Financial Markets and Economy
Euro Gains as Debate Eases French Risks; Pound Jumps After CPI (Bloomberg)
The euro rose to the strongest level in more than a month versus the dollar after two polls showed Emmanuel Macron was the most convincing in last night’s French presidential debate.
Sterling Rallies as U.K. Inflation Breaks Central Bank Target (Bloomberg)
The pound rose to the highest in three weeks and gilts fell as U.K. inflation accelerated more than forecast to break through the Bank of England’s target for the first time since 2013.
German Bonds Fall as French Election Hedges Trimmed After Debate (Bloomberg)
German short-dated bonds led losses in European government debt as investors unwound hedges against French election risks, after polls showed centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron was the most convincing in a presidential debate.
Deutsche Bank Said to Face Regulatory Fines Over Currency Trades (Bloomberg)
Deutsche Bank AG is expected to be fined by the Federal Reserve and New York’s Department of Financial Services for its conduct in the foreign exchange market, a person familiar with the matter said.
Deutsche Bank is opening the door to Wall Street startups.
The German bank, which is one of the last big financial firms to be based in the historic heart of New York finance near Wall Street, has opened a new innovation lab in the area as part of its ongoing effort to modernize its infrastructure.
European Stocks Hold Steady as Lenders, Energy Shares Rebound (Bloomberg)
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.1 percent at 8:33 a.m. in London. Lenders followed yields on German 10-year notes higher, with Deutsche Bank AG snapping a three-day slump to rise 2.7 percent.
Asia Stocks Edge Higher as Hong Kong Rally Offsets Japan Decline (Bloomberg)
Asian stocks headed for the eighth day of gains, as rising shares of Hong Kong-listed Chinese firms offset declines in Japan.
There's a reason the job market doesn't feel like it's back to normal (Business Insider)
Federal Reserve officials sometimes sound out of touch when they describe the labor market as having reached "full employment" when most Americans know full well that the outlook for jobs is still far less rosythan it was before the Great Recession.
The dollar is tumbling (Business Insider)
The US dollar index is down by 0.6% at 99.82 as of 7:53 a.m. ET.
This is the lowest level for the index since early February.
Investors haven't been this pumped up about stocks since right before the financial crisis (Business Insider)
In a recent note to clients, Deutsche Bank's Chief International Economist Torsten Sløk shared a chart showing that markets are currently pricing less than 10% probability of a bear market over the next 12 months – and an even smaller probability over the next six months.
UK inflation surged once again in February, hitting 2.3% and passing the Bank of England's 2% for the first time in more than three years, according to the latest data released by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday.
Pound Gains After Inflation Tops Bank of England Target: Chart (Bloomberg)
The pound gained after U.K. inflation accelerated 2.3 percent in February, more than forecast by economists and breaking through the Bank of England’s target for the first time in more than three years.
The pound is climbing after inflation hit its highest level since 2013 (Business Insider UK)
The pound has climbed almost 1% in late morning trade on Tuesday after the latest ONS data showed UK inflation accelerating to its highest level since 2013 during February.
Crude oil gains amid cautious optimism for OPEC production-cut extension (Market Watch)
Crude oil prices bounced back on Tuesday from hitting roughly one-week lows to start the week as cautious optimism for an extended production-cut agreement percolated in the market.
Shrinking GDP, Surging Prices to Keep Nigerian Rates on Hold (Bloomberg)
Faced with a contracting economy, surging inflation and a rigid exchange rate, Nigeria’s central bank will have little choice but to keep its key interest rate unchanged on Tuesday.
Euro Advances as Macron Emerges Most Convincing in French Debate (Bloomberg)
The euro rose, approaching a six-week high, as political concerns in the region were seen as easing after a poll showed anti-euro candidate Marine Le Pen losing ground in the French presidential debate.
U.S. current account deficit falls 3.1% in fourth quarter to $112.4 billion (Market Watch)
The U.S. current-account deficit, a measures of the nation’s debt to other countries, fell 3.1% to $112.4 billion in the final quarter of 2016, the government said.
EU Trade Restrictions Would Hamper Productivity Growth, ECB Says (Bloomberg)
Exporters tend to be the most productive and largest firms in their respective sectors, meaning that shocks that affect these companies can have aggregate implications, according to an article to be published in the ECB’s economic bulletin.
Treasury yields rise after French presidential debate (Market Watch)
Treasury prices fell on Tuesday, sending yields higher, after French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron cemented his front-runner status with a strong performance in Monday night’s debate, market strategists said.
Companies
BMW Reviewing U.K. Plant Options Post-Brexit Amid Trade Threats (Bloomberg)
BMW AG said it’s reviewing its factories in the U.K. ahead of Brexit and that it has the flexibility to move production elsewhere if necessary.
How these 23 brands are using colors in their logos to influence their customers (Business Insider)
Supposedly 80% of the information we receive from a logo comes from the colors contained within it. That's because different colors evoke different feelings and emotions.
Nike Earnings: What to Watch (The Wall Street Journal)
Nike Inc. is scheduled to announce its fiscal third-quarter earnings after the market closes on Tuesday.
Technology
Apple updates iPad line and launches red iPhone 7 (The Guardian)
Apple has updated its iPad line, dropping the “Air” branding as it boosts the specs on its mid-tier product. The new hardware launches alongside another colour for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and an unusually timed announcement of a new video app, Clips.
Samsung has a plan to turn Google into a dumb pipe (Business Insider)
Samsung has decided to wade into a massive battle over the future of computing — and it has a huge potential advantage.
Microsoft Modifies Windows 10 for China’s Government (The Wall Street Journal)
Microsoft Corp. has finished development of a Windows 10 version customized for Chinese government use, which could boost its China prospects after sales were hit by Beijing’s cybersecurity crackdown.
This Is What Happens When We Debate Ethics in Front of Superintelligent AI (Singularity Hub)
Is there a uniform set of moral laws, and if so, can we teach artificial intelligence those laws to keep it from harming us? This is the question explored in an original short film recently released by The Guardian.
Artificial lungs in a backpack may free people with lung failure (New Scientist)
An artificial lung that’s small enough to be carried in a backpack has been shown to work in sheep. It’s one of several such devices being developed that could transform the lives of people with lung failure, who are currently dependent on large machines.
Special glasses give people superhuman colour vision (New Scientist)
It’s sometimes practically impossible to tell similar colours apart. Even side by side, they look the same. A special pair of spectacles gives us new power to see more distinct colours, and could one day help to spot counterfeit banknotes or counteract camouflage.
Politics
What to Expect When You're Expecting Acosta as Labor Secretary (Bloomberg)
By the time President Donald Trump’s first nominee for labor secretary withdrew from consideration, there was little doubt where he stood on the big issues facing the department.
George Galloway has announced his intention to stand as an independent candidate in the upcoming by-election in Manchester Gorton.
Some of the largest airlines affected by the US electronics ban were left clueless for hours (Associated Press)
The US government is barring passengers on certain flights originating in eight countries from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras, and most other electronics in carry-on luggage — but has seemingly not informed some of the largest affected airlines.
Tillerson To Skip Meeting Of NATO Foreign MInisters (Associated Press)
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to skip a semiannual meeting of NATO foreign ministers this spring and will instead travel to a Group of 7 meeting of top diplomats in Italy and then to Russia.
Trump's Leaked Return Shows Why We Need An AMT (Forbes)
The alternative minimum tax is a quirky feature of the tax code that dates from 1969. It came about because the Treasury secretary informed Congress that 155 very wealthy taxpayers owed no income tax in 1966.
Trump to address Republican lawmakers in latest healthcare push (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump was set to meet with House Republicans on Tuesday to shore up support for the party's healthcare bill to replace Obamacare, increasing pressure to pass his first major legislative initiative despite rifts within their ranks.
Health and Biotech
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Might Start in the Brain, Not the Ovaries (Science Alert)
A new study has found evidence that the common and debilitating reproductive condition, polycystic ovary syndrome, could start in the brain, not the ovaries, as researchers have long assumed.
Life on the Home Planet
U.S. restricts electronics from 10 airports, mainly in Middle East (Reuters)
The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed restrictions on carry-on electronic devices on planes coming to the United States from 10 airports in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa in response to unspecified terrorism threats.
Climate change is happening now – here’s eight things we can do to adapt to it (The Guardian)
A little girl sits outside on her front stoop, watching the cars go by and the people trot to work in the early hours of the morning. She wears a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and sneakers.
Access to nature reduces depression and obesity, finds European study (The Guardian)
People living close to trees and green spaces are less likely to be obese, inactive, or dependent on anti-depressants, according to a new report.
Iraqi forces try to bring civilians out of east Mosul, U.S. pledges more support (Reuters)
Iraqi government forces attempted to evacuate civilians from Mosul's Islamic State-held Old City on Tuesday so that troops could clear the area, but militant snipers hampered the effort, Iraqi officers said.
