China nibbles at Samsung share to take 50 percent of India's smartphone market www.reuters.com

Chinese brands took their largest ever slice of the $10-billion Indian smartphone market in late 2016, accounting for more than one in every two phones sold - a growing market share that ate into sales from top-selling Samsung Electronics.

Samsung, the single most popular smartphone brand in India, commanded a roughly 30 percent market share just over a year ago. That slipped to 21 percent in November, according to tech research firm Counterpoint, the last month for which data is available.

Meanwhile - thanks to low cost, improved technology and an advertising blitz - Chinese brands like Oppo, Lenovo, OnePlus, Gionee and Xiaomi took a combined share of over 50 percent, compared to just 19 percent a year ago.

"Chinese brands are offering quality that is at par with Samsung, at a better price," said Manish Khatri, who owns two multi-brand smartphone outlets in Mumbai. "Of every 10 phones I sell, almost six to seven are now Chinese brands."

Celebrity endorsements from Bollywood actors like Hrithik Roshan and Ranveer Singh, along with huge sponsorship campaigns by brands such as Oppo and Gionee of the wildly popular Indian Premier League cricket franchise have helped improve perception of Chinese brands - once derided for their low quality.

"In a country like India, there are two religions - one is Bollywood and the second is cricket," said Arvind R Vohra, Gionee's India head, noting that both avenues have helped popularize its brand.

Chinese brand executives said innovative product features such as powerful selfie cameras with flash, quicker charging and longer-lasting batteries have also helped them thrive in India, one of the world's biggest and fastest growing smartphone markets.

In the large and ultra-competitive $120 to $440 mid-market smartphone segment, Chinese vendors have more than doubled their market share to 68 percent, while Samsung has lost 14 percentage points since November 2015, according to Counterpoint.

"Being a global company is Samsung's biggest curse," says Neil Shah of Counterpoint, adding Samsung cannot compete on price like their Chinese rivals, who are focused more on low-cost markets like China, India and Indonesia.

Shah said Chinese vendors' access to low-cost components and their expertise in designing metal casing for cheap phones has let brands like Oppo, OnePlus and Lenovo offer better quality products than Samsung, which uses plastic for its cheapest models.

Adding to Samsung's woes last year was the arrival of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's new telecom venture Jio, with heavily subsidised handsets to get customers on its 4G network.

Dyaneshwar Sarde, a 33-year-old Indian farmer who earlier used a Samsung device, said he wanted to buy a 4G smartphone to use Reliance Jio.

India's home-grown brands such as Micromax, Lava and Karbonn are feeling the heat even more, according to Counterpoint, with their total market share having dropped to less than 20 percent from over 40 percent last year.

(Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Clara Ferreira-Marques and Randy Fabi)

France's Engie warns of $10 oil www.rt.com

Crude prices could plunge as low as $10 per barrel within a decade as a result of five energy “tsunamis,” according to Thierry Lepercq, innovation chief for French energy company Engie.

Sales surge for global carmakers in China, Honda overtakes rivals www.reuters.com

Sales surged for global automakers in China in 2016 as consumers rushed to buy cars to make the most of a tax incentive, with Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) seeing a particularly brisk pace of business ahead of Ford (F.N) and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T).

Renewables investments surge to help clear the air www.chinadaily.com

China plans massive investment in clean and renewable energy up to 2020 to help the battle for clear skies, aiming for a significant reduction in pollutants released into the air.

Trump criticizes Toyota over Mexico factory plan www.nhk.or.jp

US President-elect Donald Trump says Toyota Motor should pay heavy taxes if it goes ahead with its plan to build a factory in Mexico.

2017 Economic and Political Outlook (Mongolian) www.gogo.mn

Everyone agrees that Mongolian economy will get worse in 2017. The country is now facing many challenges including soaring budget deficit and stopped foreign investment. However the situation can be changed, if authorities make the right decisions on following projects. 
MONGOLIA WILL CREATE NEW LEGAL ENVIRONMENT FOR FOREIGN BANKS

Unofficial talks about opening local branches of foreign banks have spread since July, 2016 as new Government has begun to form. Sooner some MPs said that the Government should create a new legal environment for foreign banks allowing investment activities only. 
Cabinet discussed the issue on Dec 21st, 2016 and obliged Minister of Justice and Minister of Finance to develop a draft law on amendments to the Banking Law. 
Foreign bank branches in Mongolia are required only to grant loans, invest, make domestic and foreign payments, provide loan guarantees, sell and purchase bonds, while not being allowed to provide saving accounts. This will lower interest rate and create real competition in the banking sector. 
WILL GATSUURT DEPOSIT START ITS OPERATION?

Gatsuurt gold deposit is one of the halted projects of the country. Gatsuurt deposit proven reserves are at 50 tons of gold and profitable effect reserves are calculated to be 25 tons, which fully complies to requirements for Strategic Deposit.
Mining license holder Centerra Gold LLC have got Gatsuurt Deposit Reserve Report approved in 2013 and Feasibility Study in 2014 by the Mineral Resources Council and the site is ready for the mining.
However previous Government has tried to start the mining operations of the deposit, but faced with civil protests as Gatsuurt deposit locates in Noyon Mountain that stores in itself the tombs of Mongol nobles and other cultural findings dating back to the Hun Empire period. While the graves and findings of ancient Huns are located just at 5.8 km South West of the exploration site.
Protesters took Centerra Gold LLC to the court and the Capital City Court made a decision on protester`s side. ​
Newly formed Government led by Prime Minister J.Erdenebat claimed to start Gatsuurt project, but the dates are still uncertain. Current authorities are implementing a "Gold" program in order to maintain foreign exchange reserves and started following policy to raise gold delivery. 
OPERATION OF THE NEW ULAANBAATAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO COMMENCE

The New Ulaanbaatar International Airport, locates 52 km south from the city center, will be commissioned this year. In May 2008, a ¥49 billion (US$385 million) 40-year soft loan agreement at 0.2% interest was signed between the Government of Mongolia and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to build a new international airport. 
During the construction process, additional cost of ¥5.9 billion were required. The Government of Mongolia requested additional loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency.
33.5 km roads from Ulaanbaatar city to new airport has started to be constructed with Chinese soft loan, planning to finish within the second quarter of 2016. However the road project has been falling behind the schedule. 
The New Ulaanbaatar International Airport, a construction with the biggest foundation in Mongolia is designed with the capacity of up to 3 million passengers per year and have capacity to receive 1500 passengers per hour. 
 The airport is able to launch 6 planes from its passenger boarding bridges and 13 planes from its field. 5 planes with up to 300 passengers are able to take off at once. 
MONGOLIA FACES $580 MILLION BOND REPAYMENT

The Development Bank of Mongolia faces a $580 million repayment on Mar, 2017. However, the country is not able to meet the debt obligation. The state-owned Development Bank of Mongolia, which finances social development and commercial projects, and grants subsidised mortgage credits, has raised a $580 million bond from Singapore Stock Exchange on Mar 4, 2012 with an annual 5.75 percent interest rate that is due in Mar 21, 2017. 
Government is seeking ways to delay the payment or more cost-effective and long-term loans. 
Although the country has started negotiations with Internationl Monetary Fund, projects and the amount of loan are still unclear.
$580 million bond financed Khutul cement plant, Amgalan power plant, Tavantolgoi-Gashuun Sukhait railway, Geology Central Laboratory, 33.4 km railway from Tumurtei deposit to Khandgai, extension of III and IV power stations, expansion of mining capacity of Baganuur coal deposit, development of Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi, apartments for 1152 households near Yarmag bridge, Sainshand industrial complex and project​s for small and medium enterprises. 
TAVAN TOLGOI DEAL TO BE CONTINUED

Tavan Tolgoi, which contains 7.4 billion ton of coking and thermal coal deposits deal to be continued.
Mining and Heavy Industry Ministry officials received delegations from China Shenhua Energy Company Limited on Dec, 2016. During the meeting, China Shenhua proposed to commence Tavantolgoi`s power station, railway construction and mining projects at the same time. 
Previously, China Shenhua has expressed incentives to invest in Tavantolgoi coal deposit. The company has won the bid, announced by the previous government, establishing a consortium agreement jointly with the Energy Resource LLC and Japanese Sumitomo Corporation.
Prime Minister J.Erdenebat obliged working group to move the project as soon as possible. However, consortium agreement, winner of the bid might have new competitor due to domestic entities having expressed interest in investing Tavan Tolgoi jointly. 
Government refers to the following conditions on Tavan Tolgoi deposit:
Mongolia will own 51% while China Shenhua will own 49% of a company to build a railway from Tavan Tolgoi mine site to Gashuunsukhait
Investment and cooperation agreement period shall be 22 years, consistent with the operating license period
The operations to be 51% owned by Mongolian company
Target market of the project shall be China and the third country 
Subcontractors shall be Mongolian entities and the contract term shall be not less than 5 years.
CONSTRUCTION OF ERDENET TO OVOOT RAILWAY TO START

The Presidents of China, Russia and Mongolia have signed off on a Trilateral Program for the development of an Economic Corridor between the three countries. This program includes the establishment of a new Northern Rail Corridor connecting China with Russia through Mongolia. The Northern Rail Corridor is a continuous railway stretching from Tianjin Port on China’s east coast through Beijing, Erlian, Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet to Ovoot, Arts Suuri to Kyzyl, connecting to the Trans Siberian Railway at Kuragino. 
Aspire Mining LTD developed the first stage of feasibility study of the project. Also, environmental study of the project has been completed. 
Northern Railways LLC, 90% owned by Aspire and 10% by the Noble Group will build a 547 kilometre section of the Northern Rail Corridor from Erdenet to Aspire’ s Ovoot Coking Coal Project.
The establishment of this Northern Rail Corridor confirms that the Erdenet to Ovoot Railway has developed from being a rail connection to a large coking coal project, to now being part of an important new trade infrastructure route. It is also the Company’s understanding that Aspire is the only listed public company with a significant interest in this new rail corridor.
The Ovoot project development is dependent on the construction of the Erdenet to Ovoot railway. Ovoot Coking Coal Project (Ovoot) is the second largest coking coal project by its reserves in Mongolia. 
The railway construction is planned to finish by 2019. 
8th PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The president is elected for a four-year term by the people, using the two-round system. 8th Presidential elections to be held in Mongolia in June 2017. 
As Presidential Election is to be organized this year, the bill on Presidential Elections was submitted just a few days ago. 
The previous parliament approved Law on Elections, which regulated all elections including Parliamentary, Presidential and Citizen’s Representative Meetings of provinces, soums and districts. However General Elections Commission put a request to organize elections under separate independent laws, as it was difficult to organize the previous parliamentary elections, adhering one combined law.
The Commission proposed to follow main contents, criteria and regulations of the 2013 Presidential Election law and to change organizational matters.
Currently, former Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag announced to stand for presidential election and former MP R.Amarjargal is on the list from the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, Mongolian People`s Party has not announced yet their presidential candidate.

Samsung profit surges despite Note 7 battery fiasco www.bbc.com

Despite the fiasco with its flagship Galaxy Note 7 phone, Samsung Electronics is forecasting a 50% surge in profits for the fourth quarter.
The earnings estimate is higher than analysts' predicted and would mark its highest quarterly profit since 2013.
In October, the world's largest smartphone maker had to scrap the Note 7 after batteries caught fire and even replacement devices went up in smoke.
The strong results are due to Samsung's semiconductor and display businesses.
The South Korean tech giant said it expected to post 9.2tn won ($7.8bn, £6.2bn) in operating profit for the months from September to December.
Demand for memory chip and displays is expected to remain high throughout 2017, giving investors a bright outlook for the next year.
Note 7 profit hit
In an earlier profit forecast for the fourth quarter, Samsung had said it expected the Note 7 recall would mean a $2.1bn hit to their profits.
The company first issued a recall for the Galaxy Note 7 in September following complaints about exploding batteries.

Apple pulls New York Times app from China app store www.bbc.com

Apple has withdrawn the New York Times from its China App Store, following a request from Chinese authorities.
The paper said the move was aimed at preventing readers in China "from accessing independent news coverage".
Apple said they had been informed the app violated Chinese regulations but did not say what rules had been broken.
Western media have long been facing difficulties making their content available in China with many outlets frequently or permanently blocked.
According to the New York Times, Apple removed both the English-language and Chinese-language apps from the App Store in China on 23 December.
The paper cited an Apple spokesperson as saying the firm had been "informed that the app is in violation of local regulations" which meant it had to be taken down.
"When this situation changes, the app store will once again offer the New York Times app for download in China," the spokesman

South Korea scandal: Choi and Park cases in court www.bbc.com

The trial of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the centre of an influence-peddling scandal involving South Korea's president, has got under way.
Ms Choi, a close friend of President Park Geun-hye, is charged with abuse of power and attempted fraud.
Separately, the Constitutional Court began considering President Park's impeachment over the scandal.
That trial, where the court must ratify or overturn a parliamentary impeachment vote, began despite Ms Park's absence.
Proceedings opened on Tuesday but were curtailed because Ms Park did not attend. On Thursday the court went ahead anyway.
Her lawyer has previously said Ms Park will not be in court "unless there are special circumstances", Yonhap news agency reported.
Both cases centre on allegations President Park gave Ms Choi unauthorised access to government decisions and allowed her to exploit their close relationship to solicit money from corporations for foundations from which she benefitted.
Both women have apologised but deny committing criminal offences.

Nissan's Ghosn says he'll monitor Trump policies www.nhk.or.jp

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says he will keep a close eye on President-elect Donald Trump's policies. Earlier on Tuesday, US automaker Ford announced it is canceling plans to build a plant in Mexico.