Latest from Jonathan Frewin

• May 11, 2021

  Inflation is scaring investors … again

  

  From the BBC World Service: Stock markets around the world are trading down amid concerns about the possibility of a surge in U.S. inflation. Plus, will China have enough workers in the future? Its latest census shows the slowest population growth in decades. And, as the new parliamentary session kicks off in London, what does the queen of England have to do with economic policy?

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• May 10, 2021

  Vaccine maker takes intellectual property matters into its own hands

  

  In a move that will affect global vaccine supply, German company BioNTech plans to set up a regional center and a new factory in Singapore for its vaccines. Plus, how a worse-than-expected jobs report from April is resonating with investors in the stock market. Also, Parisian transit officials believe driverless vehicles will soon be playing an important role in public transportation. And, how Elon Musk’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live” has hit the Dogecoin market.

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• May 10, 2021

  When infrastructure is vulnerable to hackers, we pay

  

  A ransomware cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline has forced a shutdown of a major part of U.S. infrastructure. This is just the latest attack on critical infrastructure, something the Biden administration admits is a problem. Plus, companies navigate the debate over where employees will work going forward. And, some encouraging signs for those looking to buy houses.

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• May 10, 2021

  BioNTech’s plan to make 1 billion vaccines a year in China

  

  From the BBC World Service: The German biotech company says it will make the shots in a joint venture with Shanghai-based Fosun Pharmaceuticals. BioNTech will also build a factory and a regional headquarters in Singapore. Plus, tourism-dependent Cyprus opens up to visitors from 65 countries. And, five things about shopping in a post-pandemic world.

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• May 7, 2021

  Wait, the U.S. economy only added how many jobs?

  

  Where are all the jobs that everyone was promising we’d see in the April report on hiring and unemployment out today? Expectations were that the U.S. economy added almost 1 million jobs. The data shows that number is actually 266,000. Plus, among the employers trying to replenish their workforces: public schools. How does an increasing return to hybrid and in-person learning affect the labor market when it comes to teachers and other staff?

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• May 7, 2021

  The business of live music at this point in the pandemic

  

  People whose jobs depend on performing in front of crowds are among the many trying to figure out when the time is right to get back to it as vaccinations take hold. Plus, news that exports from China are up, as recovery takes hold in the U.S. and COVID slows factory production in India. And, new CDC guidelines to get the cruise industry sailing again.

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• May 7, 2021

  China’s latest export and import data looks surprisingly high

  

  From the BBC World Service: Demand for Chinese electronic goods has picked up in the U.S., and PPE sales have increased in countries still struggling with COVID. Plus, England’s foreign travel “green list” — vacation destinations which won’t require quarantine when you get back home — is about to be revealed. And, Grab, the Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm that could be part of the world’s largest SPAC merger.

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• May 6, 2021

  Could vaccines go open-source?

  

  In a major switch, the Biden administration is joining other countries to try to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines. Plus, a pandemic milestone for weekly jobless claims, and it’s a positive one. Also, test-driving new sources for the rubber that goes into making tires. And, the Biden administration is now rolling back a Trump-era rule change that would have made it easier for companies to classify gig workers as independent contactors.

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• May 6, 2021

  A federal judge has struck down the eviction ban. What will happen to renters?

  

  A federal judge has struck down the nationwide hold on evictions during pandemic, saying the CDC didn’t have the authority to order it. The Justice Department said it would appeal the ruling. Plus, the U.S. government in recent years has kept a closer eye on foreign companies buying U.S. firms, as well as the export of certain technologies. Transactions involving China are a key part of this.

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• May 6, 2021

  Support for a vaccine patents waiver is growing globally

  

  From the BBC World Service: The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization has applauded President Joe Biden’s decision to back the World Trade Organization move, which aims to boost COVID vaccine production and reduce costs. Plus, a South African firm is developing alpaca antibodies to treat COVID infections. And, it’s not just the beer barrels that are changing at the world’s biggest brewer, as AB InBev announces a new CEO.

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