International News 24/12
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Honda and Nissan aim to finalise merger talks by June 2025
Japanese automotive giants Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are considering a merger plan to form a joint holding company, creating the world's third largest automotive group in terms of vehicle sales volume. The companies aim to finalise the deal by June 2025, with the holding company to be formed by August 2026. The new entity's shares are to be listed on the stock exchange, while Honda and Nissan shares will be delisted. The board of directors for the holding company will be mostly comprised of Honda representatives. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Nissan's alliance partner, is also expected to be involved. The merger is a strategic move to tackle competition from electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla and Chinese brands such as BYD, and to improve competitiveness in the electric vehicle era. The combined entity is projected to have global sales of over 8 million units.
Trump proposes US$280 Trillion Bitcoin Reserve to Save US Dollar
Bitcoin has seen a significant increase in price this year, reaching over US$100,000 per bitcoin. This surge in value has been attributed to US President-elect Donald Trump's plan to create a strategic bitcoin reserve. If implemented, this plan could potentially change the global economic landscape and strengthen the United States' position as a leader in the 21st century digital economy. MicroStrategy, a company behind the US Bitcoin Reserve proposal, believes that such a strategic approach to digital assets could strengthen the US dollar, address the national debt, which currently exceeds $36 trillion, and solidify America's role in the global digital economy. The plan proposes the accumulation of 1 million bitcoins through the annual purchase of 200,000 bitcoins, which would have a significant impact on the global digital capital market, estimated to grow from US$2 trillion to US$280 trillion, with US investors dominating the sector.