You're invited

Good morning. Donald Trump is inviting Xi Jinping to his inauguration. The NYPD is investigating a spate of ‘WANTED’ posters featuring top US execs. And we list the top 25 places to visit in 2025. Listen to the day’s top stories.

Donald Trump invited Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration, CBS reported. The attendance of a foreign head of state would be unprecedented and may signal an effort by Trump to court the China’s president even as he threatens fresh tariffs against the country. Although to be honest, Xi might not show up. Trump’s recent pick David Perdue as US ambassador to China was also seen as offering an olive branch to Beijing. And on the subject of that January spectacle, Meta donated $1 million to the president-elect’s inaugural fund, something it didn’t do for Joe Biden or Trump’s first term.

The NYPD is investigating a number of ‘WANTED’ posters of senior executives that are showing up in parts of Manhattan. They included images of UnitedHealth’s Brian Thompson, who was murdered last week, as well as executives from American Express, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. The arrest of Luigi Mangione this week has failed to fill in some key details of Thompson’s killing, while dark glee over the murder is stoking fear among insurers about copycats.

Corporate news: Nvidia added hundreds of staff in China this year to enhance its research capabilities and focus on new autonomous driving technologies. Less good news for Microsoft on that front: The company plans to take an $800 million charge after GM said it was shutting down its autonomous taxi initiative.

In Brazil, President Lula da Silva will undergo another medical procedure today following brain surgery earlier this week as doubts swirl about his health. For some market watchers, it’s time to reassess the possibility of whether Lula runs again in 2026. Brazilian assets rose on speculation about a shift in fiscal policy, despite a shock hike in interest rates from the central bank with the promise of more to come.

Michael Jordan finally sold his sprawling Chicago-area mansion, settling for $9.5 million. That’s a significant price cut from the original asking price of $29 million, despite the property boasting nine bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, a regulation-sized basketball court (of course) and a cigar room (also of course). He’s not the first billionaire to sell in the area for a discount. Ken Griffin recently sold one of his Chicago condos for 53% below what he originally paid.

Deep Dive: Family Riches

The Waltons are back on top. Their combined fortune has shot to a record $432.4 billion, placing them back on top of the annual Bloomberg ranking of the world’s wealthiest families.

The Big Take

Opinion

US inflation may be licked but it’s still ticking, thanks to stubborn price rises in services, John Authers writes. It might yet force a change in the Trump 2.0 plans for tax cuts and tariffs.

Before You Go

From London’s Elizabeth Line to solar-powered bungalows in the Amazon, Bloomberg Pursuits published its list of the 25 best places to visit in 2025. But this year we’ve added even more insights. Select a city and you’ll get personalized, month-by-month estimates for hotel and flight costs alongside each recommendation.

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