REWIND: International Business News #17

• After concluding that Chinese solar panel subsidies are illegal, and as part of a continuing trend to get tougher with China over trade practices, the U.S. Commerce Department has decided to impose tariffs on Chinese solar panels of 2.9% to 4.73%. ?Also, Germany has cut its own solar subsidy, giving U.S. solar manufacturers some cause for optimism in the increasingly intense international competition for renewable energy products.
• While U.S. mergers and acquisitions activity hit a seven year low in the first quarter of 2012, volume is anticipated to pick up significantly for the balance of 2012. ?Experts point to consolidation and a desire to exploit economies of scale as key drivers to mergers and acquisitions activity in the near future. ?Experts predict that there will be significant consolidation in the renewable energy industry, as companies vie for an advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
• A recent study indicates that recoveries for U.S. security law claims have dropped significantly.? According to a Stanford Law School and Cornerstone Research study, U.S. courts in 2011 approved 65 securities settlements totaling a mere $1.36 billion, down from 86 settlements totaling $3.21 billion a year earlier.? However, companies fear that the SEC?s 2011 changes to whistleblower rules will increase securities litigation and associated costs in the long run.
• Contrary to more optimistic expectations, fears about the sovereign debt crises cause consumer confidence declines in Europe, leading many economist to predict a European recession.? Experts disagree about the likely intensity and duration of any European recession, and its impact on U.S. and pan-Asian markets.

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