Things couldn’t feel less festive in Britain right now. There’s a new — apparently homegrown — virus mutation, rising Covid case numbers, the cancellation of Christmas gatherings, and stalled Brexit talks. Now Europe has put the UK into isolation, closing borders because of worries about the new Covid strain. It isn’t just Christmas travellers who face disruption. Some 10,000 large ...

Last year’s backlash against Facebook Inc’s planned digital currency Libra would have been most CEOs’ worst nightmare. Governments and regulators linked arms to repel a perceived threat to monetary sovereignty, financial stability and data privacy. Mark Zuckerberg tried to reassure politicians by talking up financial inclusion and innovation. He even acknowledged the problem: “I get that I’m not the ideal ...

The pandemic relief deal that Congress struck is long overdue. Unfortunately, the package includes a provision that threatens to make this and future crises worse — by limiting the emergency powers of the Federal Reserve. At issue is Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act, which grants the central bank broad powers to make loans and otherwise keep money flowing ...

Bloomberg An Indian court allowed Amazon.com Inc to oppose Future Group’s $3.4 billion asset sale to Mukesh Ambani’s conglomerate but left it to local regulators to decide on the deal, in a mixed ruling for the US giant fighting Asia’s richest man for dominance in one of the world’s largest retail markets. The Delhi High Court said on Monday it ...

Bloomberg EasyJet Plc shares rose after the UK airline said it will defer the delivery of another 22 Airbus SE jets to conserve cash as the coronavirus crisis continues to depress travel demand. Europe’s second-largest discount carrier will postpone the handovers, which were due over a three-year period starting in October 2021, to the 2027-2028 period. The timing of 15 ...

Bloomberg The pandemic aid package negotiated by Congressional leaders includes $15 billion to reinstate payroll reimbursements to airlines that expired two months ago, according to two people familiar with the legislation. The legislation is similar to provisions in an earlier pandemic aid package that expired on October 1, which barred layoffs and came with other restrictions. The tentative agreement also ...

Bloomberg Nike Inc gained in late trading after second-quarter revenue and profit topped Wall Street’s expectations, bolstered by e-commerce sales and rebounding growth in China. Sales rose 8.9% to $11.2 billion in the quarter ended on November 30, the athleticwear company reported. Analysts had projected $10.6 billion. Earnings grew to 78 cents a share, compared with a 62-cent estimate. The ...

Bloomberg A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) test to gather data on returning the Boeing Co 737 Max to service was improperly influenced by the company, according to a US Senate investigative report. The 101-page report, based on a whistle-blower account, alleged that the FAA and Boeing officials were attempting to create “a pre-determined outcome” by essentially coaching pilots before testing ...

Bloomberg Ireland’s Ryanair Holdings Plc has cancelled some UK domestic services after it said the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) imposed rules that made the operation of those flights impossible. The CAA said the rules weren’t new. The CAA said that it was incorrect for Ryanair to state that the authority has changed its policy at short notice, saying that ...

Bloomberg The European Union (EU) rebuffed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s latest concessions on fishing rights, dealing a setback to efforts to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. Johnson spoke with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen twice by phone to try and break the deadlocked negotiations. The UK made an offer that would see value of the fish EU boats catch ...