November, 2020

• 30 November

  France, Germany agree on US more than they realise

  

  “I profoundly disagree” with the German defense minister, French President Emmanuel Macron said the other day, calling her view on transatlantic relations “a historical misinterpretation.” The German minister in question, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, promptly upped the ante, labelling Macron’s contrasting vision “an illusion.” This unusual dialectic between a French president sometimes described as “Jupiterian” and a generally understated German cabinet member ...

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• 30 November

  Don’t make vaccines too expensive

  

  The world is unequal enough and the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to make things more unequal still. Poorer countries have had to take on debt they will struggle to pay back. Their more fragile healthcare systems and crowded cities forced them into stricter and more economically harmful lockdowns, and poverty rates have risen dramatically. Now, they rightly fear a staggered recovery ...

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• 30 November

  China makes a safe space for consumers

  Emerging from nearly a year of battling an economy dragged down by Covid-19 and a rickety financial system, Beijing is realising what the most important collateral damage has been: consumers. Without their wallets and balance sheets, China’s economic blueprint for the next five years won’t work. That explains why authorities have been talking up consumer protection, household leverage and the ...

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• 30 November

  Biden must build US diplomacy back better

  In January, Joe Biden will take charge of an executive branch left in woeful disrepair. Practically every important federal institution has been scorched by four years of sustained assault by his predecessor — none more so than the State Department. President Donald Trump has damaged American diplomacy in word and deed. His secretaries of state, first Rex Tillerson and then ...

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• 30 November

  Black Friday gets busted by Covid in sign of retail’s future

  

  Bloomberg Black Friday — once the ultimate US shopping day — is being disrupted like so much else in these Covid-19 times, with consumers largely avoiding malls and instead flocking online. What that means for overall sales for the holiday season remains to be seen, but it’s becoming clearer that the pandemic has only accelerated the move away from big ...

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• 30 November

  Airbus confident in A320 jet ramp-up amid aviation crisis

  

  Bloomberg Airbus SE is confident in its plan to increase production of the best-selling A320 family of jets to a rate of 47 a month next year, even as the slump in air travel puts pressure on customers, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has extensively stress-tested its backlog of orders for the model, and remains comfortable ...

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• 30 November

  S African retailers invest in local clothing firms

  

  Bloomberg South African retailers including The Foschini Group (TFG) Ltd and Woolworths Holdings Ltd are increasing investment in local clothing manufacturers — both to reduce a dependency on Chinese imports and secure a supply chain thrown into disarray by Covid-19 restrictions. The companies have signed up to an industry plan that includes a target to source 65% of their goods ...

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• 30 November

  Airlines’ digital push helps to shed weight, cut fuel costs

  

  Bloomberg The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated airlines’ digital uptake as carriers look for ways to reduce human touchpoints. But that push has had another impact, too. It’s reduced cabin weight, and that can mean big cost savings. Singapore Airlines Ltd’s low-cost carrier Scoot said it’s introducing an inflight system called ScootHub that customers can access via their mobile devices to ...

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• 30 November

  Mike Ashley to offer lifeline to Arcadia Group

  Bloomberg Mike Ashley, the founder of the Sports Direct sportswear chain, is prepared to offer a 50 million-pound ($66.5 million) loan to Philip Green’s Arcadia Group, which is teetering on the brink of administration, Sky News reported. The board of Frasers Group Plc, run by Ashley, has drawn up plans for an emergency loan to Arcadia, Sky reported, citing Chris ...

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• 30 November

  Malaysia’s embattled leader urges allies to stand together

  

  Bloomberg Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin called on members of the ruling coalition to strengthen cooperation ahead of a general election he intends to hold once the virus pandemic subsides. The premier acknowledged the tense ties between his Bersatu party and rival turned key ally United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which controls the most parliament seats in his coalition. Steps ...

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