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☆ As Hong Kong opens up, visitors can enter a gym or restaurant immediately
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Travellers arrive at Hong Kong International Airport after the lifting of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) movement controls in Hong Kong, China December 14, 2022. Arriving people now have no movement restrictions but they need to do a PCR COVID test on arrival and again two days after arriving. In another loosening measure, the government announced late on Tuesday that travellers arriving in Hong Kong are free to continue directly to mainland China or Macau as long as they meet the required criteria. Under previous COVID-19 rules, travellers had to wait three days in the city before continuing to the mainland. The move comes after China jettisoned some of the world's toughest restrictions meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

☆ China Unicom to delete users' mobile travel data in COVID-hit areas
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Chinese state-owned telecom giant China Unicom (0762.HK) said on Monday it will delete users' mobile itinerary data previously used to identify travellers in COVID-stricken areas from Dec. 13. The statement comes as China announced the shutdown of the state-mandated mobile app tracking travellers in COVID-hit regions from the same date. Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/4] Women wearing face masks and face shields talk on a street, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Shanghai, China, December 12, 2022. Reuters witnessed similar queues outside clinics in the central city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 first emerged three years ago. But the figures reflect the dropping of testing requirements, say analysts, while Chinese health expects have warned of an imminent surge. Yet China is pushing ahead with efforts to free up nationwide travel, even if foreign trips may still be a while off. The number of domestic flights available across China exceeded 7,400, nearly double from a week ago, flight tracker app VariFlight showed.

☆ Heathrow sees minimal impact from planned Border Force strikes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Border Force workers due to strike from Dec. 23Heathrow working to protect full flight scheduleLONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Heathrow Airport said on Monday that it expected the vast majority of travellers will be unaffected by this month's planned strikes by Border Force workers. British Border Force workers plan to strike for several days from Dec. 23 at airports including Heathrow, Britain's busiest, and Gatwick due to a dispute over pay. Border Force has contingency measures to ensure other arriving passengers are cleared safely and as quickly as possible, Heathrow said. Interior minister Suella Braverman warned last Thursday that Border Force strikes may cause travel delays, adding that people should think carefully about their plans to fly abroad. It said over 55 million people had travelled through Heathrow so far this year -- nearly 70% of 2019 levels.

☆ China's capital swings from anger over zero-COVID to coping with infections
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Pandemic control workers in protective suits sit in a neighbourhood that used to be under lockdown, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue, in Beijing, China December 10, 2022. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many businesses have been forced to close as infected workers quarantine at home while many other people are deciding not to go out because of the higher risk of infection. "We can see that hundreds of thousands or tens of thousands of people are infected in several major cities," Zhong said. China's economy may grow 1.6% in the first quarter of 2023 from a year earlier, and 4.9% in the second, according to Capital Economics. Inbound travellers are subjected to five days of quarantine at centralised government facilities and three additional days of self-monitoring at home.

HONG KONG, Dec 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The pandemic has helped Chinese authorities to keep a lot of money at home. With expectations rising for a full reopening of the country, including its international borders, capital outflows could be Beijing’s next headache. The People’s Republic supposedly has strict controls with cross-border cash transfers for citizens capped at $50,000 per year. Even so, jet-setting travellers splurged $255 billion abroad in 2019, boosting hotel revenue in Thailand and designer handbag sales in Paris. With pent up demand for spending overseas likely to be high, China might be tempted to look for benefits from keeping its borders shut.

☆ Corporate travel propels boom in sustainable aviation fuel
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jamie Freed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SAF accounted for only 0.5% of aviation fuel in 2021, but many airlines have a target of 10% by 2030 and the industry's goal of "net zero" emissions by 2050 relies on SAF accounting for 65% of fuel. The corporate sector interest could build momentum for the SAF industry to scale up given businesses account for around 20% of air travel globally and 30% in Europe, said Denise Auclair, corporate travel campaign manager at European non-governmental organisation Transport & Environment. 'GREEN PREMIUM'Buying SAF is more costly than purchasing emissions offsets but experts say it can play a key role in reducing travel emissions alongside switches to video-conferencing and cleaner alternatives like rail. "They contract with us, they pay for the cost premium of sustainable aviation fuel over the conventional jet fuel, and then enable us to deliver sustainable aviation fuel for our partner airlines to consume," he said. Companies are able to contract directly with airlines, travel agencies like American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) (GBTG.N) and fuel providers like Neste as they look to claim SAF credits and avoid pitfalls like double claiming.

☆ UK airports face Christmas disruption as border staff to strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Border Force workers at several major British airports including the country's busiest, Heathrow, will go on strike for eight days this month in a dispute over pay, threatening disruption to Christmas travel. The PCS trade union said staff employed by Britain's interior ministry in passport booths would take action at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports and a handful of regional ones, plus the Port of Newhaven. The union's General Secretary Mark Serwotka said around 2,000-3,000 staff would be involved in the walkouts on ever day but one between Dec 23-31. A Heathrow spokesperson said the airport was working with airlines and Border Force on plans to mitigate disruption. Gatwick said it expected flights to operate as normal and it would also make extra airport staff available to help passengers on strike days.

☆ Reaction to China loosening COVID restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here's what people are saying about the latest moves to ease China's COVID curbs;FRANK BENZIMRA, HEAD OF ASIA EQUITY STRATEGY, SOCIETE GENERALE, HONG KONG"MSCI China has rebounded nicely, valuations have risen and can very gradually normalise. "The next checkpoint will be Chinese New Year; I think markets are looking for further relaxation to facilitate return to their hometowns by Chinese New Year." MITUL KOTECHA, HEAD OF EMERGING MARKETS STRATEGY, TD SECURITIES, SINGAPORE"These are significant steps, and the reality is the current policy had become very difficult to administer given how widespread COVID is in the country. SAKTIANDI SUPAAT, REGIONAL HEAD OF FX RESEARCH & STRATEGY, MAYBANK, SINGAPORE"I think markets have, in some ways, priced in that element (of further easing). I mean, it's better for China to deregulate its COVID restrictions but even if it's a booster for the Chinese economy and commodity prices, that will work negatively for a Fed pause because it tightens monetary conditions."

☆ Reaction to China relaxing COVID restrictions in major policy shift
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REDMOND WONG, GREATER CHINA MARKET STRATEGIST, SAXO MARKETS, HONG KONG"The 10 new measures are underwhelming, given the high expectations. GARY NG, ECONOMIST, NATIXIS, HONG KONG"The latest announcements show China is determined to speed up its reopening due to economic pressure. It is likely to see upswings cyclically in business sentiment from suppressed demand, especially in sectors heavily affected by the covid restrictions. "The next checkpoint will be Chinese New Year; I think markets are looking for further relaxation to facilitate return to their hometowns by Chinese New Year." SAKTIANDI SUPAAT, REGIONAL HEAD OF FX RESEARCH & STRATEGY, MAYBANK, SINGAPORE"I think markets have, in some ways, priced in that element (of further easing).

☆ Modi urges unity on 'greatest challenges' as India assumes G20 presidency
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The world must cooperate to tackle the greatest challenges of climate change, terrorism, and pandemics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday as India began its year-long presidency of the Group of 20 (G20). "Today, we do not need to fight for our survival - our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one," Modi said in a declaration published in Indian newspapers to mark the start of the G20 presidency. "Today, the greatest challenges we face - climate change, terrorism, and pandemics - can be solved not by fighting each other, but only by acting together." "As in our own families, those whose needs are the greatest must always be our first concern," Modi said.

☆ Saudi Arabia announces plans for six-runway hub airport in Riyadh
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RIYADH, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced on Monday plans to transform Riyadh airport into a massive aviation hub with six parallel runways and designed to accommodate up to 120 million travellers by 2030, state news agency SPA reported. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), will build King Salman International Airport, which should stretch over 57 square kilometres (22.01 square miles) and include current King Khaled airport, SPA said. Aviation is part of a government strategy to become a global transportation and logistics hub by 2030, with Riyadh airport as the operation base of a brand new airline, RIA, that would compete with regional heavyweights Emirates and Qatar Airways. The kingdom has set itself high targets for diversifying its economy and reducing its dependence on oil, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into a plan called Vision 2030 initiated by the kingdom's de facto ruler Prince Mohammed. It added King Salman airport would create 103,000 direct and indirect jobs, handle 185 million travellers and process 3.5 million tons of cargo by 2050.

☆ Russians who fled draft in no hurry to return from Georgia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( David Chkhikvishvili | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Travellers walk after crossing the border with Russia at the frontier checkpoint Verkhny Lars - Zemo Larsi, Georgia September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Irakli GedenidzeTBILISI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - A month after Russia said it had ended a recruitment drive for its war in Ukraine, men who fled to neighbouring Georgia to avoid the draft say they are in no rush to return home. Of course I don't want to return to a country where police can arrest me for simply walking past them. Yet the arrival of so many relatively well-off Russians in a comparatively poor country of just 3.7 million has created tension. Samadashvili said she fears Putin could use the pretext of "protecting" Russians in Georgia as grounds for a further invasion, just as he did in Ukraine.

☆ FAA OKs new $4.2 billion terminal at New York's JFK airport
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Shannon StapletonWASHINGTON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted final environmental approval for construction of a new $4.2 billion terminal at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, the state said on Thursday. New York state Governor Kathy Hochul said construction will begin early next year on a 1.2 million-square foot (111,480-square-meter), 10-gate terminal at JFK. A $1 trillion infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021 includes $15 billion for airport project grants. The FAA is expected to soon issue a similar environmental approval to a massive $8.5 billion project at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport that includes a new Terminal 2. Delta's glittering 1.3 million-square foot, $4 billion Terminal C began flights this summer.

☆ Oil reverses gains, falls on China COVID surge, firmer dollar
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Emily Chow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Brent, WTI prices ease after Friday's gainsMajor China cities report record number of COVID-19 casesU.S. Fed not "softening" fight against inflation - Gov. "USD strength appears to be weighing on oil and the broader commodities complex this afternoon," said Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy at ING. But COVID cases climbed in China over the weekend, with Beijing and other big cities reporting record infections on Monday. China's demand for oil from world's top exporter, Saudi Arabia, also remained weak as several refiners have asked to lift less crude in December. A firm dollar after comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller also weighed on oil.

SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday, extending gains from the previous session, after China eased some of its strict COVID-19 protocols, fuelling hopes of a recovery in economic activity and demand at the world's top crude importer. Contracts for Brent crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate edged up nearly 1% earlier in the session but later pared some gains. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were also up 23 cents, or 0.3%, at $89.19 a barrel after closing Friday's session 2.9% higher. "Moreover, it will take some time from the release of the policy to its implementation, so China's full liberalisation may have to wait until the first quarter of next year, which means that the rebound of oil prices last Friday is unsustainable." China's demand for oil from world's top exporter, Saudi Arabia, also remained weak as several refiners have asked to lift less crude in December.

☆ Oil prices extend gains on China demand hopes
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Florence Tan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose nearly 1% on Monday, extending gains from the previous session as China eased some of its strict COVID-19 protocols, fuelling hopes of a recovery in economic activity and demand at the world's top crude importer. Brent crude futures rose 87 cents, or 0.9%, to $96.86 a barrel by 0041 GMT after settling up 1.1% on Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $89.76 a barrel, up 80 cents, or 0.9%, after closing Friday's session 2.9% higher. Commodities prices rallied on Friday after China's National Health Commission adjusted its COVID prevention and control measures. China's demand for oil from world's top exporter Saudi Arabia remained weak as several refiners have asked to lift less crude in December.

☆ China's COVID infections reach peak since late April
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The National Health Commission reported 11,950 new COVID-19 infections for the previous day, of which 1,504 were symptomatic and 10,446 were asymptomatic. That compares with 10,729 new cases a day earlier – 1,209 symptomatic and 9,520 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. Excluding imported infections, China reported 11,803 new local cases, of which 1,452 were symptomatic and 10,351 were asymptomatic, up from 10,535 a day earlier. Beijing, the capital, reported 68 symptomatic and 48 asymptomatic cases, versus 64 symptomatic and 54 asymptomatic ones the previous day, local government data showed. The high-end SKP shopping mall in the capital's sprawling Chaoyang district, said it was closed on Saturday for COVID control and prevention measures.

☆ Dollar set for biggest two-day fall since 2009 as rate outlook shifts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] U.S. Dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. Data on Thursday showed consumer inflation rose 7.7% year-on-year in October, its slowest rate since January and below forecasts for 8%. The dollar staged its biggest drop since late 2015 on Thursday as Treasury yields plunged, while other currencies - the yen and the pound in particular - jumped. The dollar index was down nearly 1.1%, having lost over 3% in the last two days - its biggest two-day decline since March 2009. The offshore yuan rallied by as much as 1.3% to hit its highest in over a month against the dollar, to 7.0592.

☆ Dollar heads for biggest two-day fall since 2009 as rate outlook shifts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Chinese Yuan and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken February 10, 2020. Data on Thursday showed consumer inflation rose 7.7% year-on-year in October, its slowest rate since January and below forecasts for 8%. The dollar staged its biggest drop since late 2015 on Thursday as Treasury yields plunged, while other currencies - the yen and the pound in particular - jumped. The dollar index was down nearly 1%, having lost over 3% in the last two days - its biggest two-day decline since March 2009. "It can be a little dangerous in that the 'bad news' is still out there and could come back to burn us, particularly with respect to the Fed," Rabobank currency strategist Jane Foley said.

☆ Oil jumps by 3% as China eases COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Ahmad Ghaddar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped by about 3% on Friday after health authorities in China, the top global crude importer, eased some of the country's heavy COVID curbs. Brent crude futures rose $2.86, or 3.1%, to $96.53 a barrel by 1145 GMT, extending a 1.1% rise in the previous session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained $2.87, or 3.3%, to $89.34 a barrel, after climbing 0.8% in the previous session. A weaker U.S. dollar also supported oil prices as it makes the commodity cheaper for buyers holding other currencies. Still, the benchmark oil contracts were headed for weekly declines due to rising U.S. oil inventories, and lingering fears over capped fuel demand in China amid an uptick in daily COVID cases.

☆ Dollar flags after biggest daily fall since 2015
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Chinese Yuan and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken February 10, 2020. The dollar staged its biggest drop since late 2015 as Treasury yields plunged, while other currencies - the yen and the pound in particular - jumped. The dollar index was down nearly 0.5%, while risk assets including stocks, emerging-market currencies and commodities rallied. The offshore yuan rallied by as much as 1.3% to hit its highest in over a month against the dollar, to 7.0592. Bitcoin fell 1.2% to $17,344, after plunging below $16,000 for the first time since late 2020 this week.

☆ Fed hopes buoy shares, China COVID easing boosts oil
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Oil prices jumped after health authorities in top global crude importer China eased some of the country's heavy COVID curbs. The S&P 500 (.SPX) and Nasdaq (.IXIC) racked up their biggest daily percentage gains in over 2-1/2 years on Thursday after U.S. data showed prices rose less-than-expected in October. Market bets on the Fed raising rates by 50 basis points instead of 75 basis points increased. US inflation, Fed rates and marketsDOLLAR DIVEInvestors poured into risky assets after the U.S. data, with the dollar suffering its biggest daily drop in 13 years on Thursday. Meanwhile, oil prices rose on Friday after the U.S. inflation data but were on track for weekly declines of more than 4% due to COVID-related worries in China.

☆ Oil jumps by over 2% as China eases COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Jeslyn Lerh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped more than 2% on Friday after health authorities in China, the top global crude importer, eased some of the country's heavy COVID curbs. Brent crude futures rose $2.39, or 2.6%, to $96.06 a barrel by 0745 GMT, extending a 1.1% rise in the previous session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained $2.24, or 2.6%, to $88.71 a barrel, after climbing 0.8% in the previous session. The move towards liberalising the COVID-zero policy will provide a springboard for oil markets, given that lockdowns hurt mobility and oil prices more than economic activity, he said. A weaker U.S. dollar also supported oil prices as it makes the commodity cheaper for buyers holding other currencies.

☆ China shortens COVID quarantine times, eases flight curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Nov 11 (Reuters) - China on Friday eased some of its COVID curbs, including shortening by two days quarantine times for close contacts of cases and for inbound travellers and scrapping a penalty on airlines that bring in infected passengers. Under the new rules, quarantine for close contacts will be cut to five days at a centralised location plus three days at home, from seven days centralised and three days at home. A similar shortening of quarantine rules was made for inbound travellers, according to the revised rules, which the National Health Commission (NHC) published on its website. The NHC said the number of people affected by COVID measures should be minimised. Secondary close contacts would no longer have to be identified although close contacts would still be, the health authority said.

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