Asian stock markets fall in the wake of Wall Street

Michel Barnier’s government, conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, business news, stock markets… Follow the news of this Monday, September 9, 2024 in the news feed.

> The main news this Monday

7:40 a.m. – ZEVENT, the charity marathon for streamers, raises more than 10 million euros

The 8th edition of ZEVENT, the largest online charity event in France, ended yesterday with a prize pool of 10,145,881 euros for five associations fighting against poverty. Launched by a concert at the Zénith in Montpellier on Thursday evening, the marathon organized by French streamer ZeratoR and his right-hand man Alexandre Dachary began on Friday at 6 p.m., broadcast on the Twitch platform.

7:21 a.m. – United States: Republican report criticizes withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021

Republicans yesterday released a highly critical report on the 2021 US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, implemented by Democratic President Joe Biden, who brought a chaotic end to the longest war waged by the United States.

In the document, written by Republican members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the authors say Biden has “failed to limit the foreseeable consequences” of the withdrawal decided by the previous Trump administration. The Taliban, in power in Afghanistan, seized the capital Kabul on August 15, 2021, after the collapse of the U.S.-backed government.

7:19 a.m. – Spanish Prime Minister calls for “dialogue” and “cooperation” with Beijing

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for “dialogue” and “cooperation” with China, despite trade tensions between Beijing and the European Union, on the first day of his visit to the Asian giant. Opening the China-Spain Economic Forum in Beijing, the socialist leader praised the “strong ties” between the two countries.

“Even on issues where our positions are not exactly the same, we maintain a constructive desire for dialogue and cooperation,” he said, according to a video shared on his X social network account.

7:15 a.m. – Football: DAZN will launch a temporary promotion on its Ligue 1 subscription on Tuesday

British streaming platform DAZN, which has been heavily criticized for the price of its Ligue 1 subscription, will launch a promotion tomorrow, valid from September 10 to 22, lowering the price of its annual subscription from 29.99 to 19.99 euros per month, the boss of DAZN France announced to AFP.

“Regarding the monthly offer (without commitment, Editor’s note) which is 39.99 euros, the first two months will be 19.99 euros. So 50% off on the first two months,” said Brice Daumin, CEO of DAZN France. The British platform acquired the TV broadcasting rights for eight L1 matches per day at the beginning of July for an average of 400 million euros per season.

7:11 a.m. – China: inflation rises in August, to its highest level in six months

Inflation in China rose in August to its highest level in six months, official figures showed today, as an economic recovery has been hampered by weak consumption.

The consumer price index (CPI), the main gauge of inflation, was +0.6% over a year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), against +0.5% the previous month. This figure is the highest since February but remains below the expectations of analysts surveyed by the Bloomberg agency (+0.7%).

7:06 a.m. – Antitrust: the United States attacks Google’s advertising empire

Google faces its second major U.S. trial in less than a year today, with the U.S. government accusing the tech giant of dominating online advertising and stifling competition. The trial in a Virginia court follows a landmark search trial last month that found Google has an illegal monopoly in the sector.

7:02 a.m. – Blinken endorses Venezuelan opposition candidate who fled to Spain

US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken yesterday gave his support to Venezuelan opposition candidate for the July presidential election, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who has arrived in Spain, which will grant him asylum.

“The United States strongly condemns (Nicolas) Maduro’s decision to use repression and intimidation to cling to power through brute force rather than concede defeat at the ballot box,” Blinken was quoted as saying in a statement. “Over the past six weeks, Mr. Maduro has unjustly arrested nearly two thousand Venezuelans, used censorship, and intimidation to cling to power,” he said.

7am – At least seven dead in Israeli strikes on central Syria

At least seven people, including three Syrian civilians, were killed last night in Israeli strikes targeting military sites in central Syria, including a scientific research center, an NGO said. Since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes targeting President Bashar Al Assad’s army and pro-Iranian groups based there and supporting him.

“The death toll in the Israeli strikes on the Masyaf area has risen to seven, namely three civilians, including a man and his son who were in a car, and four unidentified soldiers,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which is based in the United Kingdom but has a wide network of sources in the war-torn country. The attack, which injured 15 others, also destroyed military buildings and centers in the area housing scientific research centers near Masyaf.

6:58 a.m. – Japan: GDP growth revised downwards in second quarter

Japan’s second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth was revised down to +0.7% from +0.8%, according to a second government estimate released today. Analysts had expected a 0.8% increase, after a 0.6% decline in the first quarter.

Household consumption continued to weigh down the GDP calculation in the second quarter, as it had done in the first. After an increase in April (+0.5%), the first in 14 months, it started to decline again in May (-1.8%) and June (-1.4%).

6:55 a.m. – The Pope is expected in East Timor, the third stop on his Asia-Pacific tour.

Pope Francis is expected today in Dili, the capital of East Timor, a predominantly Catholic country bordering Indonesia, for a historic three-day visit that is already generating extraordinary fervor. The country, which saw the arrival of Catholicism by missionaries in the 16th century, will experience its first papal visit since its independence in 2002, with the main highlight being an XXL mass that is expected to bring together a gigantic crowd of 700,000 faithful.

6:52 a.m. – Algeria: Macron sends his “warmest congratulations” to Tebboune for his re-election

French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday sent his “warmest congratulations” to outgoing Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on his re-election, stressing the “exceptional relationship” that unites the two countries despite recurring crises.

“On the regional and international scene, dialogue between our two countries is essential, particularly in the context of Algeria’s presence on the United Nations Security Council,” the Elysée added in a statement.

6:47 a.m. – Tokyo Stock Exchange: Nikkei falls by more than 3% at opening, following Wall Street

The Tokyo Stock Exchange opened sharply lower this morning in the wake of Wall Street, with the Nikkei falling more than 3% in early trading, after the publication of poor US employment figures. The leading index in the Japanese capital fell 3.02% to 35,292.70 points in early trading, while the broader Topix index lost 2.67% to 2,528.14 points.

6:44 a.m. – More than 10% of French women smoked throughout their pregnancy, according to a study

More than 10% of women smoked throughout their pregnancy, a proportion that has been stable for several years, and around 7%, fewer than before, consumed alcohol, according to a new study published by Santé publique France. It is recommended in France not to consume alcohol and not to smoke during pregnancy, to avoid serious potential consequences on the health of the mother and that of the unborn child.

6:41 AM – Eiffel’s descendants want Olympic rings to be transferred to Los Angeles by the end of 2024

The descendants of Gustave Eiffel, opposed to keeping the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower until at least 2028, as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wishes, have proposed that the city could “symbolically transmit” them to Los Angeles by the end of 2024.

In a press release, the Association of Descendants of Gustave Eiffel (Adge) reaffirms its “unfavorable position” on the “definitive perpetuation of the rings (…) beyond the Olympic year 2024, without any clear date for their removal announced.”

6:36 – Venezuelan opposition candidate in Spain, where he has requested asylum

Venezuelan opposition candidate for the July presidential election, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, arrived yesterday in Spain, which will grant him asylum, the Spanish Foreign Ministry announced. “I am convinced that in the near future we will continue the fight for freedom and the restoration of democracy in Venezuela,” he said in an audio message transmitted upon his arrival in Madrid.

6:30 a.m. – Couche-Tard wants to reconnect with Seven & i for 7-Eleven

Couche-Tard intends to renew its interest in acquiring 7-Eleven from Japanese group Seven & i Holdings, the operator of the convenience store chain, Bloomberg reported yesterday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The Canadian retailer plans to write to Seven & i Holdings in the coming days and has not ruled out presenting its offer directly to shareholders, the news agency said. Couche-Tard and Seven & i did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Seven & i said last month it had received a preliminary offer from Couche-Tard. A new proposal could reflect the Canadian group’s willingness to improve its initial offer if Seven & i agrees to friendly negotiations, Bloomberg reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.