Industry executives and actuaries believe many of these other fatalities are tied to delays in medical care as a result of lockdowns in 2020, and then, later, people's fears of seeking out treatment and trouble lining up appointments.
Virtual Lenders Shake Up Hong Kong's Banking Industry
An upstart group of virtual banks has gained a toehold in Hong Kong, luring consumers from bricks-and-mortar lenders in the Asian financial hub with offerings such as numberless credit cards that promise more security and mobile games that churn out cash prizes.
The eight digital lenders, mostly backed by large banks and other corporations, operate only online or via mobile phones and have no physical branches. They have been expanding aggressively in one of Asia's most banked cities since starting operations in 2020, leading other traditional banks to follow suit with their own digital offerings.
German Consumer Confidence Is Expected to Continue Its Downward Trend
Consumer sentiment in Germany is expected to decline again in March, after an increase in February, due to a sharp rise in coronavirus infection rates at the time of the survey and high inflation, according to GfK.
"Expectations of a significant easing in price trends at the beginning of the year have been shattered for the time being, as inflation rates continue to hover at a high level," Rolf Buerkl, consumer expert at the market-research group, said in a press release Wednesday.
RBNZ Raises Cash Rate for Third Time, Signals Higher Peak
WELLINGTON, New Zealand-New Zealand's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate for the third time since October and forecast a higher peak as it tries to prevent decades-high inflation from becoming entrenched.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised the cash rate 25 basis points to 1.0% on Wednesday, in line with expectations, following increases of the same size in November and October.
Fed's Bostic Says Ukraine Crisis Adds Risk to Outlook
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said Tuesday that the Ukraine crisis is adding risk to the economic outlook, but he also said he is still on board with the central bank's looming campaign of monetary policy normalization.
Mr. Bostic, who was speaking to students as Western nations put in place new sanctions on Russia due to its aggression toward Ukraine, said "that kind of uncertainty is a downward risk to economic output" that will factor into how he thinks about monetary policy.
Companies Must Prepare for More Russian Cyber Activity, Experts Warn
U.S. companies should prepare for cyber blowback as President Biden imposes sanctions on Russia for its ongoing aggression in Ukraine, experts said.
Ukraine Calls Up Reservists as Russian Troops Pour Into Breakaway Region; West Steps Up Sanctions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the mobilization of reservists as Russian troops poured into Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and Western nations announced measures to punish Moscow for recognizing two Russian-controlled statelets there as independent, signaling the potential rising economic price on Russia for further aggression.
Mr. Zelensky, in a televised address, said Russia's threat to Ukraine's sovereignty is forcing him to recall contract military personnel to active duty and to mobilize members of the newly created territorial defense brigades for exercises. He said Ukraine wouldn't carry out a general mobilization of civilians, urging them to continue normal life.
Canada Instructs Banks to Unfreeze Freedom-Convoy Accounts
OTTAWA-Canada told banks to unlock financial accounts belonging to individuals involved in a weekslong Covid-19 protest in Ottawa that police shut down this past weekend, according to a finance ministry official.
"They started [Monday] to unfreeze accounts," Isabelle Jacques, a senior official in Canada's finance department, told lawmakers Tuesday.
Biden Has Interviewed Three Candidates for Supreme Court
WASHINGTON-President Biden has conducted interviews with three potential picks for the Supreme Court as he nears a final decision on his promise to nominate a Black woman to the nation's high court for the first time.
Mr. Biden in recent days has interviewed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Judge Julianna Michelle Childs and Justice Leondra Reid Kruger, according to people familiar with the process.
Write to paul.larkins@dowjones.com TODAY IN CANADA
Earnings:
Agnico Eagle Mines 4Q
Alamos Gold 4Q
ATCO 4Q
Bausch Health Companies 4Q
BELLUS Health 4Q
Boralex 4Q
Calibre Mining 4Q
Canadian Utilities 4Q
Centerra Gold 4Q
DIRTT Environmental Solutions 4Q
Enerflex 4Q
Exchange Income 4Q
Gildan Activewear 4Q
Hudbay Minerals 4Q
IAMGOLD 4Q
Innergex Renewable Energy 4Q
Lundin Gold 4Q
New Gold 4Q
OceanaGold 4Q
Pan American Silver 4Q
SSR Mining 4Q
Stantec 4Q
Stelco Hldgs 4Q
Sylogist 1Q
Torex Gold Resources 4Q
Trican Well 4Q
Economic Indicators (ET):
0830 4Q Quarterly financial statistics for enterprises
Stocks to Watch:
Gran Tierra Energy 4Q EPS 12c
Triple Flag Precious Metals 4Q EPS 9c; Rev $37M
Expected Major Events for Wednesday
00:01/UK: Feb REC JobsOutlook survey
07:00/GER: Mar GfK consumer climate survey
07:45/FRA: Feb Monthly business survey (goods-producing industries)
12:00/US: 02/18 MBA Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey
13:30/CAN: 4Q Quarterly financial statistics for enterprises
13:55/US: 02/19 Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index
21:30/US: 02/18 API Weekly Statistical Bulletin
All times in GMT. Powered by Kantar Media and Dow Jones.
Expected Earnings for Wednesday
Armstrong Flooring Inc (AFI) is expected to report $-0.26 for 4Q.
Audacy Inc (AUD) is expected to report for 4Q.
Avanos Medical Inc (AVNS) is expected to report $0.33 for 4Q.
Avista Corp (AVA) is expected to report $0.67 for 4Q.
Bausch Health Companies Inc (BHC,BHC.T) is expected to report $-0.13 for 4Q.
Boralex Inc - Class A (BLX.T,BRLXF) is expected to report $0.19 for 4Q.
Brink's Co (BCO) is expected to report $0.61 for 4Q.
CSI Compressco LP (CCLP) is expected to report for 4Q.
Clean Harbors Inc (CLH) is expected to report $0.66 for 4Q.
Clovis Oncology Inc (CLVS) is expected to report $-0.57 for 4Q.
Dana Incorporated (DAN) is expected to report $0.19 for 4Q.
Entergy Corp (ETR) is expected to report $0.83 for 4Q.
Exelon Corp (EXC) is expected to report $0.74 for 4Q.
G1 Therapeutics Inc (GTHX) is expected to report $-1.03 for 4Q.
Gildan Activewear Inc (GIL,GIL.T) is expected to report $0.56 for 4Q.
Graham Holdings Co (GHC) is expected to report $8.23 for 4Q.
Heron Therapeutics Inc (HRTX) is expected to report $-0.58 for 4Q.
HollyFrontier Corporation (HFC) is expected to report $-0.04 for 4Q.
Independence Contract Drilling Inc (ICD) is expected to report for 4Q.
Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp (IART) is expected to report $0.57 for 4Q.
Koppers Holdings Inc (KOP) is expected to report $0.69 for 4Q.
Lowe's Cos (LOW) is expected to report $1.71 for 4Q.
MFA Financial Inc (MFA) is expected to report $0.12 for 4Q.
Molson Coors Beverage Co - Class B (TAP,TAPA) is expected to report $0.88 for 4Q.
NeoGenomics Inc (NEO) is expected to report $-0.28 for 4Q.
New Gold (NGD,NGD.T) is expected to report $0.04 for 4Q.
NiSource Inc (NI) is expected to report $0.38 for 4Q.
ODP Corp (ODP) is expected to report for 4Q.
Overstock.com (OSTK) is expected to report $0.29 for 4Q.
Owens & Minor Inc (OMI) is expected to report $0.64 for 4Q.
Parsons Corp (PSN) is expected to report for 4Q.
Photronics (PLAB) is expected to report $0.31 for 1Q.
Physicians Realty Trust (DOC) is expected to report $0.10 for 4Q.
SSR Mining Inc (SSRM,SSRM.T) is expected to report $0.54 for 4Q.
Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) is expected to report $0.08 for 4Q.
TJX Companies Inc (TJX) is expected to report $0.87 for 4Q.
Tellurian Inc (TELL) is expected to report $-0.05 for 4Q.
Travel + Leisure Co (TNL) is expected to report for 4Q.
Vertiv Holdings LLC (VRT) is expected to report for 4Q.
Xtant Medical Holdings Inc (XTNT) is expected to report $-0.17 for 4Q.
Powered by Kantar Media and Dow Jones.
ANALYST RATINGS ACTIONS
Advanced Micro Devices Raised to Outperform From Market Perform by Bernstein
Airgain Cut to Neutral From Buy by B. Riley Securities
Albany International Cut to Neutral From Buy by B of A Securities
Allison Transmission Cut to Neutral From Outperform by Credit Suisse
Balchem Raised to Buy From Neutral by Sidoti & Co.
Burlington Stores Raised to Buy From Hold by Berenberg
Celanese Cut to Underweight From Neutral by Piper Sandler
Cerence Cut to Neutral From Buy by Goldman Sachs
ChampionX Raised to Neutral From Sell by Goldman Sachs
DraftKings Cut to Equal-Weight From Overweight by Wells Fargo
DraftKings Raised to Neutral From Sell by Roth Capital
Goodyear Tire Cut to Hold From Buy by Jefferies
Homology Medicines Cut to Perform From Outperform by Oppenheimer
Homology Medicines Cut to Sector Perform From Outperform by RBC Capital
Homology Medicines Shares Dive 30% to 52-Week Low After Trial Hold, Analysts Cuts
Homology Medicines Shares Drop 27% After Gene Therapy Trial Halted By FDA
PPL Corp Raised to Outperform From Sector Perform by RBC Capital
Privia Health Raised to Outperform From Market Perform by Cowen & Co.
Quidel Raised to Strong Buy From Outperform by Raymond James
RLI Corp Raised to Buy From Neutral by Compass Point
Sysco Raised to Buy From Hold by Argus Research
Visteon Raised to Buy From Neutral by Goldman Sachs
This article is a text version of a Wall Street Journal newsletter published earlier today.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-23-22 0557ET
