Trump’s tax plan finally arrives; Is NAFTA exit next; Woman leads Citi back into Saudi Arabia

Profitable Moment   Africa to West: Treat us with respect Arriving in Nigeria, it's tempting to focus on the downside of this country. Dilapidated infrastructure. Stories of corruption. A litany of seemingly insurmountable problems.    At dinner last night, leading CEOs told me of their challenges. Some are basic, like simply keeping the lights on. Others discussed how protectionism and prejudice against Africa creates roadblocks.    But today I heard a different message: Treat us with respect. Tired of Western execs arriving here full of lectures and sermons, Mo Abudu, CEO of EbonyLife TV, said Nigeria knows what needs to be done...and how to do it.   I know what she means. There's a world weary sigh from many American and European execs when they come to Africa. But Abudu wants other CEOs to arrive with an open mind and be ready to do business. That will get you much further than watching your wallet because you fear everyone is on the make. -Richard.Quest@cnn.com  What's new... what's next   By Matt Egan, Patrick Gillespie, Julia Horowitz and Paul R. La Monica of CNNMoney 1. Team Trump's tax plan has finally arrived If President Trump gets his way, say hello to dramatic tax cuts for both individuals and businesses. The administration's new tax proposal, which was unveiled on Wednesday, leaves many questions unanswered. But so far, Trump wants to slash the top individual tax rate from 39.6% to 35% and reduce the number of tax brackets from seven to three. He also intends to cut the top tax rate for all businesses to 15%, far below the current top rates. Oh, and his tax returns? He still has "no intention" of releasing them. 2. Trump mulls order to pull out of NAFTA  Trade experts say it would be a catastrophic move. Now Trump is inching near it. Senior administration officials say he's considering an executive order which would effectively pull the US out of NAFTA. The news comes as the beginning of NAFTA talks have been delayed and a renegotiation faces a short timeline with Mexican presidential elections next year. Trade experts in all three countries say pulling out of NAFTA would be very negative.   3. Baidu CEO: China needs more immigrants Robin Li, CEO of Chinese tech giant Baidu, says now is a good time for China to counter the protectionist stance of President Trump and say, "Hey, come to us. We like you. We welcome immigrants." For now, foreign workers are a tiny portion of China's labor force. But Li is open to doing more deals with the West. Baidu's video streaming platform iQIYI has a new agreement with Netflix to bring popular programs like "Stranger Things" and "Black Mirror" to China. 4. Citi back in Saudi Arabia, led by a woman Citigroup's 12-year absence from the oil-rich kingdom is over. Saudi authorities have given Citi a license for investment banking services. Citi tapped a female senior private banker, Carmen Haddad, to lead its business in Saudi Arabia. Women in the conservative kingdom are not allowed to drive and need permission from a male guardian to travel abroad. But earlier this year Saudi women were hired for three of the country's top jobs in banking and markets.  5. Quick Takes: Trump has done a big flip-flop on how he views Wall Street Credit Suisse is raising $4 billion in cash following two years of losses Free bird? Twitter stock soars on surprise user growth Sorry, Elon Musk. Tesla's Model S loses top ranking from Consumer Reports American businesswoman convicted in China for spying China kills South Korea tourism, but global sanctions on North Korea don't work Expedia CEO wants to get back to work after sarcastic Trump comment Here's why Indians are eating a lot more chocolate lately Major layoffs of familiar faces at Disney's struggling ESPN sports network 6. What's next: Central bankers huddle: No dramatic changes are expected to emerge from policy announcements on Thursday by the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank. The ECB decision is due at 7:45 a.m. ET, followed by an 8:30 a.m. ET press conference by Mario Draghi. The ECB chief could face questions about shifting political risks linked to France's presidential election. Another earnings avalanche: Ford, Comcast and Under Armour headline the latest batch of corporate results from major companies on Thursday morning. Earnings are also on tap from American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dow Chemical and UPS. Amazon, Google AND Microsoft: The earnings whirlwind continues Thursday afternoon when results are expected from tech behemoths Amazon, Intel, Microsoft and Google owner Alphabet. Look to see if those companies, which have vast amounts of cash sitting overseas, cheer Trump's plans for a tax repatriation holiday. Not to be outdone, Starbucks and Expedia are also set to post earnings and take questions from analysts after the bell. Make this newsletter better. Please send us your feedback to CNNMoneyfeedback@turner.com Share Tweet Forward Sign up for CNN Money's morning markets newsletter: Before the Bell Sign up for CNN Money's closing markets newsletter: Markets Now Copyright © 2017 Cable News Network, LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved., All rights reserved. You're receiving this newsletter because you opted in at cnn.com or cnnmoney.com. 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