Month: December 2021

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US Jobless Benefit Claims Remain at Low Level

WASHINGTON —

First-time claims for U.S. unemployment compensation remained at a low level last week as employers retained their workers and searched for more as the United States continues its economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Labor Department said Thursday that 222,000 jobless workers made first-time claims for unemployment compensation, up 28,000 from the revised figure of 194,000 the week before, which was a 52-year low.

Even with the increase in claims last week, the figures from both of the last two weeks were well below the 256,000 total in mid-March 2020 when the pandemic first swept into the country and employers started laying off workers by the hundreds of thousands.

The declining number of claims for unemployment benefits shows that many employers are hanging on to their workers even as millions have quit jobs to move to other companies offering higher pay and more benefits.

Many employers are looking for more workers, even as about 7.4 million workers remain unemployed in the United States.

There are 10.4 million available jobs in the country, but the skills of available workers often do not match what employers want, or the job openings are not where the unemployed live. In addition, many of the available jobs are low-wage service positions that the jobless are shunning.

U.S. employers added 531,000 jobs in October, the biggest monthly gain in three months and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.6%. But the U.S. economy is still short more than four million jobs since February 2020. The November jobs figure is set for release on Friday.

The U.S. economic advance is occurring even as President Joe Biden and Washington policy makers, along with consumers, voice concerns about the biggest increase in consumer prices in three decades and supply chain issues that have curtailed delivery of some products to retail store shelves.

Source: Voice of America

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UK Court Backs Meghan in Dispute over Privacy with Publisher

LONDON —

The Duchess of Sussex on Thursday won the latest stage in her long-running privacy lawsuit against a British newspaper publisher over its publication of parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father.

The Court of Appeal in London upheld a High Court ruling that the publisher of The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline website unlawfully breached the former Meghan Markle’s privacy by reproducing a large chunk of the handwritten letter she sent her father, Thomas Markle, after she married Prince Harry in 2018.

Associated Newspapers challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal, which held a hearing last month. Dismissing the appeal, senior judge Geoffrey Vos told the court Thursday that “the Duchess had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the contents of the letter. Those contents were personal, private and not matters of legitimate public interest.”

The publisher said it was “very disappointed” and was considering an appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court.

In a statement, Meghan, 40, condemned the publisher for treating the lawsuit as “a game with no rules” and said the ruling was “a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what’s right.”

“What matters most is that we are now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and pain that they create,” she said.

Associated Newspapers published about half of the letter in five articles in August 2018. Their lawyers disputed Meghan’s claim that she didn’t intend the letter to be seen by anyone but her father.

They said correspondence between Meghan and her then-communications secretary, Jason Knauf, showed the duchess suspected her father might leak the letter to journalists and wrote it with that in mind.

The publisher also argued that the publication of the letter was part of Thomas Markle’s right to reply following a People magazine interview with five of Meghan’s friends alleging he was “cruelly cold-shouldering” his daughter in the run-up to her royal wedding.

But Vos said that the article, which the Mail on Sunday described as “sensational,” was “splashed as a new public revelation” rather than focusing on Thomas Markle’s response to negative media reports about him.

In their appeal, Associated Newspapers had also argued that Meghan made private information public by cooperating with Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, authors of “Finding Freedom,” a sympathetic book about her and Harry.

The duchess’ lawyers had previously denied that she or Harry collaborated with the authors. But Knauf said in evidence to the court that he gave the writers information, and discussed it with Harry and Meghan.

Knauf’s evidence, which hadn’t previously been disclosed, was a dramatic twist in the long-running case.

In response, Meghan apologized for misleading the court about the extent of her cooperation with the book’s authors.

The duchess said she didn’t remember the discussions with Knauf when she gave evidence earlier in the case, and said she had “absolutely no wish or intention to mislead the defendant or the court.”

Meghan, a former star of the American TV legal drama “Suits,” married Harry, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

Meghan and Harry announced in early 2020 that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They have settled in Santa Barbara, California, with their two young children.

In her statement Thursday, Meghan said she had been subject to “deception, intimidation and calculated attacks” in the three years since the lawsuit began.

“The longer they dragged it out, the more they could twist facts and manipulate the public [even during the appeal itself], making a straightforward case extraordinarily convoluted in order to generate more headlines and sell more newspapers — a model that rewards chaos above truth,” she said.

Associated Newspapers had argued the case should go to a trial on Meghan’s claims against the publisher.

Associated Newspapers said in a statement Thursday that it believed “judgment should be given only on the basis of evidence tested at trial,” especially since “Mr. Knauf’s evidence raises issues as to the Duchess’s credibility.”

Lawyer Mark Stephens, who specializes in media law and is not connected to the case, said he believed the publisher will appeal, though it would be unusual for Britain’s Supreme Court to take such a case. He said the publisher could also try to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

“There’s an issue of principle here, which is whether this case should be finished before a trial without disclosure, without testing the evidence,” Stephens said. The ruling did not settle questions about whether the letter to Thomas Markle was “always intended for Meghan’s side to publish and to leak and to use as briefing material,” he added.

Associated Newspapers “have a right to this trial, and I think that that is just going to protract the pain for Meghan Markle,” Stephens said.

Source: Voice of America

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CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan begins nighttime vaccination, considering PX Mart vaccine sites

A number of hospitals in Taiwan have begun offering nighttime COVID-19 vaccination slots from Thursday, while the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) is also considering setting up vaccine sites at PX Mart supermarkets in an attempt to boost Taiwan’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage.

Hospitals set up by Taiwan’s Armed Forces, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Veterans Affairs Council will offer slots for people to get vaccinated in the evenings, CECC spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (???) said at a press briefing Thursday.

People interested in getting vaccinated can make reservations through the government’s 1922 vaccine platform or contact the hospitals directly, Chuang said.

The CECC is also considering setting up vaccination sites at PX Mart supermarkets after the company reached out to the CECC on Thursday, Chuang said.

The supermarket chain has provided a list of 174 outlets that the CECC can use to set up COVID-19 vaccination sites, and local health authorities will review whether they are suitable, Chuang said.

If the plan is implemented, PX Mart will offer gifts to people who get vaccinated in their stores, he said.

To date, 18.2 million people, or 78 percent of Taiwan’s 23.41 million people, have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, while 13.5 million people, or 57.8 percent, have received two doses, according to CECC data.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan buys additional 5 million AZ doses, details booster shot rules

Taiwan signed a contract with AstraZeneca in November to purchase 5 million doses of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine for the rollout of booster shots, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (???) said Thursday.

The doses will be delivered in the coming year, and Taiwan will have the option of choosing between AstraZeneca’s first and second-generation vaccines, Chen added.

Taiwan signed a contract with Moderna in July to purchase 35 million doses of the company’s next generation vaccine, 20 million of which are scheduled to be delivered in 2022.

Taiwan is also holding talks with BioNTech about purchasing its second-generation vaccine, Chen said Thursday.

Also on Thursday, Chen announced that Taiwan would begin its rollout of COVID-19 booster shots at noon for certain categories of people who received their second shot at least five months ago.

Those eligible include medical workers, epidemic prevention workers in central and local government, people at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure, and individuals who need to travel abroad for official reasons.

Chen added that central government officials will be excluded for the time being unless such individuals have to frequent hospitals or government quarantine centers.

As of Thursday, 48,000 people are eligible to receive a booster shot, Chen said, adding that only the Moderna vaccine will be offered at this stage of the rollout.

The Moderna booster shot will be half of the dose administered for a primary dose, in keeping with the company’s suggestions, Chen said.

Those eligible for a booster shot do not have to go through the government’s 1922 vaccine platform and can make appointments directly with hospitals offering the vaccine, Chen added.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Taipei aims to have 1,200 YouBike 2.0 stations by 2022

Taipei is planning to expand the “YouBike 2.0” system, an upgraded version of the public bicycle rental service, to 1,200 stations by the end of 2022, the city government said Thursday.

The upgraded system, which was launched in May, now has over 800 rental stations, beating the city’s previous target of 750 by the end of 2021, said Liao Yuan-ling (???), a division head of the city’s Department of Transportation, at a press conference.

The service’s daily users hit a high of more than 120,000 in November, with a daily average of 94,000 users, the highest among all such services in the country.

After the installation of 1,200 bike share stations is completed by the end of next year as scheduled, the density of bike share sites in the city will be the highest nationwide, meaning that there will be one station every 150-200 meters on average, according to the city government.

City officials also mentioned a public electric motorbike share scheme which was launched by Taipei earlier this year in conjunction with electric motorbike operators WeMo Scooter, iRent, and GoShare, offering discounted rental rates to holders of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) monthly passes.

Holders of the NT$1,280 (US$46.17) MRT monthly pass, which covers unlimited rides on MRT trains and public buses in Taipei and New Taipei, can rent scooters provided by the three operators at special rates, using the “EasyWallet” mobile payment service.

The three operators have rolled out three packages priced at NT$300, NT$259, and NT$299, respectively, for MRT monthly pass holders to rent scooters for a certain period of time, according to the city government.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Taiwan shares soar to end above 17,700 points as TSMC’s gains continue

Shares in Taiwan moved sharply higher Thursday to close above the 17,700 point mark, as strong buying of shares in contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) continued from a session earlier to lead the gains on the broader market, dealers said.

Investors ignored the heavy losses suffered by U.S. markets overnight and rushed to pick up large cap shipping stocks, lending additional support to the main board throughout the session, they said.

The Taiex, the weighted index on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), ended up 138.89 points, or 0.79 percent, at 17,724.88, after moving between 17,559.44 and 17,741.55. Turnover totaled NT$384.3 billion (US$13.87 billion).

The market opened down 10.08 points and soon fell to the day’s low in the wake of a 1.34 percent decline on the Dow Jones Industrial Average overnight after the United States confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant, dealers said.

However, buying emerged in semiconductor stocks, in particular TSMC, the most heavily weighted stock on the local market, with investors taking their cue from a 2.97 percent surge in the stock’s American depositary receipts (ADRs) on Wednesday, dealers added.

TSMC’s momentum continued, offsetting the impact of the Dow’s decline, while buying also rotated to the shipping sector amid expectations that the Omicron variant will exacerbate ongoing port congestion worldwide, pushing up freight rates, dealers said.

“Many local investors simply left behind the U.S. volatility overnight and focused on the rosy business outlook enjoyed by pure wafer foundry operators, in particular TSMC, at a time of global chip supply shortages,” Hua Nan Securities analyst Kevin Su said.

“A stronger Taiwan dollar indicated foreign funds kept coming in. Foreign investors with large new funds on hand simply picked up large stocks and TSMC was their top choice,” Su said.

TSMC rose 2.50 percent to close at the day’s high of NT$615.00, after a 0.67 percent rise on Wednesday. TSMC’s gains contributed roughly an 126 point increase in the Taiex and boosted the electronics index and semiconductor sub-index by 1.03 percent and 1.92 percent, respectively.

“After TSMC stood above the NT$600 mark yesterday, many investors appeared more willing to chase prices today to lift the stock higher,” Su said. “I expect TSMC’s momentum will extend further and challenge NT$623, an intraday high seen on Nov. 19, in the short term.”

Among other semiconductor stocks, shares in integrated circuit designer MediaTek Inc. rose 1.41 percent to end at NT$1,050.00 and IC packaging and testing services provider ASE Technology Holding Co. added 0.96 percent to close at NT$105.00.

Bucking the upturn, United Microelectronics Corp., a smaller contract chipmaker, lost 0.45 percent to end at NT$66.70 after coming off a high of NT$68.50, as investors locked in gains built for the stock in recent trading sessions.

Also in the tech sector, iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. lost 0.47 percent to close at NT$105.00, while Largan Precision Co., a supplier of smartphone camera lenses to Apple Inc., rose 0.75 percent to end at NT$2,015.00.

Contract notebook computer Inventec Corp. moved lower by 2.67 percent to close at NT$25.55 after its solar cell subsidiary Inventec Solar Energy filed a bankruptcy application with a court in Taoyuan after incurring more than NT$2.2 billion in losses.

“Buying also focused on shipping stocks in the hope of higher freight rates amid Omicron concerns. Their large turnover on the back of strong gains in share prices served as another driver to the Taiex’s upturn,” Su said.

In the transportation sector, which soared 4.77 percent, Evergreen Marine Corp., the largest container cargo shipper in Taiwan, rose 6.83 percent to close at NT$133.00, and rivals Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. and Wan Hai Lines Ltd. rose 6.09 percent and the maximum daily increase of 10 percent, respectively, to end at NT$122.0 and NT$169.50.

However, the new COVID-19 variant caused airline stocks to plunge amid fears of a fall in passengers with China Airlines down 3.33 percent to close at NT$26.10 and EVA Airways down 3.29 percent to end at NT$25.00.

In the financial sector, which underperformed the Taiex, down 0.1 percent, Cathay Financial Holding Co. lost 0.67 percent to close at NT$59.50, and Fubon Financial Holding Co. fell 0.54 percent to end at NT$73.70.

“Taiwan has sound economic fundamentals and I think it is possible the equity market will continue to trend higher and challenge the intraday high of 17,986 points on Nov. 19,” Su said.

According to the TWSE, foreign institutional investors bought a net NT$12.63 billion worth of shares on the main board Thursday.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Uganda Sends Ground Troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo

KAMPALA —

Uganda’s military has confirmed sending troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels. Uganda blames the ADF for a series of bombings in the country. But analysts say inviting the Ugandan army into the DRC could raise tensions with neighboring Rwanda.

Uganda has sent ground forces into the Democratic Republic of Congo in the ongoing armed operation against the Allied Democratic Forces rebel group.

Brigadier Flavia Byekwaso, the Uganda army spokesperson, confirms to VOA that after it used artillery and airstrikes early this week against the ADF, Uganda sent in ground troops.

“And I can confirm at this point in time that they’ve already entered into their bases,” said Byekwaso. “Part of our end set is to make sure that we pacify that part of Congo. We make sure that we get rid of the terrorists that are there. So, the attainment of this is going to determine for this operation how long it’s going to take.”

The Ugandan army has not revealed how many ground soldiers have been sent into the DRC.

Aside from ADF rebel forces, a militant group from Rwanda — the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda — have also been active in the Eastern DRC, forcing Rwanda to deploy its forces against the FDLR. Analysts fear that may worsen the already shaky relation between Uganda and Rwanda, which are operating in the same region.

Pierre Boisselet, coordinator of the Kivu Security Tracker, says while the deployment of the Ugandan army has caused mixed reaction, the military intervention many not solve the many root causes of the conflict, but more importantly, now uproot the ADF, which has been in the DRC for two decades.

“They have to do with the failings of the Congolese state mostly. But also with the rivalry of the various neighboring countries of the DRC and their competition for influence over Eastern DRC,” said Boisselet. “And so, inviting them to operate directly in the DRC is also a significant risk.”

But Muyaya Patrick, the Congolese government spokesperson speaking to VOA, says the decision by President Felix Tshisekedi to let forces of neighboring countries operate in the DRC is to bring peace and economic development to its people.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any difference on what we are doing now with Uganda, with the operations taking place along the border of the two countries,” said Patrick. “What we are doing with Uganda, we put the same mechanism in place with Rwanda, and we did the same from Burundi. So, everybody then (can) be sure that every country (is) working to bring peace, to bring more security for our population and for ourselves.”

Ugandan forces blame ADF rebels for bomb attacks in November in which five people lost their lives.

In 2000, in a six-day battle between Ugandan and Rwandan forces around the Congolese city of Kisangani, at least 150 civilians were reported killed. This reportedly led to the 1998-2003 war in which Uganda was fined $13 billion by the International Court of Justice in 2005.

Source: Voice of America

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ITA Airways Firms Up Order for 28 Airbus Aircraft

Improved environmental performance, state-of-the-art aircraft technology, up to 25% less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – @Airbus #A220 #A320neo #A330neo

ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft

ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft, including seven A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner.

ROME, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft, including seven A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner. The order confirms the Memorandum of Understanding announced on 30th September 2021. In addition, the airline will pursue its plans to lease A350s to complement its fleet modernisation.

This agreement lays the foundations for a future development of the national industrial fabric and the civil aeronautics sector.

“Today the strategic partnership with Airbus takes an important step forward with the finalisation of the order we announced last September. In addition to this agreement, possibilities for further collaboration have emerged, in particular regarding technological developments in the aviation sector and digitalisation, where Airbus is the market leader. All this is part of the actions to achieve our environmental sustainability objectives,” said Alfredo Altavilla, Executive President of ITA Airways.

“We are very proud to partner with ITA Airways in building its long-term future with the most efficient, latest technology Airbus aircraft. This agreement supports ITA Airways business objectives to develop its network in Europe and internationally in the most sustainable way,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.

Alfredo Altavilla, Executive President of ITA Airways and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International

Alfredo Altavilla, Executive President of ITA Airways and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus for 28 aircraft, including seven A220s, 11 A320neos and 10 A330neos, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner.

These new Airbus aircraft will expand the initial ITA Airways fleet with a new generation aircraft with better environmental performance, equipped with latest technologies and state-of-the-art cabins to guarantee maximum operational efficiencies for the airline and the best comfort to travelers.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation geared turbofan engines. With a range of up to 3,450 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives airlines added operational flexibility. The A220 delivers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards. In addition, the aircraft noise footprint is reduced by 50% compared to previous generation aircraft – making the A220 a good neighbour around airports.

The A320neo Family is the most successful aircraft family ever and displays 99,7% operational reliability rate. The A320neo provides operators with 20% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – the A320neo Family incorporates the latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklet wing tip devices. The Airbus A320neo Family offers unmatched comfort in all classes and Airbus’ 18-inch wide seats in economy as standard.

The Airbus A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft, building on features popular for the A330 Family and developed for the latest technology A350. Equipped with a compelling Airspace cabin, the A330neo offers a unique passenger experience with the latest-generation in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity. Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and featuring a new wing with increased span and A350-inspired winglets, the A330neo also provides an unprecedented level of efficiency – with 25% lower fuel-burn per seat than previous-generation competitors. Thanks to its tailored mid-sized capacity and its excellent range versatility, the A330neo is considered the ideal aircraft to support operators in their post-COVID-19 recovery.

For more information:
LaPresse SpA Communication and Press Office Director
Barbara Sanicola – barbara.sanicola@lapresse.it
+39 02 26305578 M +39 333 3905243

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ca5cd79f-8230-4a7a-a845-d348631366e7

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6bcfbace-bd5c-461d-b163-e75d517889da

The photos are also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

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Sophi.io Wins at WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards Worldwide 2021

Sophi Dynamic Paywall wins global award for Best Paid Media Strategy

TORONTO, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophi.io, The Globe and Mail’s artificial intelligence-based automation, optimization and prediction engine, won WAN-IFRA’s 2021 Digital Media Awards Worldwide award in the Best Paid Media Strategy category for Sophi Dynamic Paywall, its real-time, personalized paywall engine that analyses both content characteristics and user behaviour to determine when to ask a reader for money or an email address, and when to leave them alone.

The judges unanimously selected Sophi Dynamic Paywall as the winner, with one judge commenting: “What Globe and Mail did is state of the art and what I appreciate most is that they permanently tested against the old paywall so those results are really, really sustainable.”

The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)’s Digital Media Awards Worldwide is the news media industry’s global digital media competition. The worldwide winners are selected from the winners of the regional Digital Media Awards in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and South Asia, which together provide news publishers with regular showcases for best-practice innovation in digital publishing worldwide. The awards recognize and celebrate the best of digital media.

“Sophi Dynamic Paywall has been crucial to driving reader revenue at The Globe and Mail,” said Phillip Crawley, Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail. “I look forward to sharing more stories about how Sophi’s other customers are seeing great results with our AI-powered technology.”

Sophi is an artificial-intelligence system that helps publishers identify their most valuable content and leverage it to achieve key business goals. The Sophi suite of tools also consists of Sophi Site Automation which autonomously curates content across all of a publisher’s digital properties and Sophi Content Paywall which uses complex natural language processing models to analyze every piece of content and select articles to put in front of or behind a hard paywall, maximizing the value of both the subscription revenue opportunity and the advertising revenue for publishers.

Publishers on five continents now use Sophi’s AI and ML technology to power paywall decisions, website automation and print automation.

About Sophi.io 

Sophi.io (https://www.sophi.io) was developed by The Globe and Mail to help content publishers make important strategic and tactical decisions. It is a suite of AI-powered tools that includes Sophi Site Automation and Sophi for Paywalls. Sophi is designed to improve the metrics that matter most to your business, such as subscriber retention and acquisition, engagement, recency, frequency and volume. Sophi also powers automated laydown of print and ePaper publishing.

Contact  

Jamie Rubenovitch 
Head of Marketing, Sophi 
The Globe and Mail 
416-585-3355  
jrubenovitch@globeandmail.com
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Institutional Investor Publishes 2021 Global Fixed-Income Research Rankings

J.P. Morgan achieves first place in the leaders’ table as this year’s top global research provider for fixed income

NEW YORK, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2021 Institutional Investor’s Global Fixed-Income Research survey, 6,025 bond and credit specialists from 1,622 asset managers provided their feedback to determine the top fixed-income research providers for developed and emerging markets across North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Emerging EMEA. Voters cast over 126,000 firm and analyst votes in total, compared to 109,000 votes last year.

This was the third year that Institutional Investor Research ran the fixed-income survey as a single Global ballot, rather than regionally. As global economic growth strengthens in 2021, opportunities to invest in fixed-income securities have increased while investors have also been seeking protection from inflation concerns. The market is indicating that there is a reasonable expectation that inflation is going to remain elevated – considering the inflation breakeven rates – signalling a potential rise in interest rates next year.

Results Highlights

Global results

J.P. Morgan claims first place in the Research Team leaders table for the second year in a row, claiming 105 published positions in the leaders’ tables, with BofA Securities in a close second place, achieving 102 published positions. Morgan Stanley climbed up the table to third place from fourth place year, while Barclays and Citi claimed fourth and fifth places respectively. Stifel jumped up three ranks from 2020 to sixth place, followed by Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. Other noticeable movers and shakers on the leaders table include Credit Agricole Corporate Investment Bank (up two positions from 2020) and BMO Capital Markets (up one position).

Newcomers to the leader’s tables include Credit Suisse, Commerzbank and Jefferies.

Regional results

BofA Securities clinched first place in Asia ex-Japan, Japan, Emerging EMEA and Latin America and coming in a close second place in Europe and the U.S.

Asia ex-Japan: Morgan Stanley claims second place, followed by Citi and J.P. Morgan in joint third place. Citi climbs a rank from 2020.

Japan: Citi, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley come in joint second place.

Europe: J.P. Morgan achieves first place this year, with BofA second and Barclays moving up a rank from 2020 to third place. Morgan Stanley jumped two places to join Deutsche Bank in fourth place. Newcomers to the leaders table include Commerzbank, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs.

Emerging EMEA: J.P. Morgan comes in second place with Citi and Morgan Stanley in joint third. Morgan Stanley was up a position over the year.

Latin America: Citi joins BofA Securities in first place and J.P. Morgan drops to third place. Jefferies join the leaders’ table.

USA: The top three places reflect the same as last year, with J.P. Morgan in first place, BofA Securities in second and Barclays in third. Morgan Stanley has moved up a rank into fourth place while the largest mover and shaker is Stifel, who has leaped up three places on the leaders’ board to fifth place. Citi follows in sixth place. BMO Capital Markets and Nomura have also moved up the leader board by one and two places respectively, while Credit Suisse joins the leader board this year.

The results can be found here: https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/research/11461/Global-Fixed-Income-Research-Team.

Esther Weisz, Director of II Research, says “It has been a challenging year around the world and investors are looking for excellent fixed-income strategy and fundamental research globally across a variety of products. According to feedback from asset management voters, the sell-side has certainly delivered, and the quality and output of research remains high. The post covid environment has changed workflows which has allowed greater efficiency, improved productivity and innovative thinking.”

Notes on the selection approach

Participants first rated their top firms in regional sectors on a scale from 1-5, and then separately rated individual analysts or economists/strategists at those firms to create two distinct results for each sector. A numerical score was produced by weighting each vote based on the respondent’s fixed-income AUM for the region voted in and the ratings awarded.

Using those scores, ranks were then determined. Firms/analysts were designated runners‐up when their scores came within 35% of the third-place scores.

In the Investment-Grade and High-Yield categories only those analysts who publish independent research pursuant to Regulation AC or as defined by the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority are eligible to be recognized. No such restriction applies in Economics and Strategy sectors.

The individuals surveyed are kept confidential to ensure continuing cooperation. Voters must meet eligibility requirements, and winners must achieve a minimum vote count.

Investment professionals from the buy-side were invited to vote during a four-week period; increasingly votes are submitted centrally from investment management firms to reflect their formal internal research evaluation processes. This has reduced the disruption to the industry and increased the accuracy of the final results.

For more information, contact Esther Weisz, II Research Director of Sales, on +1 212 224 3307 or eweisz@iiresearch.com. To share your position on your website content, advertisements, communications and marketing collateral, please contact marketing@iiresearch.com.

Media contact

Sally Savery, Director of Marketing, Institutional Investor Research. sally.savery@iiresearch.com

About Institutional Investor

For over 50 years Institutional Investor has consistently distinguished itself among the world’s foremost media companies with ground-breaking journalism and incisive writing that provides essential intelligence for a global audience. In addition, Institutional Investor offers highly respected proprietary benchmark research and rankings. Institutional Investor Research (II Research) provides independent sell-side and corporate performance research and rankings and aims to be the first-choice and independent validation source of qualitative market intelligence for all three sides of the investment community. II Research has a global presence, spanning Developed Europe, Emerging EMEA, Asia-Pacific, North America and Latin America.

Follow Institutional Investor Research here https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/11222447

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