Morgan Stanley is reportedly leading the offering and Goldman Sachs Group is also involved. The firm could reportedly go public before the end of the year. (The Wall Street Journal)

Talking point: Airbnb was initially planning to file IPO paperwork in March, but held off after the imposition of pandemic-related restrictions on travel and short-term rentals. The firm secured emergency financing at an US$18-billion valuation, a steep drop from its prior US$31 billion. It also laid off a quarter of its staff. Bookings on the platform have since rebounded, though, hitting over one million on July 8—the same level it had been at on March 3. Financial success isn’t the only thing driving a potential listing. CEO Brian Chesky has said for years that Airbnb would list in 2020 before employees’ stock options expire. The filing of paperwork suggests Airbnb is pursuing a conventional listing as opposed to the direct listing it had previously explored.