Commodities
J&J and Novavax Covid-19 vaccines still very much needed, Gates says
There is still a need for the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Johnson&Johnson and Novavax, even if some of their potency is lost on the new novel coronavirus strain detected in South Africa, Bill Gates said.
US final demand prices jump past forecasts in January
Wholesale inflation rose more quickly than expected at the start of 2021 on the back of a jump in energy and services prices.
US retail sales rocket in January
Retail sales volumes in the US shot higher last month with across the board strength in all categories.
EU car sales plunge to record January low
EU car registrations plunged to a record low for January as Covid-19 restrictions and economic uncertainty weighed heavily on sales.
Citi sees real possibility of 'super-cycle' in aluminium and copper
Analysts at Citi revised their price forecasts for copper higher, going as far as to tell clients that prospects for a so-called 'super-cycle' in copper and aluminium prices were "real".
Traders left scratching their heads after 'short squeeze' in tin prices
Some market participants are asking whether Monday's 'short squeeze' in the price of tin may in part be the result of the suspension of the London Metal Exchange's open-outcry trading floor.
Euro area GDP shrinks by a bit less than expected in Q4 2020
The euro area economy shrank by a tad less than feared at the end of 2020, revised data showed.
German investor sentiment improves in February - ZEW
German investor sentiment unexpectedly improved February, according to the latest survey from the ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim.
Sanofi Covid-19 vaccines may be ready by end of 2021
French drug giant Sanofi's two vaccine candidates against Covid-19 may be ready by year-end, the company said, refuting an earlier report.
Brent at 13-month high on hopes for US stimulus and vaccine rollouts
Investors continued to bid crude oil prices higher at the start of the week, on the back of continued hopes for an easing of Covid-19 lockdowns around the world and of fiscal stimulus in the US.
US consumer confidence dips in February with Americans less upbeat on economy
US consumer confidence weakened a tad towards the beginning of February with the lowest income households the least upbeat, the results of a very closely-followed survey revealed.
Huawei seeks court order to access HSBC records in detained CFO case
Huawei is seeking a court order to access HSBC records in a bid to stop its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, from being extradited from Canada to the US.
Russia warns it's ready to cut ties with European Union
Russia Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov warned in an interview on Friday that his country is ready to sever ties with the European Union if needed.
Africa to continue with AstraZeneca vaccination program
The African Union’s disease control body said on Thursday that it would continue using the AstraZeneca Covid19 vaccine, after trial data showed it had greatly reduced efficacy against the coronavirus variant dominant in South Africa.
EU extends airline slot relief through summer of 2021
The European Parliament on Thursday approved measures to extend the suspension of competitive access to airport slots throughout the summer of 2021 as airlines are still being impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
EU optimistic for economy, despite 'challenging' winter
The European Commission has warned that a “challenging” winter will hamper near-term economic growth, but that conditions should start to improve as the vaccine roll-out progresses.
Citi revises 2021 oil price forecasts higher
Analysts at Citi revised their projections for the price of oil, citing oil producers' success in running down global inventories and improved prospects for demand.
Amsterdam tops London as Europe's number one share trading hub
Amsterdam ousted London as Europe’s top share trading hub this month as a result of the shift in the location for dealing stocks and derivatives after Brexit.
Presidents Biden and Xi hold first phone call since change of US administration
US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held their first phone call since the change of administration in Washington on Thursday morning.
Covid lockdowns cost retailers £22bn - BRC
The three national Covid-19 lockdowns have cost non-essential retailers a combined £22bn in lost sales, the British Retail Consortium said on Thursday, as it called on the Chancellor to do more to help the sector.