December, 2021

• 15 December

  Nike acquires virtual sneaker maker

  Bloomberg Nike Inc is acquiring a virtual collectibles company as it dives further into the metaverse. The sportswear giant agreed to buy RTFKT, a business founded in 2020 that creates digital products like sneakers and uses blockchain technology to ensure authenticity, according to a statement. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “This acquisition is another step that accelerates ...

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• 15 December

  Big EU states resist push for fast Russia sanctions over Ukraine

  

    Bloomberg Leading nations of the European Union (EU) are resisting a push to quickly draw up specific sanctions and other punishments to impose on Russia if it invades Ukraine, even as the Kremlin shows no sign of backing off a massive troop buildup near its neighbour. Germany, France, Italy and Spain want to focus now on talking to Moscow ...

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• 15 December

  Johnson faces biggest Tory rebellion over UK new Covid measure

  

    Bloomberg Boris Johnson is being squeezed from both sides of the argument over how to tackle a “staggering” surge in Covid-19 omicron infections — and that could have dangerous implications for the UK. The prime minister suffered the biggest Conservative rebellion of his tenure, as 100 members of Parliament opposed his strategy for clamping down on the new coronavirus ...

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• 15 December

  Dutch leader Rutte seals coalition deal

  

    Bloomberg Prime Minister Mark Rutte reached a coalition deal nearly nine months after the Dutch general election, marking the longest negotiations in the nation’s history. Rutte, who is expected to be named prime minister once again, presented the agreement between his Liberal party and three partners in the hall of the Dutch parliament building in The Hague. “It took ...

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• 15 December

  Blinken cuts short Asia trip over Covid case

  

    Bloomberg US Secretary of State Antony Blinken scrapped the rest of his tour of Southeast Asia and will return to Washington after a member of the press travelling with him tested positive for Covid-19, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Blinken and other senior staff have tested negative for Covid, Price said, and the person who tested positive didn’t ...

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• 15 December

  Bank of America luring big spenders to its credit cards

  

    Bloomberg Bank of America Corp (BofA) is turning to private jets and exotic cars to compete with American Express Co and JPMorgan Chase & Co and lure big spenders to its credit cards. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company revamped its rewards program and debuted a new $550-a-year metal credit card that offers extra points on travel and dining purchases ...

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• 15 December

  Poland to step up rate hikes as inflation rises

  

    Bloomberg Poland is poised for a hefty increase in interest rates after a spike in inflation to a two-decade high convinced central bankers that spiralling price growth isn’t transitory. Since the Monetary Policy Council hiked the benchmark to 1.25% last month, all but two of its 10 members have suggested that they’re ready to act again. Of 32 economists ...

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• 15 December

  JPMorgan to pay $200 million fine over lax staff monitoring

  

      Bloomberg JPMorgan Chase & Co is preparing to pay roughly $200 million to resolve the US regulatory investigations into the lapses over monitoring the employee communications. A settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) could be reached before year-end, according to people familiar with the matter, although the figure is preliminary ...

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• 15 December

  Thai central bank chief says focus is on growth

  

      Bloomberg Bank of Thailand is focused on aiding economic growth amid subdued inflation and is less worried about the US Federal Reserve’s monetary actions, Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput said ahead of the central bank’s rate meeting next week. “Most of our rate trajectory will be dictated by domestic considerations,” Sethaput said, adding inflation, growth and financial system stability will ...

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• 15 December

  Hungary ends QE programs

    Bloomberg Hungary said it would continue a cycle of interest rate hikes and shut down its quantitative-easing programs, removing brakes on one of the most aggressive monetary tightening campaigns in Europe. The forint extended gains against euro after the central bank said it has ended its programs for buying corporate and government bonds following a meeting. Deputy Governor Barnabas ...

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