Money

Exclusive: Brazil's Vale, state government $2 billion apart on disaster settlement, source says

Exclusive: Brazil's Vale, state government $2 billion apart on disaster settlement, source says

Stocks falter as Johnson says new UK virus strain more deadly

Global stocks mostly fell Friday as investors fretted about the economic impact of fresh virus shocks amid worries that newer Covid-19 strains may be even more deadly than earlier ones. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned a newer Covid-19 strain may be more deadly, while US President Joe Biden said fatalities in the hard-hit country are expected to exceed 600,000.

Asia to dominate Davos virtual forum as virus-hit West struggles

Toshiba regains Tokyo exchange's top category amid calls for better governance

Toshiba regains Tokyo exchange's top category amid calls for better governance

Rolling Stone seeks 'thought leaders' willing to pay $2,000 to write for them

Rolling Stone magazine is offering “thought leaders” the chance to write for its website if they are willing to pay $2,000 to “shape the future of culture”. The storied magazine, which has published journalism by writers including Hunter S Thompson, Patti Smith and Tom Wolfe, approached would-be members of its new “Culture Council” by email, telling them that they had the chance to join “an invitation-only community for innovators, influencers...

‘This is sheer economic waste. We distributed our $1,200 stimulus to our church:’ Why did we get these checks instead of poor Americans?

‘We do not light our fireplace with $100 bills, but we are comfortable.’

More than half of UK households fear losing savings in Covid crisis

More than a third of households in the UK have not managed to put aside any money since the first coronavirus lockdown began last year, and more than half are worried about running out of savings, a survey has found. Despite Bank of England figures showing record levels of cash flowing into deposit accounts, many households are struggling with lower incomes and are eating into their savings. The latest household financial confidence tracker, for...

Retail sales down 4.2 per cent in December

Retail spending moderated in December as COVID-19 restrictions put a dampener on shopping, and after the sharp increase in November.

Head to Israel, which aims to vaccinate the whole country by April

If all goes well with its vaccination programme, tourism in Israel will be open for business in April - which happens to be one of the best months to visit. Here's our guide to the country...

Buyers of brand-new homes face £20,000 bill to make them greener

Householders buying brand new homes in the next four years are likely to find an unpleasant surprise awaiting them in the future: homes built today will have to be retrofitted with energy efficiency measures and low-carbon technology, at an average cost of more than £20,000. The extra costs will amount to more than £20bn for the whole of the UK, if the government’s targets of building 300,000 new homes a year are met. Critics say the costs could...

'It's a big deal': why former protester turned Davos mayor wants WEF back

In his youth, Philipp Wilhelm was at the forefront of protests against the World Economic Forum’s annual “extreme capitalism” gathering of the business and political elite in Davos, the Swiss mountain resort where he grew up. Now, however, Wilhelm is the mayor of the town and his central mission is to ensure the return of the WEF jamboree, which had been scheduled to start next week but was cancelled this year due to the pandemic. “It’s a very...

IRS ‘stands ready’ to send out third round of stimulus checks and process tax returns at the same time, commissioner says

The IRS is done with its pile of unopened mail, but 'millions' of last year's tax returns are still being processed.

President Biden removes key figure at National Labor Relations Board — union leaders rejoiced

It also could mean new prospects for college athletes, ride-share drivers, graduate students and others seeking organized labor protections.

Joe Biden's inner circle: meet the new president's close-knit team

At the core of the administration Joe Biden is building is a trusted circle of officials, who are bound together by many years of working together in a close-knit team in the Obama administration, by a shared faith, or, in some cases, by a tie with Biden’s late son, Beau. It is the very opposite approach to the one taken by Donald Trump, who assembled a sharp-elbowed “team of rivals” – powerful men from different walks of life, who he had never...

Netflix paid just $4.4 million in U.K. taxes in 2019 despite reaping $1.3 billion from subscribers

Netflix reaped an estimated £940 million ($1.3 billion) from British subscribers in 2019 but the streaming giant paid just £3.2 million in U.K. corporation taxes that year.

Man who strained his back picking up company car keys will receive workers compensation

A man who accidentally dropped the keys to a company car, and strained his back picking them up, will receive workers compensation.

Apple set to unveil quarterly sales of $100bn

It includes the crucial Christmas trading period, with demand for gadgets and home entertainment expected to be boosted this year by the coronavirus lockdowns.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg chides Sen. Ted Cruz’s preference for a ‘Pittsburgh Accord’

Teenage global climate-change activist Greta Thunberg, who can boast over 4.6 million followers on Twitter and her own postage stamp, welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden's return to the Paris Accord this week, and she didn't let a chance to rib Sen. Ted Cruz, who called resumption of U.S. membership anti-American, slip by.

US existing home sales hit 14-year record despite pandemic

Record low mortgage rates amid the coronavirus pandemic fueled a US housing boom last year, pushing existing home sales to the highest since 2006, according to a survey released Friday. "Home sales rose in December, and for 2020 as a whole, we saw sales perform at their highest levels since 2006, despite the pandemic," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said.

Ex-Education Secretary DAVID BLUNKETT: We have a duty to pull together

DAVID BLUNKETT: Just imagine, for a moment, what it must be like to be a child in lockdown. Stuck indoors, unable to play with friends and banished from school for weeks and months on end.

MR MONEY MAKER: Africa adventure could ring up profit

If we just followed the headlines, then the entire continent of Africa has been written off by many investors as a fruitless search for fool's gold. I would ask you to think about a bigger picture.

Cambridge trial allowing EVs to use bus lane criticised by groups

Cambridgeshire County Council said the trial is 'intended to test the effect of allowing additional vehicles to use the lane' and if judged to be successful 'may be extended' across the city.

Delivery apps in Mexico make temporary cut to fees as restaurants struggle

Delivery apps in Mexico make temporary cut to fees as restaurants struggle

8 million people could have missed their $1,200 stimulus checks — here’s how Biden wants to fix that

'They're entitled to those payments but there's not an easy way for those folks to access them,' Biden said Friday.

Exclusive: Buyout firm TPG in lead for stake in AT&T's DirecTV - sources

Exclusive: Buyout firm TPG in lead for stake in AT&T's DirecTV - sources

Aussies paying $140,000 to stay connected

Bills for the internet, mobile phones and streaming services quickly add up, but a changing market and 5G entering the fray means the chance for a better deal.

Australian shares fall, Coca-Cola Amatil returns COVID-19 wage subsidies

Australian shares close slightly lower, but are still hovering near an 11-month high, while Coca-Cola Amatil hands back $6.8 million in COVD wage subsidies to the New Zealand government.

Orange sells 1.3 billion euros worth of fixed fibre assets in France

Orange sells 1.3 billion euros worth of fixed fibre assets in France

Google says it will pull Search out of Australia if the government doesn't back down on the media bargaining code

Google Australia boss Melanie Silva has told a Senate Committee that the company could pull its search engine out of Australia. The threat comes as the tech giant demands the Australian government change proposed legislation that would compel it to pay local news companies.

US housing boomed in 2020 even as pandemic slammed economy

The US housing market boomed in 2020 even as the coronavirus pandemic caused one of the worst economic contractions of modern times, as Americans took advantage of low borrowing rates to buy homes. The surge in new and existing home sales, and home construction, underscores the unequal experience of the pandemic across the United States. Even as tens of millions of people lost their jobs due to the pandemic disruptions, others were able to...

British lawmakers seek investigation into UK-registered firm possibly linked to Beirut blast

Embattled Intel says earnings better than expected

Intel said Thursday that earnings topped prior expectations, as the computer chip giant faces pressure to come up with bold ways to fend off fierce competition and an activist shareholder. Intel said it took in $20 billion in revenue during the final quarter of last year, little changed from a year earlier, amid robust sales of personal computers. The Silicon Valley company reported net income of $5.9 billion in the quarter, down a billion...

Aust shares dip but 1.27pc higher for week

ASX investors had minor losses on Friday but the market climbed for the week as first-half earnings season looms.

Can I plan an extension on a house I haven't yet bought?

Property listings on the online portals often carry the bullet point, 'potential to extend subject to planning permission (STPP)'. And estate agents love to talk about 'potential'.

Reliance profit soars despite oil business slump

Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries on Friday said that its profit soared 12.5 percent during the last quarter of 2020 despite sharp revenue fall in its dominant oil-to-chemicals business. The 12.5 percent growth figure was in line with the market estimates after a 15 percent fall in its quarterly profits during the quarter ending September 2020.

Clive Palmer coal mine poses 'significant risks' to Great Barrier Reef, scientists say

A committee of Commonwealth-appointed scientific experts has expressed "extreme concern" about businessman Clive Palmer's proposed central Queensland coal mine, saying the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area just 10 kilometres away could not be safeguarded.

MARKET REPORT: Covid sends markets into tailspin

British Airways owner IAG was the biggest faller on the FTSE 100 as its shares dived 3.4 per cent, amid fears that tighter travel restrictions are on the way to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Google threatens to block Australians over media law

Google threatened Friday to block Australians from using its search service unless the government changed landmark legislation to make the internet giant pay news outlets for their content. Under the laws, the firms would be required to compensate Australian media outlets, ranging from Rupert Murdoch's giant News Corp to public broadcasters ABC and SBS, for publishing snippets of their content in search results.

Flood claims were up as much as 9,000% last year

More people seem to have been hit by storms over the past year as there was a 177% increase in storm claims and a 90% increase in flood claims in 2020, compared to 2019, data shows.

Coronavirus and lockdowns have put London's iconic black cabs under threat

As London endures its third national lockdown and the UK's economy declines due to the coronavirus pandemic, the city's iconic black cabs and their drivers face an uncertain future.

How creating wildlife crossings can help reindeer, bears – and even crabs

Every April, Sweden’s main highway comes to a periodic standstill. Hundreds of reindeer overseen by indigenous Sami herders shuffle across the asphalt on the E4 as they begin their journey west to the mountains after a winter gorging on the lichen near the city of Umeå. As Sweden’s main arterial road has become busier, the crossings have become increasingly fractious, especially if authorities do not arrive in time to close the road. Sometimes...

'I want to feel safe again': Americans lament slow pace of U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout

'I want to feel safe again': Americans lament slow pace of U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout

GameStop shares rocket as frustrated short seller walks away

Shares in GameStop rocketed on Friday as an activist short-seller said he was walking away from the stock in the retailer due to what he called an "angry mob" that has terrorized him and his family. Andrew Left of Citron Research put out word of the decision on Twitter a day after he posted a video at YouTube detailing reasons he was certain the retailer was overpriced in the market. GameStop shares ended the formal trading day up 51 percent,...

These money and investing tips can keep your portfolio on the cutting edge

hese money and investing stories were popular with MarketWatch readers over the past week. .

Cladding scandal: flat owners fear bills of up to £45,000 for safety failings

Homeowners are receiving new bills for fire safety measures, three-and-a-half years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Leaseholders in flats around the country are learning that their buildings have failed inspections and that they face huge bills to put things right. Many have seen hundreds of pounds added to their monthly service charges to cover short-term safety measures, or been told that work to make their buildings safe could cost them...

Cheshire cheesemaker says business left with £250,000 'Brexit hole'

Simon Spurrell says his firm lost 20% of sales and will switch £1m investment to France

Relocating to Queensland? Get in line, Sunshine state builders record four-fold rise in new home enquiries

A building company says the level of inquiry for new homes in south-east Queensland is "phenomenal," with a mass domestic migration to the Sunshine State apparently underway.

We were friendly with our neighbors for decades, until recently. One day, they introduced us to their financial adviser…

‘We dug trenches, poured concrete foundations, and worked to build our house; they hired contractors. They traded in cars frequently; we ran ours into the ground.’

Morgan Stanley CEO's annual pay rises by over 20%

Morgan Stanley CEO's annual pay rises by over 20%

Trade Minister Dan Tehan writes to new Chinese counterpart in attempt to end trade dispute

Trade Minister Dan Tehan writes to China's new Commerce Minister to "get a dialogue in the relationship happening again" in attempts to end China's trade punishment against Australia.