February, 2021

• 10 February

  Myanmar police fire rubber bullets, tear gas at protesters

  

  Bloomberg Myanmar’s police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons to quell demonstrations throughout the country on Tuesday, leaving two people in critical condition after anti-coup protesters defied a ban on public gatherings. At least 20 protesters were injured after police used rubber bullets in the capital Naypyidaw during the most serious clashes, according to a network of medics ...

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• 10 February

  EU accuses Eritrea forces of fuelling conflict in Ethiopia

  

  Bloomberg The European Union accused Eritrean troops of fuelling months-long conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and echoed a US call for their withdrawal. The presence of Eritrean forces is “exacerbating ethnic violence” in Tigray, the EU said in a statement. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, didn’t respond to requests for comment ...

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• 10 February

  UK companies facing $68 billion ‘bombshell’ unless aid extended

  

  Bloomberg UK businesses face a 50 billion-pound ($68 billion) “bombshell” unless a series of government pandemic aid programs are extended, the Labour opposition warned. With many firms running out of cash, the party urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak not to wait until his budget on March 3 to prolong business rates relief, a sales tax reduction and his flagship furlough program. ...

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• 10 February

  French economy stabilises at 5% below pre-pandemic levels

  

  Bloomberg French economic activity is running at 5% below pre-crisis levels as the government holds off from imposing a full Covid-19 lockdown beyond the current curfew and closures in some sectors, the Bank of France said on Tuesday. After dipping to 7% below normal during November’s lockdown, the economy improved somewhat in December and is expected to remain steady through ...

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• 10 February

  US small-business optimism drops to an eight-month low

  Bloomberg Optimism among US small businesses falls in January to an eight-month low as the outlook for economic conditions deteriorated sharply. The National Federation of Independent Business index of sentiment falls by 0.5 points to 95, the third-straight decline, the group said. The figure was weaker than the median projection of 96.8 in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Weak consumer ...

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• 10 February

  Facebook, Instagram to prohibit accounts spreading vaccine lies

  

  Bloomberg Facebook Inc. said it will take stronger steps to eliminate false information about Covid-19 and vaccines on its social network, a move that could remove major groups, accounts and Instagram pages for repeatedly spreading misinformation. The company is acting on advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other groups to expand its list of false claims that are ...

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• 10 February

  German industrial production stagnates

  Bloomberg German industrial production failed to grow for the first time in eight months in December, adding to signs that the economy is being weakened by the second wave of the pandemic. Output stagnated at the end of last year as gains in manufacturing were offset by weaker construction. Economists had expected a 0.3% gain. “The outlook for the industrial ...

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• 10 February

  Draghi tells backers common euro budget is priority

  

  Bloomberg Mario Draghi told lawmakers he’ll make a common euro-area budget a policy priority for Italy if he becomes prime minister this month, in a sign of his ambitions for the incoming administration. Carlo Calenda, head of the Azione party, and Manfred Schullian, head of the group of unaffiliated lawmakers in lower house, both told Bloomberg that Draghi had emphasised ...

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• 10 February

  US stocks halt rally; dollar declines as bonds surge

  

  Bloomberg US stocks were mixed after a six-day rally as investors debated whether commitments by the Federal Reserve and the Biden administration to let the economy run hot will spark destabilising inflation. The S&P 500 Index edged lower, taking a break from a rally fueled by signs the Biden administration intends to pass a sizable aid bill while the central ...

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• 10 February

  Hong Kong exchange appoints JPMorgan’s Aguzin as new CEO

  

  Bloomberg Hong Kong’s stock exchange named Nicolas Aguzin, who heads JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s international private bank, as its new chief executive officer. After a protracted search, the 52-year-old banker was appointed to a three-year term as the top boss at Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd., according to a statement that confirmed an earlier Bloomberg News report. He will ...

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