Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day

(Bloomberg) --

The technology industry is girding for sweeping investigations into its business practices and FAANGS got hit by the news. Asia equities are in the green despite a U.S. selloff.  And China warns students on the growing risks of seeking a U.S. education. Here are some of the things people in markets are talking about today.

Silicon Valley Targeted

Antitrust scrutiny rattled Big Tech. Regulators split up oversight in apparent preparation for probes into whether the firms' practices harm competition. The FTC will look at Facebook and Amazon as the DOJ examines Google, people familiar said. The Justice Department will also oversee Apple, Reuters reported. Google parent Alphabet fell to a five-month low and Facebook plummeted 7.5%, the most since July. Amazon and Apple also fell.

FAANGS Hit

Futures in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong showed modest gains despite a general U.S. equities selloff. The Nasdaq-100 Index extended losses from a record in May to more than 10% as the FAANG cohort of tech companies was said to potentially face federal probes on antitrust activity. The bond rally marched on, with 10-year Treasury yields dropped to their lowest since September 2017. The greenback lost ground against all of its G-10 peers after James Bullard became the first Fed board member to publicly call for a rate cut amid the trade war. Oil sank and gold jumped.

Another Bad Report Card

Australia's workplace productivity growth has slowed to a crawl as the economy struggles to shake off the drag from the end of its mining investment boom earlier in the decade. The labor productivity rate declined to 0.4% in year through June 2018, compared with an average of 2.2% since the mid-1970s, the Productivity Commission said. “The current weakness in labor productivity can be partly attributed to a marked slowdown in investment in capital,” the commission said. It’s not all bad — Australia is still performing well in maintaining productivity levels when compared with other developed economies.

China’s Warning to Students

China warned its students and scholars to consider the risks before studying in the U.S., following Washington's recent restrictions on Chinese students. The Education Ministry pointed to extended reviews and shorter validity of visas, and an increased refusal rate. American universities still welcome Chinese, a ministry spokesman told CCTV. Still, several Chinese graduate students and academics told Bloomberg News in recent weeks that they found the U.S. academic and job environment increasingly unfriendly. 

Trump’s Trip

Donald Trump kicked off his U.K. state visit, saying a trade deal was possible once Britain “gets rid of its shackles” by leaving the EU. The president met Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, with protesters outside. He also took time to call London Mayor Sadiq Khan a “stone cold loser” and complain about CNN's coverage of his visit by suggesting a boycott of owner AT&T.

What we've been reading

This is what's caught our eye over the last 24 hours.

• China’s markets on par with U.S. after trade war counterpunch.
• India’s bitterly fought election becomes the world’s most expensive.
• Trump’s trade attack pushes India to negotiating table.
• Loans that can help save the world are thriving in Asia.
• Digital dissidents and the fight against China’s censors.
• The mining superpowers that supply the world’s lithium want to make batteries too.
• Apple unveils a revamped desktop Mac Pro.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Robert Lafranco at rlafranco@bloomberg.net

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