Coronavirus latest: New York City Covid-19 wave crests as storm ends celebration

London’s offices are almost deserted and no one knows how many people will return or when, but some investors are making bets on workspace. The question is whether this confidence is well placed or reckless yet the sharp post-pandemic fall in the value of new offices has not yet come to pass.

Thai police seized 1,000kg of crystal methamphetamine as officials and analysts watch rising drug trafficking and addiction with alarm. They say the narcotics originated from neighbouring Myanmar, which has spun into political chaos and civil conflict since February’s coup toppled Aung San Suu Kyi.

The US Transportation Security Administration extended the face mask requirement across all transport networks throughout the country, including at airports, on commercial aircraft, buses, commuter bus and rail systems to at least January 18 2022. The rule has been in place since January 30.

The men’s grooming market — which is dominated by shaving, but also includes skincare, haircare and cosmetics — is currently worth £35bn, according to research firm Euromonitor, and has been growing in the low single digits annually since 2017, except for a 4.7 per cent dip during the pandemic.

Toyota Motor’s announcement that it will slash production next month has sparked concerns over vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia’s auto supply chain as the region grapples with new variants of the coronavirus. Shares in the world’s largest vehicle maker fell as much as 5 per cent in Tokyo on Friday.

UK engineering group Goodwin reckons it has passed peak sales from the oil industry but is placing hopes on nuclear and radar products. Revenue last year dropped because of weakening demand from the oil industry, which it doesn’t expect to ever return to its pre-pandemic trading levels. 

Fidelity International is trialling flexible working arrangements and is considering increasing employee pay, the chief executive officer of the asset management giant said at the weekend. But Anne Richards advised the UK government against introducing legislation on the right to work remotely.

China’s state pension fund recorded its biggest investment gains in five years, while total assets reached Rmb1.91tn ($295bn), up nearly 5 percentage points from the previous year. The strong performance reflected China’s swift response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Social Security Fund said.