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Nissan Eyes Foxconn EV Production to Prevent Oppama Plant Closure

Japan’s Nissan Motor is reportedly in talks with Taiwan’s Foxconn to allow the electronics giant to manufacture electric vehicles (EVs) at Nissan’s Oppama plant in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. This move could potentially save the factory from closure amid Nissan’s broad restructuring efforts.


Background:

Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa announced plans to restructure the company, including closing seven out of 17 factories worldwide and cutting the workforce by roughly 15%. The Oppama plant, which employs about 3,900 workers, was among those considered for shutdown.

Potential Deal:

  • Allowing Foxconn to produce EVs at Oppama could help avoid the plant’s closure, preserving jobs and supporting local suppliers.

  • Foxconn is also reportedly considering acquiring a portion of the Oppama facility.

  • In May, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan’s junior partner, signed a memorandum with a Foxconn subsidiary for Foxconn to supply an EV model.

Official Statements:

Nissan said the Nikkei report on the talks was not based on information officially released by the company. Foxconn did not respond to requests for comment.

UK’s Bytes Technology Shares Plunge 27% After Profit Warning on Restructuring Delays and Market Pressures

Shares of Bytes Technology (BYIT.L), a UK-based IT firm, tumbled over 27% on Wednesday following a profit warning. The company announced that its operating profit for the first half of fiscal 2026 would be marginally lower than expected, citing delayed customer decisions and extended internal restructuring readjustments as key factors.

Bytes attributed the weak trading in the early months of the year to macroeconomic challenges, which led many corporate clients to defer purchasing decisions. The firm is transitioning from a generalist sales approach to specialized, customer segment-focused teams—a shift that has taken longer to implement than initially anticipated.

Additional pressure came from changes to Microsoft’s enterprise agreement program, which reduced certain transactional incentives. These changes particularly impacted the first half of the fiscal year due to a high volume of contract renewals in March and April.

On Wednesday, Bytes reported that gross profit for the first half of fiscal 2026 is expected to remain flat, contrasting with its May guidance, which projected double-digit gross profit growth and high single-digit operating profit growth for the year. For comparison, the company posted an operating profit of £35.6 million ($48.8 million) in the first half of fiscal 2025.

The stock dropped to 369 pence at one point—the lowest since April 2023—before recovering slightly to 391.4 pence by 08:00 GMT. Analysts from Jefferies noted that the cautious AGM update, which downgraded growth expectations, may have surprised investors.

Amazon Cuts Jobs in Books Division Amid Ongoing Restructuring Efforts

Amazon has implemented another round of job cuts, this time targeting its books division, including its Goodreads review platform and Kindle operations. The company confirmed on Thursday that fewer than 100 employees were affected as part of an ongoing effort to enhance efficiency and better align with its evolving business strategy.

In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson explained, “As part of our ongoing work to make our teams and programs operate more efficiently, and to better align with our business roadmap, we’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles within the Books organization.”

These latest cuts are part of a broader trend of targeted layoffs at Amazon over the past year. The company has previously trimmed positions across several units, including its devices and services division, the Wondery podcast business, stores, and communications teams. The job reductions reflect CEO Andy Jassy’s broader initiative to streamline Amazon’s organizational structure, which has included efforts to minimize bureaucracy by reducing layers of management.

Despite the cuts, Amazon has shown modest workforce growth this year, adding approximately 4,000 jobs in the first quarter compared to the final quarter of 2024, according to a recent company disclosure. However, the overall pace of hiring remains cautious as Amazon continues to navigate a shifting economic environment and seeks to balance growth with cost control.

The job reductions were first reported by Business Insider and come as Amazon’s stock closed 0.3% higher on Thursday. However, shares remain down 5.6% year-to-date, reflecting broader market pressures and investor concerns about the tech sector’s growth trajectory.

Amazon’s books business, long a core component of its original e-commerce operations, remains significant but is facing shifting consumer habits and increased competition across both physical and digital reading platforms. The company’s ongoing restructuring highlights its attempt to adapt to changing market dynamics while optimizing operations across all business units.