Hand it to human beings. We have repeatedly defied predictions that we will buckle under the extreme pressure of adverse events. Time and again, whether it was during the eight-month blitz in World War II, or after 9/11, people have proved remarkably resilient in the face of adversity. Will it be the same with this pandemic? On aggregate, probably yes. ...

Wary of billion-dollar defaults, China does not want its daredevil real estate developers to take on any more debt. Banks have been asked to limit their housing loan exposure, while developers that cross the so-called “three red lines” — a trio of leverage metrics Beijing watches — are forbidden from borrowing more. Investors are clearly worried. China Fortune Land Development ...

Bloomberg Air Lease Corp is considering reinstating some previously canceled Boeing Co 737 Max orders, though not until more regulators clear the jet’s return, Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy said. Los Angeles-based Air Lease, one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing firms, had committed to 195 Max purchases as of year-end 2019, including orders, options and planes already delivered. Then came the ...

Bloomberg Billionaire Richard Branson’s orbital-rocket system put its first satellites into space, after a previous attempt failed in May. Virgin Orbit said a Boeing Co 747 named Cosmic Girl took off from California carrying the company’s LauncherOne rocket, which was then released and ignited before successfully reaching orbit. It then deployed its payload: nine miniature satellites known as CubeSats developed ...

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc workers at an Alabama warehouse will vote by mail in February and March on whether to form a union, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said, setting a date for a closely watched referendum on the relationship between the largest online retailer and the employees who pack and ship its products. A group of about 6,000 frontline ...

Bloomberg Poshmark Inc, the online marketplace for second-hand goods, rose 142% in its trading debut after raising $277 million in an initial public offering priced above the marketed range. Shares closed at $101.50 in New York trading, valuing the Redwood City, California-based company at about $8.5 billion on a fully diluted basis including options and restricted stock units. The company ...

Bloomberg The beginning of a new year is always a good time to rethink your travel rewards strategy—but never more so than 2021. With the travel industry experiencing continued disruption from the coronavirus pandemic and hamstrung vaccine rollouts threatening to extend border closures even longer than expected, airlines and hotels are offering unprecedented deals to secure business (and loyalty) in ...

Bloomberg Birkenstock, the German company behind the iconic sandals worn by hippies and preppies alike, is in talks to be taken over by CVC Capital Partners, according to people familiar with the matter. The private equity firm is in advanced negotiations with the family owners of the nearly 250-year-old brand, according to the people, who asked not to be identified ...

Bloomberg President-elect Joe Biden was expected to arrive in Washington, the eve of his inauguration, with the usual backdrop of celebrations and political comity replaced by a military lockdown. Biden was expected to spend the night at Blair House, the guest residence across the street from the White House — one of just a few traditions being honoured during the ...

Bloomberg The Taliban has called on President-elect Joe Biden to honour a US agreement to withdraw all the American forces from Afghanistan by May in order to secure intra-Afghan peace talks and end two-decade-long war. “Steps must now be taken to end the war, not to prolong it, and the agreement was made for the purpose,” Mohammad Naeem, a senior ...