Bloomberg Call it the prop-up effect. As France lived through its worst economic slump since World War II, business failures paradoxically slid to the lowest in 33 years. The number of bankruptcies and firms seeking protection from creditors or entering receivership fall 38% in 2020, as government aid in the face of the coronavirus pandemic kept French companies afloat, according ...

Bloomberg Hong Kong stocks closed at the highest level since May 2019 as mainland investors continue a record spending spree in the city. The benchmark Hang Seng Index rises 2.7% Tuesday, soaring past last year’s peak as stock turnover in the city rose to a record $38.9 billion. A rally since late December has been powered by Chinese investors, who ...

Bloomberg Global markets climbed ahead of a speech by Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen in which she’s expected to call for expansive government action to bolster the US economy. The advance was broad across equities, with futures on the Russell 2000 Index of small-cap companies registering strong gains. Banks led the advance in Europe’s Stoxx 600 Index. Ten-year Treasury yields ...