The U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to extend the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) on December 16. The extension, which is part of a tax and spending package, is now being moved to the Senate for consideration and is very likely to win final approval. The tax credit rate under the ITC was originally to be scaled back from 30% to 10% at the end of 2016 (December 31).
Since 2014, global smartphone shipments have declined annually after enjoying a long period of high growth that began with the launch of the first iPhone. The latest analysis from global research firm TrendForce projects that smartphone shipments for 2016 will grow by just 7.3% year on year. This forecast may be subjected to downward corrections later.