ChainThink reports that on September 3, Greg Abel, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said in an interview with CNBC that the company plans to hold its stakes in Japan’s five major trading companies as long-term investments, expected to be held for decades.
Berkshire currently holds more than 10% of each trading company and is actively exploring additional collaboration opportunities with these businesses in Japan and overseas.
Abel said that although the yield on Japan's 10-year government bonds rose to around 3%, the five major Japanese trading houses do not view the rising interest rates as a fundamental challenge, and Berkshire still plans to continue issuing yen-denominated bonds as circumstances warrant.
Regarding AI investments, Abel stated that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and the practical applications of AI within the company’s portfolio are key reasons the firm is bullish on Alphabet.
Regarding the construction of AI data centers, he believes that energy supply and related infrastructure remain the primary constraints, presenting significant opportunities for Berkshire and Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
The company is willing to provide energy services to large technology companies' data centers, provided that it does not harm the interests of other customers and generates a net benefit for the local community.
Regarding the U.S. housing market, Abel said Berkshire takes a long-term view, believing that the "American Dream" will endure, but a rapid recovery is unlikely in the short term, and the industry may face volatility in the future.
Regarding the overall economy, he revealed that as of the second quarter, most large businesses performed strongly with robust demand, but U.S. consumers still faced significant pressure and needed to be more cautious in managing their income; overall, Berkshire Hathaway saw the underlying economic fundamentals as still “very strong.”