The same U.S. Senate chamber overrun by a group of Donald Trump followers will on Tuesday convene as a constitutional court in the former president’s prosecution for incitement of insurrection. It will be an unprecedented second impeachment trial for a man accused of fomenting an unprecedented attack on the heart of American democracy while he was, as president, its leader. A year ago, when the Republican was tried for enlisting the help of foreign powers to win the 2020 election, many in his party declared him innocent before proceedings began. This time, despite the killing of a Capitol police officer and a brazen mass-assault that made words like sedition and attempted coup freshly relevant, continued support for the now-private citizen by much of his party makes acquittal likely. —David E. Rovella Bloomberg is tracking the progress of coronavirus vaccines while mapping the pandemic globally and across America. Here are today’s top stories AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine is worth using in areas hit by mutated strains of the virus, World Health Organization officials said, seeking to counter concerns about its reduced effectiveness. China pushed back by almost two months its target to inoculate 50 million people, amid supply issues and hesitancy among some to get vaccinated. Russia’s death toll from Covid-19 in 2020 was almost three times what the government had said. Coronavirus infections continue to slow across the globe, with India reporting fewer than 100 fatalities for the third day in a row. Here is the latest on the pandemic. In the U.S., where 27 million infections and 464,000 Covid-related deaths have been confirmed, the first committee votes on elements of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief package begin on Tuesday. Biden’s proposed minimum-wage hike is likely to be trimmed back from $15 to $11 an hour, Goldman Sachs predicted. Here is the latest on the third coronavirus bailout. The promise of a robust rescue package coupled with a slowdown in infection rates sent stocks higher for the sixth straight session. The S&P 500 rose to yet another all-time high. Here is your markets wrap. Tesla invested $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and signaled its intent to begin accepting it as a form of payment, sending prices to a record. Elon Musk’s vote of confidence provided further support for the mainstreaming of cryptocurrency, including by introducing it to the S&P. Apple should follow in Tesla’s footsteps by getting into cryptocurrencies (though not electric vehicles), RBC Capital Markets said. The iPhone maker could create a sizable new market for growth if it were to develop its Apple Wallet into a crypto exchange. But then there’s Dogecoin, the tongue-in-cheek cryptocurrency featuring a Shiba Inu dog as a mascot. Thanks to Musk, it too briefly touched a record Monday after he tweeted about it. To be fair, so did Snoop Dogg and Gene Simmons. For years, Renaissance Technologies was among the most exalted names in high finance, as close to a sure-thing as Wall Street had. But recent months have battered its reputation, and investors are now streaming to the exits. The walkout comes after three funds open to the public fell by double digits last year. Israeli prosecutors allege that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has abused his position to illicitly accept or demand fine wines and expensive cigars from billionaire friends, that he sacrificed the integrity of his office to win favorable media coverage and reshaped the regulatory landscape to benefit one media publisher. On Monday, Netanyahu, the country’s first sitting leader to face criminal trial, pleaded not guilty. Benjamin Netanyahu Photographer: Yonathan Sindel/AFP What you’ll need to know tomorrow Airlines ditch business hubs and start rerouting flights to Florida. Hackers made dangerous chemical change to a Florida town’s water. Maskless Tampa Bay fans may have started a Covid variant wildfire. How a single sentence is driving the world toward net-zero. Who needs revenue? Electric vehicle maker Blink jumped 3,000%. This famed fund manager is throwing more weight behind Bitcoin. Electronic Arts to decide fate of its Anthem game this week.What you’ll want to read in Bloomberg PursuitsA rebound in the luxury jet market is gaining steam as rich customers turn to private flying because of the coronavirus pandemic—this news from the bankers who cater to buyers of business aircraft. Leisure trips are driving demand, as more of the world’s monied travelers opt for private flights instead of premium seating on jetliners. Like getting the Evening Briefing? Subscribe to Bloomberg.com for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and gain expert analysis from exclusive subscriber-only newsletters. Bloomberg New Economy Conversations With Andrew Browne. Join us Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. EST for The Big “Bounce-Back,” where we’ll discuss the post-Covid recovery and the outlook for investors and innovation. Will a flood of consumer spending rescue commercial real estate or bolster online giants? Can business travel recover and does Big Oil have a future? Will Asia remain ascendant or will Europe become a rival? Register here. This conversation is brought to you by IDA Ireland. Download the Bloomberg app: It’s available for iOS and Android. Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can’t find anywhere else. Learn more. |