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MACROECONOMICS: Manufacturing Slump Deals Another Blow to Europe’s Economic Outlook

Europe’s economic outlook was thrown into fresh doubt after reports showed weakness across France and Germany.

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MACROECONOMICS: German Manufacturing Sinks Deeper Into Contraction in March

Germany’s manufacturing slump deepened this month amid tensions in global trade.

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CHINA: China Jewellery and jade value-added tax will be reduced from 16% to 13% from April 1st

  • Date: 22-03-19
  • Category: CHINA
  • Source: Jewellery.org

Announcement of the Ministry of Finance, the State Administration of Taxation and the General Administration of Customs on the No. 39 of 2019 on the policy of deepening the reform of value-added tax: the general taxpayer of value-added tax (hereinafter referred to as the taxpayer) has a VAT-taxable sales act or imported goods. For the original tax rate 16%, the tax rate is adjusted to 13%; if the original 10% tax rate is applied, the tax rate is adjusted to 9%.

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RUTHENIUM: Breakthrough in acidic water electrolysis via ruthenium-based catalysts

  • Date: 21-03-19
  • Category: RUTHENIUM
  • Source: eurekalert.org

Hydrogen fuel, with the advantages of clean, renewable and of high fuel efficiency, is seen as the "ultimate fuel" and getting more attention around the world. Water electrolysis is an ideal way to produce hydrogen, yet it requires active and stable catalysts which make this process more efficient and cheaper. Without suitable catalysts, turning water into fuel only seems too good to be true.

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BATTERIES: Amnesty challenges industry leaders to clean up their batteries

  • Date: 21-03-19
  • Category: BATTERIES
  • Source: Amnesty

Amnesty International is today publicly challenging leaders within the electric vehicle industry to make the world’s first completely ethical battery within five years. At the Nordic Electric Vehicle (EV) Summit in Oslo, the organization is highlighting how lithium-ion batteries, which power electric cars and electronics, are linked to human rights abuses including child labour in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and environmental risks which could undermine their green potential.

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BATTERIES: Volkswagen forms European Battery Union with Northvolt

  • Date: 21-03-19
  • Category: BATTERIES
  • Source: Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Group and further European partners are joining forces to form the Euro-pean Battery Union (EBU) with a view to forging ahead with battery research throughout Europe. The new consortium is to be led by the Volkswagen Group and the Swedish battery producer Northvolt. The joint research activities of the European Battery Union will cover the entire battery value stream – from raw materials through cell technology to recycling. The prime objective is to accumulate much broader know-h

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EMISSIONS: Global CO2 vehicle emission reduction measures falter

  • Date: 20-03-19
  • Category: EMISSIONS
  • Source: ICCT

Vehicle fuel economy improvements have slowed globally according to a new report by the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI). The slowdown was especially pronounced in advanced economies - 27 countries saw an increase or stagnation in average vehicle CO2 emissions in the two years up to 2017.

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FUEL CELLS: This Fuel-Cell Company CEO Doesn't Believe in Fuel-Cell Cars

  • Date: 20-03-19
  • Category: FUEL CELLS
  • Source: Bloomberg

Fuel cells have no more passionate an advocate than Bloom Energy Corp. Chief Executive Officer K.R. Sridhar, whose company makes power generators with them and tirelessly touts their ability to produce clean energy.

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