Chinese Companies Set Their Sights on Brazil
As a result, some of China's biggest internet and e-commerce brands have set their sights on establishing themselves as household names in other parts of the world, like Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America.
Brazil has emerged as the most coveted prize. Latin America's largest economy, with a population of more than 200 million people, is a beacon for China's delivery and ride-hailing companies looking to export their ruthlessly low-cost business models. Chinese e-commerce giants also see promise in Brazil as they seek new buyers for a flood of products after tariffs and other restrictions in the United States shut off their biggest export market.
Meituan, China's largest food delivery company, said in May that it would spend $1 billion to set up operations in Brazil. Mixue, the Chinese tea and dessert company that has eclipsed McDonald's as the world's biggest fast food chain, said it would hire thousands there. TikTok Shop, facing scrutiny in the United States and Britain about its Chinese parent company, launched in Brazil in May.
'Chinese companies are finding it harder to grow domestically,' said Vey-Sern Ling, an equities adviser in Singapore at the private bank Union Bancaire Privée. 'Exports and overseas expansion is one way to support continued growth.'
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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Braskem S.A. (BAK): A Bull Case Theory
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Yahoo
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Building Scale in Gold: Equinox and Calibre Combine to Create Canadian Giant
1: Introduction: Equinox Gold is one of the most prolific Canadian mid-cap gold mining companies. As of the end of July 2025, Equinox Gold Corporation (EQX) has a market capitalization of approximately $6.4 billion, making it one of the more prominent mid-cap gold mining companies. This is the third mid-cap gold miner I have analyzed this month, following Eldorado Gold (NYSE:EGO) and Alamos Gold (NYSE:AGI). Warning! GuruFocus has detected 11 Warning Signs with EQX. Headquartered in Canada, Equinox Gold operates a diverse portfolio of assets primarily in North and South America, with a growing presence in Latin America. Equinox Gold shares similarities with Eldorado Gold and Alamos Gold, focusing on mining-friendly jurisdictions and committing to growth through disciplined capital deployment. In terms of production over the past 12 months, Equinox produced 655,458 gold ounces, which is slightly higher than the other two miners indicated above. 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The completion of the Calibre acquisition marks a significant milestone for Equinox Gold, strengthening its position as a larger and more diversified gold producer across the Americas. With flagship assets like the Greenstone Project and the soon-to-be fully operational Valentine Mine, Equinox is on track to become Canada's second-largest gold producer by the time Valentine reaches full production, which is anticipated in late 2025. This merger not only aims to expand the company's scale but also seeks to transform Equinox into a more resilient, balanced, and opportunity-rich enterprise for the long term. The merger aims to establish a more diversified gold producer, enhancing scale, cash flow, and financial flexibility to manage debt maturities and pursue growth opportunities. However, such a deal always has its share of issues, and investors should be cautious not to be overly optimistic. In summary, Equinox Gold's 1Q25 results reveal a company at a critical juncture. The combination of record production and rising gold prices drove exceptional revenue growth and cash flow, but operational disruptions and higher costs led to a wider net loss. Moving forward, the successful integration of Calibre's assets, continued ramp-up at Greenstone, and disciplined cost management will be key to turning its strong top-line momentum into sustainable profits and shareholder value. Furthermore, the indefinite suspension of Los Filos is also a major unexpected event for Equinox Gold, both operationally and strategically. As one of its higher-cost mines, Los Filos added volume but diluted margins. Its closure in April 2025 will likely improve the company's average cost profile but reduce overall production (Los Filos produced 31,518 ounces in 1Q25). The larger issue to consider here is the long-term implications: without community agreements, the asset risks becoming stranded, which would lock up a substantial portion of reserves and limit growth opportunities. In the short term, Equinox needs to rely more on its Greenstone, Mesquite, and newly acquired Calibre assets to maintain output. At the same time, rebuilding trust and engagement in Mexico will remain a critical challenge moving forward. 3: Gold Holds Strong Above $3,300 as Global Trust Fractures. Gold prices have stabilized around $3,322 per ounce after hitting a record high of $3,500.05 on April 22, 2025. Although the market has cooled slightly, the broader trend indicates significant structural changes in global investor surge in gold prices reflects more than just a shift toward safety; it indicates a profound erosion of trust in traditional financial and geopolitical anchors. Inflationary pressures remain elevated due to sustained fiscal expansion, supply chain disruptions, and increasing protectionist policies. At the same time, ongoing geopolitical tensions, especially the instability in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, continue to heighten global outlook for long-term U.S. government bonds is gradually declining. Real interest rates have fallen into negative territory, and there are growing concerns about the increasing federal debt, particularly in light of the recently enacted spending bill and escalating tariff disputes. These issues raise doubts about the future strength of the dollar. On the other hand, the market has been thriving and continues its upward trajectory without pause since the "liberation day" shock. This exuberant market behavior often signals the potential for a significant and prolonged correction, which could ultimately benefit gold as once viewed as anachronistic, is being redefined as a critical strategic asset in a world where fiat currencies are losing their credibility. With limited new mine supply and strong demand from central banks, gold's structural support appears robust. While short-term corrections are inevitable, the elevated price levels suggest that the revaluation of gold may signal not just a price spike, but a fundamental shift in the monetary current macroeconomic and geopolitical trends persist, a sustained price floor above $3,200 could become a lasting aspect of the new economic landscape. This likely scenario is very favorable for Equinox Gold and other gold miners, which have not. 4: Technical Analysis: Descending Channel Pattern. Note: Technical Analysis uses StockCharts as a chart background. Equinox Gold is forming an ascending triangle pattern, with resistance around $6.75 and support near $6.20. Although an ascending triangle is typically viewed as a bullish chart pattern, it also signal a potential bullish breakout, especially when selling pressure begins to wane. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently at 55 and rising, hinting at a possible retest of the $6.20 support level before either dropping back to lower support or rally again to $6.75 and eventually cross the may be wise to sell a portion of your shares when the stock price rises between $6.70 and $6.80. If the stock breaks out, the next support level will be at $7.10, at which point I recommend selling another part of your position. I believe that selling all of your shares is not the best option; therefore, it would be prudent to retain about 30% of your position for the longer term. Make sure to keep an eye on the volume, as it might indicate an upcoming reversal. Utilizing the LIFO (Last In, First Out) method to sell part of your position is crucial, especially if the stock demonstrates a false bullish breakout followed by a quick and prolonged retracement. For further details, please refer to the chart above. Conversely, increasing your position between $6.22 and $6.10 seems reasonable. If a breakdown occurs, the next support level is $5.80. Warning: The technical analysis chart should be updated regularly to ensure accuracy. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
CNN
13 hours ago
- CNN
Polls open in Bolivia's national elections that could end decades of socialist rule
After a lackluster campaign overshadowed by a looming economic collapse, Bolivians voted on Sunday for a new president and parliament in elections that could see a right-wing government elected for the first time in over two decades. The vote, which could spell the end of the Andean nation's long-dominant leftist party, is one of the most consequential for Bolivia in recent times - and one of the most unpredictable. In the run-up to Sunday, a remarkable 30% or so of voters remained undecided. Polls showed the two leading right-wing candidates, multimillionaire business owner Samuel Doria Medina and former President Jorge Fernando 'Tuto' Quiroga, locked in a virtual dead heat. Voting is mandatory in Bolivia, where some 7.9 million Bolivians are eligible to vote. 'I have rarely, if ever, seen a situational tinderbox with as many sparks ready to ignite,' said Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez, founding partner of Aurora Macro Strategies, a New York-based advisory firm. A right-wing victory isn't assured. Many longtime voters for the governing Movement Toward Socialism, or MAS, party, now shattered by infighting, live in rural areas and tend to be undercounted in polling. With the nation's worst economic crisis in four decades leaving Bolivians waiting hours in fuel lines, struggling to find subsidized bread and squeezed by double-digit inflation, the opposition candidates bill the race as a chance to alter the country's destiny. 'I have rarely, if ever, seen a situational tinderbox with as many sparks ready to ignite,' said Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez, founding partner of Aurora Macro Strategies, a New York-based advisory firm. The outcome will determine whether Bolivia — a nation of about 12 million people with the largest lithium reserves on Earth and crucial deposits of rare earth minerals — follows a growing trend in Latin America, where right-wing leaders like Argentina's libertarian Javier Milei, Ecuador's strongman Daniel Noboa and El Salvador's conservative populist Nayib Bukele have surged in popularity. A right-wing government in Bolivia could trigger a major geopolitical realignment for a country now allied with Venezuela's socialist-inspired government and world powers such as China, Russia and Iran. Doria Medina and Quiroga have praised the Trump administration and vowed to restore ties with the United States — ruptured in 2008 when charismatic, long-serving former President Evo Morales expelled the American ambassador. The front-runners also have expressed interest in doing business with Israel, which has no diplomatic relations with Bolivia, and called for foreign private companies to invest in the country and develop its rich natural resources. After storming to office in 2006 at the start of the commodities boom, Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous president, nationalized the nation's oil and gas industry, using the lush profits to reduce poverty, expand infrastructure and improve the lives of the rural poor. After three consecutive presidential terms, as well as a contentious bid for an unprecedented fourth in 2019 that set off popular unrest and led to his ouster, Morales has been barred from this race by Bolivia's constitutional court. His ally-turned-rival, President Luis Arce, withdrew his candidacy for the MAS on account of his plummeting popularity and nominated his senior minister, Eduardo del Castillo. As the party splintered, Andrónico Rodríguez, the 36-year-old president of the senate who hails from the same union of coca farmers as Morales, launched his bid. Rather than back the candidate widely considered his heir, Morales, holed up in his tropical stronghold and evading an arrest warrant on charges related to his relationship with a 15-year-old girl, has urged his supporters to deface their ballots or leave them blank. Voting is mandatory in Bolivia, where some 7.9 million Bolivians are eligible to vote. President Arce appealed to the population to reject Morales' calls, arguing that those spoiling their ballots were doing damage to democracy. 'We urge the population to go out and vote,' he said while casting his vote in Bolivia's capital of La Paz. 'We must demonstrate unity and commitment to democracy.' Doria Medina and Quiroga, familiar faces in Bolivian politics who both served in past neoliberal governments and have run for president three times before, are struggling to stir up interest as voter angst runs high. 'There's enthusiasm for change but no enthusiasm for the candidates,' said Eddy Abasto, 44, a Tupperware vendor in La Paz torn between voting for Doria Medina and Quiroga. 'It's always the same, those in power live happily spending the country's money, and we suffer.' Whoever wins faces daunting challenges. Doria Medina and Quiroga have warned of the need for a painful fiscal adjustment, including the elimination of Bolivia's generous food and fuel subsidies, to save the nation from insolvency. Some analysts caution this risks sparking social unrest. 'A victory for either right-wing candidate could have grave repercussions for Bolivia's Indigenous and impoverished communities,' said Kathryn Ledebur, director of the Andean Information Network, a Bolivian research group. 'Both candidates could bolster security forces and right-wing para-state groups, paving the way for violent crackdowns on protests expected to erupt over the foreign exploitation of lithium and drastic austerity measures.' All 130 seats in Bolivia's Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Parliament, are up for grabs, along with 36 in the Senate, the upper house. If, as is widely expected, no one receives more than 50% of the vote, or 40% of the vote with a lead of 10 percentage points, the top two candidates will compete in a runoff on Oct. 19 for the first time since Bolivia's 1982 return to democracy.
