On 17 February, the benchmark price of natural gas in Europe dropped below €50 per megawatt-hour, its lowest in 18 months, as mild winter weather kept gas reserves plentiful amid adequate alternative sources of supply after Russia cut off virtually all gas exports to the continent.
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DOLLAR’S STRENGTH FORCES CURRENCY DEVALUATIONS ABROAD
The U.S. dollar’s value reached its highest in a month last week, forcing Egypt, Lebanon, and Pakistan to decouple their currencies from the dollar, effectively devaluing them.
WHEN THE ECONOMY FALLS JOBS GO WITH IT
This is week 29 of our reporting the long trend-line of layoffs that signal a further economic downturn in a country near you. Rising inflation and rising interest rate hikes are causing companies in many sectors to lay off employees.
TOP TREND, SELF-SUFFICIENT ECONOMIES: AUTOMAKERS, U.S. GOVERNMENT RACE TO SECURE MINERAL SUPPLIES
Stellantis, the car company owning RAM pickup trucks, Fiat, Chrysler, and other brands, has contracted with Finnish firm Terrafame for a steady supply of nickel sulfate it will make for its electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
TOP TREND 2023, OFFICE BUILDING BUST: TOP PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM DEFAULTS ON TWO OFFICE TOWER LOANS
Brookfield Corp., one of the world’s largest private equity firms formerly called Brookfield Asset Management, has chosen to default on $755 million in loans related to two Los Angeles office towers rather than refinance the debt in the face of weakening demand for office space.
AMAZON TELLS WORKERS TO BE IN THE OFFICE AT LEAST THREE DAYS A WEEK
As of 1 May, Amazon’s office workers will need to show up at a central office at least three days a week, CEO Andrew Jassey wrote in a 17 February memo to staff.
TOP TREND 2023, OFFICE BUILDING BUST: MANHATTAN LOSING $12.4 BILLION A YEAR AS EMPLOYEES WORK FROM HOME
Manhattan’s commuter workforce is in town on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, but thins out on Mondays and disappears on Fridays, according to Stanford University data analyzed by Bloomberg.
MANUFACTURING SLUMP TELLS THE STORY
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s index of manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region registered -24.3 this month, diving from -8.9 in January.
INVESTORS CUT BACK SINGLE-FAMILY HOME PURCHASES
Private equity firms and other investors bought 48,445 single-family homes in last year’s fourth quarter, 46 percent fewer than the same quarter in 2021, according to online broker Redfin, which monitors home sales in 40 major U.S. metro areas.
BLOOMBERG: NEW CARS ARE NOW ONLY FOR THE RICH
The average monthly U.S. payment for a new car has reached a record $777, industry research firm Cox Automotive reported, about 15 percent of American households’ median income after taxes.