Donald Trump plans to use Venezuela’s vast crude reserves to establish control of most of the western hemisphere’s oil in an attempt to drive the market price down to about $50 (£37) a barrel, according to reports.The US president has repeatedly raised the prospect of producing enough crude from Venezuela’s oilfields to drive down the US oil price from more than $56 a barrel today to about $50 in an effort to cut energy costs for consumers, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited senior Trump admi ...

Group 1: Executive Compensation and Shareholder Payouts - The US President plans to impose restrictions on executive compensation and shareholder payouts at military defense contractors, specifically capping executive pay at $5 million until delivery issues are resolved [2][4][7] - In fiscal year 2024, top executives at major defense firms received significant compensation, with Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics CEOs earning over $23.7 million each, RTX CEO over $18 million, and Northrop Grumman CEO over $24.3 million [4] Group 2: Military Budget and Spending - The military budget is proposed to increase to $1.5 trillion by 2027, building on a recent authorization of $901 billion for the current fiscal year [5][6] - The President emphasizes the need for a "Dream Military" to ensure national security, linking increased spending to the urgency of military equipment production [6] Group 3: Defense Contractors' Performance - The President criticized defense contractors for not delivering vital equipment quickly enough, stating that their focus on dividends and stock buybacks is detrimental to military readiness [2][4][7] - Raytheon, owned by RTX, has been specifically called out for being the least responsive to Pentagon needs and for prioritizing shareholder returns over military demands [7][8]

Donald Trump said his administration is moving to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes in a bid to reduce home prices.In a post on Truth Social, his social media platform, the US president said he will be asking Congress to codify the measure and will be discussing additional housing and affordability proposals in a speech at the Davos World Economic Forum.Trump capitalized on concerns around affordability during the 2024 presidential election campaign, pledging to rapidly reduc ...

Core Viewpoint - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has urged shareholders to reject a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, labeling it as "inadequate" amid a fierce corporate battle for control of the media conglomerate [1][4]. Group 1: Takeover Bid Details - Paramount Skydance's bid is characterized as the "largest LBO in history," which poses significant risks to WBD shareholders if the offer fails [5]. - The revised offer from Paramount includes a termination fee of $5.8 billion, which matches the breakup fee WBD would incur if it exits its $82.7 billion deal with Netflix [5]. Group 2: Financial Guarantees and Flexibility - Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, has provided a personal guarantee exceeding $40 billion to support Paramount's bid, addressing WBD's concerns regarding financial flexibility [2]. - WBD's board has expressed skepticism about Paramount's ability to complete the offer, citing insufficient value and uncertainty [4]. Group 3: Regulatory Scrutiny - Both the Netflix deal and Paramount's bid for WBD are anticipated to face significant regulatory scrutiny, with concerns raised by lawmakers and industry figures [6]. Group 4: Support for Netflix Deal - Co-CEOs of Netflix, Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, reaffirmed their support for the merger with WBD, emphasizing it as the superior proposal that would benefit stockholders and the broader entertainment industry [7]. - The merger is expected to combine complementary strengths and enhance storytelling opportunities for audiences [8].

US energy stocks rose on Monday, after Donald Trump promised to unlock Venezuela’s vast crude oil reserves following the US capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.Shares in Chevron, which already operates in Venezuela under a special licence provided by the Trump administration, were up 5% on Wall Street. Exxon Mobil was up 2.3%, while Halliburton, which provides products and services to the oil and gas sector, jumped 9.7%.Oil prices were also up on Monday, after recovering from a brief drop. Br ...

The Venezuelan oil industry has been “a total bust” for a long time, according to Donald Trump. After attacking Caracas and taking the country’s leader captive, Trump promised to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry with the help of America’s biggest oil companies.Venezuela’s beleaguered oil industry could “make a lot of money” with the might of the US behind it, Trump told the press, claiming that the new regime would invest billions to revive its fortunes.How much oil does Venezuela have?Venezuela is ...

Core Insights - BYD has overtaken Tesla as the world's largest electric carmaker in 2025, selling 2.26 million battery electric cars compared to Tesla's 1.63 million deliveries [1][11] - This shift signifies the rise of Chinese automotive companies in the global market, with BYD leading the charge alongside competitors like SAIC and Chery [2] Sales Performance - Tesla's sales declined by 9% in 2025 compared to 2024, with a total of 418,200 deliveries in the final quarter, falling short of analyst expectations [6][9] - BYD's overall car sales reached 4.55 million in 2025, although sales of plug-in hybrids decreased by 8% year-on-year to 2.29 million [12] Market Dynamics - The growth rate of electric car sales has slowed, prompting manufacturers to cut prices aggressively, while governments have rolled back targets for transitioning away from petrol vehicles [3] - Tesla's sales slump is attributed to the withdrawal of EV subsidies and emissions regulations under the Trump administration, as well as a backlash from consumers due to Musk's political stance [4][8] Competitive Landscape - Despite declining sales, Tesla remains the most valuable carmaker globally, with a market valuation of $1.4 trillion, surpassing the combined value of the next 30 car manufacturers [9] - BYD's sales of commercial vehicles, including electric buses and trucks, more than doubled to 57,000 units, indicating a diversification in its product offerings [12] - BYD has introduced advanced technology, such as the "God's Eye" feature, which is now available even on its lower-priced models, enhancing its competitive edge [10]

Poor sales have reportedly forced Apple to cut production of the Vision Pro headset that it had hoped would herald a new era in “spatial computing”.The tech company also reduced marketing for Vision Pro by more than 95% last year, according to the market intelligence group Sensor Tower in figures first reported by the Financial Times.Apple continues to sell iPhones, iPads and laptops in the millions each quarter, but analysts say sales of Vision Pro headsets, which cost at least £3,199 ($3,499) each, have b ...

Wall Street finished 2025 near record highs on Wednesday, as ballooning tech valuations and hopes of lower interest rates helped stock markets defy a year of economic uncertainty.The benchmark S&P 500 rose 16.4% over the course of the year, closing at 6,845.50 on New Year’s Eve in New York, as investors largely shrugged off geopolitical uncertainty and the frenzy around artificial intelligence continued.It fell 0.7% during Wednesday’s trading session. Other global indices had an even stronger year. In Londo ...

Core Viewpoint - Tesla has published lower-than-expected sales forecasts for 2025, indicating a potential decline in deliveries compared to previous targets set by CEO Elon Musk [1][2]. Group 1: Sales Forecasts - Tesla is expected to deliver 423,000 vehicles in Q4 2025, representing a 16% decline from Q4 2024 [1]. - Total deliveries for 2025 are estimated at 1.64 million, down from 1.79 million in 2024, with projections of 1.75 million in 2026 and 3 million in 2029 [2][7]. - The forecasts for 2025 and beyond are significantly lower than Musk's stated goal of producing 4 million cars annually by the end of 2027 [2][7]. Group 2: Market Valuation and Shareholder Sentiment - Tesla's market valuation stands at $1.4 trillion, surpassing the combined value of the next 30 car manufacturers, despite producing less than 20% of Toyota's output [3]. - Much of Tesla's high valuation is based on expectations that Musk will lead the company to dominate self-driving technology and robotics [4]. - Shareholder approval of a $1 trillion compensation plan for Musk is contingent on Tesla delivering 20 million cars, with 10 million requiring active subscriptions for its autonomous software [8]. Group 3: External Factors Impacting Sales - Tesla has faced challenges in sales partly due to consumer backlash against Musk's political affiliations [4]. - Musk's political donations and subsequent actions, including efforts to cut government spending, have influenced the regulatory environment for electric vehicles, impacting sales [5]. - Current estimates from Tesla are lower than those from investment banks, which forecasted 440,907 vehicle deliveries for Q4 2025 [6].