Pushin News

SoftBank's $40 Billion Investment Boosts OpenAI's Market Value / Reuters OpenAI, the pioneering developer behind ChatGPT, has seen its corporate valuation skyrocket to $300 billion, approximately 437 trillion Korean won, marking a twofold increase in just four months. This dramatic surge follows a substantial $40 billion investment from Japan's SoftBank, led by Chairman Masayoshi Son, as reported by U.S. media outlets on February 10 (local time). The latest funding round represents a landmark achievement for OpenAI, a company founded roughly a decade ago. It also stands as the largest private capital investment ever secured in the tech sector. This strategic infusion of capital is poised to shift the landscape of OpenAI's major stakeholders, with SoftBank potentially overtaking Microsoft as the company's largest investor. OpenAI plans to allocate a significant portion of this investment to constructing expansive data centers across the United States, reinforcing it...

Government’s focus on free school meals amid major budget reductions raises questions about economic impact Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has recently ordered a significant budget cut, totaling approximately 28 trillion won (306 trillion IDR), which is leading to the cancellation of numerous government projects across various sectors. As reported by the local newspaper Kompas , the government's decision to cut spending has caused substantial reductions in infrastructure investments, educational funding, and research and development (R&D) budgets. However, the one area where funding is increasing is in the free school meals program, a key initiative promised by President Subianto. The Indonesian government initially planned to raise the value-added tax (VAT) from 11% to 12% this year. This change was expected to generate additional national revenue, but opposition based on concerns about slowing consumer spending led to the suspension of the VAT increase. In light of t...

Consumer sentiment worsens as inflation expectations surge, delaying possible interest rate cuts Concerns over inflation in the United States, which seemed to be easing last year, are resurfacing. This has raised expectations that the Federal Reserve may delay any interest rate cuts in the first half of this year. This shift is largely due to price hikes, particularly in consumer goods, driven by rising tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has placed pressure on global markets. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment survey, released on February 7, revealed that U.S. consumers now expect inflation to rise by 4.3% over the next year. This marks a significant increase of one percentage point from the previous month’s expectation of 3.3%. This figure reflects the growing anxiety among Americans about the economy, particularly in light of the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. These tariffs include a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and...

Defense tech startup Anduril Industries is on track to significantly boost its valuation, positioning itself for continued growth with a new $2.5 billion funding round Anduril Industries, the innovative defense technology startup, is reportedly in discussions to secure new funding that could elevate its valuation to over $28 billion, doubling its previous valuation. This round, which aims to raise $2.5 billion, comes just months after the company successfully raised $1.5 billion, signaling its rapid growth in the highly competitive defense technology sector. Leading the new investment deal is Founders Fund, a prominent venture firm supported by billionaire Peter Thiel. This firm has a well-established track record of backing defense tech startups, and it is expected to play a key role in the upcoming funding round. However, both Anduril and Founders Fund have declined to comment on the specifics of the deal, keeping the details under wraps for now. A significant player in this deal ...

Tesla’s Sales Drop in Europe Amid Elon Musk’s Controversial Political Involvement Tesla, the world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is facing a significant drop in sales in its European market. Analysts point to CEO Elon Musk’s controversial political involvement in the region as one of the major factors contributing to the decline. According to a report by Financial Times (FT), the sales of Tesla vehicles in Germany, where Tesla’s only manufacturing plant in Europe is located, plummeted by 59.5% in January compared to the same month last year. The sales figures for France, Sweden, and Norway also saw significant decreases, at 63.4%, 44.3%, and 37.9%, respectively, while the UK saw a more modest decline of 7.8%. In Germany, the sharp drop in Tesla sales comes despite the overall growth in the electric vehicle market. German electric vehicle sales grew by over 50% in January compared to the previous year. However, Tesla’s market share in Germany shrank dramatically from ...

Vietnam's Trade Surplus with the U.S. Reaches All-Time High, Heightening Fears of Being the Next Target in Trump's Tariff War Vietnam's trade surplus with the United States surged to a record high in 2024, fueling concerns that it could soon become the next target in President Donald Trump’s trade war. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the surplus reached a staggering $123.5 billion (approximately 178 trillion won), marking an 18.1% increase from the previous year. This growth is the highest ever recorded, putting Vietnam among the top countries with the largest trade surpluses against the U.S., following China, the European Union, and Mexico. Despite the trade surplus ranking fourth globally, the speed of Vietnam’s growth outpaced all other countries, surpassing China’s 5.8%, the EU’s 12.9%, and Mexico’s 12.7%. This rapid increase in surplus has raised alarms that Vietnam could be the next target for Trump's tariff measures, following similar moves agains...

USPS Halts International Shipments of Goods from China and Hong Kong Following New Tariff Measures/ AFP On February 4, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced a temporary suspension of package deliveries from China and Hong Kong, effective immediately. The USPS stated on its official website that it would no longer accept international parcel shipments originating from China and Hong Kong until further notice, although letters sent from these regions would not be affected. This decision comes in the wake of an intensified trade conflict between the U.S. and China, marked by the imposition of new tariffs by the Trump administration. The suspension is tied to the latest development in the ongoing U.S.-China tariff war, which has now entered a more aggressive phase. Under new executive orders signed by President Donald Trump, a 10% tariff has been imposed on goods from China, alongside changes to the so-called “de minimis” rule, which allowed small shipments valued at $8...