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Consumer confidence hitting record high, but with hangovers left from pandemic

Global consumer confidence soared to record heights in the first quarter of 2021, according to The Conference Board: Global Consumer Confidence Survey, as vaccination campaigns broadened, travel restrictions loosened, and governments and central banks continued to provide robust economic stimulus. These factors are contributing to various geographic regions returning to a “state of normalcy sooner” including increased spending […]

Biden names 2 ex-NSA officials for senior cyber positions

President Joe Biden has selected two former senior National Security Agency officials for key cyber jobs in his administration, the White House said Monday in moving to fill out a team whose role has grown more urgent after two major hacks that have consumed the government’s attention. Chris Inglis, a former NSA deputy director, is […]

Drivers wanted: Record demand at Uber as vaccinations rise

Uber is offering sign-up bonuses and other incentives for drivers as it faces record demand for rides and meal delivery. The San Francisco ride-hailing company said Monday that total monthly bookings, including food delivery and passenger service, reached an all-time high in March. In a government filing, the company said demand for ride-hailing, which plunged […]

Alibaba fined $2.8 billion on competition charge in China

Alibaba Group, the world’s biggest e-commerce company, was fined 18.3 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) by Chinese regulators on Saturday for anti-competitive tactics, as the ruling Communist Party tightens control over fast-growing tech industries. Party leaders worry about the dominance of China’s biggest internet companies, which are expanding into finance, health services and other sensitive areas. […]

EXPLAINER: Starving for more chips in a tech-hungry world

As the U.S. economy rebounds from its pandemic slump, a vital cog is in short supply: the computer chips that power a wide range of products that connect, transport and entertain us in a world increasingly dependent on technology. The shortage has already been rippling through various markets since last summer. It has made it […]

Official: EU agency to confirm AstraZeneca blood clot link

A top official at the European Medicines Agency says there’s a causal link between AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine and rare blood clots, but that it’s unclear what the connection is and that the benefits of taking the shot still outweigh the risks of getting COVID-19. Marco Cavaleri, head of health threats and vaccine strategy at the […]

UK launches new tech watchdog to boost competition against Big Tech

The UK government launched on Wednesday a new tech watchdog that will help make sure tech giants, such as Facebook and Google, cannot exploit their market dominance to crowd out competition and stifle innovation. The Digital Markets Unit (DMU), based in the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will oversee plans to give consumers more choice […]

ING: Pandemic creates “white swan” moment for green banking

A new global survey of companies and institutional investors commissioned by ING, the multinational banking and financial services corporation, shows the pandemic, as a ‘white swan’ moment – perhaps an unintended positive outcome – which has accelerated the majority of companies’ green banking and financial services corporation plans. At the same time, investors are demanding […]

Biofuels producers, farmers not sold on switch to electric

The president and auto industry maintain the nation is on the cusp of a gigantic shift to electric vehicles and away from liquid-fueled cars, but biofuels producers and some of their supporters in Congress aren’t buying it. They argue that now is the time to increase sales of ethanol and biodiesel, not abandon them. To […]