South China Morning Post (June 21)
“China’s rapid transition to electric vehicles (EVs) has been widely hailed as an economic success story. But it is also creating a serious headache for the country’s local governments, which are tasked with maintaining one of the world’s largest road networks.” EVs accounted for fully 60% of last month’s new car sales, but the EV boom “is creating a growing fiscal black hole, as heavier electric cars send roadwork costs spiralling while simultaneously undercutting the tax revenues used to fund repairs.”
Tags: $60, China, Economic success story, EVs, Fiscal black hole, Fund, Governments, Headache, Heavier, Maintaining, New car sales, Rapid transition, Repairs, Road networks, Roadwork costs, Spiralling, Tax revenues, Undercut
Investment Week (August 24)
“Global dividends plummeted by $108.1bn to $382bn in Q2 this year… marking an underlying decline of 19.3% – the biggest fall seen…. All regions except the US suffered a drop in pay-outs, with the UK and Europe seeing the biggest falls at 54% and 45% respectively on an underlying basis.” By comparison, Japan fared well with payouts falling just 3.1% and “four-fifths of companies actually increasing or maintaining their dividends.”
