Market News: The Canadian government sells its shares in Air Canada.French Ambassador to Ukraine: The first batch of Mirage 2000-5 fighters will be provided to Ukraine early next year. On December 12, local time, French Ambassador to Ukraine Visier said that in early 2025, France will provide Ukraine with the first batch of Mirage 2000-5 fighters as planned, and Ukrainian pilots and technicians are currently receiving training. He did not disclose the number of fighters to be delivered. Earlier, according to a report by Ukrainian Pravda on October 8, French Defense Minister Sebastian Lecornu said that France planned to deliver Mirage fighters to Ukraine early next year.President of the European Central Bank: The euro zone economy continues to be weak and is still preparing to cut interest rates further. On December 12, local time, after the European Central Bank announced its decision to cut all three key interest rates by 25 basis points, President Lagarde of the European Central Bank subsequently held a press conference. She said that the Governing Council of the European Central Bank unanimously agreed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points, mainly based on the latest assessment of the current inflationary pressure, future prospects and the transmission degree of monetary policy to the real economy. On the same day, the European Central Bank also released the latest macroeconomic forecast, further lowering its expectations for economic growth in the euro zone. Lagarde said that poor economic development and continued weakness are worrying. She said that trade friction may drag down economic growth, and extensive geopolitical development is one of the upward risks of inflation. In view of the fact that the current economic growth in the euro zone is hit by domestic political instability in various countries, especially large economies such as Germany and France, and may face the threat of punitive tariffs imposed by US President-elect Trump, the European Central Bank is still preparing to cut interest rates further. Lagarde said that the ECB Council is determined to ensure that inflation is sustainable and stable at the medium-term target of 2%. The next interest rate decision is scheduled for January 30, 2025.
African stock market | On Thursday (December 12th), the FTSE /JSE Africa Top 40 tradable index closed down 0.18% to 78,341.48 points. The South African rand is currently down 0.58% against the US dollar, reaching a fresh low of 17.8027 rand.The yield of US 10-year Treasury bonds rose to 4.316% after the auction results were announced, the highest level since November 26th.The International (Xiong 'an) Robot Industry Alliance was formally established. On December 12th, it was learned from the 2024 xiong'an new area Intelligent Robot Industry Development Conference held in xiong'an new area, Hebei Province that the International (Xiong 'an) Robot Industry Alliance and Xiong 'an Robot Innovation and Technology Research Institute were formally established. "As an important representative of the future industry, the intelligent robot industry is in a critical period of rapid development. The establishment of the International (Xiong 'an) Robot Industry Alliance will strongly promote the development of Xiong 'an robot industry, and the establishment of Xiong 'an Robot Innovation Technology Research Institute will provide strong technical support for the sustainable development of intelligent robot industry, marking a solid step in technology research and development and innovation of xiong'an new area robot industry. " Zhang Qin, former vice chairman of China Association for Science and Technology, said. (xinhuanet)
Ambassador of China to the United States: "Going to China" is the real risk of global supply chain. Xie Feng, China's ambassador to the United States, said on the 11th that "going to China" is the real risk of global supply chain. Speaking at the annual dinner of u.s.-china business council held in Washington that night, Xie Feng said that in the face of protectionism, China's determination to comprehensively deepen reform and expand high-level opening-up has always been the same, its goal of promoting stable and far-reaching Sino-US relations has always been the same, and its desire to welcome enterprises from all countries, including American enterprises, to share development opportunities has always been the same. Xie Feng said that since the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, a series of heavy reform measures have come into effect, and access to the manufacturing sector has been fully liberalized. For the first time, negative list management has been established for cross-border service trade nationwide, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals have been allowed to be set up in nine places including Beijing. Eleven foreign-controlled or wholly foreign-owned brokers, including JPMorgan Chase, have successively settled in China, and telecommunications, internet, education, culture and medical care have been opened in an orderly manner, releasing huge market dividends. Xie Feng said that the weaponization of tariffs closes the market and loses opportunities. The "small courtyard and high wall" can't stop the spring breeze of innovation, but will draw the land as a prison. "Going to China" under the guise of "removing risks" is the real risk of the global supply chain, and treating "national security" as a "panacea" to discredit and suppress is itself creating insecurity. Only when Sino-US cooperation is done well will the two countries and the world be more prosperous and safer. U.s.-china business council, founded in 1973, is a non-governmental trade organization with China established by the United States before the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. It has long been committed to promoting the development of Sino-US relations and economic and trade cooperation. At present, the Committee has 270 American member enterprises doing business in China.International copper closed down more than 1.1%, while Shanghai nickel and alumina rose more than 1.5% at most. International copper closed down 1.14%, Shanghai copper closed down 0.94%, Shanghai aluminum closed up 0.12%, Shanghai zinc closed down 0.83%, Shanghai lead closed down 0.37%, Shanghai nickel closed up 1.51% and Shanghai tin closed down 0.81%. Alumina closed up 1.04% at night. Stainless steel night trading closed down 0.23%.Chang Yang, chief analyst of the policy team of Zhongtai Securities Research Institute: The Central Economic Work Conference further released the signal of supporting the development of the private economy. The Central Economic Work Conference proposed to give play to the traction role of economic system reform and promote the implementation of landmark reform measures. High-quality completion of the deepening and upgrading of state-owned enterprise reform, the introduction of private economy promotion law. Carry out special actions to standardize law enforcement involving enterprises. Formulate guidelines for the construction of a unified national market. Strengthen supervision and promote the healthy development of platform economy. Make overall plans to promote the reform of the fiscal and taxation system and increase local independent financial resources. Deepen the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market, open up the blocking points of medium and long-term funds entering the market, and enhance the inclusiveness and adaptability of the capital market system. Chang Yang, chief analyst of the policy team of Zhongtai Securities Research Institute, told reporters that the meeting put forward a very targeted statement on the private economy. Among them, expressions such as "Promulgating the Private Economy Promotion Law" and "Launching Special Actions to Standardize Law Enforcement of Enterprises" have further released the signal of supporting the development of the private economy, which is expected to create a more favorable policy environment for the development of the private economy. (SSE)