The reduction of over half in the Volkswagen Group's profit in 2025 has reignited a debate in Germany previously considered unlikely: the possibility of the largest European automaker coming under Chinese control. This speculation was raised by economists Niall Ferguson and Moritz Schularick during an interview given to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.
When questioned about a potential bankruptcy risk, Schularick considered it more likely that the group would be acquired by a Chinese manufacturer if it continued to lose relevance in the global market. Among the candidate companies, the economist mentioned BYD, which currently holds the title of the world's largest manufacturer of electrified vehicles. However, the Chinese company did not comment on the matter nor signal interest in such a transaction, and both economists emphasized that this scenario is not imminent.
The 2025 financial statement justifies this concern. Volkswagen's operating profit fell by 53%, dropping from 19.1 billion to 8.9 billion euros, falling below the analysts' projection of 9.4 billion euros. The operating margin decreased from 5.9% to 2.8%, although revenue remained stable at 322 billion euros. Factors such as tariffs imposed by the United States, loss of market share in China, and the change in strategy by Porsche, whose operating profit plummeted by 98% to reach 90 million euros, contributed to this picture.
Global CEO Oliver Blume stated that the company is operating in a completely different context. The established restructuring plan foresees the dismissal of about 50,000 employees in Germany by 2030, with approximately 35,000 of these positions specifically at the Volkswagen brand. For Ferguson, Europe's mistake was assuming that reputation and tradition would be enough to maintain technological leadership, while China had been accumulating decades of public investment in batteries and its supply chain.
This hypothesis arises at a time when BYD itself is making operational adjustments. The company ended 2025 with a record revenue of approximately 116 billion dollars and sold 4.6 million electrified vehicles, but announced in April the reduction of about 100,000 jobs, representing about 10% of its global workforce, amid the intense price war in China. In May, according to Reuters estimates, the automaker's global sales registered a growth of 0.3%, interrupting eight consecutive months of decline.
The economists themselves point out weaknesses in the Chinese sector, such as excess production capacity and dependence on government subsidies. Furthermore, there is a frequently overlooked corporate barrier: Volkswagen does not have dispersed capital. The Porsche SE holding concentrates most of the voting rights, and the state of Lower Saxony maintains a participation with veto power, as stipulated in the Volkswagen Law. In Brazil, both corporations continue to expand: Volkswagen projects an investment of R$ 20 billion until 2028, and BYD is expanding its factory in Camaçari (BA), which has already received orders for the export of 100,000 vehicles.
Caoa Chery has implemented a price reduction on the Tiggo 5X 2027, decreasing it by up to R$ 5,000, after the SUV reached the milestone of 100 thousand units sold and produced in Brazilian territory. These new prices are part of a commemorative promotion valid only during the month of August, according to the automaker's announcement.
The entry-level Sport version had its price adjusted from R$ 126,990 to R$ 124,990, representing a saving of R$ 2,000. The Pro version received a more significant discount, dropping from R$ 144,990 to R$ 139,990. Both configurations continue to benefit from the brand's seven-year or 150,000-kilometer warranty.
The manufacturer also assured that both models are ready for immediate delivery at all dealerships. Caoa Chery attributes this increased availability to the rise in manufacturing pace at the Anápolis (GO) plant, where capacity was expanded to meet demand and eliminate waiting lists.
Introduced in February, the 2027 line standardized the 5X design, aligning it with the larger models, Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8. The SUV received aesthetic updates, such as new bumpers, full LED headlights with vertical daytime running lights, and rear taillights connected by a light strip. Internally, the focal point is the 20.5-inch Full HD unified dashboard, which integrates the instrument cluster and multimedia center into a single screen, supporting wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Starting with the Sport version, the vehicle features six airbags, a rearview camera, parking sensors, keyless entry, and electric adjustment for the driver's seat. The Pro version adds a seventh airbag, located in the front center, in addition to a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera system, dual-zone digital air conditioning, 50W wireless charging, 18-inch wheels, and the Max Drive 2.0 driving assistance package, which includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and blind spot monitoring.
In the engine bay, the Tiggo 5X maintains the 1.5 turbo flex engine, which generates 150 hp with ethanol and 147 hp with gasoline, along with 22.8 kgfm of torque, coupled with a CVT gearbox simulating nine speeds. Caoa Chery reported that this assembly underwent recalibration aimed at improving both performance and drivability. The suspension structure is independent on all four corners, using McPherson in the front and multi-link in the rear.
This repositioning occurs in a highly competitive market, where the SUV competes directly with models such as the Volkswagen T-Cross and Hyundai Creta. It is relevant to note that the promotional price of the Sport still exceeds the R$ 119,990 practiced at the launch of the 2027 line in February. Additionally, in July, the brand had extended the model's offer in direct sales, providing tax exemptions that reduced the cost to R$ 103,180 for taxi drivers.
Many clients of Itaú bank expressed dissatisfaction on social networks regarding an unclear change in purchase notifications. This topic was actively discussed on X and Threads on Tuesday (04).
Due to the initial confusion, Itaú provided an exclusive explanation to Tecnoblog: nothing changes in the official application, and users will continue to receive alerts as usual.
The message sent today to a wide base of consumers concerned another service—push notifications via SMS and email about purchases, among other things, as well as monitoring of the bank balance.
According to the company, this service will indeed be discontinued on August 17 due to a low level of user engagement.
The Itaú application, which has become a hub for various company brands in recent years, will retain familiar transaction notifications for Pix, TED, as well as credit card purchases.
Part of the disinformation originated from the bank itself, as the official profile somehow responded that the measure would take effect with the latest application update. However, according to Tecnoblog, these two points are not related at all.
Furthermore, it would be highly contradictory for a bank that places such a strong emphasis on digitalization to decide to provide less information to its depositors and clients.
The official note states: 'There are no changes in other communication and notification channels used by Itaú.' Thus, customers can rest assured.
The White House is expected to extend the waiver of the Jones Act in the coming days, using it as a tool to stabilize gasoline prices. This decision comes against the backdrop of the consequences of the war between the US and Israel against Iran, according to information received by Reuters from sources.
The Jones Act, which has been in effect for a century, requires that cargo be transported between US ports on ships built and owned by the US, and operated by American workers. The purpose of this waiver is to increase flexibility in shipping and eliminate bottlenecks in transportation, which should help reduce fuel costs.
The current waiver of the Jones Act rules expires on August 16. This is already the longest suspension of the Jones Act rules since its adoption, and it has been used nearly 200 times since the start of the war with Iran.
This step is being taken as Trump runs out of simple ways to lower oil prices in the US, which currently average $4 per gallon, ahead of the midterm elections in November. Furthermore, this follows comments made by Trump on Monday, in which he stated that oil companies such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron are receiving 'too much money' from the price increases caused by the war with Iran.
