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Tesla shareholders overwhelmingly approved a new 10-year, US$1 trillion performance-based pay package for CEO Elon Musk, tied to highly ambitious milestones. To receive it, Musk must steer Tesla to produce 20 million vehicles, operate 1 million robotaxis, and sell 1 million humanoid robots, while the company’s valuation climbs from US$1.5 trillion to US$8.5 trillion.
The decision initially boosted tech sentiment, with E-mini Nasdaq futures rallying in early (US) evening trade. But the optimism faded after reports that the White House would block Nvidia’s sale of its scaled-back AI chips to China, reversing earlier signals from President Donald Trump that such exports might be permitted.
Sources said no export licenses will be granted for the China-specific chips, designed to meet previous U.S. restrictions, sending Nasdaq futures back down.
On the central-bank front, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack reaffirmed her hawkish stance, saying inflation remains the more pressing concern and policy must stay restrictive. St. Louis Fed’s Alberto Musalem echoed that resilience in the U.S. economy persists but warned that tariffs and fiscal deficits are driving inflation. He expects growth to rebound in 2026 after a soft Q4.
Meanwhile, the People’s Bank of China drained a net ¥1.57 trillion from the banking system this week via open-market operations — its largest withdrawal since January 2024.
In data, Japan’s household spending rose 1.8% y/y in September, marking a fifth straight monthly gain but missing forecasts for +2.5%, supported mainly by automobile and leisure outlays. The yen traded quietly, as did most major FX pairs, while South Korea’s won weakened to its lowest since April 11.
In China, exports unexpectedly fell 1.1% y/y in October, while imports rose 1.0%, both undershooting forecasts, highlighting a loss of export momentum after September’s rebound.
On the energy and geopolitical front, Swiss trader Gunvor withdrew its offer to buy the overseas assets of Russia’s Lukoil after the U.S. Treasury branded the firm a “Kremlin puppet” and vowed never to approve the deal.
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This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.
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