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Noah Zivitz

Managing Editor, BNN Bloomberg

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Joe Biden’s election as president of the United States was certified shortly before 4 a.m. ET as U.S. lawmakers worked through the night to complete the work that was interrupted by the mob that overwhelmed the U.S. Capitol yesterday. Here are a couple of the avenues we’ll explore today:

1. America’s role in the world. Global leaders tripped over each other yesterday to condemn the chaos in Washington. How long will it take for the U.S. to repair its reputation as a beacon of stability and global leadership? And which other countries (China?) will see a moment of opportunity? We have an ideal voice to discuss all of this, when former U.S. Senator Max Baucus – who also served as ambassador to China – joins Jon Erlichman on The Open at 10 a.m. ET.

2. Pressure from corporate titans. Apple CEO Tim Cook delivered some of the poignant commentary (calling it a “sad and shameful chapter”), but he wasn’t alone. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon and Microsoft President Brad Smith also took to Twitter to express their dismay. We’re chasing reaction from CEOs of major Canadian companies with significant operations in the U.S.

3. Markets move on. U.S. futures are pointing to a higher open and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high yesterday despite the pictures that were grabbing the world’s attention. S&P/TSX Composite Index closed 116 points shy of a record, with pot stocks among the top percentage gainers amid excitement over the growth possibilities in the U.S. as Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate. Worth pointing out also that as of this writing, the U.S. dollar is trading higher against every major global currency.

QUEBEC CURFEW

This is the other big story that we’ll be tracking today after Premier François Legault made the most aggressive move to date in this country to curb the spread of COVID-19. As of Saturday, the province of Quebec will impose a daily 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until Feb. 8 in an attempt to bring relief to the health system. We’re looking forward to hearing from former Quebec premier Jean Charest at 10:30 a.m. and Quebec Economic Development Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon at 2:10 p.m.

OTHER NOTABLE STORIES

-Twitter threatened to permanently suspend Donald Trump’s account after numerous violations of its civic integrity policy. The initial 12-hour suspension is set to expire this morning, pending the removal of certain tweets. Facebook also temporarily suspended Trump’s account.

-We’ll be watching for more reaction to Canada’s new COVID testing requirements for international travellers that took effect this morning. As if the airlines didn’t already have enough to deal with, Transport Minister Marc Garneau yesterday jawboned against promoting international travel, deeming it “counterproductive.”

-Bitcoin is still Bitcoining. The cryptocurrency has extended its rally today, climbing as high as US$37,802.16 per coin in early trading.

NOTABLE RELEASES/EVENTS

-Notable data: Canadian trade balance, U.S. initial jobless claims, U.S. trade balance, ISM U.S. services index 

-Notable earnings: Constellation Brands, Walgreen Boots Alliance, Bed Bath & Beyond

-Canada's new COVID testing requirements takes effect for international travelers aged five and older

Every morning BNN Bloomberg's Managing Editor Noah Zivitz writes a ‘chase note’ to BNN Bloomberg's editorial staff listing the stories and events that will be in the spotlight that day. Have it delivered to your inbox before the trading day begins by heading to www.bnnbloomberg.ca/subscribe.