February, 2020

• 15 February

  India’s 400mn social media users to lose anonymity

  

  Bloomberg Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok will have to reveal users’ identities if Indian government agencies ask them to, according to the country’s controversial new rules for social media companies and messaging apps expected to be published later this month. The requirement comes as governments around the world are trying to hold social media companies more accountable for the content …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  MWC cancelled over China virus concerns

  Bloomberg The wireless industry scrapped its biggest annual showcase after the coronavirus outbreak sparked an exodus of participants, roiling telecom companies just as they’re preparing to roll out new 5G services. It’s the first time in Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona’s 33-year history that organisers have called off the event, which draws more than 100,000 participants from across the world …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  IMF chief calls for coordinated economic action to fight virus

  

  Bloomberg The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said global central banks and governments may need to unite to fight the economic fallout from the coronavirus as banks lower growth forecasts. “From our perspective, it is very important to follow carefully what is going to happen in the next weeks,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on a panel …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  PBOC vows virus won’t cause large price rises

  

  Bloomberg The coronavirus outbreak in China is putting pressure on price stability because production has been delayed but it will not lead to large-scale inflationary pressures, according to China’s central bank. The People’s Bank of China’s (PBOC) stance is unchanged and it will maintain prudent monetary policy, Deputy Governor Fan Yifei said at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday. …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  Fed to withdraw more liquidity than expected amid ongoing funding calm

  

  Bloomberg The Federal Reserve Bank of New York will shrink its repurchase-agreement operations more than analysts expected, a sign officials are comfortable removing liquidity without upending funding markets. The central bank announced a new schedule for both overnight and 14-day term repo operations through March 12. Starting this week, the term offerings will drop by $5 billion, to a maximum …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  Morgan Stanley names FX co-heads in latest overhaul

  

  Bloomberg Morgan Stanley, the Wall Street lender overhauling its currency-trading business after losses and an internal probe, named new co-heads for the unit. The New York-based bank said Samer Oweida, global head of FX sales, and Craig Abruzzo, who leads futures and derivatives clearing in Morgan Stanley’s equities business, would now lead the division, according to an internal memorandum obtained …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  HSBC braces for overhaul as Quinn’s future in balance

  

  Bloomberg From its headquarters near the Thames to its Asian hub by the South China Sea, HSBC Holdings is abuzz. With days to go before the bank unveils a restructuring, trading desks and back offices are bracing for scenarios that could see the announcement of another reshuffle of senior management, a surprise new chief executive, withdrawals from businesses and job …

  Read More »
• 15 February

  Citigroup keeps CEO’s pay unchanged at $24 million

  Bloomberg Citigroup Inc kept Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat’s total compensation at $24 million for last year, when the lender’s stock surged. Corbat got $1.5 million in salary and $22.5 million of incentive awards, consisting of cash and restricted stock, the New York-based bank said in a regulatory filing. The 59-year-old CEO, who’s led the bank since 2012, reassigned many …

  Read More »
• 12 February

  UAE a bridge to promote Korean culture to Mideast

  ABU DHABI / WAM Endowed with abundant cultural resources and a large-scale economy, the UAE will act as a bridge to promote Korean culture to other Middle Eastern countries, according to a top South Korean official. “The UAE is Korea’s first ‘Cultural Dialogue’ partner country in Mideeast and has shown an active interest in Korean culture,” wrote Park Yang-woo, Minister …

  Read More »
• 12 February

  Oil rallies amid signs virus spread is easing

  

  Bloomberg Oil extended its rebound above $50 a barrel as tentative signs that Asia’s coronavirus may be easing spurred speculation that the worst of crude’s sell-off could have passed. US futures rallied 2.2% in a second daily gain, having lost about 16% during preceding month amid fears the disease would slash fuel consumption in China. The latest data from the …

  Read More »