Viewsroom: Vaccines suggest light at tunnel’s end 19 Nov 2020 Moderna and Pfizer came out with encouraging news on the fight to immunize the world against Covid-19, giving hope the pandemic’s end is near. Meantime, China’s Sinovac finds its trials are undermined by a puzzling governance disaster. Breakingviews columnists weigh in globally.
The Exchange: Investing in a new macroeconomic era 17 Nov 2020 The U.S. faces a paradigm shift, as the era of monetary policy dominance ends and fiscal action becomes the major driver of growth. So argues Greg Jensen, co-chief investment officer at Bridgewater Associates. He says this means rethinking one’s approach to asset classes.
Viewsroom: Chinese tech crackdown, The vax trade 12 Nov 2020 Beijing took Alibaba, Tencent and others to task over monopolistic practices; and global financial markets got a boost from Pfizer’s revelation that its Covid-19 vaccination may be super-effective. Breakingviews columnists around the world weigh in on both developing stories.
Viewsroom: What Biden bodes for money and markets 7 Nov 2020 Without a clear Senate majority, the former vice president will need to tack to the center when he occupies the White House. For Wall Street that’s a bullet dodged. For other industries, it’s a mixed bag. For multilateral institutions, it’s an improvement from Donald Trump.
The Exchange: Terra incognita 13 Oct 2020 The U.S. faces more uncertainty as 2020 ends, including inflation, antitrust enforcement, and how the next president handles taxes, trade and the post-virus economy. So says Nathan Sheets, chief economist at PGIM Fixed Income. He argues tackling inequality should be a priority.
Viewsroom: Masks, masks everywhere; Tech breakups 8 Oct 2020 The widespread covering of mouths and noses to stifle Covid-19 has spawned a mini-manufacturing boom, with some downsides, Sharon Lam tells Rob Cox. Yet the economic benefits of mask mandates are plentiful, Lisa Jucca argues from Milan. Plus, Congress targets Big Tech bigly.
Viewsroom: Disastrous debate, Italian soccer deal 1 Oct 2020 The first of the U.S. presidential debates was shambolic, with almost no substance on economic policy for investors or markets to sink their teeth into. On a lighter front, though, Italy’s Serie A soccer league has a chance to regain its glory. Breakingviews columnists discuss.
The Exchange: Netflix’s Reed Hastings 8 Sep 2020 The co-chief executive of the video-streaming firm is out with a new book, “No Rules Rules.” Hastings zoomed in with Jennifer Saba to discuss Netflix’s unorthodox approach to management – like unlimited vacation – and how it sets up the company nicely in a post-Covid world.
The Exchange: Middle class myopia 1 Sep 2020 New York Times reporter Jim Tankersley explodes myths about this politically potent group in his book “The Riches of This Land,” questioning the U.S. media's fixation on rust-belt white men. He argues inclusive growth in the future requires a broader understanding of the past.
Viewsroom: Republicans hammer it home 28 Aug 2020 At their quadrennial convention, the GOP didn’t give much insight into what four more years of Trump would look like. But they were consistent in battering the Democrats and Joe Biden as a Trojan horse for socialism and other ills. Rob Cox, John Foley and Anna Szymanski recap.
Viewsroom: Democrats pitch normalcy first 21 Aug 2020 The Democratic National Convention wound up four days of speeches and spectacle with no unforced errors, a broadly appealing economic message and, above all, a call for a restoration of broken norms. Next up, the Republicans. Rob Cox, John Foley and Anna Szymanski recap.
Viewsroom: Silicon Valley spotlight 30 Jul 2020 The CEOs of Big Tech companies faced off against U.S. lawmakers during an antitrust hearing that raised new evidence about past acquisitions. Meanwhile, Japan’s Ootoya and Colowide engage in a food M&A fight. And: SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son’s next steps.
The Exchange: Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky 28 Jul 2020 The co-founder of the home-sharing firm compared the effects of the pandemic to a torpedo hitting a ship. He discusses how Airbnb raised $2 billion amid the crisis and how Covid-19 has changed travel. It has affected the future of his company, including its options to go public.
Viewsroom: Europe’s big money moment and baijiu 23 Jul 2020 The 750 bln-euro stimulus package agreed to by EU leaders this week was a test of the region’s political resiliency, may be a big deal for the single currency and could lead to more capital markets and M&A activity, EMEA Editor Peter Thal Larsen explains. Plus, a shot of Moutai.
The Exchange: Brave new credit world 21 Jul 2020 The crisis unearthed land mines in the fixed-income market – many of which Arena Investors Chief Executive Dan Zwirn had previously identified. He now explains how to navigate this opaque universe with deep dives on leveraged finance, liquidity crunches and an activist Fed.
The Exchange: Managing through the corona crisis 14 Jul 2020 As companies grapple with the pandemic’s fallout, consulting firm AlixPartners has a close-up view inside boardrooms. CEO Simon Freakley discusses priorities for troubled businesses, the long-term impact of Covid-19 and what he has learned running a global business by video call.
Viewsroom: Chinese access to U.S. money, Boohoo 9 Jul 2020 Chinese companies’ access to American capital is imperiled for all sorts of reasons, says Hong Kong columnist Robyn Mak. The stingy LBO of New York-listed Sina by its CEO won’t help. Also, British fast-fashion retailer Boohoo’s not-quite dark satanic mills are in the spotlight.
The Exchange: PMI CEO Andre Calantzopoulos 7 Jul 2020 The boss of the $110 bln tobacco giant is on a quest to get the world to stop smoking cigarettes and switch over to heated tobacco, mainly PMI’s Iqos brand. Calantzopoulos has a lot of dedicated customers to win over, but he tells Rob Cox how governments might lend him a hand.
Viewsroom: Wirecard, Hong Kong and Tesla 2 Jul 2020 The German fintech scandal shines a light on its hapless regulator; China’s new security law stinks up the fragrant harbor and Elon Musk hasn’t just surpassed Toyota in market value, he’s becoming as rich as Croesus. Breakingviews columnists around the world weigh in.
Viewsroom: Reparations math, the coming WFH battle 25 Jun 2020 As America continues to grapple with the legacy of slavery, Breakingviews columnists debate the financial question of whether the government, and some corporations, have a debt to repay. And Pete Sweeney dives deep into the post-pandemic future of working from home – or not.