Corona Capital: U.S. stimulus, Japanese pain 28 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: U.S. President Donald Trump climbs down and signs the coronavirus relief and spending package passed by Congress; and Japan's prime minister tries to keep the pandemic in check with a quiet New Year.
Corona Capital: Poverty, Beer cans, Budget hotels 24 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Hong Kong’s poverty problem was getting worse even before the virus struck; AB InBev sells the family aluminium to cut debt; Whitbread, owner of hotel chain Premier Inn, tries to get its landlords to share the pain.
The Franken-economy that will thrive post-pandemic 24 Dec 2020 The ideal nation to emerge from Covid-19 has South Korea’s superb internet connections and technology know-how. Like Singapore, robots are widely used in industry. And it boasts skilled workers to rival Switzerland, sells high-value exports to China, and leads on green energy.
Corona Capital: Tesla’s Apple snub 23 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Tesla boss Elon Musk asked to meet with Apple back in the day, and got rebuffed. Musk’s company has been the better investment recently, especially during the Covid-19 period. That doesn’t mean Tim Cook missed out.
5G will zoom from myth to mass-market reality 23 Dec 2020 The mobile technology is much debated and little used. But falling prices mean most handsets sold in 2021 will work on new networks. Post-pandemic consumers may happily pay for extra reliability and speedier downloads. Commercial uses remain vague, but phone envy will kick in.
Corona Capital: Peloton, BioNTech 22 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Peloton shareholders are getting a little too pumped up; BioNTech’s boss gives two reasons not to panic about the latest Covid-19 strain.
Picture this: Netflix and Amazon buy cinema chains 22 Dec 2020 The tech giants’ streaming services have become more powerful with people cooped up at home. But competition has intensified, and theatres remain an important marketing channel. To extend their leads, bundling box office access with a subscription serves as a key differentiator.
UK gives dark glimpse of pandemic’s next act 21 Dec 2020 Countries have cut air links with Britain, and France has halted road freight amid a new Covid-19 strain. Brief halts are bearable, and may even shove the UK to an EU trade deal. But sustained disruption or less effective vaccines would jeopardise a strong 2021 global rebound.
Corona Capital: Holiday Zoom 18 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: The video call company is removing the 40-minute time limit on free calls for the holidays – a gift it can easily afford, and one that may not be appreciated.
Big Pharma’s vaccine immunity will be fleeting 18 Dec 2020 Groups like Pfizer and AstraZeneca are emerging as pandemic heroes. Their ability to rapidly test, make and distribute vital doses will help quiet the industry’s critics. However, universities and governments also played a big part. Pressure to slash drug prices will soon return.
Corona Capital: Private jet deal 17 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Blackstone bets that plutocrats will be back in the air before the rest of us.
Corona Capital: Supercars, Cooking, Home working 10 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Debt-laden carmaker McLaren tries to hitch a ride on the SPAC bandwagon; meal-kit deliverer HelloFresh’s virus feast only goes so far; and America’s working-from-home boom survives the crisis.
Corona Capital: Movie releases, Ads, Running 4 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: HBO Max uses its muscle on movie releases; advertising wins some and loses some; Brooks’ beast year.
Pet craze may pump up puppy-sized financial bubble 4 Dec 2020 Dog demand has soared under Covid-19, doubling the average UK pooch price to 1,875 pounds. Unlike tulip bulbs or South Sea Company shares, furry friends yield real non-financial returns. But a surge in supply arriving just as hard times bite is a recipe for a canine crash.
Hershey cocoa spat tests limits of investor ethics 4 Dec 2020 Ghana and Ivory Coast may stop selling sustainable beans to the Reese’s maker, accusing it of dodging payments for impoverished farmers. That could make it harder for the $31 bln group to flaunt its sustainability kudos. The snag is that so far shareholders don’t seem to care.
Vaccine bottlenecks are main obstacle to recovery 3 Dec 2020 Rolling out Covid-19 jabs, as the UK will do next week, protects the vulnerable and lets authorities ease restrictions. But the logistical challenge means it could take a year to immunise two-thirds of the population. Other governments, too, will struggle with a sceptical public.
The Exchange: Eating worms is good for the planet 1 Dec 2020 Growing global demand for food is putting a squeeze on available land and one French startup says it has the answer: indoor insect farming. Ynsect co-founder Antoine Hubert on how growing mealworms for fertilizer will benefit the environment – and eventually our diets too.
Corona Capital: Bitcoin, Lonely Planet 1 Dec 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Bitcoin hit a record, buoyed by inflationary fears, new fans and plain old speculation. Meanwhile Lonely Planet has found a new owner, as it wrestles with an anything-but-lonely market for travel information.
Corona Capital: Cyber Friday and Monday 30 Nov 2020 Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Online holiday shopping hits new records.
AstraZeneca’s messaging warrants a review, too 27 Nov 2020 The $134 bln drug giant may do a new trial of its Covid-19 vaccine to clear up uncertainties over its effectiveness. Even if rivals’ look better, AstraZeneca has a good story to tell. Still, a share price dip this week reflects that overegging results is not where you want to be.