Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Rough News Week For Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine
It was another bumpy week for British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, and the COVID-19 vaccine it developed in partnership with Oxford University.
The company was already battling the belief that its vaccine might be harmful to some receipients, compounded by the fact it has not yet received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Then, this week the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (led by Dr. Anthony Fauci) released a statement revealing concerns about the “information released by AstraZeneca on initial data from its COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial.”
On March 22, AstraZeneca had announced early results from…
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
U.S. Impeachment Update: GOP Unlikely To Vote To Convict
House impeachment managers selected by Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered the articles of impeachment against ex-President Donald Trump to the Senate this week.
Pelosi named nine Democratic impeachment managers for the trial, expected to take place in February: Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Diana DeGette of Colorado, Joe Neguse of Colorado, David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Joaquin Castro of Texas, Eric Swalwell of California, Ted Lieu of California and Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, along with Stacey Plaskett, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ nonvoting delegate to Congress.
However, it looks increasingly there will not be enough votes in the Senate to convict Trump…
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Lockdown Makes A Comeback In Europe, Over 9 Million Infections In The U.S.
In what has become a familiar refrain this month, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world spiked this week, with a corresponding increase in the number of deaths — 45,075,642 confirmed cases, with 13,558,818 active cases and 1,182,010 fatalities.
Efforts to slow the rate of the outbreak in the United States have largely failed — at the time of writing there were 9,043,390 confirmed cases, 3,296,613 active and 232,194 deaths.
This comes as daily coronavirus cases in the United States continue surge to levels not seen since the summer, forcing hospitals in states like Utah to ration care…
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
US COVID-19 Cases Approaching Summer Levels, Europe Surge Continues
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world once again rose significantly this week, with a corresponding spike in the number of deaths — 41,791,766 confirmed cases, with 12,268,206 active cases and 1,138,671 fatalities.
The outbreak in the United States continues to rage unabted — at the time of writing there were 8,498,360 confirmed cases, 2,914,394 active and 226,314 deaths.
This comes as daily coronavirus cases in the United States surge to levels not seen since the summer, with 14 states reporting peak Covid-19 hospitalizations in the past week: Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota…
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Parts of The Europe Back In Lockdown As COVID-19 Cases Spike
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world rose significantly this week, while the number of deaths also continues to increase — 38,971,792 confirmed cases, with 10,953,830 active cases and 1,098,982 fatalities.
The outbreak in the United States shows no signs of abating — at time of writing there were 8,076,402 confirmed cases, 2,669,444 active and 220,889 deaths.
This comes as the midwestern parts of the United States and beyond are witnessing surges in coronavirus cases, with new outbreaks and hospitalizations rising to record levels — pointing to a nationwide resurgence as temperatures get colder.
So far this week…
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
‘Possible’ Link Between AZ Vaccine and Blood Clotting
In what some are describing another public relations hit, the EU and UK’s health regulatory authorities this week linked AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to rare cases of blood clotting in its recipients.
The European Medicines Agency said unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as “very rare side effects” of the AZ vaccine.
The EMA said “very rare cases of blood clots combined with low levels of blood platelets” could happen within 2 weeks of getting vaccinated. …
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Another Topsy Turvy Week In The Pandemic Battle
Pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson joined AstraZeneca in having an uneven news week, with the bulk of attention on its announcement that a mistake at a factory might have ruined up 15 million doses of its single-shot vaccine.
According to the company, a quality control process flagged one batch of drug substance that did not meet quality standards at Emergent Biosolutions, a Baltimore, Maryland-based contractor. “This batch was never advanced to the filling and finishing stages of our manufacturing process,” the statement said.
Johnson and Johnson said it is providing additional experts to be on-site at Emergent to supervise, direct…
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Another Good News/Bad Week In COVID-19 News
It was another mixed week around the world in the fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic, with news of increased supplies of vaccines combined with announcements of new lockdowns being imposed in parts of Europe.
Last week, some European countries had paused the rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab after reports of blood clotting after vaccination.
Following an initial investgation this week, the European Medicines Agency announced that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of blood clots in those who receive it. …
Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.
Good and Bad Week For Vaccine News
Countries across Europe are suspending — some fully, some partially — the rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab after reports of blood clotting after vaccination.
Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia and Italy, as well as Norway and Iceland, this week suspended the rollout of at least some Oxford/AstraZeneca batches as a precautionary measure.
The European Medicines Agency said as March 9th, 22 cases of blood clotting had been reported among the 3 million people injected with the AstraZeneca vaccine in the European Union.
However, the agency said there is currently no indication that the vaccine caused these conditions, noting that…
Brai Odion-Esene
Founder — SW4 Insights. Public policy junkie and Central Bank Watcher. Recovering journalist and former Senior Director at Hamilton Place Strategies
