December, 2020

• 28 December

  South African stocks slide

  Bloomberg South Africa’s main equities index fall, led by Naspers Ltd and its Prosus NV unit after Hong Kong-listed Tencent Holdings slumped amid a widening Chinese antitrust probe of the technology sector. With a stake of about 31%, Prosus is Tencent’s largest shareholder. The benchmark FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index falls 0.8% to 58,721 in Johannesburg, with cyclical sectors including …

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• 28 December

  Benefits lapse for millions as Trump fails to approve economic relief bill

  

  Bloomberg Millions of Americans will see their unemployment benefits lapse, at least temporarily, after President Donald Trump let it the night pass without signing a bipartisan stimulus package containing various pandemic aid. While the president dug in over the size of direct checks to be sent to many Americans, the $900 billion stimulus accord contains numerous other measures, including extended …

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• 28 December

  Fast-food boom drives rebound in meat sales for US packers

  

  Bloomberg American meatpackers are benefiting from one bright spot in the restaurant industry during the pandemic: fast-food sales. With most restaurants closed or operating at reduced capacity, customers have flocked to places including McDonald’s and Burger King, where they can simply drive through to grab food. That’s helped Cargill Inc.’s protein sales to food-services business to return to near normal, …

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• 28 December

  Philippines extends ban on UK flights

  

  Bloomberg Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte extended the ban on UK flights by two weeks and said he’s open to reinstating tighter movement curbs if coronavirus infections spike. Returning to some form of a lockdown “is a possibility if the severity in numbers will demand that we take corrective measures immediately,” the president said at a meeting of the task force …

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• 28 December

  Return of UK air travel slowed by demand for Covid-19 test

  

  Bloomberg Air travel from Britain to France resumed, though eligibility restrictions and a new Covid-19 testing requirement limited the number of people able to board. A British Airways flight to Paris departed at 9:24 am from London Heathrow, followed by one to Nice, according to the airport’s website. Both were delayed, and an earlier Air France departure was canceled, reflecting …

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• 28 December

  Online shoppers drive US holiday retail sales to 3%

  

  Bloomberg US holiday season sales beat low expectations for the pandemic year as online shopping surged. Total retail sales grew 3% over the extended 75-day holiday period, versus a forecast of 2.4%, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks online and in-store retail sales across all payment methods. The number is far better than the 3.5% drop recorded during 2008, the …

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• 28 December

  American Air poised to recall workers

  Bloomberg American Airlines Group Inc. will begin recalling furloughed employees as soon as US lawmakers approve a relief package with payroll funds for airlines, Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said. The first paychecks were issued to workers who had been sent home, Parker and American’s president, Robert Isom, said in a memo to employees. Pay and benefits would be retroactive …

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• 28 December

  Holiday surge sees new high for air travel in US amid virus

  Bloomberg Almost 1.2 million people took to the skies in the US, the most since Covid-19 erupted, despite warnings against large gatherings and travel during the holidays. People flocked to airports in past week, according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) data. An average of more than 1 million people a day passed through TSA screening over the past week, which …

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• 28 December

  Credit Suisse uncertain outlook clouds investment bank gains

  

  Bloomberg Credit Suisse Group AG signalled that business continued a mixed performance in the fourth quarter and warned that reaching a profit target next year will depend on the impact of the pandemic. The investment bank “continues to perform well,” with revenue higher than in last year’s fourth quarter, Credit Suisse said in a statement, without providing more details. In …

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• 28 December

  Australian regulator lifts limits on bank dividend payments

  Bloomberg Australia’s prudential regulator has abolished its cap on bank dividend payments as the economic recovery takes hold, though urged lenders to ensure payouts are sustainable. From the start of 2021, banks will no longer be held to a minimum level of earnings retention, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority said in a statement. In April, it had recommended lenders defer …

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