Last week’s U.S. Treasury yield highs recede with stock futures rising sharply. Sentiment has been partially boosted by higher prospects for stimulus with President Biden urging Senate to pass his $1.9tn Covid-19 stimulus bill after it was approved by the House of Representatives. Legendary investor Warren Buffett warns to “never bet against America” in his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter. Buffett announced he had bought close to $25bn of the company’s own shares in 2020. Meanwhile, weak export demand and continuing virus outbreaks have reduced Chinese factory activity to its slowest pace in nine months. And in tech news, Swiss-American computer software giant Logitech increases its full-year outlook on a predicted spike in pandemic-related sales.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Equities sell off strongly across Asia with tech stocks being dumped hardest. On Wall Street, the Nasdaq suffers a fall of 3.5 percent - its worst session since October - as the 10-year bond yield rally gathers pace. EU leaders meet virtually to discuss the disorderly rollout of vaccines across the bloc. EC President Ursula Von Der Leyen remains bullish that targets will be met by summer however European Council leader Charles Michel criticises vaccine makers transparency and shaky supply chains. And Swiss construction giant LafargeHolcim says it expects a second-half rebound in demand as global stimulus programmes begin to kick in.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell allays U.S. inflation concerns in his testimony to the House, causing Asian markets to jump and Wall Street to pare back losses in another intra-day comeback. Berkshire Hathaway’s vice-chairman Charlie Munger slams “this new bunch of gamblers”, criticising SPACs, Tesla and cryptocurrencies for the increasingly frenzied speculation in the markets. This, as GameStop surges 100 percent in 90 minutes. Asia-focused lender Standard Chartered posts a full-year miss with a 57 per cent fall in profits and a doubling in impairment costs. In the U.S., Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccination is due for FDA approval. Its dose reportedly offers an average efficacy rate of 66 per cent and near-total protection against hospitalisation and Covid-related fatalities.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whipsawing on Wall Street. The Dow manages to claw back a 360-point loss to end yesterday’s session in the green following Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s attempts to ease concerns about higher rates and inflation during a Senate testimony. Bitcoin is also volatile, temporarily falling below the $50k-mark, but recouping some losses after payment company Square invested $170m in the cryptocurrency. In autos news, Tesla shares nosedive by up to 13 per cent on the markets’ rotation away from tech stocks. The electric car maker’s stock is now in negative territory for the year. And Hyundai suffers the world’s costliest EV recall after up to 82,000 cars are deemed susceptible to battery fires.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

HSBC beats earnings expectations despite full-year profit falling by more than a third. Europe’s largest lender is promising to resume its dividend payout this year. Big tech companies weigh on the Nasdaq and S&P but the Dow moves to the upside on wider recovery optimism in the U.S. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is $15bn poorer, losing his title of world’s richest man to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. The electric car maker shares post their biggest decline since September. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlines the country’s “one-way journey” out of national lockdown, citing the success of the UK vaccine rollout. And in Australia, the country ‘refriends’ Facebook after the social media titan reaches a deal with the government over media laws and journalistic content compensation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The UK is to ease lockdown restrictions with Prime Minister Boris Johnson set to detail his roadmap to recovery. All eyes are on the bond market with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield hitting highs not seen since this time last year. Boeing grounds some of its 777 planes after a mid-air engine failure on a United Airlines flight causes debris to rain down on a Denver neighbourhood and prompts an emergency landing. HSBC steps up its pivot towards Asia by reportedly relocating a number of executive staff from London to Hong Kong. The UK lender is to announce it is withdrawing its commercial business from the U.S.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tells CNBC in an exclusive interview that only major stimulus will rouse the American economy following “the worst year for economic growth since WW2.” Yellen also said President Biden’s administration will maintain his predecessor’s trade pressure on China. The GameStop saga comes to Washington with Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev going up against the House Financial Services Committee. Tenev defended the app’s decision to halt trading of the stock last month. However, he apologised for his company’s role in the market volatility during the retail trading frenzy. Meanwhile, carmakers continue to lament the effects of a chip shortage. We hear from Peter Schiefer, the auto sector chief at German chip-maker Infineon, who tells CNBC he believes the global semi-conductor squeeze is unlikely to be eased any time soon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s another busy day for earnings in Europe. Credit Suisse pre-tax Q4 profit slumps to a CHF88m loss as a slow post-virus recovery weighs on the lender. However, recent client activity is positively impacting its wealth management arm. Full-year revenue for 2020 at Airbus nose-dives by 30 per cent with an operating loss of €510m. The plane maker will also withhold its dividend this year. Meanwhile, digital discord Down Under after Facebook blocks news-sharing in Australia over a proposed law that will force social media platforms to pay for journalistic content. Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says Facebook’s “heavy-handed” actions will damage its reputation in the country. In the U.S., retail sales spike as consumers spend their stimulus cheques, but the Fed warns economic recovery is far from complete.    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The recent U.S. rally loses some steam. Meanwhile, the U.S. 10-year hits a 12-month high, with St. Louis Fed President James Bullard telling CNBC that investors are eyeing a “roaring” pick-up in post-pandemic U.S. economic activity. In energy news, the Gulf region’s cold snap is keeping refineries offline while millions suffer power blackouts. Robust commodity prices have led to Rio Tinto posting its best full-year profit in almost a decade. The UK miner plans to deliver a record dividend. In other corporate news, Nestlé sheds its North American mineral water brands to One Rock Capital Partners in a $4.3bn deal. And Berkshire Hathaway has disclosed a slew of new Q4 share positions including Verizon and Chevron.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BHP announces a record half-year dividend payout after soaring iron ore prices pushed the mining giant’s results to a seven-year high. Oil prices, meanwhile, rise after a cold snap across Texas and northern Mexico leaves millions without power, shutting wells and refineries across the region. In virus news, the WHO has granted the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccination emergency use approval which will allow for wider access of the drug in low and middle income nations. We hear exclusively from Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra who is confident that the vaccine rollouts will take Europe out of lockdown soon.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump is acquitted of inciting the fatal Capitol Hill mob attack last month, marking the second time he has survived impeachment in 12 months. In Italy, Mario Draghi is sworn in as Prime Minister after unveiling a new cabinet featuring lawmakers from across the political spectrum. He’s now tasked with addressing the country’s economy recovery following the Covid pandemic. Brent crude and WTI both hit 13-month highs on the back of U.S. stimulus optimism, the potential easing of global lockdown measures and renewed tensions in the Middle East. Japan posts a better-than-expected Q4 GDP figure which pushes the Nikkei above the 30k mark – the first time in almost 31 years. And in the UK, the government hits its vaccine rollout target a day early, with 15m people in the most vulnerable sectors of society having received at least one injection. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Disney soars in extended trading after the media giant tops first-quarter earnings forecasts, while subscriber numbers near 95m. Female-focused dating app Bumble lists on Wall Street with shares spiking on the debut. Strong sales in China and soaring online orders help L’Oréal to a topline beat. In political news, President Biden warns senators that Beijing could outstrip Washington on infrastructure investment. And in Italy, PM-designate Mario Draghi succeeds in gathering enough support from Five Star Movement MPs to create a new majority government. He is expected to name his cabinet today.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Biden and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping speak on the phone for the first time with the new U.S. leader immediately raising the topics of trade and human rights. U.S. consumer prices are in focus as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stresses the need for a jobs drive to propel the economy, while revealing the central bank “explicitly” seeks to target an average inflation of 2 per cent annually. In vaccine news, the WHO grants the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine its backing despite recent EU criticism over the drug’s efficacy. Earnings seasons is in full swing in Europe. Italian lender Unicredit posts a revenue loss for the fourth quarter but says it is determined to return more than €1bn to shareholders. And we hear from a slew of European chief executives, including the CEO of Schneider Electric.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a two-speed recovery, the Chinese manufacturing rebound continues to strengthen with factory inflation up for the first time in a year but consumer prices sink into deflationary territory. In Washington, six GOP senators cross the aisle to vote with Democrats to proceed with the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump over “inciting insurrection” in last month’s Capitol Hill violence. Twitter posts a beat on estimates, but user growth is down since CEO Jack Dorsey’s banning of Trump from the platform. In banking news, French lender Société Générale reports a Q4 net loss of €290m but confirms its dividend payment after lower-than-expected pandemic-related provision costs.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. equities and the Russell Index take a bullish turn once more with the Dow and the S&P 500 marking their longest winning streaks since August. Meanwhile, Tesla buys $1.5bn in Bitcoin, announcing plans to accept it as payment. The move pushes the cryptocurrency and its rivals Ethereum and Dogecoin to record highs. On the macro level, Goldman Sachs hikes its U.S. growth forecast after improving its baseline stimulus scenario. This, as Democrats look set to earmark nearly $50bn of the relief plan for the transport sector including $14bn for airlines, boosting shares in major carriers as a result. In energy news, oil reaches a 13-month high to pre-pandemic levels on hopes of global demand beginning to recover. And former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial is to kick off in the Senate later today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Asian equities respond to U.S. futures indications that last week’s rally – the markets’ best week since November - could continue. A poor U.S. jobs report on Friday raises hopes of a stimulus deal. In vaccine news, South Africa suspends inoculations after studies show that the jab created by Anglo-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca provides minimal protection against its national Covid variant. Meanwhile in M&A news, Japanese microchip giant Renesas is set to swoop for DAX-listed Dialog in a reported $6bn bid. In Italy, former ECB president Mario Draghi has secured conditional support from rival parties Five Star Movement and Lega as he attempts to rebuild the splintered government coalition.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Equities in the U.S. soar with the S&P 500 reaching fresh highs off the back of improving employment figures. This, as tech stocks continue to push the Nasdaq to new levels. Washington takes aim at the Reddit retail investor frenzy with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen vowing to review the episode with market regulators while hailing Wall Street’s resilience in the face of the rally. In vaccine news, Johnson & Johnson is set to achieve FDA emergency Covid jab approval. The drug maker may have up to 100m doses available by June. Meanwhile, the global microchip shortage has forced Ford and Stellantis to scale back production. Ford has warned the move may knock $2.5bn off its 2021 revenues while several German brands are considering building up stockpiles of the components. And a new IPO in Hong Kong is making waves. Chinese video media company Kuaishou lists strongly on the HKEX with shares almost tripling on its first day of trade.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The former president of the ECB, Mario Draghi, answers the Italian president’s call to form a new unity government amid the worst national economic crisis in decades. Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi – who withdrew his party from Giuseppe Conte’s coalition – tells CNBC that Draghi is the man to rescue Italy from the current political impasse. In energy news, crude hits a one-year high as OPEC+ producers agree an extension to output cuts while US stockpiles plummet to their lowest level since last March. And today sees a slew of European corporate earnings released including Deutsche Bank, OMV and Volvo.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the end of an era as Jeff Bezos hands over the reins of Amazon to Web Services CEO Andy Jassy later this year. This, as the e-commerce titan reports a record $125bn in Q4 revenues. Alphabet shares soar in after-hours trade as earnings top expectations despite a $5.6bn loss from Google’s Cloud unit. In Europe, Banco Santander suffers a record annual loss of €8.7bn but insists it will pay out its dividend. Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser marks his final quarter as CEO by raising full-year guidance following a 38 per cent surge in Q4 net income. And in Italy, President Mattarella is expected to invite former ECB President Mario Draghi to head a new government following the collapse of talks between the parties in the Conte-led coalition.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Equities have rebounded following their worst week since October. Every S&P 500 sector is in the green with further optimism on the back of earnings due from Pfizer, Exxon Mobil, Amazon and Alphabet. Meanwhile, silver comes off an 8-year high. Posts on WallStreetBets deny retail investor Reddit groups are involved in the price move. U.S. President Joe Biden meets with GOP senators but rejects calls to scale back his $1.9tn virus stimulus bill. Republicans are still hoping for a compromise on the final figure. And in Europe, the vaccine roll-out row intensifies. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen now blames her deputy Valdis Dombrovskis for the climbdown on vaccine export controls. We also hear exclusively from Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli who tells CNBC the energy sector will recover this year as it adjusts to working with the new U.S. administration.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. futures suffer a turbulent overnight session following last week’s heavy losses. Silver is now reportedly in the crosshairs of the short squeeze retail investors. In Washington, 10 Republican senators urge President Joe Biden to scale back his $1.9tn stimulus program but Democrats threaten to push the plan through themselves should they not receive support from across the aisle. China posts its slowest pace of manufacturing growth for seven months in January as weakening exports hamper the country’s pandemic recovery. The Burmese military has seized power in Myanmar, detaining both State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The army has imposed a state of emergency for up to a year citing alleged election fraud last November. And in Europe, Anglo-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca has agreed to provide the EU with 9 million more vaccine doses. Following a furious weekend row between London, Dublin and Brussels, the European Commission has u-turned over its threat to implement checks at the Northern Irish border.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street bounces back following its biggest sell-off since October. The retail investor frenzy heats up after Robinhood is slammed for restricting securities trade. But the app’s co-founder Vlad Tenev said the move intended to protect both GameStop and its customers. We hear exclusively from German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz who says that the fiscal measures taken by Berlin should lead the country to 3 per cent growth in 2021. Tensions between Brussels and AstraZeneca continue with German regulators now saying the Anglo-Swedish pharma company’s vaccine should not be given to over-65-year-olds. And in banking news, Commerzbank is set to announce it is axing up to a third of jobs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street sells off as equity markets suffer their worst session since October, with volumes spiking in the heaviest trading day since 2007. Apple posts its largest-ever quarterly revenue of $100bn as every category sees rising sales. Shares, however, sink in after-hours trading. Facebook stock is also down, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg blaming Apple’s privacy reforms despite the social media giant beating quarterly forecasts. And shares in GameStop see another rollercoaster session rising by 134 per cent before falling as hedge funds scramble to cover short bets.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft shares surge in after-hours trade on the back of strong demand for its cloud services. Guidance has also topped expectations. AstraZeneca has stood its ground over its vaccine roll-out, after Brussels slams the pharma giant for not redirecting UK-bound doses to the bloc. We hear from the GAVI CEO Seth Berkley who says that global supplies will increase soon. In corporate news, Italian lender Unicredit is reportedly set to name Andrea Orcel as its new CEO, while LVMH sees a Q4 sales boom on Asian luxury demand and has promised to pay its dividend at pre-pandemic levels despite net profit falling by more than 30 per cent last year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ECB President Christine Lagarde tells CNBC the recovery this year may be “delayed, not derailed” amid further lockdowns and the risk of new virus variants. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire says the roll-out of the vaccine programme will be critical. President Joe Biden signs an executive order aiming to ramp up the U.S. manufacturing sector, while German economy minister Peter Altmaier is calling for a more attractive European model. In Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is set to strategically resign in a move to seek a mandate to form a new government. And in banking news, UBS Q4 profit jumps by 137 per cent as the Swiss bank says current client activity points to further revenue increases in the first quarter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new Biden administration pushes Republican lawmakers to agree to a $1.9tn Covid relief fund after confirmed U.S. cases surpass 25 million. There is renewed tension over Taiwan with more than a dozen Chinese fighter jets entering the island’s airspace while a group of U.S. carriers led by USS Theodore Roosevelt arrive in the South China Sea. Former PBOC member Li Daokui tells this channel that normalising relations between Beijing and Washington will take time. In Germany, economy minister Peter Altmaier has voiced alarm at the global shortage of microchips for the auto sector. VW has reportedly threatened to seeks damages while Taiwan’s TSMC promises it will ramp up production for car companies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. President Joe Biden outlines his Covid-19 battle plan signing more executive orders on his first day in office but warned the virus situation was likely to get worse before things improve. Meanwhile, Wall Street turns its attention to Big Tech with the Nasdaq and the S&P hitting record highs once again. But Intel has had a minor setback as it has been forced to post earnings early due to a security breach after hackers stole sensitive financial information. In Germany, Siemens has beaten Q4 expectations but remains cautious on the global recovery in 2021. And the ECB holds its policy rates steady for January but President Christine Lagarde says the central bank is poised to react with all available instruments to support euro zone economies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, putting unity at the heart of his inaugural address. The new commander-in-chief immediately signed 17 executive orders upon entering the White House, some of which reversed Trump-era policies, such as the Paris Climate Agreement and the Muslim travel ban. U.S. equity markets cheered the inauguration, bouncing to fresh highs, but they were also buoyed by a slew of positive quarterly corporate earnings. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen tells CNBC that the EU and the U.S. are on the same page in the need for tech regulation, which will be a key area in U.S.-EU relations moving forward.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe Biden is to be sworn in as the 46th President of the USA later today. The incoming commander-in-chief’s Treasury Secretary nominee, Janet Yellen, says that the U.S. will eventually afford a higher corporate tax rate and reiterates the need for fresh stimulus to exit the pandemic. Outgoing President Trump says he and his administration have completed what they had come to do in office. Meanwhile, bumper subscriber growth pushes Netflix stock up in after-hours trade. The streaming giant says it is close to becoming free cashflow-positive. U.S. banks kick off earnings season with Goldman Sachs seeing quarterly profits almost double while Bank of America beats on the bottom line but results are tempered by a modest consumer banking performance. And in Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte scrapes by in a confidence vote but fails to win an outright Senate majority following Matteo Renzi’s withdrawal of his Italia Viva party from the government coalition.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen is to warn that the country is on course for a major recession unless lawmakers “act big” with her Senate confirmation hearing set for today, less than 24 hours ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. The incoming administration has said it plans to reinstate travel restrictions on European and Brazilian passengers lifted by President Trump. In corporate news, food giant Danone is under activist pressure from Bluebell Capital, which is calling for a leadership overhaul citing a slump in share price performance. Meanwhile in tech news, computer accessory maker Logitech has raised its 2021 guidance after posting a near-200 per cent surge in Q3 income on the back of the work-from-home phenomenon. And in Rome, the political chaos continues with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte facing a key confidence vote in the Senate. The government coalition was split after former PM Matteo Renzi withdrew his party’s support over an EU virus fund rift.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China’s economic recovery gathers speed with Q4 growth beating expectations at 6.5 per cent. President-elect Joe Biden pledges to immediately repeal President Trump’s climate policies as Washington DC braces for potential violence ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration. In Germany, Armin Laschet wins the vote to become the new chairman of the CDU party and is now the frontrunner to take over from Angela Merkel as Chancellor. Samsung shares slide in Korea on the news that de facto leader vice chairman Jay Y. Lee is to serve a two-and-a-half year sentence for bribery and corruption. And in M&A news, French waste management giant Suez has received a potential takeover proposal from Ardian-GIP following an offer from its principal rival Veolia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has unveiled a massive new stimulus package worth $1.9 trillion dollars. The plan includes new relief cheques to some individuals, in addition to an earlier round of payments included in federal spending measures last month. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank will eventually raise interest rates and slow its bond-buying programme. But he added these moves will not happen in the near-term. U.S. weekly jobless claims rose to 965,000 last week, worse than forecast and hitting their highest point since August.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Italy is embroiled in political turmoil yet again after former prime minister Matteo Renzi pulls the plug on the Conte government. Renzi removed his party’s ministers from the coalition after a row about EU funding distribution following the pandemic. In the U.S., President Trump becomes the first ever American leader to be impeached twice. Ten GOP members joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to vote for the motion. Chinese December exports rise by more than 18 per cent on the same period last year. In another U-turn, the U.S. Treasury reportedly blocks plans to blacklist some of the biggest Chinese tech firms from markets Stateside. And in France, finance minister Bruno Le Maire has told Canadian retailer Couche-Tard to back off its proposed €16.2bn tie-up of supermarket giant Carrefour, citing concerns over national food sovereignty.    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence rules out invoking the 25th amendment to remove President Trump. The House of Representatives is set to vote on impeaching the president today. In a further crackdown against the outgoing U.S. leader, YouTube has suspended his channel for at least a week in light of the fatal storming of the Capitol building. Deutsche Post DHL enjoys a pandemic-related e-commerce boom, prompting the logistics giant to hike its outlook. Preliminary Q4 profits have jumped by 54 per cent. In retail news, Quebec-based convenience store firm Couche-Tard is reportedly eyeing French supermarket chain Carrefour in a tie-up that could be worth up to $50bn. And the U.S. has revamped its vaccine strategy with states asked to issue the dose to citizens aged 65 and over.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The U.S. House of Representatives moves to introduce an article of impeachment against President Trump which it plans to vote on tomorrow, a week after the deadly storming of the Capitol. As a result, Big Tech firms join other corporates in suspending political donations. However, social media giant Twitter sees shares nosedive over a growing backlash against the permanent banning of the U.S. president from its platform, along with more than 70,000 other accounts. German Chancellor Angela Merkel weighs in on the purge, calling it a “problematic” violation of the right to free speech. Goldman Sachs brings forward its $65 call on the oil price from the early end of Q2. Its commodities chief Jeff Currie tells CNBC that by 2022, oil is set to rebound to levels higher than before the pandemic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Senior Democrats prepare to proceed with articles of impeachment against President Trump following last week’s deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol. Markets Stateside saw record highs on Friday despite the events. But futures point to a lower open this week after a disappointing jobs report for December while the 10-year Treasury yield rises to 1.1 per cent. Meanwhile, fallout from the White House ban against companies with connections to the Chinese military continues, as top Wall Street banks look to delist up to 500 structured Hong Kong market products. Both China and the U.S. suffer a record number of Covid-19 cases while UK health authorities warn the NHS is buckling under the weight of hospitalisation numbers. And, we speak exclusively to Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius who says the pandemic will affect H2 demand but is confident of delivering a sales increase for FY 2021.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The recently confirmed Democrat-majority Congress has boosted U.S. equities on hopes of further stimulus. President Trump promises a peaceful and orderly transition of power following Wednesday’s deadly storming of Capitol Hill. Tech and autos join forces with Chinese search giant Baidu linking up with Geely to create their own electric vehicles. Hyundai and Apple are also set to tie up on an EV project. Elon Musk overtakes Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest man with a fortune of more than $185bn. This, as Tesla’s shares outgrow Facebook to become the S&P 500’s fifth-most valuable company. And in pharma news, Pfizer’s new Covid-19 vaccine appears to be effective against a number of new and infectious strains.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are chaotic scenes on Capitol Hill as hundreds of Trump supporters storm Congress, forcing both Republican and Democrat lawmakers to flee the chamber during a session to confirm Joe Biden as the next president. Congress was eventually reconvened after one woman died from an alleged police gunshot wound and three others passed away due to medical emergencies. This, as Democrats secured a second Georgia Senate seat and control of Congress following the victory of John Ossoff in run-off elections. In Hong Kong, online retailers Alibaba and Tencent see shares fall on reports that the U.S. is mulling whether to add them to a Chinese firm blacklist which already include three of the country’s biggest telcos. And in Europe, Moderna becomes the second Covid vaccine to gain approval by Brussels. The bloc has ordered 160m doses.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Markets eye the Georgia Senate race which still remains too close to call. Futures see-saw and the 10-year treasury yield is up 1 per cent for the first time since March. Meanwhile, President Trump signs an executive order to ban 8 Chinese apps, renewing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. China sees services activity slide to a three-month low but it is still expanding with several regional outbreaks of Covid-19 hampering recovery. And in commodities, Saudi Arabia makes a surprise voluntary cut of one million barrels of oil a day, sending prices soaring to more than $50 for the first time since February 2020.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first trading day of 2021 sees U.S. equities nosedive. The decline is the S&P 500’s biggest since 2016 while the Dow suffered its worst open in five years. All eyes are on the state of Georgia where voters go to the polls to decide control of the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile in the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is banking on a successful roll-out of the Covid vaccine after plunging England into a third national lockdown with schools and universities shut. And Hong Kong markets surge higher after the NYSE goes against President Trump’s executive order to delist three of the largest Chinese telcos. In energy news, Opec and its allies disagree over output hikes. Saudi Arabia wants to hold firm but Russia says it’s time to ramp up production.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. President Trump appears to try to convince Georgia’s state election head to overturn the result over alleged voting irregularities. Meanwhile, China sees manufacturing activity expand but fails to reach the decade high of November. And in Europe, fresh lockdowns are looming while Japan is considering a new state of emergency. But Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock claims today marks a ‘pivotal moment’ in the country’s fight against the virus as it becomes the first to rollout the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine, with 530k doses available today. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges people to “think big” following the country’s official withdrawal from the European Union.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Brexit trade agreement after MPs overwhelmingly approved the deal. The UK is set to leave the EU at 11pm tonight. Soaring Covid cases and deaths across the UK force a further 20 million people into tighter restrictions. And in China, equities end 2020 on a high on the back of expanded December factory activity but overall growth slows on higher costs. After seven years of trade talks, Brussels and Beijing strike an investment deal which will see European companies receive better access to Chinese markets.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The UK becomes the first country to approve AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s vaccine candidate, a potential game-changer for the pandemic recovery. A Colorado man tests positive for the UK variant of the Covid virus. President-elect Joe Biden says the U.S. vaccine rollout is falling behind schedule. U.S. markets close lower following recent record highs after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stymies a vote on improved stimulus checks. In tech news, Intel shares are up after activist investor Third Point advises the chipmaker on ‘strategic investments in order to claw back market share. Spain sees the creation of its fifth-largest lender as the boards of Unicaja and Liberbank approve the merger.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump signs off on the $900bn virus stimulus package, sending U.S. markets soaring to fresh record highs. In Brussels, EU ambassadors unanimously approve the Brexit trade deal with British MPs set to vote on the agreement tomorrow. Alibaba shares rebound in Hong Kong after losing almost €116bn in the previous two sessions as Chinese regulators crackdown on Jack Ma's empire and its subsidiary Ant Group. And in the UK, the AstraZeneca-Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine is due to be approved as the Europe-wide vaccination rollout gathers pace.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Britain and the EU are expected to unveil a post-Brexit trade agreement today. The deal document is said to be around 2-thousand pages, with both sides having until December 31st to get Parliamentary approval. President Trump has vetoed a bipartisan defense bill, raising fears of a government shut down amid the country's vaccine roll-out. Congress will return on December 28th to decide whether to override the President's veto. Shares in Chinese tech giant Alibaba fell sharply after China's market regulator said it will launch an investigation into the company over antitrust concerns. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump has said he may not sign the 900 billion dollar bipartisan relief package, calling the bill a "disgrace." He is demanding changes to several key aspects of the bill, including an increase in direct payments to Americans. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have intensified direct talks in a bid to try and reach a compromise on fishing rights. France has re-opened its border with the UK, allowing freight and EU travellers with a negative Covid test to move between the two countries once again. This as the European Commission recommends the bloc review its blanket ban on travel from the UK.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dow Jones claws back heavy losses of up to 2 per cent to close higher following fears of a new Covid variant spreading. U.S. Congress finally passes the latest virus relief bill worth $900bn, sending it to President Trump to sign off on – it’s the first tranche of federal funding since spring. London holds emergency talks with Paris in a desperate bid to reopen the Channel, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson insists the UK can cope with a no-deal Brexit. And in tech news, Apple overshadows Tesla’s first S&P 500 trading day with the announcement it will produce its own electric vehicles by 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The UK government has warned the harsh new restrictions in London and across South East England could be in place for months. Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed Tier 4 measures on Sunday morning, closing all non-essential shops and curbing travel in and out of the area. A number of European countries have banned travel from the UK to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus variant. Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany have all suspended flights in and out of Britain. Congress has finally agreed on a $900bn stimulus package, after several months of failed talks. The bill will provide direct payments and unemployment aid to millions of Americans impacted by the pandemic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.