Boaz Weinstein hedge fund up 33% after market plunge – letter

NEW YORK, March 15 (Reuters) – Boaz Weinstein’s main Saba Capital Management LP hedge fund reported a 33% gain in March through Friday amid market turmoil and bringing its year to date gain to 67%, according to a note sent to clients seen by Reuters. (Reporting by Lawrence Delevingne; Editing by Kim Coghill)

2 Canadians on cruise ship off Bahamas with coronavirus cases on board

At least two Canadians are among those on a cruise ship that’s in limbo off the Bahamas due to an outbreak of coronavirus on board.

The Braemar has been anchored about 40 kilometres southwest of Freeport, Grand Bahama, since Saturday.

U.K. House Prices Climb to Record as Virus Threat Looms

Asking prices for U.K. homes rose to a record in March as the market appeared undented by the coronavirus outbreak that’s threatening economies across the globe.

Values increased 1% on the month to an average 312,625 pounds ($390,000), Rightmove said in a report Monday. In London, they gained 1.6% from a month earlier to 638,826 pounds. Both gauges posted their the biggest annual jump since 2016.

The number of sales also jumped, and Rightmove said it had seen “no sign” so far of any drop in buyer interest or activity, as Britons seek to take advantage of what had been seen as a period of relative stability following the political turmoil caused by Brexit.

The Bank of England’s emergency 50 basis point interest rate cut last week could support demand if it feeds through to lower mortgage rates, it said.

“The market has been waiting for several years for a window of certainty, and 2020 seemed set to be the year when many would look to make a move,” said Rightmove Director Miles Shipside, “However, the current fast pace of the housing market could now be temporarily affected by the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.”

A separate report by Acadata showed house prices rose by 0.5% in February.

Donald Glover Surprise New Album With Cameo From Ariana Grande Taken Down From Website

UPDATE: The new album from Donald Glover has apparently been pulled from his website. The untitled, 12-track album was streaming online for about a dozen hours before being taken down. The website has no information on the why or what of the appearance

EARLIER: Hoping to bring some cheer to those in coronavirus confinement, actor/musician Donald Glover has surprised fans with a new album.

The 12-song package, titled Donald Glover Presents, includes some previously released songs and cameo appearances fro Ariana Grande, SA, 21 Savage. The album is currently streaming on loop on his website.

There was no indication if Glover’s presentation without his Childish Gambino alter-ego means that persona has been discontinued permanently.

The website has no information save for the music, but has a 4-panel piece of artwork depicting a large crowd gathering.

Read Live Updates From The Democratic Debate In Washington, D.C.

Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will face off in a presidential debate Sunday evening, the first since the field narrowed significantly following Super Tuesday. 

The debate, initially set to be held in Arizona, was relocated to Washington, D.C., due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic National Committee also decided to forgo on audience and bar reporters from attending.

Both Biden and Sanders have largely moved their campaigns online as the number of COVID-19 cases increases across the nation.

Sunday’s debate, airing on CNN and Univision, will begin at 8 p.m. ET and be moderated by CNN’s Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, as well as Univision’s Ilia Calderón.

Read live updates from the debate below:

This week on ‘Focus Montreal’: March 15, 2020

This week on Focus Montreal, Global takes a look at the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impacts on our day-to-day lives, tourism season and the economy.

Starbucks closing some stores, eliminating seating amid coronavirus outbreak

Starbucks is ramping up its efforts to stop the spread of the new coronavirus by removing seating from its stores.

The coffee chain says people will still be able to make purchases in-store and online, but they’ll be encouraged to take items to go.

It says it’s also temporarily closing stores in “high-social gathering locations” such as those in shopping malls and on university campuses.

Japan MOF official says continuing to closely watch markets

TOKYO, March 16 (Reuters) – A senior official from Japan’s Ministry of Finance said on Monday he was continuing to closely watch markets.

Falling U.S. interest rates were having some effect on markets, the official added. (Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chris Gallagher)

Biden Says His Vice President Will Be a Woman

Joe Biden has committed to making a woman his running mate should he win the Democratic nomination. The former vice president made the announcement Sunday night during the latest Democratic debate in Washington, D.C.

“If I’m elected president, my cabinet, my administration will look like the country and I committed that I will pick a woman to be my vice president,” he said.

Though Biden has dropped hints that led many to believe he could pick a woman should he win the nomination, Sunday night was the first time he explicitly committed to doing so.

When the question was posed to Bernie Sanders, the senator from Vermont said that he would choose a woman running mate “in all likelihood.”

Biden currently holds a 890-736 delegate lead over Sanders and is a significant favorite to win the nomination.