Boeing’s 737 MAX faces an uncertain future. Boeing is considering at least a temporary halt to its 737 Max production “as regulatory clearance for the grounded jet’s return looks increasingly likely to slip beyond January 2020.” Boeing has already cut production by some 20% on the plane since the second of two fatal crashes, and it has more than 380 of the newly built planes languishing in storage – Bloomberg and WSJ
Phase One in the perspective of a much broader US/China battle – Bloomberg
Over recent months global-growth worries have faded, increasing investor optimism in the near term. Thoughts on whether this trend will hold in 2020 – WSJ
Banks and tech firms challenge the current FDIC definition of brokered deposits. The decision will shape the future of “third-party fintech apps.” – WSJ and Bloomberg
The fracking boom is over, negatively impacting the economies of many oil-drilling regions. What gives? – WSJ
More on the FTC’s preliminary injunction against Facebook over how the company’s apps interact both with each other and potential rivals. Regulators will likely argue that this behavior is anticompetitive, which could potentially lead to a “future breakup of the company.” – WSJ
Food-delivery company, Delivery Hero, has agreed to buy South Korean rival Woowa for $4 billion. The industry is fiercely competitive, especially in Asia, where a growing middle class has more consumers ordering in. – WSJ
Former Renault CEO Thierry Bollore requested an independent audit of Nissan’s investigation into former Chair Carlos Ghosn just days before Ghosn was ousted, “citing concerns the probe was tainted by conflicts of interest.” Nissan refused to play along, though, “accusing Mr. Bollore of being a Ghosn sympathizer” – WSJ
The housing market shows near-term positive indicators, but still faces supply-side constraints. Builder sentiment remains mixed with sentiment increasing in the South and Midwest, and declining in the Northeast and West – Bloomberg
A big law firm has begun to implement automation technology to cut down costs related to complying with California’s data privacy legislation. Is this the beginning of the end for large associate classes and paralegals? – Bloomberg
IFF has beaten out Kerry Group in the race to buy out DuPont’s nutrition unit, and it’ll spend $26.2 billion to do so. The deal—IFF’s largest ever—helps expand the conglomerate’s reach into wellness products – Bloomberg and MarketWatch
Bitcoin price continues to feel downward pressure as the PlusToken pyramid scheme investigation continues. Are such events the growing pains of an emerging market, or just another example of cryptocurrencies’ inevitable failure? – Bloomberg
I know it’s early in the week, but have you ever thought about retiring abroad? If you have, consider these affordable destinations (under $2,500 a month): Porto, Portugal; Seville, Spain; Penang, Malaysia; Ravenna, Italy; and Hua Hin, Thailand – MarketWatch