Jobs Report Friday again! Here’s what we’re looking for in the numbers (though after last month, good luck with any predictions) - NYTimes and WSJ and Bloomberg and Marketplace
The Sackler family and their Purdue Pharma company have reached a new deal “with a group of states that had long resisted the company’s bankruptcy plan, opening the way for billions of dollars to begin flowing to addiction treatment programs nationwide.” The agreement needs federal bankruptcy court approval. It features an added $1.5 billion in settlement funds from the Sacklers in exchange for the family’s much-desired “end to all current and future civil claims against them over the company’s prescription opioid business” - NYTimes and WSJ and Law360
Amazon is pushing the FTC to “deliver a verdict on its proposed $6.5 billion acquisition of the MGM Movie and television studio” by certifying that it has “provided all the information requested by antitrust investigators.” That certification triggers “a ticking clock for the FTC that expires in mid-march,” and if the Commission doesn’t file a legal challenge by that rapidly approaching date, Amazon “could be free to consummate the deal” (though the FTC could still challenge during a post-closing period) - WSJ
Sony and Honda announced a major two initiative in which the Japanese electronics and auto giants will join forces to “develop electric cars for sale as early as 2025” - NYTimes and WSJ and Bloomberg and TechCrunch
Epic Games, the company behind a recent high-profile fight with Apple over its App Store fees (and maker of the popular Fortnite franchise), has agreed to acquire online music platform Bandcamp. The site “has become a favorite outlet among musicians for letting them control how their music is shared and sold and giving artists the bulk of the income they receive from those transactions” - NYTimes
More from Fed Chair Powell’s latest trip to the Hill, including highlights from his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee - NYTimes and WSJ and Bloomberg and Law360
A resurgent union movement’s latest victory has come at a NYC-based REI store, where workers voted Wednesday to create “the only union at the outdoor-equipment and apparel retailer” in an 88 to 14 vote - NYTimes
EV maker Rivian is “walking back a hefty price increase for its electric trucks and SUVs that was put into effect earlier this week,” with CEO RJ Scaringe scrambling yesterday to “apologize[] to customers for applying the price increase retroactively” - WSJ and Bloomberg
Some light weekend reading for you on the mysteries of human cells (and the fraught quest to build them ourselves) - NewYorker
Stay safe, get boosted, and have a great weekend,
MDR
