Bloomberg - Evening Briefing - Flight vaccine rule

Flight cancellations that disrupted U.S. travel over the Christmas weekend stretched into Monday, with winter storms further pressuring carriers that were already short-staffed because of spreading Covid-19 cases. With a monstrous surge of infections tied to the omicron variant forcing U.S. airlines to scrap about 2,800 flights over the holiday, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser said a domestic travel rule requiring vaccinations to fly should be seriously considered. —David E. Rovella

Bloomberg is tracking the coronavirus pandemic and the progress of global vaccination efforts.

The Biden administration is seeking to expand pop-up sites and the availability of at-home Covid-19 test kits. The U.K. government won’t introduce stricter restrictions in England before the end of the year despite the rapid spread of omicron there. And in France, working from home three days a week is about to become compulsory. The global infection rate is now close to matching that of the worst wave of the coronavirus. Here’s the latest on the pandemic.

As one of Wall Street’s staunchest advocates of making employees return to their desks, Goldman Sachs is bucking the trend among banks to loosen work-from-home rules in the face of omicron.  

Photos of the aftermath of a Christmas Eve massacre in Myanmar that reportedly left more than 30 people dead, including women and children burned inside vehicles, have triggered outrage against the military junta there that’s already killed more than 1,300 civilians since February.

Smokes and flames billow from vehicles in Hpruso township, Myanmar, on Dec. 24. Source: Karenni Nationalities Defense Force/AP Photo

There’s little reason to fear that the rally that catapulted U.S. stocks to successive records this year will end soon, according to JPMorgan strategists. In fact, it may get broader they say: “The market has taken the hawkish central bank and bearish omicron narratives too far.” On Monday, U.S. stocks rose for a fourth day amid thin trading as investors evaluated prospects for a year-end rally amid spiking coronavirus cases. Oil gained and the Treasury curve flattened. Here’s your markets wrap.

As a blockbuster year for cryptocurrencies ticks to a close, some of the smallest players are having a moment. Polkadot and Cardano were among coins posting the biggest moves on Monday, with each up more than 6%.

Some 72% of chief executive officers are worried about losing their jobs next year because of business disruptions like the labor market and supply chain crunches.

India has barred the Catholic religious order and philanthropic organization started by Mother Teresa from accessing foreign donations.

Mother Teresa being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 1979. Source: Bloomberg

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English sparkling wine has been gaining prestige in recent years, with some experts comparing it to (gasp!) Champagne in taste and quality. Globally, the sector is still relatively small, but sales are growing.

Grapes from a vineyard in Kent, England Source: Gusbourne via AP

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