February, 2019

• 20 February

  Facebook can breathe easy in UK post Brexit

  

  Facebook Inc. might have one reason to be thankful for Brexit. UK lawmakers investigating disinformation and fake news published their findings. Among the select committee’s recommendations was the insistence that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Britain’s antitrust authority, conduct a “deep audit of the advertising market on social media.” There’s no doubt that the CMA is the correct body ...

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• 20 February

  Amazon’s winner-take-all approach to small business

  

  Small businesses are a pillar of capitalism and of a healthy economy. They provide a path into the middle and upper-middle class for people who don’t have elite connections or a fancy college degree. And they distribute capital income broadly, so that the gains from business ownership aren’t concentrate among a few wealthy shareholders. Retail is a big component of ...

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• 20 February

  US equity futures drift as Europe, Asia stocks climb

  

  Bloomberg US equity futures struggled for direction and stocks in Europe and Asia climbed as investors awaited the release of minutes from the latest meetings of two of the world’s key central banks. The dollar edged higher and the yuan rose after a report America is asking China to keep its currency stable. Contracts on the Dow Jones and S&P ...

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• 20 February

  China’s stock rally nearing $1 trillion

  

  Bloomberg As suddenly as it rolled in, the crisis of confidence that shook Chinese stocks last year may be ending. The rally since January has added more than $893 billion to the value of the country’s equities, lifting Shenzhen’s risky startups and state-backed giants alike. The rebound has been so quick and widespread that it’s already triggered signs of overheating ...

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• 20 February

  For tech bulls, Samsung puts Korea back on the map

  

  Bloomberg As Samsung Electronics Co. unveils the next generation of its smartphones on Wednesday, investors will no doubt be looking for a better showing from the mobile giant after a difficult 2018. Based on the hot start from Samsung shares, they already seem to be counting on South Korea’s biggest stock to succeed. It has surged 21 percent so far ...

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• 20 February

  Elusive $15bn India arms deal frustrates Boeing to Lockheed

  

  Bloomberg In the world of multibillion dollar defense contracts, India stands out. Home to one of the biggest armed forces on the planet, the country has an uneasy co-existence with neighbours Pakistan and China. Its rapidly aging fighter jets make it a lucrative potential prize for the likes of Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. While India wants to upgrade ...

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• 20 February

  Britain to ban drones within 5kms of airports

  

  Bloomberg Britain will impose a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) drone exclusion zone around its runways as the government responds to illegal incursions that closed London Gatwick airport for 36 hours in December, disrupting travel for more than 120,000 people. The measures, taking effect March 13, extend the current 1-kilometer no-fly zone for unmanned and model aircraft, the Department for Transport ...

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• 20 February

  Air France-KLM’s French pilots approve pay deal

  

  Bloomberg Air France-KLM Group’s French pilots approved a pay deal, putting an end to last year’s labour conflict and handing Chief Executive Officer Ben Smith more freedom to define his new strategy. The accord, hammered out during months of talks between management and unions, was approved by 85 percent of pilots, the SNPL union said in a phone message. It ...

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• 20 February

  Walmart surges after reporting best holiday quarter in years

  

  Bloomberg Walmart Inc. finally gave the US retail sector some good news. The company brushed off the industry’s disappointing December sales with its best holiday quarter in at least a decade, soothing concerns about the sector’s outlook for 2019. Comparable sales for Walmart stores in the US — a key performance barometer — rose 4.2 percent in the quarter that ...

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• 20 February

  Southwest to probe aircraft groundings

  

  Bloomberg Southwest Airlines Co. said it would investigate the cause of an operational emergency that’s seen an “unprecedented number” of aircraft taken out of service for mechanical issues, and indicated the groundings may be related to ongoing contract talks with a labour union. The disruptions started February 12, days after the airline’s last contract talks with the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal ...

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