
US Treasury chief says he expects Fed chair announcement by year's end
"We are putting together a very good list of candidates" to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell and another seat that will become vacant on the Fed board, Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.
Powell's term as chairman ends in May.
The Fed has faced steady and often aggressive pressure from President Donald Trump to cut rates. The president has said a large move down in rates is justified by a number of factors, but part of his critique centers on the elevated interest costs the government faces as it sells bonds to cover oceans of red ink.
"So there'll be two seats opening up. I'm putting together a list for president, chief of staff to review. We'll be interviewing people. So, you know, I would expect that we could have an announcement by the end of the year," he said.
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Reuters
18 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump announces $100 billion new investment pledge from Apple
WASHINGTON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab will invest an additional $100 billion in the United States, a move which will expand the company's domestic investment commitment and could help it sidestep potential tariffs on iPhones. The new pledge brings Apple's total investment commitment in the U.S. to $600 billion. Earlier this year, the company had announced it would invest $500 billion and hire 20,000 workers across the country over the next four years. The announcement centers on expanding Apple's supply chain and advanced manufacturing footprint in the U.S., but still falls short of Trump's demand that Apple begin making iPhones domestically. "Companies like Apple, they're coming home. They're all coming home," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, moments after Apple CEO Tim Cook gave him a U.S.-made souvenir with a 24-karat gold base. "This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in America also are made in America," Trump added. Asked if Apple could eventually build entire iPhones in the U.S., Cook noted that many components such as semiconductors, glass and Face ID modules are already made domestically, but said that final assembly will remain overseas "for a while." While the investment pledge is significant, analysts say the numbers align with Apple's typical spending patterns and echo commitments made during both the Biden administration and Trump's previous term. In May, Trump had threatened Apple with a 25% tariff on products manufactured overseas, a sharp reversal from earlier policy when his administration had exempted smartphones, computers and other electronics from rounds of tariffs on Chinese imports. Trump's effort to reshape global trade through tariffs cost Apple $800 million in the June quarter. "Today is a good step in the right direction for Apple, and it helps get on Trump's good side after what appears to be a tension-filled few months in the eyes of the Street between the White House and Apple," said Daniel Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities. Apple has a mixed track record when it comes to following through on investment promises. In 2019, for instance, Cook toured a Texas factory with Trump that was promoted as a new manufacturing site. But the facility had been producing Apple computers since 2013 and Apple has since moved that production to Thailand. Apple continues to manufacture most of its products, including iPhones and iPads, in Asia, primarily in China, although it has shifted some production to Vietnam, Thailand and India in recent years. Despite political pressure, analysts widely agree that building iPhones in the U.S. remains unrealistic due to labor costs and the complexity of the global supply chain. "The announcement is a savvy solution to the president's demand that Apple manufacture all iPhones in the U.S.," said Nancy Tengler, CEO and CIO of Laffer Tengler Investments, which holds Apple shares. Partners on Apple's latest U.S. investment effort include specialty glass maker Corning (GLW.N), opens new tab, semiconductor manufacturing equipment supplier Applied Materials (AMAT.O), opens new tab, and chipmakers Texas Instruments (TXN.O), opens new tab, GlobalFoundries (GFS.O), opens new tab, and Broadcom (AVGO.O), opens new tab. Apple shares closed up 5% on Wednesday. Shares of Corning rose nearly 4% in extended trading, while Applied Materials gained almost 2%.


Reuters
19 minutes ago
- Reuters
General Motors, Hyundai to develop five vehicles amid rising competition
Aug 6 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab and Hyundai Motor ( opens new tab on Wednesday outlined plans to develop five vehicles as they seek to lower costs amid growing competition from nimble Chinese rivals. Four of the vehicles — a compact SUV/car/ pickup, and a mid-size pickup — are targeted at Central and South American markets and will support both internal combustion and hybrid powertrains. At full production scale, the companies expect to roll out at least 800,000 vehicles annually. The partnership will help GM compete against rising Chinese players in the Latin American market, where the Detroit automaker has had a strong presence for decades. The two global automakers will also co-develop an electric commercial van for the North American market. Reuters in March reported that the two companies were nearing a deal to share two commercial electric vans. Global automakers face stiff competition from Chinese EV makers and a trade war impacting imports of crucial parts, including rare earth materials, which has pushed production costs higher. This is the first major partnership for vehicle development for Hyundai Motor. The deal would give GM access to hybrid technology it lacks, while enabling Hyundai to enter into new segments such as vans in North America and mid-sized pickups, Kim Sung-rae, an analyst at Hanwha Investment & Securities, said. The two companies did not say where the models will be produced. Hyundai, which has a factory in Alabama, said it will expand the production capacity of its new factory in Georgia. The company also has a factory in Brazil. GM's budding partnership with Hyundai follows an unwinding of several projects the Detroit automaker had pursued with Honda over the past decade. Notably, GM and Honda in 2023 scrapped a $5 billion plan to jointly develop affordable electric vehicles. Chinese automakers have released several high-tech, low-cost models, putting pressure on legacy automakers such as GM to slash expenses and streamline manufacturing processes. To compete with these rivals, many automakers have explored partnerships as a way to share development costs, especially for battery-powered models. Cutting costs is even more pressing as tariffs have added billions of dollars in expenses for automakers around the globe. The Hyundai-GM announcement comes after the United States and South Korea last week reached a trade agreement to charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea, including autos. This is among several deals between a South Korean company and a U.S. firm announced in recent weeks, following Samsung Electronics' ( opens new tab chip deal with Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab and Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab, and LG Energy Solution's ( opens new tab battery deal with Tesla.


The Guardian
20 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Trump plans 100% tariffs on chips but spares companies ‘building in US'
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