governments worldwide look at ways to diversify production in response to supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus. Luhut Panjaitan, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for […]

Nissan in talks to move Renault production to the UK

Linda J. Dodson

A flagship Nissan plant in Sunderland could be used to make Renault vehicles as part of a deal between the two car-making behemoths – boosting to the fortunes of thousands of British workers. The two companies – which operate under global strategic alliance – have opened talks to transfer production of the […]

US and China offer different takes on resumed trade talks

Linda J. Dodson

BEIJING/WASHINGTON — U.S. and Chinese officials emerged from trade talks Friday citing different expectations of the outcome as the two countries work to carry out their phase one deal. The telephone conference, the first official bilateral trade talks since the coronavirus pandemic was declared, comes as Washington blames China directly for the spread of […]