Bloomberg - Evening Briefing - Back where we started

Bloomberg’s Evening Briefing

Many on Wall Street will be starting the first workweek of 2022 in their home office as the omicron variant breaks infection records across America. U.S. pediatric hospitalizations for Covid-19 have risen to unprecedented levels, and in Texas—one of many Republican-led states that have sought to block safety measures and vaccine requirements—some healthcare systems are failing. Now, Governor Greg Abbott is pleading for help from an administration he regularly condemns. In the U.K., regulators followed U.S. counterparts in allowing the use of Pfizer’s new antiviral pill, though the drug raises some thorny ethical issues. Meanwhile, more research is arriving with the new year, and what was preliminary is starting to look solid: Animal studies (while not yet peer reviewed) may provide an explanation why omicron is less severe than its predecessors. Here’s the latest on the pandemic

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

Here are today’s top stories

New Year’s Eve air travel got off to a bumpy start Friday morning, with another 1,300 flights canceled in the U.S. and 1,000 scrubbed for Saturday. Among the biggest offenders were JetBlue, which clipped at least 14% of its schedule; Allegiant, which nixed 19% of its planes; And United, which eliminated 11% of its service. And that was only at midday

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport  Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg

For most of the world, 2021 was a year of unyielding calamity. For Wall Street, it was quite profitable. U.S. stocks ended the year with a rally few predicted back in January. It was a banner year for equities, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 surging about 27%, surpassing even the most bullish outlooks. Here’s your markets wrap.

It was also a great year for multibillionaires. The richest person on Earth, Elon Musk, saw his wealth soar to levels only achieved by John D. Rockefeller. Sky-high equity markets and rising valuations of everything from mansions to crypto to commodities boosted the collective fortune of the world’s 500 richest people by more than $1 trillion.

News that the U.S. population barely grew this year, together with ever-falling birthrates and the decline in immigration, raises the possibility that the nation will be shrinking in the not-so-distant future. So fewer people means housing will be more affordable, right? Actually, no, writes Conor Sen in Bloomberg Opinion. For some it may be just the opposite.

More than 30 million fishing operations worldwide—around 90% of the total—are considered small-scale. With developing nations getting wealthier, demand for seafood is escalating, making accurate assessments of shrinking fish stocks crucial to food security. While right now that’s impossible because many don’t report catches, there may be a solution.

In 2021, gold was pretty dull. After the start of the pandemic drove it to record prices, the metal often touted as the ultimate hedge failed to capitalize on this year’s inflation. Here’s why.

Almost two years have passed since BlackRock CEO Larry Fink declared capitalism was going green and that he would help lead the way. He pledged to help make it easier to invest in companies with sustainable environmental and social practices. The reality however is trickier. His firm has been raking in ESG fund cash in ways unforeseen and the way ESG ratings are being doled out have almost zero to do with sustainability.

Larry Fink Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

What you’ll need to know tomorrow


The Biggest Public Relations Blunders of 2021

It’s been a year of massive challenges for many companies, what with an ongoing pandemic, labor shortages, supply-chain bottlenecks and rising inflation. As if all that weren’t enough, some corporations added to their own afflictions with self-made crises caused by dreadful public-relations judgment. Kara Alaimo, an associate professor of public relations at Hofstra University, reveals in Bloomberg Opinion the five biggest examples of companies or executives who squarely put their foot in it

Elon Musk makes the list. Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg

Older messages

Russia’s deadliest month

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Bloomberg's Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg Chinese companies listed in the US rebounded Thursday after a five-day slump as investors piled back into stocks hurt by President Xi

The darker view on 2022

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Bloomberg's Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg Some on Wall Street have made the case that 2022 won't be that bad for markets. But there are bears in the woods, and they aren't as

Apple goes to war

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Bloomberg's Evening briefing View in browser Bloomberg Apple is going to war. The electronic gadget maker is doling out as much as $180000 in stock bonuses to some engineers to keep them from

Flight vaccine rule

Monday, December 27, 2021

Bloomberg's Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg Flight cancellations that disrupted US travel over the Christmas weekend stretched into Monday, with winter storms further pressuring carriers

Joe Manchin’s world

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Bloomberg's Weekend Reading View in browser Bloomberg Follow Us Get the newsletter A 74-year-old conservative Democrat from a coal state may very well be enjoying his time in the limelight. Senator

You Might Also Like

After inauguration, it's time to talk taxes

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

plus toad fashion + Post Malone ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Harry's Take 1-15-25 Stocks Look to Break Lower: Another Sign of a Top on December 16

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Harry's Take January 15, 2025 Stocks Look to Break Lower: Another Sign of a Top on December 16 As we go into the new year, already with signs of a failed Santa Claus Rally and a failed first 5

🇺🇸 America's tariff future

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A possible go-slow approach to tariffs, a spending worry for China, and the next obesity drugs | Finimize TOGETHER WITH Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 15th in 3:14 minutes. The

It’s a new year, get a new savings account

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Earn more with high-yield options! ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Private Equity Is Coming for Your 401(k)

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

The industry wants in on Americans' $13 trillion in savings ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

This Skateboarding Economist Suggests We Need More Skateparks And Less Capitalism

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A skateboarder presented an unusual paper at this year's big meeting of American economists. View this email online Planet Money Skateonomics by Greg Rosalsky “The Skateboarding Ethic and the

Elon Musk Dreams, Mode Mobile Delivers

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Join the EarnPhone revolution ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Shaping inflation expectations: the effects of monetary policy

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Natalie Burr In economic theory, expectations of future inflation are an important determinant of inflation, making them a key variable of interest for monetary policy makers. But is there empirical

🌎 Another hottest year

Monday, January 13, 2025

Global temperatures crossed a threshold, oil prices bubbled up, and crypto's AI agents | Finimize Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 14th in 3:06 minutes. Oil prices climbed

Have you seen the Best Cars & Trucks of 2025?

Monday, January 13, 2025

Get a quote and protect your new wheels with Amica Insurance ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌