December, 2021

• 22 December

  Chanel aims for Hermes status with its handbag price hikes

  

    Bloomberg Chanel has raised global prices on some of its classic handbags by almost two-thirds since the end of 2019. A spokeswoman said the hikes are in response to unspecified exchange-rate fluctuations, changes in production costs and to ensure its handbags cost roughly the same around the world. But luxury-sector executives and analysts say the magnitude of the increases ...

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• 22 December

  Wizz buys Norwegian Air slots at Gatwick to boost UK business

  

    Bloomberg Discount carrier Wizz Air Holdings will increase its presence in the UK after agreeing to buy takeoff and landing slots from Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA at London’s Gatwick hub. Budapest-based Wizz will acquire 15 daily slot pairs at Gatwick, where operations are restricted by a single runway, allowing it to base four more jets there next summer for ...

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• 22 December

  Embraer’s air mobility unit agrees to $2.4bn SPAC deal

  

    Bloomberg Embraer SA’s Eve Urban Air Mobility unit will merge with Zanite Acquisition Corp next year, the latest in a string of deals as flying-taxi startups seek capital from public markets. The transaction includes $237 million in cash from Zanite, a special purpose acquisition company, and a $305 million PIPE, or private investment in public equity. The PIPE has ...

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• 22 December

  EU clears $2.9b restructuring aid for TAP

  

    Bloomberg The European Commission approved $2.9 billion of restructuring aid for TAP SA intended to help the ailing Portuguese airline become viable. The EU Commission also approved 107.1 million euros to compensate the Lisbon-based carrier for damages suffered as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it said. Faced with the prospect of TAP collapsing, Portugal’s government began providing aid ...

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• 22 December

  Zegna open to buying textile firm or brand, says CEO

  

    Bloomberg The Italian luxury house Ermenegildo Zegna NV is open to acquiring other textile manufacturers or a fashion brand that’s strong with younger shoppers, its chief executive officer said. Zegna manufactures its own fabrics, knitwear and yarns, and also sells those products to other brands, such as Chanel and Brunello Cucinelli. “We have this luxury textile platform,” Ermenegildo Zegna ...

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• 22 December

  Cathay warns of ‘several’ flight cancellations in Jan

    Bloomberg Cathay Pacific Airways warned of several flight cancellations to and from Hong Kong in January as operational and travel restrictions continue to affect its schedules. The airline said it is reviewing its passenger flights and apologised to customers. The year-end holiday season is typically a busy time for Cathay and Hong Kong as an aviation hub, but the ...

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• 22 December

  RBNZ out of step with Ardern as huge gender pay gap revealed

  

    Bloomberg It led the world with inflation targeting, but New Zealand’s central bank (RBNZ) is no pioneer for women. The Reserve Bank has released its gender pay gap for the first time, revealing a gulf that’s more than twice the size of the shortfall in the nation’s public service as a whole. As at June 30, the average gender pay ...

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• 22 December

  ‘PBOC could sell yuan as way to boost economy’

  

    Bloomberg The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) could bolster liquidity in the banking system by selling yuan, which will help lower borrowing costs while stemming the currency’s gains, Nomura Inc. said. The central bank needs more aggressive steps to tackle China’s slowing economy, and swapping the yuan for foreign exchange is its best option, according to Nomura’s chief China ...

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• 22 December

  Tapering QE, ending in May is consistent with forecasts: RBA

  

    Bloomberg The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said tapering its bond buying program at the first meeting of 2022 and ending it in May is consistent with existing forecasts, as policy makers presented an upbeat view of the economy. The RBA’s board discussed two other options for quantitative easing: it could cease purchases in February if better-than-expected progress was ...

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• 22 December

  Standard Chartered fined $61m for reporting lapses

  

    Bloomberg The UK’s top banking supervisor has handed out a record fine to Standard Chartered Plc for failures in its regulatory reporting and controls. The Bank of England’s Prudential Regulatory Authority imposed a 46.6 million pound ($61 million) penalty on the lender for five reporting errors between March 2018 and May 2019, according to a statement. That was compounded ...

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