Tesla’s Robo-Taxi Race, Dollar’s Tariff War, Treasury’s YCC Gamble, Big Tech’s AI Gold Rush

● Tesla’s Robo-Taxi Tussle – Expansion, Battery Blues, Mobility Shakeup

[1] Tesla RoboTaxi Service Expansion Timeline

From June, when Tesla started its first unmanned RoboTaxi pilot service in Austin, Texas, it has now expanded to the Bay Area in California. Covering a 70-mile stretch from north of San Francisco to south of San Jose, it is signaling a strong challenge to existing competitors like Uber and Waymo.

[2] Safety Issues and Changes in Fare Structure

Tesla RoboTaxi applies a ‘no-tip’ policy, not accepting any tips. The message “Just Kidding” appears with a hedgehog mascot at the payment stage after the ride, contrasting with the established tipping culture in the US ride-sharing market. Compared to Uber, where a 15-20% tip is typically added, Tesla offers a reduced cost burden with just the base fare.

Additionally, the recent collision of two Waymo driverless cars at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in Arizona shows that autonomous driving technology and safety issues remain critical challenges.

[3] Tesla Stock Momentum and Future Growth Catalysts

According to Wall Street analysis, in the second half of 2025, Tesla’s stock is likely to gain strong upward momentum from three major catalysts: expansion of RoboTaxi services, overseas regulatory approval of FSD (Full Self-Driving) software, and the humanoid Optimus project scheduled for mass production starting next year.

Despite the current 18% drop in stock price, investors’ interest in the future growth story continues because these three variables will form the basis for creating new revenue models for Tesla.

[4] LG 4680 Battery Supply Deal Canceled and Tesla’s Battery Strategy

The news that the supply agreement for 4680 cylindrical batteries with LG Energy Solution has been finalized and canceled shows that Tesla is accelerating its efforts to internalize battery production. The 4680 battery was supposed to offer innovative improvements in capacity and output compared to the existing 2170 cells, but Tesla has chosen to focus on its own production due to slower-than-expected vehicle sales, and is considering applying its own battery system to RoboTaxi vehicles.

However, it should be noted that the supply agreement for LFP batteries for energy storage devices remains in cooperation with LG, so the entire supply system has not been completely canceled.

[5] Global Mobility Services and Differentiated Marketing Strategies

Tesla’s RoboTaxi expansion is establishing a structure that can simultaneously generate complex revenue models, including vehicle sales, FSD software, and RoboTaxi platform fees, unlike existing mobility services. In addition, Tesla is actively hiring RoboTaxi-related talent in several major US cities (Palo Alto, California; Brooklyn, New York; Texas; Nevada, etc.), demonstrating a systematic strategy execution that encompasses the entire market.

Along with this, global VPN marketing events such as Surfshark, which enhances online security and content accessibility, are also being carried out, further increasing investor and consumer interest in Tesla’s technological innovation and mobility service competitiveness.

[6] Regulations and Challenges and Changes in the Future Mobility Market

The issue of charging fees for fully unmanned operation without approval from regulatory authorities such as the California DMV and CPUC remains a challenge. There are compromises based on the regulatory environment, such as operating in FSD supervised mode with a driver present, but it is expected that in the future, when regulations are relaxed, privately owned vehicles will also be able to participate in the RoboTaxi network and generate revenue.

Tesla’s RoboTaxi expansion is the beginning of a mobility innovation that will disrupt the existing ride-sharing services like Uber and Waymo. This issue will provide a major variable in future global economic prospects and investment strategies, not only in Seoul’s financial market but also among investors in the global economy, autonomous driving, mobility, and batteries.

< Summary >Tesla is changing the landscape of the mobility market in competition with Uber and Waymo by expanding its RoboTaxi pilot service, which started in Austin in June, to the Bay Area in California. With a no-tip policy to reduce consumer cost burden, Wall Street analysts predict stock momentum in the second half of 2025, with overseas approval of FSD software and the Optimus project expected to serve as growth catalysts. Meanwhile, through the cancellation of the LG 4680 battery supply, Tesla is accelerating its own battery internalization strategy, and future market changes due to complex revenue models linked to global mobility services and regulatory relaxation will be important variables.

*YouTube Source: [ 오늘의 테슬라 뉴스 ]

– 샌프란 로보택시 출시로 시작된 전쟁! 테슬라 가격파괴 현실화 될까? 하반기 모멘텀 변수? LG 4680 공급 무산?

● Dollar Dilemma-Tariff Tussle-Crypto Surge

The Paradox of U.S. Dollar Hegemony Management: Key Issues and Future Prospects

1. Timeline of Tariff Negotiations and Exchange Rate Fluctuations

Exchange rate volatility is increasing in the short term as tariff negotiations between the U.S. and major trading partners begin.Tariff negotiations and international political events (e.g., APEC summit) directly affect exchange rate fluctuations in the short term.If the growth rate gap between the U.S. and South Korea narrows, the exchange rate is expected to decrease somewhat from the existing level of 1,350 won.However, the negotiation-related events that occur from time to time add to the difficulty of short-term exchange rate forecasting.

2. U.S. Economic Strategy and Investment Inducement

The Trump administration is using tariff negotiations to assert two key demands.The first is to expand U.S. product exports by opening up overseas markets.The second is a strategy to revive U.S. manufacturing by attracting overseas capital investment.Differences in positions on new investment and guarantee conditions are emerging with major countries such as Japan and Europe, and there are risks due to changes in the trade structure.This U.S. economic strategy can have significant repercussions on the global economy, exchange rates, and major asset (Stocks, Investment) markets.

3. The Great Transformation of Dollar, Gold, and Yen – Complex Economic Paradigm

The following points should be noted when re-evaluating the sustainability of the U.S. dollar hegemony.The strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar does not depend solely on the U.S. internal economic situation but is also affected by the economic growth and bubble situations of the counterpart countries.Unlike the existing dollar circulation structure, the U.S. is trying to strike a strategic balance between dollar strength and weakness as the global trade structure changes.Accordingly, the value of gold (gold price) and the Japanese yen are also being re-examined, and discussions on exchange rate adjustment mechanisms, such as the Plaza Accord, are being rekindled.

4. Stablecoins and Bitcoin: Future Assets and Global Financial Inclusion

In the U.S., there are movements to increase demand for Treasury bonds through the issuance of stablecoins.At the same time, stablecoins are expected to play an important role in overseas remittances and cross-border transactions.Bitcoin is also attracting increased investor interest due to geopolitical risks and increased institutional adoption.Experts like Ray Dalio recommend increasing the proportion of gold and Bitcoin in asset allocation within a portfolio.These movements are expected to have a significant impact on the global Economy market and overall Investment strategies.

5. Comprehensive Perspective – Global Economy, Dollar, and Market Future

The U.S. administration’s strategies of ‘market opening’ and ‘inducing U.S. investment’ imply structural changes in the global economic order beyond short-term exchange rate fluctuations.We must closely examine the combined effects of manufacturing revival, investment conditions, and financial innovation (stablecoins, Bitcoin) on dollar hegemony.In particular, the Trump administration’s use of the comparative expression ‘weaker dollar’ to intentionally weaken the relative value of the dollar is noteworthy as a unique strategic development in the global financial market.As these various variables are intertwined, uncertainty related to Stocks, Investment, Economy, Global markets, and Exchange Rates is expected to increase further.

< Summary >

The U.S. is seeking to revive manufacturing and improve its trade balance through tariff negotiations and attracting foreign investment.As a result, short-term exchange rates fluctuate due to various events, but in the long term, they are expected to be adjusted according to global economic growth rates and structural changes.The interaction between the dollar, gold, yen, and alternative assets such as stablecoins and Bitcoin is expanding, and the ‘weaker dollar’ strategy within the U.S. heralds a new financial paradigm.All of these factors are expected to significantly impact investment and economic prospects, centering on key SEO keywords such as Stocks, Investment, Economy, Global, and Exchange Rate.

*YouTube Source: [ Jun’s economy lab ]

– Can the US manage its massive dollar hegemony? (F. Director Oh Geon-young, Part 2)

● Treasury’s YCC Gamble-Manipulating Markets.

Treasury’s YCC Strategy: Government Bond Buybacks and Long-Term Interest Rate Control Shake the Economic Landscape

The Treasury Department’s Plan to Overhaul and Expand the Government Bond Buyback Program

News that the Treasury Department is significantly improving its government bond buyback program to support liquidity and achieve cash management goals is noteworthy. Starting this quarter, the frequency of long-term bond purchases will be doubled from twice to four times per quarter, and the same strategy will be applied to 10-20 year and 20-30 year bonds. The purchase amount will increase from a maximum of $30 billion to $38 billion per quarter, with a limit of $4 billion applied to some maturity segments. This move is not just about expanding liquidity; it aims to artificially control long-term interest rates, which is expected to have a significant impact on the global economy and market liquidity.

The Fed’s Quantitative Tightening and the Treasury’s Quasi-Quantitative Easing Strategy

The Federal Reserve is continuing quantitative tightening by not reinvesting the proceeds from maturing government bonds. On the other hand, the Treasury is aiming for an effect similar to quantitative easing by purchasing government bonds. Despite these conflicting policies being implemented simultaneously, there is expected to be no significant change in overall market liquidity. However, the Treasury’s actions should be understood as a strategy to alleviate the constraints on the overall economy due to rising long-term interest rates.

YCC (Yield Curve Control) Strategy and Coordination Between Short-Term and Long-Term Interest Rates

The Treasury is expecting a YCC (Yield Curve Control) effect by intensively purchasing government bonds to artificially lower long-term interest rates. Lowering long-term interest rates is significant in that it can alleviate unnecessary pressure on the stock market and reduce uncertainty in international financial markets. While the Fed still adheres to a tightening policy focused on short-term rates, the Treasury’s strategy is to flatten the interest rate spectrum through active intervention in long-term rates, which is expected to function as an important balancing mechanism across the economy in the future.

Market Reaction, Stock Market Trends, and Conflicts Among Political Circles

Despite the announcement of a higher-than-expected Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, the market showed signs of the Treasury’s possible intervention as the 10-year Treasury yield fell during the day. While major tech stocks such as Meta and Microsoft led the market, semiconductors and some other sectors showed sluggish performance. The open conflict between the Trump administration and Fed Chairman Powell further highlights the complexities of financial policy, clearly indicating the U.S. government’s intention to focus on controlling long-term interest rates even as it significantly increases the issuance of short-term Treasury bonds.

Future Outlook and Implications

Further refunding plans and additional government bond purchase policies are expected to be announced in the future, and the movements this quarter are likely a precursor to a stronger YCC policy. The impact of the conflicting interest rate policies between the Treasury and the Fed on the overall stability of the economy and the global market should be closely observed. In particular, there remain concerns in the stock market about when the strategy of expanding liquidity and controlling interest rates will backfire. Investors need to carefully monitor future policy changes, keeping in mind key SEO keywords such as “global economy,” “market liquidity,” “long term interest rates,” “federal reserve,” and “quantitative easing.”

< Summary >The Treasury is implementing a YCC strategy, aiming to control long-term interest rates by expanding the government bond buyback program. At the same time, the Fed continues quantitative tightening focused on short-term rates, with the two institutions’ conflicting interest rate policies coexisting. The market shows various opinions on the U.S. government’s policy direction amid falling long-term interest rates and a stable flow in the stock market. Significant changes are expected in the liquidity and stability of the global economy and financial markets depending on future government bond refunding and additional purchase policy announcements.

[Related Articles…]YCC Policy Trends
Government Bond Purchase Analysis

*YouTube Source: [ Maeil Business Newspaper ]

– [Hong Jang-won’s Bull & Bear] The Fed tightens, while the Treasury eases. What lies at the end of…

● Big Tech’s AI-Fueled Profit Frenzy

Big Tech Earnings Surprise and Expanded AI Investment: Building a New Economic Landscape

The Essence of Big Tech Earnings Announcements and AI Revenue Generation

Explore how the surprising earnings of Microsoft and Meta impact the global economy.Microsoft recorded 3.65 EPS against an expected 3.37, proving the surging demand for its cloud service, Azure.Meta achieved an actual EPS of 7.14 against an expected 5.9, rising 11%, once again demonstrating AI-powered hyper-personalized advertising and the global big tech’s enthusiasm for technology investment.This article details the key points not covered by mainstream media, along with AI-driven revenue growth, expanded cloud computing demand, technology investment trends, and increased capital expenditures.

Corporate Performance and AI Utilization Strategies

Microsoft achieved over 23% year-over-year growth in its cloud sector, such as Azure, with increased demand through AI and big data analytics being the key.Google Cloud grew by 34%, establishing itself as a practical example of AI technology advancement.Meta recorded an 11% increase in ad impressions and a 9% increase in average unit price through AI-based hyper-personalized advertising, with advertising profitability analyzed to have increased more than fourfold.These big tech companies’ AI utilization strategies create powerful synergy in conjunction with the keywords global economy, big tech, cloud computing, technology investment, and AI.

Expanded Capital Expenditures and Investment in AI Infrastructure

As of Q2 2024, Microsoft’s capital expenditures increased by 63%, and Meta showed a staggering 107% increase.Google also recorded approximately a 70% increase in capital expenditures, upwardly revising its annual capital expenditure target.The total AI infrastructure investment of the four major big tech companies exceeds $320 billion, showing a significant increase of over 40% compared to the previous year.This massive investment scale also leads to increased demand for hyperscale resources like GPUs, achieving a level of investment cost recovery within two years in terms of profitability and cost efficiency per unit time.

GPU Demand and Future Prospects for AI Infrastructure

The model of big tech companies renting out GPUs and earning $3 to $8 per hour has become an essential strategy with the explosion of AI demand.NVIDIA GPUs are traded at approximately $60,000 per unit, meaning that the cost of introducing one GPU is recovered in just two years.This investment strategy is bringing innovation to the global economy as a whole by strengthening AI infrastructure expansion and data center competitiveness.The reason CEOs have been continuously mentioning GPU and AI demand for over two years is because the profitability compared to the technology investment at that time has already been clearly proven.

Inflation, Tariff Effects, and Stock Market Uncertainty

In the latest PC index and personal consumption expenditure price index announcements, the core PC index recorded 2.8% and the headline 2.6%, which is 0.1% higher than expected.The commodity inflation rate has risen by 3.7% in the last three months, with the tariff imposition effect being analyzed to have a significant impact on overall prices.According to forecasts from Goldman Sachs and others, the tariff effect may gradually ease after mid-next year, but it is highly likely to act as a short-term stock market risk and interest rate hike factor.

Big Tech’s Technology Investment and Future Industrial Restructuring

The active AI infrastructure investment and increased capital expenditures of big tech companies such as Meta, Microsoft, and Google are becoming the core drivers of global economic and industrial restructuring, beyond simple technology trends.These companies are seeking revenue growth in various fields such as advertising, cloud, and data centers through AI, and are announcing plans to continuously expand investment based on sophisticated financial fundamentals.In the future, big tech CEOs will continue to repeat the keywords “GPU, AI, infrastructure investment,” preparing to innovate humanity’s working methods and lifestyles through innovative technology investment and infrastructure expansion.

In the recent earnings announcements of big tech companies, Microsoft and Meta have shown better-than-expected performance by actively utilizing AI technology.Profitability has greatly improved thanks to cloud computing and hyper-personalized advertising, and capital expenditures and AI infrastructure investment are rapidly increasing compared to the previous year.The GPU investment strategy is highly profitable, enabling cost recovery within two years, and uncertainties in the global economy, such as tariff effects and inflation issues, are also affecting the stock market.In the future, the expansion of AI and technology investment by big tech companies will be an important factor determining the direction of industrial restructuring and the global economy.

*YouTube Source: [ 월텍남 – 월스트리트 테크남 ]

– 메타,MS 실적 후 대폭등.. “이제 더 큰 녀석이 온다”