The daily business briefing: August 11, 2016
Oil prices wobble as Saudi output hits record, Valeant Pharmaceuticals faces fraud investigation, and more
1. Record Saudi output drags down oil prices
Crude oil prices extended their losses early Thursday as fears over a global glut deepened following reports of growing oil stocks in the U.S. and record output in Saudi Arabia. The International Energy Agency, however, issued a report predicting that pent-up demand would absorb oversupply in coming months, steadying prices later in the morning. The IEA also cut its projection for demand growth due to weakening global economic growth in 2017. The glut has dragged oil prices from $115 a barrel in June 2014 to a low of $27 in January 2016. Prices are now are hovering just above $41.
2. Valeant Pharmaceuticals faces fraud investigation
Federal prosecutors in New York have launched an investigation of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International on suspicion that it had defrauded insurers by hiding ties to a mail-order pharmacy that helped it increase sales, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. A Valeant spokeswoman said in a statement that the company "has been cooperating and continues to cooperate with the ongoing Southern District of New York investigation." The investigation could result in criminal charges against Valeant as a company, and against former executives at the now-defunct pharmacy, Philidor Rx Services. Valeant shares dropped by nearly 10 percent in pre-market trading.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Wall Street Journal Bloomberg
3. Job openings rise as U.S. approaches full employment
Job openings rose in June as layoffs fell to their lowest in almost two years, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Job openings rose by 110,000 to a seasonally adjusted 5.6 million. The figures support Fed officials' determination that the U.S. economy is near full employment. "This report continues to point to a tight labor market," said economist John Ryding of RDQ Economics. "It is clear that demand for labor is not the problem."
4. Court says FCC can't ban state limits on broadband expansion
A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday the Federal Communications Commission can't prevent Tennessee and North Carolina from setting limits on municipal broadband expansion. The decision amounted to a significant victory for broadband providers, and a setback for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who said placing limits on broadband expansion to areas with poor internet service would "halt the promise of jobs, investment, and opportunity."
5. Australian government backs Chinese takeover of power company
Australia on Thursday rejected bids from Hong Kong and mainland Chinese groups for a controlling stake in a power company — Ausgrid — serving Sydney and neighboring areas, citing security concerns. Australia's economic health is already closely linked to China, partly because key sectors of its economy, such as mining and agriculture, depend on sales to China. The Australian government, however, has become wary of China's direct influence following a series of Chinese takeovers of local companies.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
Today's political cartoons - May 11, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - bathroom blues, family feud, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 blustery cartoons about the Stormy Daniels testimony
Cartoons Artists take on gag orders, lurid details, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Idea of You review: 'impossible escapism' starring Anne Hathaway
The Week Recommends Steamy romcom about a 40-year-old who falls for a boy band singer
By The Week UK Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 24, 2024
Business Briefing The S&P 500 sets a third straight record, Netflix adds more subscribers than expected, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 23, 2024
Business Briefing The Dow and S&P 500 set fresh records, Bitcoin falls as ETF enthusiasm fades, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 22, 2024
Business Briefing FAA recommends inspections of a second Boeing 737 model, Macy's rejects Arkhouse bid, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Geopolitics and the economy in 2024
Talking Point The West is banking on a year of falling inflation. Don't rule out a shock
By The Week UK Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 19, 2024
Business Briefing Macy's to cut 2,350 jobs, Congress averts a government shutdown, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 18, 2024
Business Briefing Shell suspends shipments in the Red Sea, December retail sales beat expectations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 17, 2024
Business Briefing Judge blocks JetBlue-Spirit merger plan, Goldman Sachs beats expectations with wealth-management boost, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The daily business briefing: January 16, 2024
Business Briefing Boeing steps up inspections on 737 Max 9 jets, Zelenskyy fights for world leaders' attention at Davos, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published