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☆ Richemont digital strategy goes back to square one
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The logo of the luxury goods company Richemont is pictured at its headquarters in Bellevue near Geneva, Switzerland, June 2, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 29 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Johann Rupert’s digital strategy may be heading back to the drawing board. But even if Rupert can extricate himself from the Farfetch situation, Richemont’s digital plans will still be unclear. In August 2022 Richemont agreed to sell a 47.5% stake in its digital platform, Yoox Net-A-Porter, to Farfetch. Shares in Richemont were up 1.5% by 1100 GMT on Nov. 29.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Johann Rupert’s, Porter, Cartier, Rupert, Farfetch, José Neves, Richemont, Financiere Richemont, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, The Telegraph, Financiere, Telegraph, Thomson Locations: Bellevue, Geneva, Switzerland, Swiss, U.S, YNAP, New York, Richemont

☆ Nepal registers first same-sex marriage; 'historic', say activists
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Participants take part in an annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade, in Kathmandu, Nepal June 10, 2023. "We have issued the marriage registration certificate to the couple in consideration of the Supreme Court order and instructions from relevant government authorities," said Hem Raj Kafle, chief administrative officer of the Dordi rural municipality. In June, the country's Supreme Court issued an interim order allowing same-sex couples to register their marriages pending a final verdict. "It is historic," said Pant, a former lawmaker, noting that it was the first such registration in South Asia. Taiwan is the only other country to legalise same-sex marriage in Asia, where societies remain largely conservative.

Persons: Navesh, Ram Bahadur, Gurung, Surendra Pandey, Pandey, Raj Kafle, Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal's, Pant, Gopal Sharma, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Blue Diamond Society, Maoists, Nepali Congress, Thomson Locations: Kathmandu, Nepal, Lumjung, South Asia, Taiwan, Asia

☆ In the Market: Regulators look to pry open the dark corners of Treasury markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Paritosh Bansal | Thomson Reuters | Paritosh Oversees The Work Of More Than Journalists Across The Globe Who Write About Finance | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Duffie said more could be done, but added that the "official sector Treasury market datasets are far more comprehensive now than they were a few years ago." They would have much better estimates of the basis trade, for example, but they still wouldn't know exactly how big it is. The trade involves hedge funds exploiting the difference between a Treasury security and its derivative in the futures market. The CFTC data includes other trades that hedge funds enter into that involve shorting treasury futures, the two industry sources said. At a major Treasury market conference earlier this month, officials underscored the importance of good data.

Persons: Darrell Duffie, Duffie, John Williams, Sherlock Holmes, Paritosh Bansal, Anna Driver Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, Financial Research, Stanford University, Treasury, Futures Trading Commission, Securities, Exchange Commission, Regulators, ” New York Fed, Thomson Locations: ”

[1/2] People watch drones creating a 3-D display outside the United Nations Headquarters calling attention to the Amazon rainforest and climate change in New York U.S., September 15, 2023. The analysis by the nonprofit Amazon Conservation's MAAP forest monitoring program offers a first look at 2023 deforestation across the nine Amazon countries. That estimate is likely low as there are some holes in the data, Finer said. Brazil's Lula has led a push among its Amazonian neighbors and other rainforest countries to get rich nations to pay for woodland conservation. While the country is battling massive wildfires, many of them are not in the Amazon, Finer said.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Matt, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro, Carlos Nobre, Nobre, Brazil's Lula, Gustavo Petro, Jake Spring, David Gregorio Our Organizations: United Nations Headquarters, New York U.S, REUTERS, SAO PAULO, Reuters, United, University of Sao, Amazon, NASA, Union, Democratic, Watch, Thomson Locations: New York, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, United Nations, Jan, Puerto Rico, University of Sao Paulo, Amazon, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, COLOMBIA, PERU Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo

[1/6] Ola electric scooters are seen outside the Ola Electric Service Centre, in Thane on the outskirts of Mumbai, India, October 25, 2023. Aggarwal's Ola Electric, which he likens to Tesla in the West, is zipping towards a stock-market listing after going from zero to 338,000 e-scooter sales in about two years. But he acknowledged service capacity issues and said Ola was "aggressively" bolstering its service network by adding 100 new centres and hiring more technicians. 'TESLA FOR WEST, OLA FOR REST'Aggarwal often declares, "Tesla is for the West, Ola for the rest", and he's a man in a hurry. "Electric vehicles are new to people so they aren't aware of how to ride the vehicle to maximise optimal output," he said.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, it's, Elon Musk, Aggarwal's Ola, Tesla, Ola, Devendra Ghuge, Aggarwal, Ola EVs, Ravi Bhatia, Bhatia, Japan's SoftBank, Ronald Radhakrishnan, Koradia, Riddhima Talwani, Aditi Shah, Rishika Sadam, Sriram, Arpan Chaturvedi, Anushree, Pandya, Francis Mascerehnas, Varun Vyas, Munsif, Jatindra, Saurabh Sharma, Sumit Khanna, Jose Devasia, Aditya Kalra Organizations: Ola Electric Service Centre, REUTERS, Staff, Reuters, JATO Dynamics, WEST, OLA, West, Singapore's Temasek, Industry, Hero Electric, TVS, EV, Ola, Fayaz Bukhari, Thomson Locations: Thane, Mumbai, India, THANE, HYDERABAD, DELHI, MUMBAI, Chennai, Bengaluru, India's, U.S, China, Kochi, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jose, Srinagar

☆ 2 essentials this doctor stocks up on every cold and flu season: 'I try to avoid taking OTC medications if I can'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Honey For years, people have claimed that eating honey, especially locally-collected honey, is a great way to lessen seasonal allergies. I use honey for the common cold, and it's perfectly safe. "I use honey for the common cold, and it's perfectly safe." Around cold and flu season, Mafi stocks up on garlic for symptom relief for colds. "There is a small amount of evidence that garlic can help reduce the severity and duration of the common cold," Mafi says.

Persons: John Mafi, Mafi, Honey, Timothy Wong, I've, didn't Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, General Internal Medicine, Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, CNBC, British Medical, American Academy of Pediatrics, Cochrane

☆ EU committee backs law to relocate euro clearing from London to bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - An influential committee of European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favour of a draft law aimed at shifting clearing of euro-denominated derivatives from a post-Brexit London to the bloc. Long a Brexit battleground between London and Brussels, the EU wants better oversight of clearing in euro denominated interest rate swaps bought by EU-based market participants, the bulk of which are cleared by the London Stock Exchange Group in the United Kingdom. EU securities regulator ESMA would also have to become the direct supervisor of clearers based in the EU. LSEG CEO David Schwimmer has said he is "optimistic" that clearing in London for EU customers would continue after that date. EU banks have warned that being cut off from global clearing pools in London would put them at a competitive disadvantage to international rivals.

Persons: Long, Danuta Huebner, David Schwimmer, Huw Jones, Mark Potter Organizations: European Union, EU, London Stock Exchange Group, Deutsche Boerse, European, Thomson Locations: London, Brussels, United Kingdom, EU, Frankfurt, Madrid

Homeless people and their advocates say the sweeps are cruel and a waste of taxpayer money. The AP submitted data requests to 30 U.S. cities regarding encampment sweeps and received at least partial responses from about half. “Unfortunately, it’s becoming a way of life, and that is 100% incorrect.”For homeless people, sweeps can be traumatizing. But never an end solution.”There are many reasons why someone might reject shelter, say homeless people and their advocates. We’re walking around saying, ‘What do you need?’”In Portland, the encampment dismantled in July was cleared again, in September and November.

Persons: Will Taylor, ”, Taylor, he's, …, ” Angelique Risby, it’s, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, David Sjoberg, ” David Ehler Jr, Crews, Sara Angel, “, Masood Samereie, ” Samereie, Roxanne Simonson, Sam Dodge, Dodge, Michael Johnson, aren't, Charise Haley, “ There’s, pare, Francis Zamora, Zamora, Brad Lander, ” Lander, Eric Adams, Charles Lutvak, Lutvak, Danielle Werder, Kieran Hartnett, who's, ____ Har, Casey, Thomas Peipert, Angeliki Kastanis, Christopher Weber Organizations: Contractors, U.S, The Associated Press, American Civil Liberties Union, Democratic, Republican, Supreme, ACLU, Northern, Politico, AP, San, Police, Public Works, Department of Emergency Management, Democratic New York City Locations: PORTLAND, Portland, West Coast, Los Angeles, New York, U.S, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Miami, Albuquerque, Anchorage, Boulder , Colorado, California, San Francisco, Northern California, Denver, Connecticut, Colorado, “, New York City, Hennepin County, Boston

One Russian banking source close to the Russian central bank said receiving revenue in a non-convertible currency with little value outside India was "pointless". They said, however, the problem remained of finding a viable alternative to the dollar, and that the problems affect buyers in Africa, China and Turkey which have become top buyers of Russian oil. The biggest issue, however, concerns India, which has been buying more than 60% of Russian seaborne oil, according to LSEG data and Reuters calculations. India's top refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC.NS) is struggling to settle some payments, mainly for the purchase of Russia's light, sweet Sokol grade from the Sakhalin 1 project. From October, several UAE banks have tightened control over Russia-focused clients to ensure compliance with the price cap, according to five oil trading and bank sources.

Persons: Yang Mei Hu, Tatiana Meel, Ivan Nosov, Sokol, YUAN, Barbara Lewis Organizations: COSCO Shipping, REUTERS, U.S ., UAE, Reuters, Indian Oil Corp, Sokol, IOC, UAE dirhams, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Ukraine Russian, MOSCOW, DELHI, Ukraine, India, Russian, Hong, Africa, China, Turkey, Washington, Moscow, United States, Russia's, Sakhalin, UAE

☆ After machines fail, 'rat miners' to help rescue 41 men stuck in Indian tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SILKYARA, India, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Rescuers on Monday brought in "rat miners" to drill through a narrow pipe and help pull out 41 construction workers trapped in a tunnel in the Indian Himalayas for more than two weeks after high-powered machines failed, officials said. The men, low-wage workers from India's poorest states, have been stuck in the 4.5km (3 miles) tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it collapsed on Nov. 12. The men have been getting food, water, light, oxygen and medicines through a pipe but efforts to dig a tunnel have run into a series of snags with machines. "Rat mining" is a primitive, hazardous and controversial method used in India mostly to remove coal deposits through narrow passages. Mishra visited the site and spoke to the trapped men through a communication link.

Persons: Rakesh Rajput, Francis Mascarenhas, Harpal Singh, Mahmood Ahmad, Narendra Modi's, P.K, Mishra, Sakshi Dayal, YP Rajesh, Ed Osmond Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Government, Organisation, Authorities, YP, Thomson Locations: SILKYARA, India, Uttarakhand, Uttarkashi, Char, New Delhi

3 and setting up a top-five matchup with Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game on Friday in Las Vegas. Political Cartoons View All 1265 ImagesThe last time there were two Pac-12 teams in the top five of the AP poll was 2016, when Southern California finished No. Among the top eight teams there are only four losses, one each for Oregon, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama. 5 Oregon vs. No. 3 Washington in Las Vegas, Pac-12 championship.

Persons: Stanford, Ralph D, Russo Organizations: Florida State, Associated Press, Bulldogs, Michigan, Ohio State, Buckeyes, Southern California, Washington, Alabama, Penn State, USC, Penn, Texas Tech, Oregon, Washington , Ohio State, Carolina State, SMU, Vanderbilt, Kansas State, Iowa State, SEC, ACC —, USA, Southeastern Conference, —, Big, Louisville, Atlantic Coast Conference, Oklahoma State, Tulane, American Athletic Conference, AP Locations: Washington, Oregon, Georgia, Ann Arbor, Las Vegas, Texas, . Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Florida , Oklahoma , Texas , Alabama, Penn State , Utah, Ohio State , Texas, Alabama, Washington , Ohio, Texas . Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kansas, Tennessee, Atlanta, Iowa, Indianapolis, Florida, Charlotte , North Carolina, Arlington , Texas

☆ How to keep your Christmas tree fresh through the holidays, based on tips from a forester and an ecologist
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

If you're getting a live Christmas tree, there are a few things you can do to keep it fresh. Two Christmas tree experts gave some tips on keeping a real tree in good shape through the holidays. Choosing a healthy tree, doing a fresh cut, and giving it lots of water will all help it last. AdvertisementOnce you've picked out the perfect Christmas tree , there are three things to remember when it comes to making it last through the holidays: fresh tree, fresh cut, fresh water. Doing a fresh cut on your Christmas tree will help it soak up water.

Persons: —, you've, That's, Bert Cregg, Cregg, Fraser, Noble, Oliver Berg, Justin G, Whitehill, Jerry Holt Organizations: Service, of Horticulture, Michigan State University, Getty, North Carolina State University, Star Tribune

☆ A notorious market bear who called the 2000 and 2008 crashes warns stock valuations are near their most elevated levels ever — and lays out why a 63% decline in the S&P 500 would be consistent with 10
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Right now, it shows the S&P 500 at levels higher than during the dot-com bubble. According to Hussman's model, the S&P 500 will underperform Treasurys by about 7.5% over the next 12 years, the lowest projection since the 2000 and 1929 bubbles. Actual S&P 500 performance tends to follow Hussman's projections closely. Here's the Shiller cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio for the S&P 500, which averages valuations over the prior 10 years. Much of those gains are thanks to the so-called "Magnificent 7" stocks, the S&P 500's biggest seven stocks by market cap.

Persons: John Hussman, Hussman, Here's, Adam Turnquist Organizations: Hussman Investment Trust, Business, Treasury, Federal, LPL Financial Locations: it's

[1/6] People load up their newly purchased items from Best Buy on Black Friday in Wheaton-Glenmont, Maryland, U.S., November 24, 2023. A record 130.7 million people are expected to shop in stores and online in the U.S. on Black Friday this year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates. But at 6 a.m. on Friday at a Walmart in New Milford, Connecticut, the parking lot was only half full. "It's a lot quieter this year, a lot quieter," said shopper Theresa Forsberg, who visits the same five stores with her family at dawn every Black Friday. And the rise of online shopping has reduced the importance of Black Friday as a single-day event.

Persons: Leah Millis, Cowen, David Klink, Theresa Forsberg, Michael Brown, Kearney, Jeff Gennette, Jimmy Lee, there's, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Oscar de, Carlos Araejo, Ruiz, It’s, ”, Paul Aheren, Puma, Siddharth Cavale, Helen Reid, Arriana McLymore, Katherine Masters, Andrew Hay, Bianca Flowers, Danielle Broadway, James Davey, Deborah Sophia, Miral Fahmy, Nick Zieminski, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Shoppers, Huntington Private Bank, Walmart, Target, National Retail Federation, Garden, Insider Intelligence, Macy's, Adobe Analytics, Wealth Consulting, Amazon, Adobe, Nordstrom, “, Saks, Puma, Israel Football Association, IFA, Thomson Locations: Wheaton, Glenmont , Maryland, U.S, RALEIGH, N.C, New Milford , Connecticut, Paramus , New Jersey, Indianapolis, Israel, Palestine, United States, Dallas, Raleigh, Crabtree, Boston

Now governor, Parson also has become the face of mercy by pardoning more than 600 people in the past three years, more than any Missouri governor since the 1940s. In Missouri, clemency requests are first screened by the Board of Probation and Parole, which makes confidential recommendations to the governor. In Wisconsin, Evers has granted 1,111 pardons since taking office in 2019, surpassing the record of 943 set by Republican Gov. Scott Walker, had disbanded the pardons board and issued no pardons during his eight years in office. “For Governor Parson to look at me and to recognize that rehabilitation is real and not just stuff that somebody says, based your actions and not on your words, was huge," Galloway said.

Persons: Kenny Batson, Batson, Mike Parson, Parson, pardoning, they’ve, ” Parson, you’ve, Tony Evers, Joe Biden, commutations, ” Batson, Eric Greitens, Jay Nixon, Parson's, Forrest Donnell, Evers, Julius Heil, Scott Walker, Margaret Love, ”, Patricia McCloskey, Louis, Mark McCloskey, Pete Underdal, Dave Galloway, Galloway Organizations: Associated Press, Republican, Wisconsin Gov, Democrat, Probation, GOP Gov, Democratic Gov, Republican Gov, U.S . Justice Department, “ Locations: Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, In Missouri, In Wisconsin, St, Polk County, Galloway's

Brokerage TD Cowen lowered its U.S. holiday spending estimate to 2% to 3% growth, from 4% to 5%, as it forecast flat Black Friday traffic. With many consumers squeezed by persistent inflation and high interest rates, U.S. holiday spending is expected to rise at the slowest pace in five years. But at 6 a.m. on Friday at a Walmart in New Milford, Connecticut, the parking lot was only half full. "It's a lot quieter this year, a lot quieter," said shopper Theresa Forsberg, who visits the same five stores with her family at dawn every Black Friday. The rise of online shopping has reduced the importance of Black Friday as a single-day event.

Persons: Cowen, David Klink, ”, Barbara Kahn, Theresa Forsberg, Michael Brown, Kearney, Jimmy Lee, Leah Millis, there's, Jeff Gennette, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Oscar de, Carlos Araejo, Ruiz, It’s, Paul Aheren, Puma, Siddharth Cavale, Helen Reid, Arriana McLymore, Katherine Masters, Andrew Hay, Bianca Flowers, Danielle Broadway, James Davey, Deborah Sophia, Miral Fahmy, Nick Zieminski, Frances Kerry, Leslie Adler Organizations: Shoppers, Huntington Private Bank, Walmart, Target, Ross Stores, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, “, National Retail Federation, Garden, Insider Intelligence, Adobe Analytics, Adobe, Wealth Consulting, Amazon, REUTERS, Nordstrom, Saks, Protesters, Puma, Israel Football Association, Thomson Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, U.S, New Milford , Connecticut, Paramus , New Jersey, Wheaton, Glenmont , Maryland, Indianapolis, Israel, Palestine, United States, Dallas, Raleigh, Crabtree, Boston

Oil prices fell about $1 a barrel after OPEC postponed until next week a meeting to discuss production cuts. The oil cartel has been maintaining a tight market for crude oil with production cuts. It is expected to extend those cuts after oil prices have fallen after a spike in the summer to almost $100 a barrel. Markets in Greater China have been swaying in reaction to moves by Chinese regulators to prop up the ailing property market. A 0.9% drop in oil prices weighed on energy companies.

Persons: Seng, Nordstrom, Swissquote, they’ll, Brent Organizations: Garden, Dow, Nasdaq, . Technology, Microsoft, Google, Broadcom, VMWare, Energy, Exxon Mobil, Halliburton, Nvidia, Department, University of Michigan, Federal, ” Fed, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Japan, U.S, Shanghai, Greater China, South Korea, Taiwan, Mumbai, China, Turkey

☆ He Lived a Frugal Life. Then He Left Millions to His New Hampshire Town.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Sopan Deb | More About Sopan Deb | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Smith, a 78-year-old lifelong Hinsdale resident, said in an interview that he met Mr. Holt sometime in the 1970s. Eventually, Mr. Holt moved into a mobile home on a tract of land that Mr. Smith owned, and lived there for a time with a widow who owned the home. Mr. Holt did odd jobs for Mr. Smith over the years, like clearing brush, plowing snow and other maintenance tasks. This left Mr. Holt with a small nest egg that he invested in several mutual funds with a broker in Keene, N.H. One was what Mr. Smith described as a communications fund. In 2000 or so, Mr. Holt revealed his wealth to Mr. Smith.

Persons: Edwin Smith, Holt’s, Smith, Holt, Lee Holt Organizations: Hinsdale, Navy, American International College, Mr, Agway Inc Locations: Smoky, Springfield ,, Hinsdale, English, Brattleboro , Vt, Keene, N.H, West Coast

WRANGELL, Alaska (AP) — Searchers looking for three people who remain missing after a massive landslide that killed three others and injured a fourth have changed their strategy from holding an active search to a reactive search that will involve methodically clearing the highway, officials said Thursday. "During active search periods we have searchers in the field meticulously looking for missing persons," Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson with the Alaska Department of Public Safety, told the Associated Press. Rescue crews found the body of a girl in an initial search Monday night and the bodies of two adults late Tuesday. The state transportation department said on social media Wednesday that the process of clearing the highway would only begin once search and rescue efforts were complete. Saturated soil can give way when gusts blow trees on a slope, said Barrett Salisbury, a geologist with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.

Persons: Austin McDaniel, McDaniel, Mason Villarma, ”, ” Villarma, Aaron Jacobs, Jacobs, Barrett Salisbury, — Organizations: Alaska Department of Public Safety, Associated Press, Juneau . Rescue, National Weather Service, Alaska Department of Natural Locations: WRANGELL, Alaska, Wrangell, Juneau, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, British

☆ Planting 'koala corridors' to save Australia's endangered marsupial
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Jill Gralow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BANGALOW, Australia, Nov 22 (Reuters) - When Lucy was rescued from a rural property in New South Wales two years ago, she was suffering from chlamydia, a disease widespread among koalas. Today, she's one of the lucky residents of tree corridors in the Australian state dedicated to protecting the marsupial by preserving its rapidly shrinking habitat. "Our corridors are actually trying to get them away from humans, from cars, from dogs," said Linda Sparrow, president of Bangalow Koalas. [1/5]Lucy, an adult female Koala sits in a eucalyptus tree planted by Bangalow Koalas, in Bangalow, Australia in this undated image. Saul Goodwin/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsFounded in 2019, Bangalow Koalas has planted over 336,000 trees on 119 properties, contributing to koala conservation and boosting the local ecosystem.

Persons: Lucy, Linda Sparrow, Bangalow, Bangalow Koalas, Saul Goodwin, Handout, Sparrow, Lindy Stacker, Jill Gralow, Alasdair Pal, Miral Organizations: Australia, REUTERS Acquire, Australian Koala Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Thomson Locations: BANGALOW, Australia, New South Wales, Northern Rivers, Bangalow, Northern, Queensland

Industry practice suggests that a large share of hedge funds trading in repo markets put up zero collateral, meaning they are fuelling activity using enormous amounts of cheap debt. A looming rule by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission would expand the use of central clearing in the cash Treasury and repo market. SEC chair Gary Gensler recently promoted the benefits of central clearing and pointed to data showing high levels of repo trades transacted at zero haircuts. James Tabacchi, CEO of South Street Securities, called zero haircuts a "race to the bottom" and not healthy for markets. However, some market participants have voiced concerns that some of the proposed reforms could be a hurdle for some investors, potentially undermining the goal to improve liquidity and resilience in the Treasury market.

Persons: Rick Wilking, Christopher Clarke, Gary Gensler, James Tabacchi, Richard Chambers, Goldman Sachs, Davide Barbuscia, Megan Davies, Paritosh Bansal, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Industry, repo, North America Sovereign Financing, Morgan Securities, Treasury, Federal Reserve Bank of New, U.S . Securities, Exchange, Corporation, SEC, . Federal Reserve, South Street Securities, Goldman, Thomson Locations: Westminster , Colorado, Treasuries, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Carolina

☆ Frankfurt builds up clearing volumes as EU seeks to pull business from London
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Deutsche Boerse's (DB1Gn.DE) derivatives arm said on Tuesday that it has been building up volume in its Euribor futures contract in Frankfurt as the European Union vies with London for the multi-billion-euro market post Brexit. The EU wants to significantly relocate the clearing of Euribor futures and euro-denominated interest rate swaps (IRS) out of London, which is now largely cut off from the bloc's financial market and rules since its 2020 exit from the EU. The market had previously been dominated by U.S. rival ICE (ICE.N), with its operations based in London. It is likely that in the initial phase there will be no mandatory minimum clearing volume set for an account, but this could change if not enough clearing shifts. London Stock Exchange Group's (LSEG.L) LCH dominates clearing of euro IRS, a market in which Eurex is also slowly building up clearing volume, and which is being targeted by the Madrid Exchange too.

Persons: Matthias Graulich, it's, Graulich, David Schwimmer, Huw Jones, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Deutsche, European, EU, U.S, ICE, Reuters, London, Exchange, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, London, EU, Madrid, Brussels

☆ Mastercard will soon be widely accepted in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The US credit card giant announced Monday that it had received clearance from China’s central bank and the financial regulator to launch a bank card business in China through its joint venture with partner NetsUnion Clearing Corporation (NUCC). Mastercard (MA) will be able to start issuing Chinese yuan-denominated bank cards under its own brand, according to a Sunday statement from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach took part in a CEO summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum that Xi and other leaders from across the Pacific were in town to attend. Like other foreign payments providers, Mastercard has campaigned for years to expand its business in China. Previously, it was only authorized to issue co-branded cards, such as those with China UnionPay, the state-owned bank card network.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Michael Miebach, Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Miebach, China UnionPay, Amex Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Mastercard, NetsUnion Clearing, People’s Bank of China, New, San Francisco Bay Area, Economic Cooperation, Apple, American Express, Visa Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington, New York, San Francisco Bay, United States, Asia

☆ Cryptocurrencies dip as investors digest regulatory updates from industry heavyweights Binance, Kraken
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Founder and CEO of Binance Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as "CZ", attends the "CZ meets Italy" at Palazzo Brancaccio on May 10, 2022 in Rome, Italy. The move weighed on the rest of the crypto market. Earlier in the day the coin rose as much as 5% with hopeful investors eager to see the multi-year investigation into the world's largest crypto exchange resolved. Cryptocurrencies were slightly lower Tuesday, as investors weighed a batch of regulatory updates from Washington involving some of the biggest names in crypto: Binance, Kraken and Tether. Investors were all weighing news from another major crypto exchange: Kraken.

Persons: Zhao, Palazzo Brancaccio, Ripple's XRP, Solana, Uniswap, bitcoin, Changpeng Zhao, James Butterfill Organizations: CZ, U.S . Department of Justice, Binance, SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission Locations: Italy, Palazzo, Rome, Washington, Southeast Asia

☆ Celsius Network pivots to bitcoin mining after bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Dietrich Knauth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Celsius Network logo and representations of cryptocurrencies are seen in this illustration taken, June 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Crypto lender Celsius Network has scaled back its post-bankruptcy business plans to focus only on bitcoin mining, citing U.S. regulators' skepticism of its other planned business lines. A U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan had approved Celsius' Chapter 11 plan on Nov. 9, clearing the company to return cryptocurrency to customers and create a new company owned by Celsius creditors. The SEC did not definitively say during Celsius' bankruptcy case whether the new company's business plans would violate U.S. law, but it reserved the right to make that determination later. Bitcoin mining was always meant to be the "core business" of the new company, Celsius said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, BlockFi, Dietrich Knauth, Alexia Garamfalvi, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Securities & Exchange Commission, SEC, Arrington Capital, Bitcoin Corp, Voyager, Thomson Locations: U.S, Manhattan, New Jersey

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