Nationalism, a deep network of local patronage and a promise to safeguard Thailand ’s faltering economy catapulted Anutin Charnvirakul back into the prime minister’s office. By his own admission, the win exceeded expectations. His Bhumjaithai Party secured 193 of the 500 parliamentary seats, according to early unofficial tallies late on Monday – “even more than I asked for”, Anutin told reporters ...
Nationalism, a deep network of local patronage and a promise to safeguard Thailand ’s faltering economy catapulted Anutin Charnvirakul back into the prime minister’s office. By his own admission, the win exceeded expectations. His Bhumjaithai Party secured 193 of the 500 parliamentary seats, according to early unofficial tallies late on Monday – “even more than I asked for”, Anutin told reporters – albeit from what looks likely to be one of Thailand’s lowest voter turnouts in decades. Analysts say Sunday’s election marks a sharp rightward shift for Thailand after a quarter-century of pro-democracy forces winning at the ballot box. Advertisement The reformist People’s Party, which won the popular vote in 2023, slid to a distant second with a projected 118 seats, positioning it as the main opposition in a parliament that now leans decisively conservative. Indeed, the result points to “an electoral right-wing turn” consolidating conservative control, according to Paul Chambers, a political scientist at Singapore’s ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Thailand’s conservative Bhumjaithai Party poised to win Thai elections Thailand’s conservative Bhumjaithai Party poised to win Thai elections
Tesla CEO Elon Musk famously spent hundreds of millions of dollars to help Donald Trump win a second term as president of the United States. His help didn't stop there. Musk turned his social media platform into an engine for Trump's online movement, playing yet another key role in his victory. Not ...
Tesla CEO Elon Musk famously spent hundreds of millions of dollars to help Donald Trump win a second term as president of the United States. His help didn't stop there. Musk turned his social media platform into an engine for Trump's online movement, playing yet another key role in his victory. Not ...
Asian stocks extended their rally to a fresh record as a rebound in US technology shares gathered pace, easing pressure on markets after worries over outsized spending on artificial intelligence. Amundi Investment Institute Senior Investment Strategist for Asia Aidan Yao shares his views on the factors driving the trends. (Source: Bloomberg)
Asian stocks extended their rally to a fresh record as a rebound in US technology shares gathered pace, easing pressure on markets after worries over outsized spending on artificial intelligence. Amundi Investment Institute Senior Investment Strategist for Asia Aidan Yao shares his views on the factors driving the trends. (Source: Bloomberg)
Images of mobile devices at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu, on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. I-Hwa Cheng | Bloomberg | Getty Images Taiwan has told Washington that its proposal to move 40% of the island's semiconductor supply chain to the U.S. was "impossible" to execute, the country's top tariff trade negotiator said in an interview. Speaking on a loca...
Images of mobile devices at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu, on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. I-Hwa Cheng | Bloomberg | Getty Images Taiwan has told Washington that its proposal to move 40% of the island's semiconductor supply chain to the U.S. was "impossible" to execute, the country's top tariff trade negotiator said in an interview. Speaking on a local television broadcast Sunday, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun said she had made it clear to Washington that the country's semiconductor ecosystem, built up over decades, could not simply be relocated. The comments push back against onshoring targets outlined by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a CNBC interview in January, shortly after the latest U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement. Under the deal , the Taiwanese government promised $250 billion in direct investments by its tech companies, with an additional $250 billion in credit provided for them to expand their production capacity in the U.S. In return, Taiwanese companies were promised higher quotas for tariff-free exports of their chips to the U.S. According to Lutnick, Taiwan-based chip companies that don't build in the U.S are likely to face a 100% tariff. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world's leading contract chipmaker and producer of the most advanced semiconductors, has already been working to better align with U.S. policy interests. The company has committed more than $65 billion to U.S. manufacturing in recent years, with plans to expand that to $165 billion, as it produces chips for American clients Apple and Nvidia. The investments leverage grants under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. Semiconductor analysts broadly agree with Cheng's assessment that Washington's most ambitious onshoring plans are unfeasible, citing the difficulties of relocating such an advanced supply chain. Analysts and industry officials point to Taiwan's deeply integrated semiconductor ecosystem, U.S. labor shortages and elevate...
WendellandCarolyn/iStock via Getty Images Today, I would like to explain why I believe that the First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF ( AFMC ) is only a Hold despite its quite an ebullient start to 2026. The key points of concern that drive my skepticism are its rather soft total returns delivered since inception in 2019 compared to those of the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF ( IVV ), accompanied by the...
WendellandCarolyn/iStock via Getty Images Today, I would like to explain why I believe that the First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF ( AFMC ) is only a Hold despite its quite an ebullient start to 2026. The key points of concern that drive my skepticism are its rather soft total returns delivered since inception in 2019 compared to those of the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF ( IVV ), accompanied by the downside capture ratio of 114.26%. Other factors that contribute to my decision to initiate coverage with the said rating are its rather burdensome expense ratio of 68 bps and a few issues on the liquidity front . On the positive side, I should acknowledge that the AFMC portfolio is offering a surprising GARP tilt compared to both IVV and the iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF ( IJH ), plus rather decent quality characteristics (by the mid-cap equity universe standards). Additionally, AFMC has outperformed IJH since inception, capturing just 97.39% of its downside, which is a nice result. Besides, it has beaten the Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF ( FLQM ), its passively managed peer. So, these facts make AFMC an ETF worth shortlisting, though not qualifying for a Buy rating. AFMC Strategy And Portfolio What is the core idea of AFMC? As I would prefer to put it, it offers a multifactor take on mid-cap names, with capital appreciation being the goal. More specifically, as we know from the summary prospectus available on the First Trust website , AFMC ...is actively managed primarily relying on a multi-factor quantitative methodology with active risk management to construct a portfolio of securities exhibiting exposures to one or more investing factors. The multi-factor quantitative methodology currently used by the Fund may take into account the following factors: (i) value; (ii) momentum; (iii) quality; and (iv) low volatility. From its turnover of 52% , we can deduce that the fund adjusts its positioning comparatively frequently to respond to the changing market cond...
Cambodia continues to work with China, the US and Britain on the case of Chen Zhi, the billionaire businessman accused of masterminding a vast network that scammed billions from victims around the world, according to a government minister in Phnom Penh. “We are collaborating with the US, China and also the UK,” said Chhay Sinarith, a senior minister who is also in charge of the country’s Committee...
Cambodia continues to work with China, the US and Britain on the case of Chen Zhi, the billionaire businessman accused of masterminding a vast network that scammed billions from victims around the world, according to a government minister in Phnom Penh. “We are collaborating with the US, China and also the UK,” said Chhay Sinarith, a senior minister who is also in charge of the country’s Committee for Combating Technology Crimes, in an interview with the South China Morning Post on Monday. Chen, who held multiple citizenships including Cambodia, was deported to China last month. Advertisement His extradition, which Cambodian authorities said followed months of cooperation between the two governments, attracted widespread attention because he was indicted in the United States in October and had also been sanctioned by both the US and Britain. US law enforcement has seized about US$15 billion worth of bitcoin allegedly belonging to Chen in what FBI director Kash Patel described as “one of the largest financial fraud takedowns in history”. 02:22 Over 1,400 Indonesians seek embassy help to leave Cambodia after scam centre closures Over 1,400 Indonesians seek embassy help to leave Cambodia after scam centre closures A number of governments across Asia, including Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, have seized assets or detained individuals related to Chen’s conglomerate, Prince Holding Group.
"Bloomberg: The Asia Trade" brings you everything you need to know to get ahead as the trading day begins in Asia. Bloomberg TV is live from Tokyo and Singapore with Shery Ahn and Avril Hong, getting insight and analysis from newsmakers and industry leaders on the biggest stories shaping global markets. (Source: Bloomberg)
"Bloomberg: The Asia Trade" brings you everything you need to know to get ahead as the trading day begins in Asia. Bloomberg TV is live from Tokyo and Singapore with Shery Ahn and Avril Hong, getting insight and analysis from newsmakers and industry leaders on the biggest stories shaping global markets. (Source: Bloomberg)