Dec 31 (Thursday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: Stocks slip after hitting fresh record highs, Dow down nearly 100 points | C
Wall St slips from record levels, additional stimulus uncertain | R
Treasury Market’s Inflation Gauge Nears 2%, Highest Since 2018 | B

Central banks
Fed extends Main Street loan program as last-minute applications surge | R
How the 2020 QE Boom Might Trip Up Central Bankers | W
In pandemic, Fed showed its muscle in markets still matters | R

US
U.S. home prices rise at fastest pace in more than 6 years | C
Unemployed Americans likely won’t see a gap in unemployment benefits | C
Pandemic Reshapes U.S. Employment, Speeding Changes Across Industries | W
Covid Vaccine Gives Small Businesses Enough Hope to Go Bankrupt | B
Small mom-and-pop businesses that took PPP loans may face a tax bomb | C

US politics
Covid stimulus update: McConnell blocks Schumer bid to pass $2,000 checks | C
If stimulus checks are raised to $2,000, here’s how that may work | C
GOP pollster Luntz: Trump $2,000 stimulus check demand is nightmare for Republicans | C
In calculating future stimulus checks, Congress should look to 2020 tax returns | TheHill

Europe
EU governments approve Brexit trade deal – German EU presidency | R

China
China Eyes Shrinking Jack Ma’s Business Empire | W
4 crucial trends involving China that investors risk getting wrong | MW

Industries & companies
Airlines: Boeing 737 Max passenger flights resume in U.S. after nearly two-year ban | C
Airlines: American Airlines sees capacity cuts through February as Covid cases rise | C
Communication services: Inside the Google-Facebook Ad Deal at the Heart of a Price-Fixing Lawsuit | W
Health Care: Wealthy hospitals rake in U.S. disaster aid for COVID-19 costs | R
Health Care: Health-Costs Transparency Rule for Hospitals Upheld on Appeal | W
Retail: What 2020 Was Like for People in the Retail Industry | N

Virus I
Covid Death Toll to Reach 400,000 Before Trump Departs, CDC Says | B
Covid: U.S. to fall short of goal to vaccinate 20 million by year’s end | C
Treasury Warns Banks of Covid-19 Vaccine Fraud | W

Virus II
The Science Behind How the Coronavirus Affects the Brain | W
WHO says coronavirus pandemic is ‘not the big one’ the world needs to brace for | MW
German Town Finds a Blueprint for Lowering Covid-19 Deaths | W

Offbeat
Tech Choices Dictate Teen Friendships During Pandemic | WYRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
U.S. futures little changed ahead of final day of 2020 | C
Stock market today: Dow rises for the fourth time in five days, ekes out record closing high | C

Central banks
Fed’s Rate-Setting Panel Gets New Members Amid Uncertain Outlook | W
How the Fed Will Respond to the Coming Inflation Scare | Yahoo
Yes, It Is Possible to Have Too Much Stimulus | W

US
Coronavirus stimulus update: McConnell likely dooms $2,000 checks | C
Most Americans Are Expected to Save, Not Spend, Their $600 Check | N
New Small-Business Stimulus Plan Fails to Address Fraud Risks | W
Stimulus bill makes food stamps more generous. What you need to know | C
Uber, Gig Companies Seek Labor Deals to Avoid Workers Becoming Employees | W

Europe
Banks Pile Into Government Debt, Setting Up ‘Doom Loop’ Sequel in Europe | W

China
Xi’s China Crafts Campaign to Boost Youth Patriotism | W

Geopolitics & trade
China and E.U. Leaders Strike Investment Deal, but Political Hurdles Await | N
U.S. slaps tariffs on French and German wines, aircraft parts amid EU dispute | R

Virus I
Covid vaccine: Oxford researcher says future strains can be protected against | C
California has identified first case of new Covid strain found in UK, Newsom says | C
New Covid strain: Colorado health officials say are investigating a second suspected case | C
CDC says new Covid strain in U.S. could stress ‘heavily burdened’ hospitals | C
Coronavirus Variant in South Africa Sparks Fear of Faster Spread, Possible Reinfection | W

Virus II
AstraZeneca and Oxford’s Bumpy Partnership Hangs Over Covid Vaccine’s Future | W
Covid-19 Vaccine Made by AstraZeneca, Oxford Is Authorized by U.K. | W
Operation Warp Speed at a crawl: Adequately vaccinating Americans will take 10 years at current pace | C

Corporate finance
Record IPO Surge Set to Roll On In 2021 | W

Technology & cybersecurity
These Boston Dynamics robots can boogie down better than most humans | NN
Neurescue device under FDA review hopes to improve cardiac arrest survival | C
Cyber attack on U.S. government may have started earlier than initially thought – U.S. senator | R

Offbeat
Actress Dawn Wells, castaway Mary Ann on TV’s ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ dies from COVID-19 | R