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Unilever (UNVB TH) +2.5%
- Flutter to Join Stoxx 50 as Unilever Exits on Headquarters Move
- Renault (RNL TH) +1.4%
- Thyssenkrupp (TKA TH) +1.3%
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Vestas (VWS TH) +1%
- Vestas Wins 328 Megawatt Order for 2 Wind Projects in Australia
- NEL (D7G TH) -1.1%
- Mowi (PND TH) -1.2%
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Sabadell (BDSB TH) -13%
- BBVA, Sabadell End Takeover Talks in Disagreement Over Price (1)
DAX:
- Henkel (HEN3 TH) +1.1%
- Daimler (DAI TH) +1%
- Daimler Raised to Outperform at Exane; PT 75 euros
MDAX:
- K+S (SDF TH) +3.5%
- K+S Upgraded to Buy on Improving Farm Economics: Commerzbank
- Thyssenkrupp (TKA TH) +2%
- Metro AG (B4B TH) +1.2%
SDAX:
- Medios (ILM1 TH) +13%
- DGAP-News: Medios AG: Sales increase to more than €1 billion through acquisition of Cranach Pharma GmbH
- Leoni (LEO TH) -1%
- Encavis (CAP TH) -1%
Boston Dynamics' Robot Dog Builds "Radiation Map" Of Chernobyl Reactor
Spot, the autonomous robot dog, from Boston Dynamics, was equipped with radiation sensors to create a map of the radiation coming out of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, according to news agency Ukrinform.
Researchers at the University of Bristol and nuclear experts from the State Specialized Enterprise "Central Enterprise for Radioactive Waste Management" recently deployed the four-legged robot to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone that has been abandoned since the catastrophic meltdown in 1986. The site has since been covered up with layers of steel and concrete to keep nuclear material from escaping into the atmosphere.
Weekly measurements around the Chernobyl site are mainly done by humans, which puts them at risk, unlike Spot, a robot who could do so without putting humans in grave danger of radiation poisoning.
Dr. Dave Megson-Smith, a researcher at the University of Bristol, was one of the scientists aiding Spot on its nuclear power plant adventure. Megson-Smith specializes in sensor development and equipped Spot with a collimated radiation sensor.
"We built a map of the radiation coming out of the front wall of Chernobyl power plant as we were in there with it," Megson-Smith told IEEE Spectrum.
Spot was able to wander around the Chernobyl nuclear site, as well as into the New Safe Confinement structure, which is a steel dome that contains hazardous radioactivity. The robot surveyed radiation levels in the area, creating a 3D map of the distribution.
According to Megson-Smith, there's a lot of uncertainty on how much radiation Spot is capable of handling. He said Spot is a "system that we can send into places where humans already can go, but where we just don't want to send humans."
: Video of Chernobyl Adventure
Engineering a completely radiation-proof robot is challenging - as was seen after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 when robots were sent to die as they surveyed the damaged nuclear power plant.
The future purpose of Spot at Chernobyl could be autonomous radiation mapping to detect radiation leaks.
Not too long ago, a different Spot was assigned to a BP Plc oil rig to "read gauges, look for corrosion, map out the facility, and even sniff out methane."
While Spot conveniently completes tasks that may endanger humans - the most important takeaway is that robots will displace millions of jobs over this decade.
>>> Up
* Dechra Pharma Raised to Buy at HSBC; PT 3,935 pence
* Diageo Raised to Overweight at Morgan Stanley; PT 3,500 pence
* K+S Raised to Buy at Commerzbank; PT 10 euros
* Lyko Raised to Hold at ABG; PT 310 kronor
* Pernod Ricard Raised to Overweight at Morgan Stanley
* TP ICAP Raised to Buy at Canaccord; PT 256 pence
* Swiss Life Raised to Buy at HSBC; PT 496 Swiss francs
>>> Down
* Adecco Cut to Equal-Weight at Morgan Stanley
* Aker BP Cut to Neutral at SpareBank; PT 210 kroner
* Baloise Cut to Hold at HSBC; PT 173 Swiss francs
* Marks & Spencer Cut to Neutral at Goldman; PT 145 pence
* Jenoptik Cut to Hold at HSBC; PT 27 euros
* Virgin Money UK Cut to Add at Peel Hunt
>>> Initiation
* Elementis Rated New Overweight at Morgan Stanley; PT 138 pence
* SBB Rated New Hold at SEB Equities; PT 30 kronor
* Vetropack Rated New Buy at Berenberg; PT 70 Swiss francs
>>> Call
* Elementis Recovery Potential Not Appreciated: Morgan Stanley
* European Staffers Set For Recovery, But Upside Limited, MS Says
* K+S Upgraded to Buy on Improving Farm Economics: Commerzbank
* RBC Adds AB InBev, Essilor and Shell to European Recovery Picks
* Vetropack Should See 2021 Recovery, Berenberg Starts at Buy
Stocks are ending the week in a cautious fashion as investors assess valuations following a rapid rise in equities this month and the enduring pandemic in parts of Europe and the U.S. Oil retreated amid rising tensions within OPEC+ members.
Shares underperformed in Australia while Japan edged up, as the MSCI Asia Pacific Index remained on course for a 12% November surge. S&P 500 contracts were steady, European futures dipped and Treasuries advanced.
Volumes may be lower than average on Friday with reduced trading hours for U.S. stocks and bonds. Bitcoin steadied after sliding almost 10% on Thursday. The dollar ticked lower and the yen outperformed.
Nikkei +0.40% Hang Seng +0.33% CSI +0.45% Shanghai +0.36% Shenzen -0.24%
Eur$ 1.1926 CNH 6.5751 CNY 6.5770 JPY 104 GBP 1.3376 CHF 0.9057RUB 75.70 TRY 7.8473 WTI$ 44.98 -1.62%
S&P +0.12% Nasdaq +0.30% EuroStoxx +0.03% FTSE +0.02% Dax +0.02% SMI
Macro :
- Fund Flows To Equities Quickened as Risk-On Mood Prevailed: Citi
- 3G Capital Asks Investors for Time to Find Next Big Deal: FT
- Trump, Still Defiant, Will Give Up Power If College Backs Biden
- U.K. and EU Ready to Restart Brexit Talks Roiled by Coronavirus
Keep an eye on :
- BAMNB NA : Heijmans, BAM Group Plan to Merge Asphalt Plants in AsfaltNu
- BBVA SM : BBVA, Sabadell End Takeover Talks in Disagreement Over Price
- BIOS SS : BioServo Technologies Offering Prices 1.5m Shrs at SEK9.50/Shr
- IF IM : Banca Ifis, IBL Banca Talks on NPL Partnership Unsuccessful
- ENTRA NO : Castellum Gets Positive Response From 20% of Entra Owners: DI
- EGL PL : Mota-Engil Gets 3 New Contracts in Peru Valued at EU125m
- NELES FH : Alfa Laval Has ‘No Panic’ Over Current Situation With Neles: DI
- NYR BB : Nyrstar to Appeal Order of Antwerp Enterprise Court
- SGO FP : Saint-Gobain Says 2H Operating Income Will Rise Like-for-Like
- TIT IM : EU Antitrust Won’t Halt Telecom Italia’s FiberCop Landline Unit
- VWS DC : Vestas Wins 328 Megawatt Order for 2 Wind Projects in Australia
‘Let’s build a digital Silk Road’: Xi Jinping looks to cement China’s ties with Asean
- Xi delivers keynote speech at China-Asean Expo in Nanning, saying the regional bloc is a priority for Beijing
- Xi’s speech and Chinese foreign minister’s trip to Japan and South Korea are set against US president-elect’s declared interest in Asia-Pacific
Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to further deepen cooperation and promote a “digital Silk Road” with Southeast Asia as Beijing moves to cement its influence in the Asia-Pacific.
The commitment comes just as the new US administration says it wants to pivot towards the region and resume a leadership role.
In a recorded message on Friday, Xi also sought to assure the Asian leaders that China gave top priority to its relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), a 10-member regional bloc, and that as the only major growing economy, China would continue its opening-up strategy to drive the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic – a move and that would benefit Asean.
“China will unswervingly expand its opening up to the outside world, enhancing its domestic and international economic linkages, and driving the world’s common recovery through its own recovery, from which all countries in the world, including Asean, will benefit,” Xi said via video link to participants at the China-Asean Expo in the southwestern Chinese city of Nanning.
“Looking to the future, there will be even more room for cooperation between China and Asean.”
Xi’s remarks came just two days after US president-elect Joe Biden announced that his foreign policy agenda would see the United States retake its global leadership role and strengthen its alliances in the Asia-Pacific.
On Friday, in another sign that Beijing is stepping up engagement with its neighbours, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up his trip to key US allies, Japan and South Korea, pledging that China would join the two nations to revive their pandemic-hit economies.
Xi, who is the first Chinese president to give a keynote speech since the China-Asean Expo was established in 2004, told the summit that while the world was confronted by instability and uncertainty because of the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, China had made its relationship with Asean a priority.
“China regards Asean as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy and a key area for high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative,” Xi said referring to one of his pet projects to develop trade, investment and infrastructure along both the ancient maritime and land Silk Roads.
“[China] supports Asean’s central position in East Asian cooperation, and supports Asean to play a greater role in building an open and inclusive regional architecture,” Xi said, adding that China would “actively consider” Asean’s need for Covid-19 vaccines.
Xi also said China would continue to cooperate with Asean countries in the next five years on various areas, including infrastructure and public health, and would “positively consider the needs of Asean countries” when vaccines were ready.
Specifically, Xi said China could work with Asean countries to establish a “China-Asean digital port to promote digital connectivity, and build a ‘digital Silk Road’.”
Beijing has sought closer ties with Asean, a regional grouping of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, to try to offset pressure from the protracted trade war launched by US President Donald Trump in 2018.
This year, the 10-member bloc overtook the European Union as the largest trading partner to China, having also surpassed the US last year amid trade friction between the world’s largest economies.
In what Beijing touted as a historic milestone in its economic integration with the region, China and the 10 countries of Asean, as well as Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, this month signed up to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free-trade bloc.
The trade pact, which would see significant tariff cuts among member states in the next decade, could further expand China’s economic influence in the Asia-Pacific and counter pressure from the China-US economic decoupling.
On Friday, Xi welcomed the signing of the RCEP – which covers about 30 per cent of the world’s population and gross domestic product – and said more measures were expected to ease regional travel and cargo transport when pandemic conditions improved.