Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Sharon Singleton
Investment
Former U.S. officials urge Congress to enhance Biden’s China investment order
WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) – A bipartisan group of former senior U.S. national security officials urged Congress on Wednesday to dedicate resources to President Joe Biden’s recent order restricting some outbound U.S. investment to China, calling it a top priority.
Twenty-one veteran officials – including former deputy national security advisor during the Trump administration Matt Pottinger, and Colin Kahl, who stepped down in July as undersecretary of defense for policy – sent a letter to congressional leaders, calling the order “a positive step in the overdue process of limiting adversaries’ access to American capital.”
“The United States must ensure that [China] and other foreign adversaries aren’t able to use our financial dynamism and openness against us in ways that continue to threaten our national security and prosperity,” they wrote in the letter seen by Reuters, sent to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The further development of outbound investment transparency and review should be “among your top foreign policy priorities”, they wrote, calling it essential that Congress commit resources to implementation.
Biden’s order, issued last week but expected to be implemented next year, is aimed at preventing American capital and expertise from helping China develop technologies that could support its military modernization and undermine U.S. national security.
It authorizes the U.S. Treasury secretary to prohibit or restrict U.S. investments in Chinese entities in three sectors: semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies and certain artificial intelligence systems.
Peter Harrell, a former Biden National Security Council official, and former commanders of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Harry Harris and Philip Davidson, were among the other officials who endorsed the letter.
China has said it is “gravely concerned” by the order, though some U.S. lawmakers have criticized it as having too many loopholes.
Economy
S&P/TSX composite down more than 200 points, U.S. stock markets also fall
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Economy
S&P/TSX composite up more than 150 points, U.S. stock markets also higher
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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