Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The Bank of Canada holds steady. The central bank is not expected to raise interest rates (paywall) today after two rate hikes this summer, thanks to solid economic growth, and inflation under target. The loonie has also had a strong year against the US dollar, up 6.1% year to date.
Nike hosts investors at its Oregon headquarters. The company, which largely missed the “athleisure” trend, is struggling with stagnant sales and competition from Adidas. Its stock has fallen 17% in the last two years. CEO Mark Parker will probably have to temper his projection of $50 billion in sales by 2020.
Equifax reveals the impact of the data breach. The credit-reporting agency revealed last month that hackers had accessed the personal data of over 145 million US customers, which caused its shares to plummet. It reports quarterly earnings today and some analysts believe the breach won’t hurt the business.
While you were sleeping
Congress overturned an Obama-era rule that helped consumers sue banks. It voted 51-50 to nix the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s arbitration rule, slated to go into effect next year, aimed at making it easier for consumers to sue banks in groups (paywall). At issue were the fine-print restrictions on banks in using arbitration, which they prefer over slower, costlier class-action lawsuits.
British American Tobacco saw big money in the mist. The tobacco giant said it expects revenue from its next generation vapour products, like e-cigarettes and tobacco-heating devices, to double to more than $1.3 billion next year. Currently Philip Morris leads the segment with its iQOS device.
The UK economy had a better-than-expected summer. The economy grew by 0.4% in the third quarter, up from 0.3% in the second quarter, which was slightly better than analysts forecasted. The result fuelled speculation that the Bank of England may now raise interest rates for the first time in ten years.
China’s president settled in for the long haul. Xi Jinping broke a 25-year succession tradition by not naming his heir apparent within the party, which means that he could rule for decades. Though he named the members of the Politburo Standing Committee—the seven men who will essentially rule China—none are young enough to be his possible successor.
Cuba said US claims of sonic attacks are “science fiction.” The US recalled more than half of its diplomatic personnel from Havana earlier this month, saying sonic attacks caused them hearing loss, dizziness, and cognitive problems. Donald Trump said last week he believed Havana was responsible, but Cuba says it has no weapons capable of such attacks.
Quartz obsession interlude
Dan Kopf on why you should stop making charts and start using tables. “Charts can give data an undeserved patina of authority because it shows you have done some additional processing of the information. ‘Graphs are gimmicks, substituting fancy displays for careful analysis and rigorous reasoning,’ wrote the influential Columbia University statistician Andrew Gelman. ‘It is basically a trade-off: the snazzier your display, the more you can get away with a crappy underlying analysis.’” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Trash-talking your competitors can boost employee morale. But insults can promote unethical behavior and disrupt focus.
Eastern Europe’s economies are having a “Goldilocks moment.” High growth, low unemployment, and manageable inflation put Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic ahead of their Western neighbors.
The US monopoly problem is causing a general malaise. Giant tech firms and globalized corporations mean fewer choices and less control.
Surprising discoveries
Sony’s new robot dog will love you and your appliances. The successor to the Aibo (paywall) is expected to charm owners and communicate with smart devices.
The oldest known astrolabe was discovered in an Indian Ocean shipwreck. The navigational tool was made around 1500 and accompanied a Portuguese explorer to his watery grave.
Scientists say the universe should not actually exist. New data on matter and antimatter suggest they should cancel each other out.
Einstein’s theory of happiness sold for for $1.5 million. The note, which he gave to a courier in Tokyo in 1922 in lieu of a tip, recommended living a modest life.
Colombians are finally drinking good coffee. The country has produced quality beans for export since the 1950s, but high-end beans are just starting to find (paywall) customers at home.
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