Hong Kong rally, Australia CPI; PBOC cuts MLF

President Trump is advocating for the United States to take control of Gaza and relocate the Palestinian population, citing real estate development opportunities. Trump's family has significant business interests in the Middle East, including projects in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, has investments in the region, including partnerships with LIV Golf and Israeli businesses. Full Article

In the Unlock the Editor’s Digest, Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite stories each week. Citigroup promoted over 8,000 employees at the end of 2024 after a restructuring, with a total of 31,000 promotions for the year and 344 new managing directors. Despite cutting 11,000 positions, Citi saw revenue growth in all main businesses, a 3% increase to $81bn, and profits up 33% to $12.7bn, aiming for a 10-11% return on tangible...

PayPal cofounder Max Levchin, now CEO of Affirm, shared his experience of handling layoffs with empathy, admitting to initially avoiding responsibility but later realizing the importance of being present and supportive for affected employees. Levchin believes that helping laid-off employees pack their boxes was beneficial for everyone involved and emphasized the importance of trying to avoid layoffs in the first place. His approach highlights the significance of leadership showing empathy and support during difficult times....

Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to be released in autumn 2025, with expectations of generating billions in revenue for TTwo, the parent company of Rockstar Games. The highly anticipated game is projected to surpass $1 billion in pre-orders and $3 billion in the first year, potentially revitalizing the gaming industry and impacting other gaming stocks. Investors are closely monitoring TTwo's performance, with analysts predicting a 10% upside in stock price and potential for the...

The Labor Department's latest monthly report on hiring and unemployment will include revisions for previous months, providing a more accurate picture of the U.S. job market but potentially causing confusion due to differing data sources and methodologies. The revisions are part of an annual process to reconcile survey data with more reliable sources, with recent job growth expected to be revised down, making the job gains during the Biden administration appear weaker. Additionally, the revisions...

In 2020, Uber shifted its focus to autonomous vehicles, partnering with companies like Waymo to offer rider access to robot taxis through the Uber app in cities like Phoenix and Austin. Despite competition from other autonomous vehicle companies, such as Tesla, Uber's revenue and gross bookings exceeded expectations in the most recent quarter. The company's future success hinges on its ability to navigate the rapidly evolving driverless taxi market and maintain its position as a...