Sweden sets up $23.2bn emergency backstop for utilities

  Bloomberg Sweden’s government will provide Nordic and Baltic utilities as much as 250 billion kronor ($23.2 billion) in credit guarantees as it seeks to prevent Russia’s energy curbs from setting off a financial crisis. The measure is aimed at helping companies struggling to meet the surging collateral requirements needed to trade electricity, and avoid the threat of some going ...

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EU unanimity on Russia price cap a ‘challenge’, says Le Maire

Bloomberg The European Union (EU) needs to act with unanimity to impose a price cap on Russian oil and overcome reluctance by some member countries to support the initiative by the Group of Seven to limit Russian energy revenue, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said. G-7 leaders agreed to put a cap on oil prices, but without support from EU ...

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Liz Truss is about to get her hands on Brexit dynamite

The longer the people of Northern Ireland live with the Brexit arrangement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, the more they seem to like it. A majority (55%) see the Protocol as appropriate for managing the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland and 53% see a benefit to their economy. That’s not to say it doesn’t have flaws, which many ...

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What is the purpose of public policy?

The purpose of any policy is not only to effect change but also to educate the public. This educational function is important yet rarely discussed explicitly, perhaps for fear of looking like a propagandist. So be it: I wholeheartedly embrace the notion of policy as a way of educating voters. How does this work? Consider the moon landing of 1969. ...

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Fed is about to go full throttle on QT. fear not

  The Federal Reserve’s quantitative tightening program will ramp up to its full potential in September, increasing from $47.5 billion to $95 billion per month. Some market participants are concerned this additional monetary tightening will have negative consequences on risk assets and the economy. Given that quantitative easing — buying US Treasuries and mortgage-related securities — helped firm the economic ...

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Defense stocks are more than a recession haven

  Manufacturers of fighter jets, battleships and missiles are usually one of investors’ best defensive havens when economies get shaky. This time around, geopolitical conflict and tension are making them key components in the offensive arsenal as well. Normally, when a downturn erodes demand or some exogenous shock rocks the market, the US government budget, and particularly spending on the ...

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Amazon closes, scraps plans for dozens of US warehouses

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc, determined to reduce the size of its sprawling delivery operation amid slowing sales growth, has abandoned dozens of existing and planned facilities around the US, according to a closely watched consulting firm. MWPVL International Inc., which tracks Amazon’s real-estate footprint, estimates the company has either shuttered or killed plans to open 42 facilities totalling almost 25 million ...

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Bed Bath & Beyond looks to capture Best Buy magic

  Bloomberg Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., short on cash and time, is trying to have its Best Buy moment. While many US retailers’ attempts at a turnaround have failed in recent years, Best Buy Cos.’s is one of the few that’s succeeded. The electronics chain overcame relentless online competition and management missteps to regain its stature during the past ...

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Selfridges is pushing further into selling pre-worn clothing

  Bloomberg Selfridges & Co. is pushing further into selling pre-worn clothing, offering rental services and repairing used items as the UK department-store chain seeks ways to reduce the fashion industry’s weighty environmental impact. Since 2020, Selfridges has increased sales of previously owned items by 240%, according to a report in which it sets out new goals. The retailer has ...

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Trump blasts Biden at rally, keeps teasing 2024 run

Bloomberg Donald Trump used a Pennsylvania rally to vent his anger at an FBI search of his Florida home and President Joe Biden’s attack on political extremism, staking his claim as his successor’s election rival in 2024. Declaring Biden an “enemy of the state,” Trump mixed support for two Republican candidates with a rejoinder to the president’s speech 48 hours ...

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