Space-transportation startup Rocket Lab USA is nearing an agreement to go public by merging with Vector Acquisition (VACQ), Cara Lombardo of Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The deal values Rocket Lab at around $4.1B including debt and could be finalized by Monday, sources told the Journal. It is expected to include additional funds of about $470M in the form of a private investment in public equity from investors including BlackRock (BLK) and Neuberger Berman Group, the sources added. Reference Link

AstraZeneca (AZN) has sold its stake in Moderna (MRNA) for more than $1B after the latter's shares soared on the back of its coronavirus vaccine breakthrough, The Times' Alex Ralph reports. AstraZeneca has disposed of its 7.7% holding, which had made it Moderna's second largest investor last year, the author notes. Reference Link

Twilio (TWLO) is in talks to invest as much as $750M in Carlyle Group's (CG) Syniverse Technologies in a precursor to a public listing, Cara Lombardo and Dana Cimilluca of Wall Street Journal report, citing people familiar with the matter. The investment will be announced Monday and could be followed in the coming months by a merger between Syniverse and a special-purpose acquisition company, sources told the Journal. Such a deal could value Syniverse around $2B to $3B including debt, they added. The Twilio deal involves a commercial arrangement that would send a significant amount of business to Syniverse, which provides roaming, messaging and other telecommunications services, the sources said. Reference Link

Chains from Macy's (M) to Gap (GPS) to Neiman Marcus Group have introduced buy now, pay later options in recent months to attract younger shoppers, who are less likely to use credit cards, The Wall Street Journal's Suzanne Kapner reports. The emerging payment option is a modern take on old-fashioned layaway plans, allowing shoppers to pay for purchases over time, the author notes. Instead of earning a profit from customers who revolve a balance on their store cards, retailers pay fees to the financial-technology companies that offer buy now, pay later plans, including Klarna Bank AB, Affirm Holdings (AFRM) and Afterpay, the publication adds. Reference Link

India's conglomerate Reliance Industries has partnered with Facebook (FB), Google (GOOGL) and fintech player Infibeam to set up a national digital payment network, according to Reuters, citing a report by the Economic Times. Last year, India's central bank invited companies to forge new umbrella entities to create a payments network that would rival the system operated by the National Payments Council of India, as it seeks to reduce concentration risks in the space, the report notes. Reference Link

Hyatt Hotels called symbols of hate "abhorrent" on Sunday after the design of a stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference at one of its hotels drew comparisons to a Norse rune used by Nazis during World War Two, according to Reuters. High-profile Republicans including former President Donald Trump are attending the four-day event in Orlando, Florida, the publication notes. A photo of the CPAC stage went viral on social media on Saturday, with thousands of Twitter users sharing posts comparing its distinctive design to an othala rune, one of many ancient European symbols that Nazis adopted to "reconstruct a mythic 'Aryan' past," according to the Anti-Defamation League. Reference Link

Widely-used Microsoft vaccine scheduling software that has run into difficulties in states like Iowa and New Jersey is being blamed for problems that left some residents of the nation's capital unable to book appointments, Bloomberg's Ari Natter and Dina Bass report. After three straight days of issues with the District of Columbia's online vaccination registration, the company released a statement along with the city government acknowledging "that our efforts have fallen short" and vowing to address the problems, the authors note. "We understand the frustration of individuals who attempted to utilize the District's vaccination appointment portal this week," they said. "We are committed to address technical issues so that the vaccination appointment portal is properly functional and accessible." Reference Link