Monday ‘Must Read’: Inside my Nightmare Working in de Blasio’s Government (New York Post)
A social-justice lawyer who worked for both the Bloomberg administration and Bill de Blasio’s opens up about the ongoing failures of the current mayor and says: “I was shocked to discover that I actually preferred Michael Bloomberg’s very corporate City Hall to Bill de Blasio’s failed socialist utopia. Who wouldn’t?”​

Cynthia Nixon Thinks You’re Underestimating Her (New York Times)
“Let me put it this way: If Mayor Bloomberg was our governor, I would not be running,” Cynthia Nixon tells the Times.

Most Read on the Bloomberg Terminal (Last 24 Hours):
Behind the Spectacular Collapse of a Private Equity Titan in Dubai (Bloomberg)

As U.S. Economy Booms, Republicans Ignore it on the Campaign Trail (New York Times)
“A $2 trillion swipe of the national credit card, a giveaway to big corporations.”

Mark Carney Is Preparing for Brexit and the Next Crisis (Bloomberg Markets magazine cover)

China’s Shift From Greenback Detractor to Record Dollar Borrower (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg Launches New Data Service to Increase Transparency in Interest Rate Swaps Market (Bloomberg press release)

Koch Group Condemns ‘Divisiveness’ and ‘Lack of Leadership’ in Washington (Washington Post)

Thomson Reuters unit to be renamed Refinitiv after Blackstone deal (Reuters)

UBS Chairman Axel Weber: Market Needs Standards, Benchmarks and Derivatives to Make Sustainable Investing Sector Take Off (Financial Times – subscription)

New York Times Publisher and Trump Clash Over President’s Threats Against Journalism (New York Times)

The Week Ahead.

Monday, July 30:
-Zimbabwe holds its first election since Robert Mugabe quit as president.
-President Donald Trump hosts Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the White House.
-U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers meeting. Iran’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will sign a treaty with Asean. In Singapore, through Aug. 4.
-U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt co-chairs the 9th China-U.K. Strategic Dialogue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. He’ll also meet Premier Li Keqiang and politburo member Yang Jiechi. In Beijing, through July 31.

Tuesday, July 31:
-The U.S. Department of Homeland Security hosts a National Cybersecurity Summit. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will participate. In New York City.
-The International Energy Agency releases the World Energy Balances 2018 overview.
-Apple releases 3Q earnings, as the company’s market cap approaches $1 trillion.
-Former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort’s trial begins in Alexandria, Virginia. The Washington Post compiles what you need to know here.

Wednesday, Aug. 1:
-Fed policy makers issue a statement on the U.S. economy and their interest rate decision. The target rate for overnight bank lending is projected to remain in a range of 1.75-2 percent.
-U.S. Treasury will unveil its latest borrowing plans. The Treasury may increase the two- and three-year auctions by $1 billion per month, and implement a one-time increase of $1 billion for floating-rate notes.
-Brazil’s central bank will probably keep its key rate unchanged at 6.5 percent as the economy’s rebound from a two-year recession falters.

Thursday, Aug. 2:
-Bank of England announces its rate decision and issues an inflation report. The BOE is widely expected to raise the rate to 0.75 percent, the second hike since November.
-The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Tiger Woods, who hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since the 2013 Bridgestone, qualified and will join players seeking to share in a $10 million purse. In Akron, Ohio, through Aug. 5.

Friday, Aug. 3:
-U.S. payroll growth probably cooled a bit in July as the unemployment rate declined, economists project. Average hourly earnings are forecast to rise modestly.

Saturday, Aug. 4:
-SpaceX is set to launch a rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida with an Indonesian communications satellite to serve Indonesia, India and surrounding regions.

From NI WEEKAHEAD on the Bloomberg terminal.

Best of late night.

“In response to President Trump’s trade policies, Coca Cola is raising the price of soda, marking the first time in his presidency Trump has watched the news and thought ‘My God, what have I done?’”
— Jimmy Fallon

On Scientists announcing the discovery of a lake on Mars:

“They’re saying this lake could sustain microbial life because ‘it is liquid, it is salty, and it is in contact with rocks.’ There could not only be life on Mars. There could be margaritas.”
–Stephen Colbert