It’s official now: Yahoo’s keeping Alibaba but spinning off its core internet business and Yahoo Japan. All the details here – NYTimes and WSJ
Some thoughts on what, exactly, that means for CEO Marissa Mayer – NYTimes
Nothing sudden about Dow’s interest in DuPont (and nothing surprising about the antitrust scrutiny the deal is going to receive) – WSJ
A bit of Bitcoin news for the week that may end up being the Bitcoin news of the year: just hours after Gizmodo and Wired each published posts positing that Australian Craig Steven Wright is the man behind “Satoshi Nakamoto,” the pseudonym used by bitcoin’s purported creator, Australian police raided Wright’s Sydney home based on an Australian Tax Office investigation into Wright’s “business and tax affairs.” Australian officials claim the online unmasking and raids are unrelated – WSJ (h/t to Bitcoin expert and Brief subscriber Blake Trueblood on this one)
The latest thoughts on “how messy” the expected Fed short-term interest rates might get – Bloomberg
It’s early, but it appears that Argentina’s tack right with the election of the more-business-friendly Mauricio Macri will indeed lead to resolution of the ongoing debt dispute with holdout hedge fund creditors – NYTimes
The DOJ’s opened an inquiry into potential manipulation of “agency bond” trading—a market that generally is defined to include “international development organizations, government-sponsored entities and some sovereign debt” and that likely encompasses $9 trillion to $15 trillion – Bloomberg
How important is the repo (repurchase agreements—short-term loans secured by Treasurys and other bonds) market? Well, it’s generally accepted that repos play a “critical role in the financial system by keeping cash and securities circulating among hedge funds, investment banks and other financial firms.” “Critical role” equates to a $2.6 trillion market. And a firm at the center of facilitating trades in that market’s only clearinghouse is now seeking $50 billion from banks and trading firms to ensure adequate liquidity, especially in the case of economic calamity – WSJ
The 1st Circuit’s reversal of its findings against two State Street executives suggests yet another issue with the SEC’s in-house court program—especially when extra-thorny matters are in dispute – Law360
Walmart’s getting into the mobile payment business and is hoping that its use of QR code technology to do so (those little digital-camouflage-looking squares) will set it apart from the crowded field of competitors – NYTimes
Television holiday shows are all over the airwaves these days, with NBC leading the way and viewers tuning in by the millions. Of course, December has long been marked by these specials—some slightly more special than others – NYTimes
