Awaiting data.

Stocks in Asia look set for a cautious start following a jump in the dollar ahead of key US jobs data that could stir expectations for another sharp Federal Reserve interest-rate hike. Futures rose for Japan and Australia but slipped for Hong Kong. US contracts fluctuated after Wall Street snapped a four-day losing streak despite a slide in chip stocks on concerns that exports to China are imperiled by new US rules. Meanwhile shares of an obscure Chinese garment-maker listed in the US have plunged following a mysterious 13,000% gain.

Flash Boys face fund managers in Treasury market feud over data

There’s a battle raging in the $23 trillion US Treasury market, and it’s not over the trajectory of interest rates. Rather, it’s all about data. On one side, you have high-speed traders, hedge funds, and electronic market makers. On the other, some of the biggest US banks and asset managers. At issue: whether the publication of real-time transaction figures will help or harm a market already suffering from faltering liquidity. (Bloomberg Law | Sep 1)

Wall Street ends August with a whimper on Fed worry

US stocks ended the month with their fourth straight daily decline on Wednesday, cementing the weakest August performance in seven years as worries about aggressive interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve persist. (Reuters | Aug 31)

‘King dollar’ surges as Fed presses ahead with rate rises

The dollar index, a measure of the currency’s value against a basket of others, has risen 14 percent since the start of the year. It has continued to climb on expectations that the Federal Reserve will not back down in raising US interest rates to tamp down inflation, as emphasized by its chair Jay Powell at the annual Jackson Hole symposium last week. (Financial Times | Aug 31)

Fed officials see US interest rates rising further

US Federal Reserve officials on Tuesday reiterated their support for further interest-rate hikes to quell inflation, with the influential chief of the New York Fed saying the central bank will likely need to get its policy rate "somewhat above" 3.5% and keep it there through the end of 2023. (Reuters | Aug 30)

The options market is accentuating the swings in stocks

As stocks rallied over the summer and sank in recent days, a common force exacerbated the moves: the options market. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell spooked investors Friday when he vowed the central bank would keep fighting inflation, even at the expense of economic growth. The S&P 500 suffered its biggest one-day loss in more than two months. (The Wall Street Journal | Aug 30)

(Sep 1) — A trickle of borrowers are getting sustainability-linked loans without specifying key environmental and social performance indicators or target metrics at inception.

• These so-called ‘sleeping’ SLLs, in which ESG goals will only be agreed later during the loan term, are raising concerns of greenwashing among market participants
• Global sales of SLLs have slowed 10% to $270b compared to a year ago as market activity gets hit by worldwide inflation woes
• Asia and German Schuldschein are among the smaller markets enjoying growth in sustainability-linked sales
• Meanwhile, India’s HDFC is inviting lenders to join the largest social loan of $1.1b

Source: Jacqueline Poh | Bloomberg Government

The trend toward remote work has heightened employers’ concerns about worker productivity. Illustration: Mikel Jaso | WSJ

Should companies track workers with monitoring technology?

Monitoring tech can reveal when people step away from their computers, what websites they visit and how long they use various software. Depending on the system, managers can see what employees are typing, read their email, and even watch them from their laptop’s camera. It's all generally legal. But is it OK?

— The Wall Street Journal

Hackers linked to Iran are exploiting eMail systems

Charming Kitten, a hacking group associated with the Iranian government, is targeting users with email accounts from Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, according to Google security researchers. using a tool called Hyperscraper, intruders can download whole inboxes undetected, Google said.

— Bleeping Computer

New cybersecurity regulations are coming. Here's how to prepare.

Cybersecurity has reached a tipping point. After decades of private-sector organizations more or less being left to deal with cyber incidents on their own, the scale and impact of cyberattacks means that the fallout from these incidents can ripple across societies and borders. Now, governments feel a need to “do something,” and many are considering new laws and regulations.

— Harvard Business Review

A departures board at Los Angeles International Airport on July 1, 2022. Photo: Bing Guan | Bloomberg

Flight delays prompt revamp of airline meal, hotel offerings

Airlines have increasingly struggled to manage demand, with about 3% of flights canceled and 21% delayed during the first six months of the year, according to data submitted by carriers. In return, complaints about air travel have jumped about 270% from pre-pandemic levels. The department has proposed a rule to expand protections for passengers wanting refunds for canceled flights.

— Bloomberg Pursuits | Travel

The top 10 most in-demand skills for the next 10 years

Want to make yourself indispensable to future employers? It’s not just technical skills you need to cultivate. As we move into the new industrial revolution and the pace of change continues to accelerate, the skills you need to thrive in the workplace are shifting, as well.

— Forbes

Neurodiversity is critical for innovation in the workplace

Your organization is “all about” creativity and innovation. You believe that diversity enhances creativity. But does your definition of diversity include embracing neurodiversity? Neurodiversity describes the idea that characteristics associated with developmental differences such as autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, or Tourette’s are not deficits, but differences that benefit larger human systems.

— Fast Company