Quartz Daily Brief—Euroskeptic elections, bombs in Xinjiang, pasta sauce M&A, Axl Rose appreciation
Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Euroskeptics dominate the EU elections. Increasingly sour sentiment about the European Union (particularly in its austerity-stricken countries) could mean more seats for parties like Britain’s UKIP—especially since many voters are apathetic.
HP tries to advance its turnaround story… The company’s stock is up about 9% in the last three months, so its second-quarter earnings will have to assure investors that their faith is well-founded. Despite waning global PC sales, analysts expect HP to buck the trend.
…While Best Buy discusses an awful quarter. Cold weather nudged people into buying goods online instead of driving to big box retailers like Best Buy, so the company’s first quarter results will need to show that its turnaround plans can survive a harsh winter.
Deutsche Bank explains itself to investors. The German bank is now one of the most poorly capitalized banks in Europe, so its proposal to double the bonuses of senior managers (paywall) is under scrutiny at its annual shareholder meeting.
Berlin’s traffic makes a gender statement. German lawmakers will discuss whether to introduce a female version of the red and green Ampelmann pedestrian crossing signal, to be called the Ampelfrau. It’s more than just a traffic sign; the icon has become a logo for Berlin.
While you were sleeping
Another terror attack in Xinjiang. Attackers reportedly killed at least 31 people and injured more than 90 in China’s mainly-Muslim western region, as explosives were hurled from two cross-country vehicles that then rammed into a market crowd. China vowed to crack down on the “arrogance of terrorists.”
Unilever said arrivederci to Ragu and Bertolli, selling the Italian food brands to Japan’s Mizkan Group for $2.15 billion as it reshuffles its food portfolio.
China’s manufacturing activity picked up… May’s flash HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 49.7, a five-month high and a significant jump from April’s 48.1. But it’s still below 50, the level that divides contraction and expansion.
…As did Japan’s (a bit). Japan’s flash PMI edged up to 49.9 in May, from 49.4 the previous month. The update suggests the economy may be able to overcome the April 1 sales tax rise, but is still struggling to achieve significant growth.
SABMiller’s results were flat. The world’s second-largest beer company reported a 1% rise in earnings and a 1% drop in revenues. The brewer of Peroni and Miller Lite, which sells 60% of its beer in emerging markets, took a $400 million hit from currency fluctuations.
Shinzo Abe and Narendra Modi are flirting on Twitter. The nationalist leaders of both India and Japan have been sending each other mutually-appreciative messages since Modi won the general election in India. Abe only follows two other people—and one of those is his wife.
South Korea’s president replaced her staff. Park Geun-hye nominated a new prime minster and fired the country’s spy chief and national security advisor in an attempt to restore confidence in her government following the ferry disaster. Earlier this week, Park disbanded the entire coastguard (paywall).
Quartz obsession interlude
John McDuling on the simple, brilliant logic behind AT&T’s purchase of DirecTV. “The race is on to launch America’s first full-fledged internet TV service (as distinct from subscription-based video-on-demand services such as Netflix and Hulu). Internet TV could, in theory, be more affordable than cable and have more functionality, especially for sports fans. Dish Network is currently in the lead, and Verizon bought Intel’s fledgling platform earlier this year. If AT&T is heading toward a world where it sells DirecTV over the internet, either to its own mobile customers or to everyone, then it would be a game changer for the industry.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
There’s a solid case for reparations to African Americans. Unless the United States addresses its compounding moral debts, it will never be whole.
The NSA isn’t made of magic. Its hacking methods consist of standard tools and a gargantuan budget.
We aren’t working harder than ever. It just feels like we are, because there’s no clear line between work and leisure.
British TV hasn’t really changed in 50 years. That’s the secret to its success.
“Grit” is more important than ability. That’s what Janet Yellen told NYU’s graduating class.
Surprising discoveries
The app that’s just a woman awkwardly staring at you. Every now and then she may say hello in Japanese.
This tattoo artist does improv. His customers trust his spontaneity as he inks their skin.
A multi-directional treadmill lets you roam 3D worlds. It’s still just a prototype, though.
Axl Rose has the greatest range in the history of pop music. The Guns N’ Roses frontman spans more octaves than Mariah Carey.
Silicon Valley’s latest trend is laundry apps. It’s disruptive, but at least it’s clean.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” high notes, and laundry app pitches to [email protected]. You can follow us on Twitter here for updates throughout the day.