Europe stock pickers go old-school to ride the next wave in AI
European stock pickers are turning to more established sectors like utilities, professional data providers, and copper miners to tap into the next wave of the AI boom.
copper
A new generation of batteries may bolster the EU, ’s green ambitions
– Sodium is being used to develop rechargeable batteries as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
– Sodium-ion batteries are based on more abundant and safer materials than lithium-ion batteries.
– Europe aims to increase its share of global battery-cell production to 25% by 2025.
– Sodium-ion batteries could be cheaper for storing energy in homes, power tools, and small vehicles.
– Sodium-ion batteries offer the prospect of cheaper and cleaner energy for households in Europe.
A transitional period with lots to do in the garden
In May, gardens in Cyprus are filled with blooming flowers such as roses, Queen Elizabeth roses, and Texas Ranger shrubs. Fruit trees like oranges, lemons, and olives are popular in gardens, and the last month to feed them with fertilizer is May. Prunus and citrus trees are hermaphrodite and can be affected by diseases like canker. Mediterranean fruit fly is a common problem for fruit trees in Cyprus. Agapanthus and Hemerocallis are popular summer flowering plants, while Bougainvillea is a much-loved climber that grows well in dry and hot conditions. Bougainvillea is known for its brightly-colored bracts and can be challenging to prune.
Man arrested for robbing own father
Fact: The man stole copper coils from a water tank on the roof of his own father’s house and admitted to selling them for a lower price.
Panama’s Mulino wins presidency with support from convicted former leader
Jose Raul Mulino won the presidential election in Panama, replacing his former boss Ricardo Martinelli on the ballot. Mulino’s pro-investment and pro-business government plans to prioritize unity and addressing economic issues. He faces the challenge of mending social divisions and restoring faith in the government. Mulino plans to focus on infrastructure investment, higher minimum wage, and job creation. The new government will also need to address issues like corruption, public debt, and the closure of a major copper mine. Mulino will take office on July 1 for a five-year term.
Cyprus wines for Easter Sunday
Good value wines from Cyprus will give a fresh take on Easter celebrations. The foods eaten at Greek Orthodox Easter – lamb, flaounes – make perfect fare for a spring feast. Lamb is the main dish, and the dark red and spicy wines made from Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Maratheftiko or Yiannoudi grapes vinified in Cyprus are ideal.
BoCCF podcast episode on South Mathiatis-Strongylou Mine
Fact: The South Mathiatis-Strongylou Mine in Cyprus is the only mine in the country that has been a UNESCO candidate in the natural and cultural landscape category since 2002.
The riches in Europe, ’s mountains of metals waste
Fact: Waste from the production of aluminium, nickel, and other industrial materials offers the EU an opportunity to advance its recycling goals.
2024 Federal Budget analysis
– The 2023 budget proposed a refundable ITC for clean electricity, equal to 15% of the capital cost of eligible property.
– The 2024 budget provides the design and implementation details of the ITC, including the eligibility criteria.
– The ITC will be available only to eligible Canadian corporations, including taxable Canadian corporations, provincial and territorial Crown corporations, and corporations owned by municipalities or Indigenous communities.
– Property eligible for the ITC includes equipment used to generate electricity from various sources, including solar, wind, water, nuclear fission, geothermal energy, and specified waste materials.
– The ITC will be subject to potential repayment obligations if the property is converted to an ineligible use, exported from Canada, or disposed of.
– The EV Supply Chain Investment Tax Credit is equal to 10% of the cost of buildings used in electric vehicle supply chain segments.
– The Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit has been updated to include production of qualifying minerals at polymetallic projects.
– An accelerated CCA of 10% is provided for new eligible purpose-built rental projects that begin construction after April 15, 2024.
– Immediate expensing is provided for certain productivity-enhancing assets acquired after April 15, 2024.
– The budget proposes to extend an exemption for certain interest and financing expenses relating to arm’s length financing used to build or acquire purpose-built rental housing.
– The government is considering introducing a new tax on residentially zoned vacant land to spur development.
– The government intends to restrict the acquisition of existing single-family homes by very large corporate investors.
– The government is exploring measures to expand access to alternative financing products for home purchasers, such as halal mortgages.
– Amendments are proposed to the CRA’s information gathering provisions to enhance tax audits and facilitate the collection of tax revenues.
– The budget proposes to remove the tax-indifferent investor exception to the anti-avoidance rule for synthetic equity arrangements.
– Specific amendments are proposed to preclude a corporation from qualifying as a mutual fund corporation if it is controlled by or for the benefit of a corporate group.
– The budget introduces the Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Business, to return a portion of the federal backstop pollution pricing fuel charge proceeds collected from a province to CCPCs with less than 500 employees.
– The budget proposes measures to address tax debt avoidance planning, including joint and several liability for taxpayers who participate in such planning.
– The budget proposes to remove the failure to file an information return in respect of a reportable or notifiable transaction under the mandatory disclosure rules from the general penalty provision.
– The budget proposes to repeal the exception to the debt forgiveness rules for bankrupt corporations and the loss restriction rule applicable to bankrupt corporations.
– The government launched consultations on the existing SR&ED tax incentives and announces a second phase of consultations to focus on specific policy parameters.
Sell your Cyprus home faster: The Feng Shui guide to staging success
Fact: Recent data from the Cyprus Mail showcases the thriving property market on the island, with coastal towns like Limassol, Paphos, and Larnaca recording significant sales transactions.