Reuters - Technology Report

Click to View in Browser

Monday, January 15, 2018

Ford plans $11 billion investment, 40 electrified vehicles by 2022

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co will significantly increase its planned investments in electric vehicles to $11 billion by 2022 and have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles in its model lineup, Chairman Bill Ford said on Sunday at the Detroit auto show.

SoftBank considers IPO for Japan wireless unit, said to seek $18 billion

TOKYO (Reuters) - SoftBank Group Corp said on Monday it was considering listing its Japanese wireless business - a move that could reportedly raise $18 billion and would accelerate the conglomerate's transformation into one of the world's biggest tech investors.

U.S. transport chief to unveil revised self-driving car guidelines

DETROIT (Reuters) - The Trump administration plans to unveil revised self-driving car guidelines this summer as the government sets out to rewrite regulations that pose legal barriers to robot vehicles, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Sunday.

End of a chip boom? Memory chip price drop spooks investors

SEOUL (Reuters) - After a blistering year-and-a-half long surge, a sudden drop in some memory prices, followed by Samsung Electronics Co's disappointing profit estimate, is causing jitters among investors who had bet the chip boom would last at least another year.

Xiaomi taps CLSA, Morgan Stanley, Goldman for IPO sponsor role: sources

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Xiaomi has tapped CLSA, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint sponsors for its proposed IPO, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, in what could potentially value the Chinese smartphone maker at up to $100 billion.

Ant Financial says has received approval for new consumer-credit backed securities

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Ant Financial Services Group has received approval to issue consumer credit-backed securities to institutional investors and the securities are currently in the pricing process, the company told Reuters on Monday.

Singapore central bank head hopes cryptocurrency tech will survive 'crash'

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The head of Singapore's central bank said on Monday he hoped the technologies underpinning cryptocurrencies such as blockchain would not be undermined by an eventual crash in the digital money.

South Korea says planned ban on cryptocurrency market not yet finalized

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Monday that its plans to ban virtual coin exchanges had not yet been finalized as government agencies were still in talks to decide how to regulate the market.

Auto1 says no need for IPO after Softbank invests

BERLIN (Reuters) - German used-car dealing platform Auto1 said a 460 million euro ($561 million) financial infusion from Japan's Softbank meant it was under no pressure to launch an initial public offering to fund its pan-European growth plans.

Toymaker Lego teams up with Chinese internet giant Tencent

BEIJING/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish toymaker Lego is teaming up with Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd to jointly develop online games and potentially a social network aimed at Chinese children.