An Empire Built on Paper Looks to Benefit From Trump's Trade War
Industries
Consumer
Suzano's buying spree, including a Kimberly-Clark deal, shows how executives in Latin America's largest economy can work through fraught geopolitics.
Its biggest buyer is China. Its biggest prospects are in the US. Its biggest acquisition in nearly a decade is focused on Europe. Brazilian pulp and paper giant Suzano SA is going global as it navigates trade tensions between geopolitical heavyweights.
The company harvests raw materials from its eucalyptus groves that go into making everything from books to toilet paper, and claims to play a role in the lives of 2 billion people worldwide. Its executives say they have a plan to navigate this tumultuous time in global commerce, one that could provide a playbook for other companies looking not only to survive but to profit.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq edge higher as US and China reboot trade talks
US stocks edged higher on Monday as investors looked to renewed US-China trade talks for signs either side is willing to dial down tensions and reach a tariff deal. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.2% after the benchmark edged above 6,000 to notch its highest close since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) was roughly flat, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) drifted up 0.5%. The focus is on high-level US-China trade talks that began in London on Monday, after a phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi last week. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs The stakes are high amid warnings that tariff barriers will harm economies worldwide — the US in particular. Investors are looking for a revival of the momentum shown in the Geneva pact in mid-May. Relations have soured since then, with the US and China accusing each other of not keeping to the trade truce and ratcheting up pressures in other areas. For now, markets appear to have shaken off the volatility that has plagued markets following Trump's early-April tariff hikes. Stocks ended last week on a high note, as encouraging jobs data helped ease fears of a recession fueled by his policy overhaul. The economic highlight this week is May US consumer inflation print due on Friday, with the wholesale inflation report ushering it in on Thursday. On the corporate front, Apple (AAPL) kicks off its big annual WWDC developers conference on Monday. Wall Street is watching for more insight into the company's AI plans, though not on the lines of last year's splashy announcements. Meanwhile, investors are keeping a wary eye on escalating tensions in Los Angeles after Trump sent in the National Guard to deal with anti-deportation protests. Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian reports: Tesla (TSLA) stock recovered from early session losses to start a big week for the automaker, with its highly anticipated robotaxi test set to begin on June 12 in Austin, Texas. The stock movement comes after the fallout between CEO Elon Musk and President Trump, which does not show any signs of improving, at least for now. Last week, Tesla stock tumbled nearly 15% and saw more than $150 billion in market cap erased after Musk slammed Trump's GOP-backed spending bill, prompting fiery responses from the president and raising concerns over the political risk now tied to the EV maker due to the actions of its chief exec. While Trump allayed some concerns over his relationship with Musk on Friday, over the weekend the President told NBC News he had "no intention" of speaking to Musk in the near future. Read more here. Shares of International Business Machines (IBM) hit all-time highs on Monday, surpassing a market cap of $250 billion for the first time in the company's history. IBM stock is up more than 23% year to date as recent acquisitions have helped the company, once known for computer mainframes, enter the high-growth software and services space. Over the past year, the stock is up roughly 60%. New data from the New York Fed suggests Americans are gaining confidence in the labor market, even as broad uncertainty around trade policy, interest rates, and other unknowns clouds the economic outlook. According to the New York Fed's May 2025 Survey of Consumer Expectations, the perceived chance that the US unemployment rate will rise over the next year fell by 3.3 percentage points to 40.8%. It's a notable drop as the labor force remains mostly stable. But the figure still sits above the 12-month average of 37.7%, suggesting caution hasn't disappeared entirely. Consumers are also feeling a bit more secure in their own roles. The perceived likelihood of losing a job over the next year fell to 14.8%, the lowest level since early this year. At the same time, the expected quit rate, or the probability of voluntarily leaving one's job, nudged slightly higher to 18.3%. Inflation expectations also cooled in May, mirroring the improved outlook in the labor market, just ahead of this Wednesday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Tesla (TSLA) recovered from a 4% drop on Monday, following two analyst downgrades after CEO Elon Musk's public feud with President Trump. Baird has downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral, citing excessive optimism surrounding the company's Robotaxi rollout, fading EV tax credits, and the public clash between Musk and Trump, which sent the stock reeling last week. Argus Research also lowered its recommendation to Hold, pointing out the political fallout from Musk's war of words with Trump. The company is reportedly planning to launch its latest robotaxi on Thursday, June 12. Circle's stock (CRCL) surged for a third day in a row on Monday following its blockbuster IPO last week. Shares of the stablecoin issuer gained more than 15% to trade near $122 per share, raising the company's market cap to roughly $24 billion. The move follows gains on Thursday and Friday, when the stock rose as much as 200% shortly after its long-anticipated public market debut. Stocks edged higher on Monday amid hopes that US-China trade talks will ease tariff tensions and eventually lead to a permanent deal between the two leading economies. The S&P 500 (GSPC) rose to just above the flat line, after the broad benchmark closed on Friday at its highest level since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) edged 0.2% higher. High-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington began in London on Monday. This follows a phone call between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week. Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off in Cupertino, Calif., today. While investors may get another taste of artificial intelligence features, including AI-powered Siri, Apple isn't expected to deliver any big announcements. The company will likely showcase new features and designs for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. There's always a chance it will debut a new piece of hardware too. Apple (AAPL) stock rose 0.5% in premarket trading ahead of the event. Read our tech editor's preview of everything to expect from Apple WWDC 2025. Robinhood (HOOD) stock slipped 4% after it didn't make it into the benchmark S&P 500 index as some speculated it might. S&P Dow Jones Indices did not make any changes to S&P 500 membership as part of its quarterly rebalancing. Reuters reports: Read more here. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) rose more than 6% in premarket trading on Monday after the media company said it would split into two companies. Warner Bros. will separate its studios and streaming business, which includes HBO Max, and its cable television networks, including CNN. The split is expected to be completed by mid-2026. Reuters reports: Read more here. Economic data: New York Fed one-year inflation expectations (May); Wholesale trade sales month-over-month (April) Earnings: Casey's (CASY) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: All eyes on AI as Apple takes the stage for WWDC A quieter summer is coming for stocks: Wall Street experts Hopes for US-China thaw as trade talks resume Senate GOP to lay out major revisions to Trump's tax bill Resilient economy to limit summer pullback in stocks: MS, Goldman Meta is set to throw billions at startup that leads in AI data China exports to US fall by most since 2020 despite tariff truce Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Robinhood (HOOD) stock fell 5% before the bell on Monday after the S&P Dow Jones Indices made no changes to the S&P 500 in its quarterly rebalancing. Tesla (TSLA) stock also dropped on Monday in premarket trading after CEO Elon Musk criticized President Trump's tax bill. Strategy (MSTR) stock rose on Monday by 2%. A SEC filing revealed the company had purchased 705 bitcoin during the period of May 26 to June 1 at an aggregate purchase price of $75.1M. Wall Street strategists are growing optimistic about US stocks, with forecasters at Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs Group (GS) the latest to suggest resilient economic growth would limit any pullback over the summer. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian reports: Tesla (TSLA) stock recovered from early session losses to start a big week for the automaker, with its highly anticipated robotaxi test set to begin on June 12 in Austin, Texas. The stock movement comes after the fallout between CEO Elon Musk and President Trump, which does not show any signs of improving, at least for now. Last week, Tesla stock tumbled nearly 15% and saw more than $150 billion in market cap erased after Musk slammed Trump's GOP-backed spending bill, prompting fiery responses from the president and raising concerns over the political risk now tied to the EV maker due to the actions of its chief exec. While Trump allayed some concerns over his relationship with Musk on Friday, over the weekend the President told NBC News he had "no intention" of speaking to Musk in the near future. Read more here. Shares of International Business Machines (IBM) hit all-time highs on Monday, surpassing a market cap of $250 billion for the first time in the company's history. IBM stock is up more than 23% year to date as recent acquisitions have helped the company, once known for computer mainframes, enter the high-growth software and services space. Over the past year, the stock is up roughly 60%. New data from the New York Fed suggests Americans are gaining confidence in the labor market, even as broad uncertainty around trade policy, interest rates, and other unknowns clouds the economic outlook. According to the New York Fed's May 2025 Survey of Consumer Expectations, the perceived chance that the US unemployment rate will rise over the next year fell by 3.3 percentage points to 40.8%. It's a notable drop as the labor force remains mostly stable. But the figure still sits above the 12-month average of 37.7%, suggesting caution hasn't disappeared entirely. Consumers are also feeling a bit more secure in their own roles. The perceived likelihood of losing a job over the next year fell to 14.8%, the lowest level since early this year. At the same time, the expected quit rate, or the probability of voluntarily leaving one's job, nudged slightly higher to 18.3%. Inflation expectations also cooled in May, mirroring the improved outlook in the labor market, just ahead of this Wednesday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Tesla (TSLA) recovered from a 4% drop on Monday, following two analyst downgrades after CEO Elon Musk's public feud with President Trump. Baird has downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral, citing excessive optimism surrounding the company's Robotaxi rollout, fading EV tax credits, and the public clash between Musk and Trump, which sent the stock reeling last week. Argus Research also lowered its recommendation to Hold, pointing out the political fallout from Musk's war of words with Trump. The company is reportedly planning to launch its latest robotaxi on Thursday, June 12. Circle's stock (CRCL) surged for a third day in a row on Monday following its blockbuster IPO last week. Shares of the stablecoin issuer gained more than 15% to trade near $122 per share, raising the company's market cap to roughly $24 billion. The move follows gains on Thursday and Friday, when the stock rose as much as 200% shortly after its long-anticipated public market debut. Stocks edged higher on Monday amid hopes that US-China trade talks will ease tariff tensions and eventually lead to a permanent deal between the two leading economies. The S&P 500 (GSPC) rose to just above the flat line, after the broad benchmark closed on Friday at its highest level since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) edged 0.2% higher. High-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington began in London on Monday. This follows a phone call between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week. Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off in Cupertino, Calif., today. While investors may get another taste of artificial intelligence features, including AI-powered Siri, Apple isn't expected to deliver any big announcements. The company will likely showcase new features and designs for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. There's always a chance it will debut a new piece of hardware too. Apple (AAPL) stock rose 0.5% in premarket trading ahead of the event. Read our tech editor's preview of everything to expect from Apple WWDC 2025. Robinhood (HOOD) stock slipped 4% after it didn't make it into the benchmark S&P 500 index as some speculated it might. S&P Dow Jones Indices did not make any changes to S&P 500 membership as part of its quarterly rebalancing. Reuters reports: Read more here. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) rose more than 6% in premarket trading on Monday after the media company said it would split into two companies. Warner Bros. will separate its studios and streaming business, which includes HBO Max, and its cable television networks, including CNN. The split is expected to be completed by mid-2026. Reuters reports: Read more here. Economic data: New York Fed one-year inflation expectations (May); Wholesale trade sales month-over-month (April) Earnings: Casey's (CASY) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: All eyes on AI as Apple takes the stage for WWDC A quieter summer is coming for stocks: Wall Street experts Hopes for US-China thaw as trade talks resume Senate GOP to lay out major revisions to Trump's tax bill Resilient economy to limit summer pullback in stocks: MS, Goldman Meta is set to throw billions at startup that leads in AI data China exports to US fall by most since 2020 despite tariff truce Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Robinhood (HOOD) stock fell 5% before the bell on Monday after the S&P Dow Jones Indices made no changes to the S&P 500 in its quarterly rebalancing. Tesla (TSLA) stock also dropped on Monday in premarket trading after CEO Elon Musk criticized President Trump's tax bill. Strategy (MSTR) stock rose on Monday by 2%. A SEC filing revealed the company had purchased 705 bitcoin during the period of May 26 to June 1 at an aggregate purchase price of $75.1M. Wall Street strategists are growing optimistic about US stocks, with forecasters at Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs Group (GS) the latest to suggest resilient economic growth would limit any pullback over the summer. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
The Secret, And Future, To BYD's Success? EVP Stella Li Sums It Up
Executive Vice-President of Chinese electric and hybrid automotive manufacturer BYD, Stella Li. ... More Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images The future of cars depends on appealing to younger buyers; the future of business depends on growing a company's markets, both domestic and international. It's that junction where Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD, is leading the company to unprecedented success as the electric car maker conquers new markets around the globe. Li, who recently earned an unprecedented award as the first female World Car Awards Person of the Year for 2025, sat with us to share her insights into both the strategy of BYD and the appeal that drives customer demand. BYD's designs are 'very trendy, and very stylish,' Li said, but it's the modern computer-like function that consumers want most. The company found that Chinese buyers, many of whom are purchasing their first car, want all the functions they find in their computers and phones, such as voice activation and multifunction features. The ability to ask the car to perform basic tasks, to be able to play a video game or stream a show when not driving and to use the car as a power source is hugely appealing and something that buyers gravitate to. But so are interior comforts and nicely finished cabins that cater to driver and passenger comfort. And it's a strategy that works. BYD's designs, and cute model names like Dolphin, Seal and Seagull, are not only appealing, but they resonate with car buyers by offering familiar features and quality that makes these often lower-priced cars not feel frugal. MUNICH, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 5: Visitors look at an BYD Han electric car of Chinese car brand BYD at ... More the IAA Mobility 2023 international motor show Li is credited with BYD's expansion into international markets and with leading the brand's off-shore manufacturing strategy. While the company maintains a mega factory in Zhengzhou, China and has a sizable export business, the company's future is local, Li told us. 'In the future it's no longer exporting' cars, Li said. BYD will be a local company in the markets where it sells cars. To become truly local around the world, the company has or will build factories in Brazil, Hungary, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Mexico. The photo taken on January 10, 2024 shows electric cars for export waiting to be loaded on the "BYD ... More Explorer NO.1." BYD's recent price reductions in China of about 30% rattled local markets there and caused a selloff of BYD stock. Still, the company's bargain priced entry-level EVs, which which sell for about $8,000 USD to about $14,000 USD in China, deliver strong appeal in foreign markets: they are affordable, comfy and easy to drive, though it's worth noting that BYD's prices in China don't translate directly in all markets; once tariffs, regulatory improvements and required safety features are added prices can differ greatly. Still, with governments around the world cracking down on carbon emissions, the all-electric range of about 200 miles has appeal, allowing BYD to get a foothold in new markets where inexpensive and efficient cars may not be as accessible. PRODUCTION - 06 December 2024, Berlin: A driver sits in a BYD Atto 3 car in the BYD store on ... More Budapester Strasse and turns the touchscreen in the cockpit. As an independent business with ties to the Chinese government but not state-owned, BYD is an agile and prolific producer of technology. When 'BYD started, it was a battery company,' Li said. But quickly, the company branched out into trucks, busses and cars to optimize both its own business and needs of Chinese buyers. Now, the company, which sold its first car just 20 years ago, is known for innovating super fast charging, a novel battery design and employing more than a million people including 120,000 research and development engineers. This agility is attributed to BYD's independence; as a public company it is not state-owned, though it has close ties to and oversight by the Chinese government. Still, with the autonomy to branch out and develop the products and systems that resonate in the marketplace, BYD can build and sell cars in countries that are receptive to its business. Visitors inspect a BYD Seagull car during the 45th Bangkok International Motor Show In addition to Li's Person of the Year award, BYD's Seagull/Dolphin Mini EV was the recipient of the 2025 World Urban Car award, the first Chinese car brand to win on the global stage. The award reflects Li's strategy of building and selling the company's EVs around the world. Even though China leads the world in sheer numbers of cars sold, most sales are limited to China and not accessible to awards juries outside the country. Not so for BYD, which for the first time saw journalists around the world test driving its models for award consideration. And the award confirms what Li told us: the strategy of combining future-forward technology and trendy, modern design is a winning equation and the secret to BYD's success.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
China has a valuable card to play as it holds trade talks with the US today
Source: CNN A new round of trade negotiations between the United States and China has started in London, with both sides trying to preserve a fragile truce brokered last month. The fresh talks were announced last week after a long-anticipated phone call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which appeared to ease tensions that erupted over the past month following a surprise agreement in Geneva. In May, the two sides agreed to drastically roll back tariffs on each other's goods for an initial 90-day period. The mood was upbeat. However, sentiment soured quickly over two major sticking points: China's control over so-called rare earths minerals and its access to semiconductor technology originating from the US. Beijing's exports of rare earths and their related magnets are expected to take center stage Monday at the London meeting. A person familiar with the matter told CNN the US-China talks were underway. China's official news agency Xinhua also reported the start of the discussions. Experts say Beijing is unlikely to give up its strategic grip over the essential minerals, which are needed in a wide range of electronics, vehicles and defense systems. 'China's control over rare earth supply has become a calibrated yet assertive tool for strategic influence,' Robin Xing, Morgan Stanley's chief China economist, wrote in a Monday research note. 'Its near-monopoly of the supply chain means rare earths will remain a significant bargaining chip in trade negotiations.' Since the talks in Geneva, Trump has accused Beijing of effectively blocking the export of rare earths, announcing additional chip curbs and threatening to revoke the US visas of Chinese students. The moves have provoked backlash from China, which views Washington's decisions as reneging on its trade promises. All eyes will be on whether both sides can come to a consensus in London on issues of fundamental importance. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier He Lifeng. On Saturday, Beijing appeared to send conciliatory signals. A spokesperson for China's Commerce Ministry, which oversees the export controls, said it had 'approved a certain number of compliant applications.' 'China is willing to further enhance communication and dialogue with relevant countries regarding export controls to facilitate compliant trade,' the spokesperson said. Kevin Hassett, head of the National Economic Council at the White House, told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday that the US side would be looking to restore the flow of rare earth minerals. 'Those exports of critical minerals have been getting released at a rate that is higher than it was, but not as high as we believe we agreed to in Geneva,' he said, adding that he is 'very comfortable' with a trade deal being made after the talks. On Monday morning in an interview with CNBC, Hassett said: 'This was a very significant sticking point, because China controls… something like 90% of the rare earths and the magnets. And if they're slow rolling, sending those to us because of some licensing deal that they set up, then it could potentially disrupt production for some US companies that rely on those things.' 'And there are enough of those, like, for example, auto companies, that President Trump took it very seriously, called President Xi and said, we got to we got to get this stuff coming out faster. And President Xi agreed,' he added. In April, as tit-for-tat trade tension between the two countries escalated, China imposed a new licensing regime on seven rare earth minerals and several magnets, requiring exporters to seek approvals for each shipment and submit documentation to verify the intended end use of these materials. Following the trade truce negotiated in Geneva, the Trump administration expected China to lift restrictions on those minerals. But Beijing's apparent slow-walking of approvals triggered deep frustration within the White House, CNN reported last month. Rare earths are a group of 17 elements that are more abundant than gold and can be found in many countries, including the US. But they're difficult, costly and environmentally polluting to extract and process. China controls 90% of global rare earth processing. Experts say it's possible that Beijing may seek to use its leverage over rare earths to get Washington to ease its own export controls aimed at blocking China's access to advanced US semiconductors and related technologies. The American Chamber of Commerce in China said on Friday that some Chinese suppliers of American companies have received six-month export licenses. Reuters, citing two sources, also reported that suppliers of major American carmakers – including General Motors, Ford and Jeep-maker Stellantis – were granted temporary export licenses for a period of up to six months. While China may step up the pace of license approvals to cool the diplomatic temperature, global access to Chinese rare earth minerals will likely remain more restricted than it was before April, according to a Friday research note by Leah Fahy, a China economist and other experts at Capital Economics, a London-based consultancy. 'Beijing had become more assertive in its use of export controls as tools to protect and cement its global position in strategic sectors, even before Trump hiked China tariffs this year,' the note said. As China tackles a tariff war with the US head on, it's clear that the disruptions are continuing to cause economic pain at home. Trade and price data released Monday painted a gloomy picture for the country's export-reliant economy. Its overall overseas shipments rose by just 4.8% in May, compared to the same month a year earlier, according to data released by China's General Administration of Customs. It was a sharp slowdown from the 8.1% recorded in April, and lower than the estimate of 5.0% export growth from a Reuters poll of economists. Its exports to the US suffered a steep decline of 34.5%. The sharp monthly fall widened from a 21% drop in April and came despite the trade truce announced on May 12 that brought American tariffs on Chinese goods down from 145% to 30%. Still, Lü Daliang, a spokesperson for the customs department, talked up China's economic strength, telling the state-run media Xinhua that China's goods trade has demonstrated 'resilience in the face of external challenges.' Meanwhile, deflationary pressures continue to stalk the world's second-largest economy, according to data released separately on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). In May, China's Consumer Price Index (CPI), a benchmark for measuring inflation, dropped 0.1% compared to the same month last year. Factory-gate deflation, measured by the Producer Price Index (PPI), worsened with a 3.3% decrease in May from a year earlier. Last month's drop marks the sharpest year-on-year contraction in 22 months, according to NBS data. Dong Lijuan, chief statistician at the NBS, attributed the decline in producer prices, which measures the average change in prices received by producers of goods and services, to a drop in global oil and gas prices, as well as the decrease in prices for coal and other raw materials due to low cyclical demand. The high base of last year was cited as another reason for the decline, Dong said in a statement. See Full Web Article
