Bloomberg Mexico’s central bank unexpectedly accelerated the pace of interest rate increases, a hawkish move that seeks to contain quickly-deteriorating inflation expectations. Policy makers led by outgoing central bank Governor Alejandro Diaz de Leon raised the benchmark rate by a half-point to 5.5%, their most aggressive hike since February 2017. They surprised all but eight of 25 economists surveyed …

  Bloomberg For equity investors in South Korea, this was the year the metaverse arrived. Six of the nation’s 10 best-performing stocks in 2021 are linked to the virtual universe or non-fungible tokens, including Wemade Max Co, which has surged 1,500% as it seeks to be a blockchain game developer, and its top holder Wemade Co Virtual effects creator Giantstep …

  Bloomberg Stocks in Europe edged higher on Wednesday along with US equity-index futures as investors assessed the economic implications of the omicron coronavirus outbreak. Treasuries and the dollar were steady. The Stoxx Europe 600 index nudged to within a whisker of another record, with retailers outperforming. Technology shares declined, following the sector’s retreat in Asia and the US. Contracts …

  Bloomberg Global remittances will likely grow by $34 billion this year and about $31 billion in 2022, reversing last year’s decline, as economies recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Estimated remittance growth of 4.8% globally this year reflects a comparison to last year’s low base, as well as migrant workers’ …

  Bloomberg Flight cancellations that disrupted US travel over the Christmas weekend stretched further, with winter storms further pressuring carriers that were already short-staffed because of spreading Covid-19 cases. About 1,160 US flights were cancelled on December 27 after more than 2,800 were dropped over the weekend, according to data from FlightAware.com. One of the hardest-hit carriers was Alaska Air …

  Bloomberg Indonesia became the latest country to allow Boeing Co’s 737 Max planes back to its skies, joining Ethiopia in lifting the ban on the aircraft that crashed in both countries more than two years ago. The transport ministry will let airlines resume flying the aircraft in its territories after completion of the investigation process and improvements made to …

  Bloomberg Delta Air Lines Inc service to China “remains very fluid” after a flight to Shanghai from the US was turned back because of the procedures needed to clean and disinfect the airplane, the carrier said. The flight returned to Seattle in order “to be compliant with cleaning mandates required at Shanghai Pudong International Airport that were issued by …

  Bloomberg Crocs Inc tumbled the most in more than a year after agreeing to buy casual-shoe brand Heydude for $2.5 billion in an effort to bolster its fast-growing business of offbeat footwear. The purchase will be funded by $2.05 billion in cash and $450 million in Crocs shares issued to Heydude founder Alessandro Rosano, according to a statement. Crocs …

  Bloomberg Hong Kong will mandate three-day hotel quarantines for air cargo crew, as the Asian city steps up efforts to prevent any local transmission of the contagious omicron Covid-19 variant. “We have to balance between the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and the cargo operation,” Edwin Tsui, controller of the Center for Health Protection, said at a press briefing …

  Bloomberg A powerful storm rammed western Japan with record snowfall, disrupting flights, train travel and leaving hundreds without power. Snowfall surpassed 70 centimetrs (28 inches) in the cities of Hikone and Maizuru, in the prefectures of Shiga and Kyoto, respectively, data from the Japan Meteorological Agency showed. Obama city in Fukui, Japan’s coastal region, received record snowfall for this …