Bloomberg UK consumers spent significantly more on debit cards in the first two weeks of January but a mounting cost-of-living crisis is expected to take a heavy toll in 2022. That’s according to Lloyds Bank, which found that spending rises 27% from the same period of 2020, before the pandemic hit, with 42% more splashed out at restaurants. The …

  Bloomberg Credit Suisse Group AG will take a large legal charge in the fourth quarter and warned of outflows at its key wealth business, capping a tough year for the bank after a series of scandals and management turmoil. The lender will set aside 500 million francs ($546 million) for litigation stemming primarily from its investment banking business, according …

  Bloomberg Pakistan held its benchmark interest rate steady for the first time in four meetings, opting to watch the effects of previous increases on the Asia’s fastest inflation. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) kept the target rate unchanged at 9.75%, Governor Reza Baqir told reporters in Karachi. Thirty-nine of the 43 economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted the decision, …

  Bloomberg The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will probably scrap its bond-buying program at the first meeting of 2022, as a strengthening economic recovery suggests the additional stimulus measure is no longer needed. All but one of 17 analysts polled by Bloomberg expects the RBA will end quantitative easing at its February 1 meeting. The outlier, HSBC Holdings Plc’s …

  Bloomberg The US will likely move forward with its own digital currency, with issuance occurring between 2025 and 2030, according to Bank of America Corp (BofA) US government-backed coins, also known as central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, “are an inevitable evolution of today’s electronic currencies,” strategists Alkesh Shah and Andrew Moss, wrote in a report. In the meantime, …

  Bloomberg Global banks are raising concerns to Chinese authorities about a plan to tighten rules on overseas stock listings, saying the draft rules are ambiguous and will expand Beijing’s regulatory reach outside the nation’s borders. The proposals will also drive up costs and stymie dealmaking, the top lobby group for financial firms in Hong Kong said in a letter …

  Bloomberg Thailand is considering taxing stock trading for the first time in more than three decades, and making crypto traders part with a share of their profits, as the government hunts for revenue to fund billions of dollars in pandemic relief. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha’s government is expected to decide by end-January on the method and rate of taxing …

  Bloomberg Microsoft Corp shares rise in late trading, reversing an earlier decline, after the software giant gave a forecast that reassured investors the company’s Azure cloud-computing business still has potential to drive growth. Earlier, Microsoft had reported quarterly sales that topped $50 billion for the first time and profit that exceeded analysts’ estimates, fuelled by cloud, gaming and Windows …

  Bloomberg Natural gas prices in Europe declined as Russia’s shipments increased and weather forecasts pointed to milder temperatures in the region. Orders to send gas through Ukraine via Velke Kapusany, a major entry point in Slovakia, rose to the highest level since January 1, according to data from operator Eustream. Shipments still remain below normal. Above-average temperatures are expected …

  Bloomberg The UK plans to bulk up the amount of power capacity it has ready for next winter, beyond the amount recommended by network operator National Grid Plc. The government set the target for the 2022-23 power capacity auction 14% higher than National Grid’s recommendation, according to a letter from Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. Under the system, Britain pays …