Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) exits China’s BYD after 17 years. (00:23) Nissan’s (OTCPK:NSANY) latest ProPilot driving assist to rival Tesla’s FSD (TSLA). (01:29) Hamburger Helper sales are said to jump as shoppers seek value. (02:39)
This is an abridged transcript.
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B) has ended a 17-year investment.
It has fully exited Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD (OTCPK:BYDDF).
This investment was recommended by Warren Buffett’s longtime business partner Charlie Munger.
BYD’s Hong Kong-listed shares fell about 3% on Monday.
The investment giant had been paring its stake in BYD (OTCPK:BYDDF) over the years, reducing it to under 5% last year, meaning it no longer had to disclose future stake sales under the rules of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
As of March 31, its investment value was disclosed as zero, according to an exchange filing from Berkshire Hathaway Energy earlier this year. That’s down from $415M at the end of 2024.
Berkshire (NYSE:BRK.B) first invested in the EV maker in 2008, paying $230M for a 10% stake.
According to CNBC, which first reported the exit, BYD (OTCPK:BYDDF) shares gained around 3,890% during the years Berkshire owned them.
Nissan Motor (OTCPK:NSANY) will launch the latest version of its ProPilot driver-assist system in partnership with Wayve Technologies based in the UK.
According to a Bloomberg report, the rollout is expected by March 2028,
While the system still operates at Level 2 autonomy—meaning the driver must remain ready to take control—it aims to be at par with Tesla’s (TSLA) FSD in functionality.
“We think ours is smarter than Tesla FSD, just not as polished as a product,” said Tetsuya Iijima, a general manager in Nissan’s assisted-driving technology engineering department, the report added.
“Its situational awareness is close to human,” Iijima said during a prototype test drive in Tokyo last week. “I believe this technology will change lives.”
Unlike Tesla’s (TSLA) system, Nissan (NSNANy) emphasizes safety with driver monitoring using internal cameras to track driver attention, offering hands-free driving on highways with confirmation required if you’d like to change a lane.
ProPilot was first introduced in 2016 and assisted with lane centering and keeping a safe distance from vehicles ahead. The Japanese carmaker (OTCPK:NSANY) aims to roll out an autonomous vehicle ride-share service in 2027.
Hamburger Helper is making a comeback.
The New York Times reported that the budget-friendly boxed pasta mix, which was once a staple of 1970s kitchens, has seen sales climb 14.5% in the year through August. The information came from the brands owner Eagle Foods.
The rebound comes as Americans again look for ways to stretch meals in the face of higher grocery bills, echoing the product’s original rise during the inflationary 1970s. Data show consumers are also buying more beans, rice, canned tuna and macaroni and cheese, while cutting back on pricier items like desserts.
What’s Trending on Seeking Alpha:
Trump officials reportedly set to link Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism
Samsung stock hits year’s high following report of Nvidia approval
Saks is said to be in talks to sell stake in Bergdorf Goodman
Catalyst watch:
Firefly Aerospace (FLY) will issue its first earnings release as a publicly traded company.
Robinhood Markets (HOOD), AppLovin (APP), and Emcor Group (EME) officially join the S&P 500 Index.
Shareholders with Veritex Holdings (VBTX) will vote on the all-stock acquisition offer from Huntington Bancshares (HBAN).
Dow, S&P and Nasdaq futures are in the red. Crude oil is down 0.1% at $62/barrel. Bitcoin is down 2.4% at $112,000. Gold is up 1% at $3,722.
The FTSE 100 is flat and the DAX is down 0.8%.
The biggest movers for the day premarket: Metsera (NASDAQ:MTSR) +46% – Shares surged after reports that Pfizer (PFE) is nearing a $7.3B takeover of the weight-loss drug maker.
On today’s economic calendar:
10:00 am St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President Alberto Musalem speaks on the U.S. economy and monetary policy in a moderated conversation at the Brookings Institution.
12:00 pm Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Beth Hammack speaks on”The Fed’s Role in the Economy and Impact on Everyday Life” before a”Fed Talk” event.
12:00 pm Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin speaks virtually on the economy before the Howard County (Maryland) Chamber of Commerce.
Editor’s Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.
