VENTURE CAPITAL POST

U.S. industrial firm General Electric (GE.N) plans to invest around $150 million in Nigeria by 2017

The inability to access export finance is causing sales loss for several US majors including Boeing Co. The board of US Export-Import Bank is yet to be accommodated with a third member, without this export finance exceeding $10 million can't be approved.

GE has slashed down assets of finance arm from $549 billion to $265 billion while cutting ties with rest of the financial system that led to attain the SIFI status. Now the conglomerate appeals for its declassification since it no longer possesses ability to exert risk for the US economy. However, an FSOC spokesman vows to exercise its legislative authority in protecting the country’s economy from potential threats.

US-based Western Alliance Bank has decided to buy GE Capital assets from General Electric Co. The deal is expected to be completed by end of 2016. General Electric will focus on its core industrial operations.

Statoil Energy Ventures announced its first investment worth at about US$3 million in United Wind. The fund plans a total investment of $200 million in wind energy over a period of 4 to 7 years.

GE have been trying attract tech workers since last year. In its new Oscars ad, GE mock the startups and proclaim itself as a tech company and an industrial company.

The US companies are keeping their profits made overseas out of the homeland in order to avoid taxes. It's estimated that 500 large US companies are holding over $2.1 trillion accumulated profits overseas to avoid taxes. These companies have to shell out $620billion by paying US taxes to repatriate the funds.

The closure of the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) charter is forcing the US companies to explore business options overseas. Major aerospace companies, which have been benefiting from export financing and other encouraging schemes from EXIM, are in favor of shifting out of the US. General Electric (GE) has already firmed up to its plan to set up $400-million turboprop engine in Europe. Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the largest US aerospace trade group, expresses concerns that many aviation companies are losing their competitiveness in the absence of support from EXIM. However, conservative Republicans are against EXIM charter as it's confined to only three major companies.

With an objective of taking additive manufacturing (3-D printing) to further advance level, America Makes has drawn up plans to support research and development (R&D) with financial funding of up to $8 million.

In an unprecedented move, the stock price of world's most diversified business conglomerate fell 21 percent on the Wall Street. The shares of General Electric (GE) suffered biggest loss ever since the Black Monday in 1987 eroding the company's value by a whopping $53 billion.

Cap Gemini plans to buy United States-based IGATE Corp for $4 billion cash to make North America its biggest market and is raising its sales outlook for 2015 after a solid first-quarter, the French IT services company said on Monday.

The S&P 500 posted its biggest percentage loss since March 25 on Friday as investors shunned risk amid new trading regulations in China, renewed worries about Greece running out of money, and tepid U.S. corporate earnings.

When the Airbus (AIR.PA) A350 jet made its commercial debut with Qatar Airways this week, the event marked a milestone for engine supplier Rolls-Royce (RR.L), but slipping unnoticed under the radar with financing was its arch-rival General Electric (GE.N).

Ten years ago, the boss of Qatar Airways, who takes his first new A350 jet this week, warned Airbus it was flying off course. Boeing was knocking on his door with a "super-efficient" jet boasting 30 percent fuel savings thanks to a carbon-composite design.

Alstom (ALSO.PA) shareholders on Friday backed with 99.2 percent of votes the French engineering group's plan to sell most of its power equipment business to General Electric (GE.N) and refocus on its smaller rail arm.