Money

TikTok executive falls short on China questions

Published

3 years ago

September 16, 2022

TikTok’s Chief Operating Officer has faced questions over whether or not the company hands data to China

Vanessa Pappas has become the first TikTok executive to answer questions from lawmakers about the company’s alleged ties to Beijing.

Pappas was facing members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

U.S. officials asked whether TikTok shares data with the Chinese Government. But Pappas was unable to confirm whether the company shares data, and if it can cut off its information-sharing.

“ByteDance is founded in China, but we do not have an official headquarters as a global company,” she said.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which is based in China.

The popular video-sharing platform has faced a series of probes by U.S. authorities, including by former President Donald Trump who placed an executive order to limit unspecified “transactions” with the Chinese owners of the app.

“I’m concerned that you’re not able to answer the question, except to say that you will not make the commitment to cutting off this data to China,” Senator Rob Portman said during the hearing.

“We also have very strict access controls around the type of data that they can access and where that data is stored, which is here in the United States. And we’ve also said under no circumstances would we give that data to China.”
VANESSA PAPPAS, TIKTKOK CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

The executive maintained the Chinese Government “in no way, shape or form—period” has control over TikTok’s corporate policies.

Money

Australian Dollar surges: What $0.70 means for markets

Australian dollar surges 5% to $0.70, impacting importers, exporters, and big miners amid rising interest rates.

Published

18 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australian dollar surges 5% to $0.70, impacting importers, exporters, and big miners amid rising interest rates.

The Australian dollar has jumped more than 5 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, now trading around $0.70. This rapid rise has sparked mixed reactions for importers and exporters as Australia’s materials sector shows signs of bouncing back, despite concerns over rising interest rates.

Dale Gilham from Wealth Within breaks down the factors behind the AUD surge, the implications for commodities, and what it means for big miners like BHP. From profits to strategy, we explore how the market is reacting to this currency shift.

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#AustralianDollar #AUD #Forex #Investing #Commodities #BHP #Mining #Markets

Money

S&P 500 rises as financial stocks lead and tech slips

S&P 500 rises 0.4% thanks to financial stocks; software struggles amidst AI concerns. Subscribe for updates!

Published

18 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Harvey Vargas

S&P 500 rises 0.4% thanks to financial stocks; software struggles amidst AI concerns. Subscribe for updates!

The S&P 500 climbed 0.4% on Tuesday, boosted by strong gains in financial stocks. Citigroup and JPMorgan led the rally, showing investors are rotating money into the sector as tech stocks faltered.

Meanwhile, software shares struggled, with ServiceNow, Autodesk, and Palo Alto Networks all seeing notable declines. Concerns around AI disruption continue to affect the software and financial sectors alike.

Market watchers are now turning their attention to upcoming inflation reports later this week, looking for signals that could shape the next moves in the market.

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Money

Australia’s GST debate heats up amid tax reform push

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Published

2 days ago

February 17, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Australia is facing a fierce debate over tax reform, with fresh calls to broaden the Goods and Services Tax as the government searches for more stable revenue streams. With an ageing population putting pressure on health, pensions and long-term spending, economists argue the current reliance on personal income tax may not be sustainable.

Dr Steven Enticott from CIA Tax joins Ticker to break down the real impact of expanding the GST, including how it could affect lower-income households, whether taxing unrealised gains would change investor behaviour, and what compensation mechanisms could soften the blow on essential goods. The political risks are high, but so are the fiscal stakes.

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