EU-backed investors plan 500 million euro battery raw materials fund

InnoEnergy, Demeter launch fund to kick-start projects
Aims to develop local domestic supply chain
Part of EU efforts to boost bloc's sovereignty
LONDON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Two of Europe's leading energy transition investors plan to raise 500 million euros ($544.55 million) for a battery raw materials fund, aiming to plug "significant gaps" in the region's supply chain, executives told Reuters.
InnoEnergy, backed by the European Union, and Demeter Investment

Tesla to showcase Cybertruck on China tour

SHANGHAI, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Tesla China is to launch a nationwide tour to showcase its flagship Cybertruck pickup in its second-largest market, the company said on Chinese social media messaging site Wechat on Thursday.
The U.S. automaker did not give dates.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted on the X platform on Sunday that the company could ship some prototypes of Cybertruck for display in China although it would be difficult to make the vehicle legal for the road.

Low-cost spot bitcoin ETFs threaten to erode Coinbase margin, trading volume

CFRA Research downgraded Coinbase to "sell" from "hold", saying the exchange could be forced to cut its trading fees to remain competitive with low-cost ETFs.
The ease of accessing spot bitcoin ETFs via stock brokers such as Robinhood (HOOD.O), opens new tab that charge very low commissions was also likely to pressure Coinbase margins.
"This is likely to reset the bar lower for pure-play, over earning crypto exchanges like Coinbase," Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev said.

What is the status of student loan debt relief?Whatever happened to mass student loan relief? Biden faces pressure to extend negotiations

After much anticipation and a years-long pandemic-era payment pause, Biden in 2022 unveiled his plan for mass student loan forgiveness: More than 40 million borrowers would be eligible for between $10,000 and $20,000 in relief. The difference in relief a person could seek would depend on whether they were low-income students who received Pell grants to attend college. About 26 million borrowers applied or were automatically deemed eligible, and more than 12 million had been approved bef

Congress Clears Stopgap Spending Bill for Biden, Moving to Avert Shutdown.

Over the strenuous opposition of far-right Republicans, the House voted 314 to 108 to approve the stopgap funding just hours after the Senate provided overwhelming bipartisan backing for the measure in a 77-to-18 vote, allowing lawmakers to narrowly beat a Friday deadline.