by Michael Pistol
Finally, October is over. Good riddance…
After one of the most volatile months that we can remember, November starts with a bang – the US presidential elections. By now, the world markets have priced in most of Washington’s turmoil and the economic doom – or at least this is what we all hope. For Canadians, this month brings home - finally – the realization that business won’t be ‘as usual’ anymore, especially if you work or have contracts with any of Detroit’s Three.
The pendulum never stops in the center – the swing in the other direction has just begun. November, I suspect, may continue to rattle consumers’ nerves, and in a big way. The light at the end of the tunnel is certain to be yet another train, at least until January kicks in – then we can start assessing the damage, and plan for the future again. It’s just that the cleansing economic process that began two months ago is not over - yet.
As all economic analysis is always 20/20 hindsight, a few some are seeing these developments as a major opportunity for a fresh perspective or new and radical thinking. Oh, well!! This is anathema within the Canadian automotive sector - witness the disarray in which the automotive parts manufacturers are finding themselves in, or current governments’ programs designed mostly to preserve status quo. Overall, it comes as no surprise that a serious disconnect is happening between the executive suite and the front of the store. The good news is some organizations are starting to do something about it.
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STRATEGIC/MACRO DAILY INFORMATION for Canadian automotive business
TJAAautoinfo FASTWEBLINK
Friday - May 18, 2012
FOCUS: Toyota to lift Alabama plant production capacity - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: How To Crash The Chinese Economy - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: G8 leaders look to head off euro zone crisis - Reuters
CANADA
Bank of Canada fears weak growth in global economy - ReportonBusiness
Craft brewers in, Labatt out as Honda Indy sponsors - TheStar
INTERNATIONAL
V-8 Chevrolet SS coming to U.S. as 2014 model - Det.News
Performance-Car Buyers Seek Individuality - Wards
Ford Focus Battery Electric Vehicle review - Telegraph
GM ad move followed failed Facebook pitch: sources - Reuters
High-tech interiors drive future vehicles - Det.News
Thursday - May 17, 2012
FOCUS: Ford to lead rollouts of new models - Det.News
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: Japan GDP jumps 4.1%, beating estimates - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: The US Is 'Fully Available And Ready' For A Military Strike Against Iran - BusinessInsider
CANADA
Oil a net benefit to Canada, studies suggest - CBC
Gas prices likely to hold steady this summer - MoneyVille
INTERNATIONAL
GM stock boosted by 'Buffett Bounce' - Det.News
Shanghai Latest Design Outpost for BMW - Wards
General Motors to keep Vauxhall Ellesmere Port factory open - Telegraph
Ford to spend more this year on Facebook ads - Det.News
Tuesday - May 15, 2012
FOCUS: GM interested in acquiring Ally's foreign operations - Det.News
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: German economy returns to growth; France steady - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: Eurozone GDP Growth: 0.0% - BusinessInsider
CANADA
Massive budget bill passes 2nd reading - CBC
INTERNATIONAL
Ford ad campaign bucks traditional principles to build 'intrigue' - Det.News
Magna Intelligent Surface Technology Amplifies HMI Connection - Wards
Rolls-Royce Phantom II review - Telegraph
Supplier to buy ex-Mopar site, add 450 jobs - Det.News
Monday - May 14, 2012
FOCUS: GM Europe president to present restructuring plan - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: KRUGMAN: Here's How The Whole Eurozone Could Unravel In Just A Matter Of Months - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: Output falling, Euro zone heads for recession - Reuters
CANADA
How high priced oil is changing our lives - MoneyVille
INTERNATIONAL
Porsche's 911 model fuels April sales - MarketWatch
German brands widen lead in U.S. luxury auto market - Det.News
Toyota, Honda Slide in Supplier Survey a Surprise - Wards
Toyota RAV4 EV: Will anyone buy it? - MarketWatch
Far behind rivals, Ford tries to play catch-up in China - Reuters
Friday - May 11, 2012
FOCUS: Mulally will lead Ford until job accomplished - Det.News
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: This China Chart Is Making Everyone Scream 'Hard Landing' Today - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: China economy shows unexpected signs of weakness - Reurters
CANADA
Weak growth likely to nudge unemployment rate higher - ReportonBusiness
INTERNATIONAL
Treasury: No schedule set to exit GM - Det.News
Volkswagen April vehicle deliveries rise 6% - MarketWatch
GM-Peugeot to pool mid-sized cars, compacts: report - Reuters
EV Battery Breakthrough Likely 10 Years Away, Researchers Say - Wards
Thursday - May 10, 2012
FOCUS: Porsche plans new sedan to rival Mercedes: report - Reuters
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: Q&A: Greece's austerity alternatives - Aljazeera
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: The Death Spiral Of Debt, Risk And Jobs - BusinessInsider
CANADA
Buy American revision reopens threat to Canadian economy - TheStar
Canadian debt loads getting lighter - CBC
INTERNATIONAL
2012 Scion iQ: A tiny dose of daring - Det.News
Mazda's sole executive from Ford to leave: report - MarketWatch
Study
Finds Real-World Vehicle Emissions Not Falling Fast Enough - Wards
Lamborghini Aventador meets real life - Telegraph
Marchionne relishes No. 1 Chrysler minivan ranking - Det.News
Wednesday - May 9, 2012
FOCUS: Toyota to treble profit this year, trim costs - Reuters
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: SOVEREIGN DEBT: A Modern Greek Tragedy - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: Exclusive: China considers delay of key party congress: sources - Reuters
CANADA
McGuinty says Ontario will assist its ‘leading goal scorer' - the auto sector - ReportonBusiness
Ford to cut back on summer shutdown - CBC
INTERNATIONAL
Toyota Q4 net profit surges as output normalizes - MarketWatch
Cadillac to provide concierge service for its XTS buyers - Det.News
New Opel Small Car to Be Called Adam - Wards
GM might sell transmission plant in France - MarketWatch
Ford to boost output by curbing shutdowns; others look to add shifts - Det.News
Tuesday - May 8, 2012
FOCUS: BMW global car sales up 6.1% in April - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: USA: Where Do Real Jobs Come From? - DailyReckoning
CANADA
CAW, Chrysler suppliers negotiate new deals - CBC
Canada seen benefiting as U.S. auto makers scramble to restore capacity - ReportonBusiness
INTERNATIONAL
Hyundai Motor, union to start wage talks - Reuters
In pictures: Lamborghini Aventador - Telegraph
Step Aside Monaco And Dubai, This Is The Real Supercar Capital Of The World - BusinessInsider
Ford China sales up 24% in April - MarketWatch
Indian Supplier's Low-Cost Hybrid System Nears Market - Wards
Monday - May 7, 2012
FOCUS: Mr. Money: The most profitable car companies - Telegraph
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: A 2013 Cliff Dive? - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: Analysis: Greek, French voters
reject German-led austerity - Reuters
CANADA
Canada's last penny minted - CBC
INTERNATIONAL
BMW China car sales continue to surge in April - MarketWatch
Chrysler recalls 300s, Dodge Chargers for electrical issue - Det.News
Toyota says China sales in April up 68 percent - Reuters
Audi China car deliveries jump 44% in April - MarketWatch
Lending Eases, But Some Car Buyers Still Face Credit Issues - Wards
GM China's April sales rise 11.7% - MarketWatch
Friday - May 4, 2012
FOCUS: Ford retirees face buyout dilemma - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: The Euro Area Economy Is Deteriorating At A Disastrous Pace - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: The euro crisis just got a whole lot worse - Telegraph
CANADA
TSX falls after disappointing U.S. data - CBC
Why penny ante, pretty penny, penny candy become anachronisms Friday - TheStar
INTERNATIONAL
U.K. new car registrations up 3.3% in April - MarketWatch
GM rakes in big profits, avoids U.S. income tax - Det.News
Renault-Nissan to Take Majority Stake in AvtoVAZ - Wards
Fuel economy: why your car won't match the official mpg - Telegraph
Ford asks steep price for Japan to join trade talks - Reuters
Tire-pressure monitoring systems not precise - MarketWatch
Thursday - May 3, 2012
FOCUS: OPEC wants to push oil down to $100/bbl: Chief - MarketWatch
FOCUS II: GM Q1 profit beats Street on strong U.S. demand - Reuters
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: ROUBINI: The #1 Threat To The World Is A War With Iran And A Devastating Oil Crisis - BusinessInsider
CANADA
Regulator charges auto dealer with "unconscionable" conduct - TheStar
GM showroom deal marks shift in Canadian auto industry policy - ReportonBusiness
INTERNATIONAL
Porsche sales,
profit surge on China demand - MarketWatch
3 more Chrysler plants to stay open - Det.News
North American Plant Utilization Soars With Boosts to Output, Capacity - Wards
Jaguar Land Rover to invest £200m in F-Type factory at Castle Bromwich - Telegraph
Strong Asia demand fuels BMW first-quarter earnings rise - Reuters
Spain April car registrations down 22% on year - MarketWatch
Wednesday - May 2, 2012
FOCUS: Chrysler has its best April in 4 years; Ford, GM down - Det.News
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: Something Really Bad Happened To The European Economy In April - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: Britain 'does' austerity so the US doesn't have to - Al Jazeera
CANADA
Chrysler leads in April auto sales - CBC
Former Bank of Canada governor breaks rank with successor over consumer debt - ReportonBusiness
INTERNATIONAL
Audi expects '12 operating profit around '11 level - MarketWatch
Ford Focus, Explorer Post Solid April Sales But Fall Short of Benchmarks - Wards
Toyota posts April U.S. gains, GM lifts sales outlook - Reuters
GM taps moms, female engineers for redesign - Det.News
Tuesday - May 1, 2012
FOCUS: Obama Pushes False GM Success Story - RCM
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: It Looks Like The Global Economy Is Rolling Over - BusinessInsider
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: China data points towards economic recovery - Reuters
CANADA
Shell-Iogen plant cancellation raises doubts about new biofuel technology - ReportonBusiness
Canadian economy shrinks slightly in February - CBC
INTERNATIONAL
GM keeping quiet on talks with Isuzu - Det.News
Competition Highlights Democratization of Luxury - Wards
GM CEO: top woman executive a potential successor - Reuters
GM to chop 100 R&D positions - Det.News
Monday - April 30, 2012
FOCUS: Toyota polishes its tarnished image - Det.News
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS: EU readying 'Marshall Plan for Europe': report - MarketWatch
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS II: Unbelievable Headline From 1935 Confirms That Nothing Ever Changes In The World - BusinessInsider
CANADA
Chrysler's Windsor plant suspends production as parts supplier strikes - ReportonBusiness
INTERNATIONAL
General Motors to start selling Corvette in South Korea - Det.News
Sonata Sways New Altima Design, But Nissan Sets Sights on Camry - Wards
UK: BMW 550d review - Telegraph
GM, Isuzu to talk on capital tie-up: Nikkei - Reuters
Forecast: Daimler may overtake VW in 2015 luxury cars - Det.News








