Fidelity European Values HY Net Return Rises

Fidelity European Values Plc. (FEV.L) reported that its net return on ordinary activities after taxation for the six months ended 30 June 2019 was 186.80 million pounds or 45.36 pence per share, compared to net return of 22.14 million pounds or 5.34 pence per share last year.

Net return on ordinary activities before finance costs and taxation was 188.39 million pounds, compared to net return of 23.66 million pounds in the prior year.

Gains on investments were 157.06 million pounds, compared to 3.551 million pounds last year.

China threatens countermeasures if Trump hikes tariffs

China’s government has threatened unspecified “necessary countermeasures” if Trump’s planned tariff hike goes ahead.

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The Commerce Ministry said Trump’s announcement is a violation of his agreement with President Xi Jinping in June to revive negotiations aimed at ending their fight over Beijing’s trade surplus and technology ambitions.

The ministry said if the U.S. measures took effect, “China will have to take necessary countermeasures to resolutely defend its core interests.”

The statement issued Friday continued, “All the consequences will be borne by the United States.”

Trump said Thursday he will impose 10% tariffs Sept. 1 on the remaining $300 billion in Chinese imports he hasn’t already taxed.

The president earlier imposed 25% tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese products. Beijing retaliated by raising import duties on $110 billion of U.S. goods.

South Korea to remove Japan from export 'white list': Finance Minister

SEOUL (AFP) – South Korea will remove Japan from its “white list” of trusted trading partners, Seoul’s finance minister said on Friday (Aug 2), reciprocating just hours after a similar move by Tokyo.

“We will continue making efforts to solve this issue diplomatically,” said Mr Hong Nam-ki, “but we will also remove Japan from our white list and go through a process to strengthen our export controls.”

Exclusive: Greek central bank recommends full lifting of capital controls

ATHENS (Reuters) – The Bank of Greece, the country’s central bank, has recommended to the government the full lifting of capital controls imposed by the country to prevent a cash flight in 2015.

A senior official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters the central bank is conducting an impact assessment of the move. Full easing of the controls was expected in September or October, the source added.

Lindsey Graham Gets His Own Taunting Russia-Themed Hashtag On Twitter

Move over #MoscowMitch.

The #LeningradLindsey hashtag exploded into life on Twitter late Thursday after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) helped push a controversial bill aimed at making it harder for migrants to apply for asylum on the U.S.-Mexico border through the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Democrats on the committee accused Graham, its chairman, of breaking the rules with the way in which he forced through the partisan bill, titled the Secure and Protect Act of 2019, which in any event is reportedly not expected to be passed by the full Senate.

People on Twitter used the Russian-themed hashtag featuring the Soviet-era name for St. Petersburg to accuse Graham of “breaking procedural code.” It was reportedly started by voiceover actor Tara Dublin:

The #MoscowMitch hashtag went viral last month after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blocked two election security bills, even though ex-special counsel Robert Mueller had warned during his congressional testimony that Russia continued to interfere in U.S. politics as it did during the 2016 presidential election.

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We All Know About Writer’s Block. What About Reader’s Block?

Grant Snider is a cartoonist and illustrator. His most recent picture book, “What Color Is the Night?,” will be published in November.

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Are Baby Boomers to blame for Generation Snowflake? | Is it ‘game over’ for conventional careers?

This week the panel debates whether the average person is being “priced out” of becoming an MP.

Also:

Are “Baby Boomers” to blame for the attitudes of “Generation Snowflake”?

Is Donald Trump right to reinstate the federal death penalty?

Should private schools be permanently excluded?

Is it game over for conventional careers?

Oil Prices Rebound After Plunge

Oil prices rose more than 2 percent on Friday after steep losses in the previous session as U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to slap a 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of Chinese imports from next month.

Trump also threatened to further raise tariffs if Chinese President Xi Jinping fails to move more quickly to strike a trade deal.

Benchmark Brent crude futures jumped nearly 2.7 percent to $62.14 per barrel after plunging more than 7 percent on Thursday, their steepest drop in more than three years.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 2.5 percent at $55.28 per barrel after giving up 8 percent the previous day, their biggest drop in more than four years.

The U.S.-China trade spat is only going to get worse as Beijing said it would not give an inch under pressure from Washington.

“If America does pass these tariffs then China will have to take the necessary countermeasures to protect the country’s core and fundamental interests,”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying was quoted as saying in Beijing.