Messi in Talks for $400m Saudi Deal, Telegraph Says
Saudi Arabia is preparing to offer football star Lionel Messi a $400 million annual contract to play with the Saudi Pro League this summer, the Telegraph reported.
Bloomberg Business
Toronto Housing Market Roars Back With Sales, Prices Surging
Toronto’s housing market hummed back to life last month as the traditional spring selling season brought a surge in both sales and prices following last year’s record rout.
Biden’s World Bank Pick Wins Top Job, Signals Climate-Change Shift
The World Bank ratified the nomination of Ajay Banga as its next head, giving the Biden administration a chance to evolve the anti-poverty lender toward a greater focus on climate change.
Biggest Commodities Traders Doubled Profits to $77 Billion in 2022
Some of the world’s biggest commodities traders doubled their profits to around $77 billion last year as global energy prices soared following the easing of pandemic restrictions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
FDIC’s McKernan Says Failed-Bank Auctions Aren’t Competitive
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. failed to create a level playing field for nonbank bidders pursuing First Republic Bank, according to FDIC board member Jonathan McKernan.
Russian Billionaire Timchenko Says Knowing Putin Doesn’t Make Him Ally
Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko attacked the European Union’s decision to sanction him, saying his close ties to President Vladimir Putin don’t mean he’s an ally in the war in Ukraine.
NATO Warns That Russia Is Mapping EU, US Critical Assets
NATO’s intelligence chief said that Russia is mapping critical undersea systems and warned of a significant risk that Moscow could target infrastructure in Europe and North America.
Czechs Warn Rates May Rise Further as Inflation Risks Persist
The Czech central bank warned it may have to raise borrowing costs if home-grown inflation risks escalate, calling investors’ bets on monetary easing “premature.” The koruna gained.
Future of Key German Refinery in Limbo as Pipeline Plans Stuck
Reviving a key German refinery that was cut off from Russian crude supplies this year will take even longer as plans for upgrading an essential pipeline are stalling.
Busted Banks Wipe Out $54 Billion of Stocks, Bonds During Turmoil
The collapses that claimed four US lenders this year have stuck investors with more than $54 billion of losses, after First Republic Bank’s demise added to the pile of nearly worthless securities and sent some peers into a new tailspin.
