World’s Longest Traffic Jam Points to Mongolia Recovery www.fronteranews.com

Over 60 kilometers, they line up: truck after truck, after truck. Nearly every one of them is laden with coal.

The world’s longest tailback has been building for months and has varying drivers: first, China’s drought prompted Beijing to slash water-intensive coal production; last, President-elect Donald Trump fanned revival for the least loved of commodities by casting doubt on the world’s commitment to outmode coal.

In the background, a newly installed government in Ulaanbaatar was quietly negotiating its way out of the economic crisis it inherited.

Last week, those negotiations came out into the open. Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi, the state-owned miner of the world’s largest undeveloped coal deposit, announced it had negotiated an 85% price jump in its average selling price to $50 a ton from December, rising to $60 for 2017. Mongolia had been selling its coal at only $32 as part of a settlement for debt owed to the Aluminum Corporation of China, or Chalco. In another part of Tavan Tolgoi, Mongolia Mining Corp. had already struck a deal to sell its premium washed variety of coal at $107.

So what’s the big deal? Right now, Mongolia is pleading poverty. Mounting debt has driven the government into talks with the International Monetary Fund. It’s been whacked with two credit rating downgrades in as many weeks.

Yet, sales of coal – coupled with rising earnings from the country’s other main resources, namely copper, gold and iron ore – appear destined to rescue this nation of 3 million people, with or without foreign handouts.

Interviews with drivers and border guards indicated that around half – or 1,500 trucks – make it across the border each day. That equates to around 135,000 tons every day. That’s 4,050,000 tons per month, or 48,600,000 tons annually.

How much annual revenue will 48.6 million tons of coal exports bring to Mongolia? Based on a mid-price between the $60 and $107 so far achieved at Tavan Tolgoi, the consignment at $83 a ton equates to over $4 billion – just from coal.

In a report published by Frontera News earlier this month, Nick Cousyn, the Chief Operating Officer for BDSec, Mongolia’s largest broker and investment bank, arrives at a similar conclusion, albeit via a different route:

“It doesn’t take Herculean assumptions to expect that through improvements and reform, Mongolia’s coal companies can collectively produce 40 million tons next year,” writes Cousyn. Basing his math on the price achieved by Mongolia Mining Corp., Cousyn continues:

“At an average price of $105 per ton, that would represent more than $4 billion in economic activity for the sector – or an increase of over $3 billion compared with an estimated $960 million for 2016. For Mongolia’s $12 billion economy, this would mean a 25% jump in GDP, returning the economy to the type of dizzying growth rates seen last decade.”

As border crossings go, Mongolia’s seems an interesting space to watch.

China imposes new fees on the Mongolian border crossing www.gogo.mn

The Gants Mod crossing (China) and the GashuunSukhait crossing (Mongolia) is a major border crossing between China and Mongolia, used by some of Mongolia's biggest mines, including Erdenes Tavantolgoi, Tavantolgoi and Energy Resources.

On 22 November, the authorities in charge of Gants Mod crossing in Inner Mongolia, China have imposed new fees on commodity shipments between the two countries..

Under the newly-imposed fees, a transit fee of 10 yuan ($1.45) will be charged on vehicles each time they pass through the border, and an additional charge of 8 yuan per tonne will be imposed on any goods that they are delivering.

For precious metals and copper concentrate worth more than 10,000 yuan per tonne, exporters will be charged 0.2 percent of the total value of the cargo, the notice said, adding that the new charges would come into effect on 1 December. Although this is only one border crossing, as it is a major crossing these fees could cost the coal industry up to as much as 12.2 million USD [per annum].

Reuters said that local government officials contacted by Reuters on Thursday could not confirm the veracity of the announcement, but a senior industry representative in Ulaanbaatar who is familiar with the matter said the new charges were now in effect.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not confirm whether or not the new border fees were connected to the Dalai Lama's visit, saying that he was unaware of the situation.

Shares in baby formula milk firm hit by new Chinese import rules www.bbc.com

Shares in the baby formula milk firm Bellamy have plunged after a warning that new import regulations in China will cut into revenues.
The Australian organic formula maker has seen its shares slump more than 40%.
The company said that sales would temporarily be hit as the industry adjusted to new rules required by China's Food and Drug Administration.
China is a key market for manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand.
Long-term breastfeeding is rare among Chinese mothers.
Those who can afford it often choose to buy imported formula over Chinese brands, because of fears over dangerous levels of hormones and chemicals sometimes found in local baby formula.
That has led to a surge in demand for foreign brands in recent years.

Four major cities move to ban diesel vehicles by 2025 www.bbc.com

The leaders of four major global cities say they will stop the use of all diesel powered cars and trucks by the middle of the next decade.
The mayors of Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens say they are implementing the ban to improve air quality.
They say they will give incentives for alternative vehicle use and promote walking and cycling.
The commitments were made in Mexico at a biennial meeting of city leaders.
The use of diesel in transport has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, as concerns about its impact on air quality have grown. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that around three million deaths every year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution.
Diesel cars: What's all the fuss about?
London air quality alerts announced
Diesel engines contribute to the problem in two key ways - through the production of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Very fine soot PM can penetrate the lungs and can contribute to cardiovascular illness and death.
Nitrogen oxides can help form ground level ozone and this can exacerbate breathing difficulties, even for people without a history of respiratory problems.
As the evidence has mounted, environmental groups have used the courts to try and enforce clear air standards and regulations. In the UK, campaigners have recently had success in forcing the government to act more quickly.
Now, mayors from a number of major cities with well known air quality problems have decided to use their authority to clamp down on the use of diesel.

At the C40 meeting of urban leaders in Mexico, the four mayors declared that they would ban all diesel vehicles by 2025 and "commit to doing everything in their power to incentivise the use of electric, hydrogen and hybrid vehicles".
"It is no secret that in Mexico City, we grapple with the twin problems of air pollution and traffic," said the city's mayor, Miguel Ángel Mancera.
"By expanding alternative transportation options like our Bus Rapid Transport and subway systems, while also investing in cycling infrastructure, we are working to ease congestion in our roadways and our lungs."
Paris has already taken a series of steps to cut the impact of diesel cars and trucks. Vehicles registered before 1997 have already been banned from entering the city, with restrictions increasing each year until 2020.
Once every month, the Champs-Élysées is closed to traffic, while very recently a 3km (1.8m) section of the right bank of the Seine river that was once a two-lane motorway, has been pedestrianised.
"Our city is implementing a bold plan - we will progressively ban the most polluting vehicles from the roads, helping Paris citizens with concrete accompanying measures," said Anne Hidalgo, the city's mayor.
"Our ambition is clear and we have started to roll it out: we want to ban diesel from our city, following the model of Tokyo, which has already done the same."
Many of the measures being proposed to cut air pollution have a knock-on benefit of curbing the emissions that exacerbate global warming as well.
"The quality of the air that we breathe in our cities is directly linked to tackling climate change," said the mayor of Madrid, Manuela Carmena.
"As we reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated in our cities, our air will become cleaner and our children, our grandparents and our neighbours will be healthier."
Many of the plans outlined by the mayors meeting in Mexico are already having a positive impact.
In Barcelona, extra journeys by publicly available bicycles have reduced the CO2 emissions by over 9,000 tonnes - the equivalent of more than 21 million miles driven by an average vehicle.

Trump presidency may mean 30-yr bond rally about to end www.rt.com

The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Total Return Index slid four percent last month, losing $1.7 trillion, the biggest fall since its launch in 1990. Some investors are dumping low-yield bonds and turning to stocks.

Starbucks CEO steps down to focus on high-end coffee, shares fall www.reuters.com

Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) co-founder Howard Schultz will step down as chief executive to focus on new high-end coffee shops, handing the top job to Chief Operating Officer Kevin Johnson, a long-time technology executive.

Schultz, who will become executive chairman in April 2017, said he would focus on building ultra-premium Reserve stores and showcase Roastery and Tasting Rooms around the world as well as setting the brand's "social impact agenda" that includes sending employees to college and recruiting veterans.

Starbucks had signaled the change in July, but its shares fell 3.6 percent to $56.41 in extended trading on Thursday, as investors recalled the company's decline after Schultz handed over the reins in 2000. He returned in 2008.

"Having him step down as CEO raised the anxiety level," said Stephens analyst Will Slabaugh, who said that Schultz is the heart and soul of the brand, its entrepreneurial leader and its savior.

"We're in a much better position on every level," said Schultz, who returned for his second stint as CEO in the depths of the "Great Recession," when Starbucks' stock was trading below $10. Late last year, it hit an all-time high above $60. Schultz has put Starbucks in the national spotlight, asking customers not to bring guns into stores and urging conversations on race relations.

Many of the campaigns have generated controversy, but analysts have not seen a hit to financial results and the efforts have raised the profile of the coffee company and cemented Schultz's status as a national figure.

"The idea that he's replaceable, I think that's erroneous," said Bill Smead, CEO of Smead Capital Management in Seattle, which owns Starbucks shares. He compared the change to the retirement of long-time McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) CEO Ray Kroc, who turned a handful of hamburger stands into the world's biggest restaurant company.

The announcement on Thursday also came as investors worry about the restaurant industry's stubborn traffic declines. Starbucks has held up better than most, but it has not been immune.

Johnson is a former technology executive who became president and chief operating officer at Starbucks in March 2015.

Johnson has been on the Starbucks board since 2009 but most of his career was in the technology industry. He was the chief executive of Juniper Networks Inc (JNPR.N) from September 2008 to January 2014 and prior to that held several senior positions at Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O).

On a conference call after the announcement, analysts pressed the company on timing and whether, with Schultz stepping aside, senior management still had the "merchant gene."

"Not having retail experience could be a problem over time," said Howard Penney, an analyst at Hedgeye Risk Management.

"I'm not leaving the company and I'm here every day," said Schultz, whose office is connected to Johnson's.

Traffic at established Starbucks cafes fell in the last quarter, which Johnson has attributed to a change in the company's loyalty program, and Starbucks forecast a mid-single-digit rise in 2017 same-store sales.

The company dismissed speculation that Schultz could be preparing for a new career in politics.

"He has no plans to run for political office, as he has said many times, and will remain with the company as Starbucks executive chairman, focusing on premium coffee," a spokeswoman said.

Johnson & Johnson hit with over $1 billion verdict on hip implants www.reuters.com

A federal jury in Dallas on Thursday ordered Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) and its DePuy Orthopaedics unit to pay more than $1 billion to six plaintiffs who said they were injured by Pinnacle hip implants.

The jurors found that the metal-on-metal Pinnacle hip implants were defectively designed and that the companies failed to warn consumers about the risks.

J&J, which faces more than 8,000 lawsuits over the hip implants, said in a statement it would immediately appeal the verdict and was committed to defending itself and DePuy from further litigation over the Pinnacle devices.

The six plaintiffs awarded more than $1 billion are California residents who were implanted with the hip devices and experienced tissue death, bone erosion and other injuries they attributed to design flaws. Plaintiffs claimed the companies promoted the devices as lasting longer than devices that include ceramic or plastic materials.

Both companies denied any wrongdoing stemming from the development and marketing of the devices.

According to plaintiff's lawyer Mark Lanier, the total verdict of $1.041 billion included $32 million in compensatory damages. The rest were punitive damages.

Verdicts of such size are often scaled back by courts. In July, the judge presiding over this case, U.S. District Judge Edward Kinkeade, reduced a $500 million verdict in an earlier Pinnacle implant case to $151 million, citing a Texas state law that limits punitive damages awards.

J&J and DePuy have been hit with nearly 8,400 lawsuits over the devices, which have been consolidated in Texas federal court. Test cases have been selected for trial, and their outcomes will help gauge the value of the remaining claims.

The verdict on Thursday came in the third test case, with the second producing the earlier $500 million verdict. J&J and DePuy were cleared of liability in the first test case in 2014

Lanier said Thursday's verdict was "a message loud and clear" that J&J has "a really nasty part of their business they need to clean up."

The company rejected a $1.8 million settlement offer from the plaintiffs before trial, Lanier said.

The plaintiffs in the second test case have appealed Kinkeade’s decision to cut the award. Johnson & Johnson and DePuy have also appealed the jury verdict in the case.

In its statement, J&J criticized the trial judge over certain rulings it claimed help the plaintiffs.

“Today’s verdict provides no guidance on the merits of the overall Pinnacle litigation because the court’s rulings precluded a fair presentation to the jury,” said John Beisner, J&J’s attorney.

He said the company will ask the appeals court to postpone any additional trials over the implant defects.

DePuy ceased selling the metal-on-metal Pinnacle devices in 2013 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration strengthened its artificial hip regulations.

J&J and DePuy also paid $2.5 billion that year to settle more than 7,000 lawsuits over its ASR metal-on-metal hip devices. The ASR devices were recalled in 2010 due to high failure rates.

J&J shares fell 38 cents to $111 in after-hours trading. They had closed up 8 cents during the day.

China insurers may invest $100b overseas in next 3 years: BNP Paribas www.chinadaily.com.cn

Chinese insurers may boost outbound investment by about $100 billion over the next three years, as they seek to diversify risks through buying more overseas securities, private equity and real estate, BNP Paribas said on Thursday, citing a survey.

Government once again reduces excise tax on fuel www.mongolia.gogo.mn

The Government has been taking response measures for preventing negative impacts of rising USD rate against the national currency. The cabinet resolved at the regular meeting of October 5 to reduce excise taxes per ton of petrol and diesel fuels by MNT 240 thousand respectively.

In accordance with the decision, MNT 260 thousand of excise tax was imposed on a ton of petrol and MNT 280 thousand- on diesel fuel.
Although the border price of oil has decreased by USD 30-33, the rising USD rate against MNT is causing the huge losses to fuel importing companies and the rise in the domestic fuel prices.
At the regular meeting on November 30, the cabinet adopted a resolution on re-cutting the excise taxes per ton of fuel by MNT 100,000.
The amounts of excise taxes for petrol and diesel fuels went down to MNT 160,000 and MNT 180,000 respectively.

Nokia phones to return to shelves in early 2017 www.rt.com

The first Nokia branded smartphones and tablets powered by Android will be released at the beginning of next year after a two-year hiatus, according to the company.