Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline A group of Wisconsin voters filed a lawsuit in state court Tuesday against the “fake” electors who submitted alternate election results to Congress claiming former President Donald Trump won in 2020, the first such lawsuit filed against any state’s “fake electors” as the voters try to stop the scheme from happening again in the future. Key Facts The plaintiffs, which include several legitimate electors who elected President Joe Biden in Wisconsin’s Electoral College vote, sued 10 GOP electors who cast alternate votes for Trump, as well as two attorneys who aided their efforts. The lawsuit alleges the fake electors’ actions constituted a civil conspiracy and an illegal public nuisance, and were in violation of a law that makes it illegal to “usurp, intrude into or unlawfully hold or exercise any public office” in the state. The alternate electors met at the same time as the official ones and … [Read more...] about Wisconsin Voters Sue State’s ‘Fake Electors’ Who Fought 2020 Election Result
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Walmart Q1 FY2023 Earnings Report Preview
Key Takeaways Analysts estimate adjusted EPS of $1.48 vs. $1.69 in Q1 FY 2022. U.S. comparable sales (excluding fuel sales) are expected to rise YOY, but at less than half the pace of the same quarter a year ago. Revenue is expected to barely increase for the second straight quarter as the boost from the pandemic continues to wear off. Walmart Inc. ( WMT ), one of the world's biggest retailers, enjoyed unusually strong earnings and revenue growth during the past two years. The key driver was consumers who changed their buying patterns in several ways during the pandemic. Walmart's e-commerce sales soared as people sheltering at home boosted their shopping online. And consumers also spent more on manufactured goods as they spent less on dining out and traveling. But these pandemic-related forces are beginning to lose momentum. As a result, Walmart's growth has begun to slow sharply. Investors will be watching whether Walmart can reverse its slowdown in growth when … [Read more...] about Walmart Q1 FY2023 Earnings Report Preview
Serba Dinamik units seek restraining order, proposes ‘100% return’ scheme of arrangement
Serba Dinamik seeks restraining order against units, proposes '100% return' scheme of arrangement to creditors - A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Four subsidiaries of Serba Dinamik Holdings Bhd are seeking a restraining order and a leave to convene a creditors' meeting -- a move seen as to revive the troubled oil and gas group which is facing a winding up petition from its creditors. In a bourse filing on Wednesday (May 18), Serba Dinamik said its subsidiaries, namely Serba Dinamik Group Bhd (SDGB), Serba Dinamik Sdn Bhd (SDSB), Serba Dinamik Development Sdn Bhd and SD Controls Sdn Bhd, have filed an application for the two purposes on May 13. SDGB and SDSB are also among Serba Dinamik’s three subsidiaries, which together with the listed entity were slapped with winding-up petitions from six financial institutions for failing to service its RM1.2 billion syndicated term financing. The lenders are HSBC Amanah Malaysia Bhd, Ambank Islamic Bhd, Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, … [Read more...] about Serba Dinamik units seek restraining order, proposes ‘100% return’ scheme of arrangement
Asia’s SPAC Hopefuls Have Nowhere to Turn As IPO Market Shuts
- A + A (May 18): Asian sponsors of blank-check firms are facing a tough market for initial public offerings wherever they turn, as a combination of increasing regulatory scrutiny and fading investor demand shutters the window for new listings from the US to Asia. In the past three months, at least six Asia-related special purpose acquisition companies seeking a combined $1.3 billion from US IPOs have been scrapped, according to data provider SPAC Research. Of 12 blank-check firms that have filed to go public in Hong Kong, only one has actually started trading. It’s a similar pattern in Singapore, where SPACs have stalled after three inaugural IPOs in January. “The global IPO market has obviously been very quiet so far this year,” Paul Uren, JPMorgan Chase and Co.’s Asia Pacific head of investment banking, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “What we need to see for that to change is lower volatility and investors with more of a risk-on mentality.” Asia was … [Read more...] about Asia’s SPAC Hopefuls Have Nowhere to Turn As IPO Market Shuts
Goldman cuts China 2022 growth forecast to 4%
- A + A HONG KONG (May 18): Analysts at Goldman Sachs said on Wednesday they were lowering their China 2022 gross domestic product growth forecast to 4% from 4.5% as a result of Covid-19-related damage to the economy in the second quarter of this year. It was more likely China's economy would undershoot than overshoot their target, they added. "Even this lower growth projection embeds the assumption that Covid is mostly under control going forward, the property market improves from here, and the government provides substantial policy offset through infrastructure spending in coming months," they wrote. China's retail and factory activity fell sharply in April as widespread Covid-19 lockdowns confined workers and consumers to their homes and severely disrupted supply chains. China's uncompromising strategy to fight Covid-19 has placed hundreds of millions of people in dozens of cities under restrictions of some kind, and has disrupted a global rebound in … [Read more...] about Goldman cuts China 2022 growth forecast to 4%
As Musk tweets, advisers plug away to keep Twitter deal on track
- A + A NEW YORK (May 18): In public, Elon Musk’s erratic tweets have sent Twitter Inc’s shares flailing, as traders bet that the billionaire is preparing to walk away from or re-negotiate his US$44 billion takeover of the social-media company. Behind the scenes, it’s more like business as usual, as advisers on both sides plug away at the day-to-day work of closing a megadeal. One potential sign that the deal is still on track: the 139-page filing that hit early Tuesday, detailing how the offer came together and Twitter’s rationale for accepting it. That document was the result of weeks of coordinated work by both Musk and Twitter’s teams, according to people familiar with the matter. Musk himself signed off on the final version — complete with a deal price of US$54.20 a share — before it was filed, the people said. The situation is similar at the banks that promised to finance the transaction, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details are … [Read more...] about As Musk tweets, advisers plug away to keep Twitter deal on track
Asia’s SPAC hopefuls have nowhere to turn as IPO market shuts
- A + A (May 18): Asian sponsors of blank-check firms are facing a tough market for initial public offerings wherever they turn, as a combination of increasing regulatory scrutiny and fading investor demand shutters the window for new listings from the US to Asia. In the past three months, at least six Asia-related special purpose acquisition companies seeking a combined US$1.3 billion from US IPOs have been scrapped, according to data provider SPAC Research. Of 12 blank-check firms that have filed to go public in Hong Kong, only one has actually started trading. It’s a similar pattern in Singapore, where SPACs have stalled after three inaugural IPOs in January. “The global IPO market has obviously been very quiet so far this year,” Paul Uren, JPMorgan Chase and Co’s Asia Pacific head of investment banking, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “What we need to see for that to change is lower volatility and investors with more of a risk-on mentality.” Asia was … [Read more...] about Asia’s SPAC hopefuls have nowhere to turn as IPO market shuts
Sri Lanka can’t find cash to pay even one ship for petrol
- A + A (May 18): Sri Lanka asked citizens not to queue for gasoline as the nation on the verge of default has no dollars to pay for a fuel shipment. “There is a petrol ship in our waters,” Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told Parliament Wednesday. “We do not have the forex.” Sri Lanka “hopes” to release the ship “today or tomorrow,” the Minister said. The nation also owes the same supplier US$53 million for an earlier shipment of gasoline, he added, without elaborating. The island nation is in the worst economic tailspin of its independent history. Shortages of everything from food to cooking gas have resulted in Asia’s fastest inflation — with prices surging almost 30% — and spilling over into social unrest and political turmoil. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe — less than a week into the job — said on Monday the nation has only one day’s stock of gasoline and the government is working to obtain dollars in the open market to also pay for three ships … [Read more...] about Sri Lanka can’t find cash to pay even one ship for petrol
HSBC’s mass of Hong Kong retail investors warms to breakup
- A + A HONG KONG (May 18): Smarting from HSBC Holdings Plc’s move to scrap its dividend during the height of the pandemic, the bank’s largely silent mass of retail shareholders in Hong Kong is warming up to the idea of a breakup. Splitting up Europe’s biggest bank to separate out its Asian operations is being pushed by its largest investor, Ping An Insurance Group Co, based just across the border in Shenzhen. The call is winning support in Hong Kong’s retail base, which owns about a third of the bank, with some seeing it as a surefire way of preventing the steady stream of payouts from being cut off again. Their loyalty has been tested as numerous pivots in strategy fail to impress the market, leaving dividends at half of what they were in 2018 and the stock down more than 40%. The former British colony is the beating heart of the bank’s global operations, accounting for about 30% of the group’s 2021 adjusted profits. Yet decisions such as the halting of dividends … [Read more...] about HSBC’s mass of Hong Kong retail investors warms to breakup
Chin Hin founder Chiau Beng Teik and Signature International emerge as Fiamma’s controlling shareholders
- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Signature International Bhd and its largest shareholder-cum-chairman Datuk Seri Chiau Beng Teik have emerged as the largest shareholders of Fiamma Holdings Bhd after acquiring a combined 29.59% equity interest in Fiamma. The 29.59% stake or 150 million shares, was acquired from Fiamma's chief executive officer and group managing director, Lim Choo Hong, at RM1.50 per share. Following the disposal of shares in Fiamma, Lim ceased to be a substantial shareholder in Fiamma, holding a 0.413% direct equity interest and 0.118% indirect interest in the company. A filing with Bursa Malaysia showed that Signature had entered into a conditional share sale agreement (SSA) with Lim, to acquire 120 million shares or 23.67% equity interest for RM180 million cash. On a separate note, Divine Inventions Sdn Bhd, a private entity controlled by Chiau’s family, entered into an SSA with Lim to purchase 30 million shares or 5.92% equity interest in Fiamma … [Read more...] about Chin Hin founder Chiau Beng Teik and Signature International emerge as Fiamma’s controlling shareholders