Bloomberg Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd extended the suspension of its London-Hong Kong flights by almost seven months to late March due to “ongoing operational complexities” even as the Asian city gradually eases some of the world’s tightest Covid-19 restrictions and people start to travel once again. The UK-based airline intends to resume the service on March 26, rather than …

Bloomberg US social-media giants were poised to see more than $76 billion wiped off their stock-market values on Friday after disappointing revenue from Snap Inc raised concerns about the outlook for online advertising. The Snapchat parent plummeted as much as 30% in premarket trading. Meanwhile, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc falls 4.8%, Google owner Alphabet Inc declined 2.8%, Twitter Inc …

  Bloomberg US equity futures slipped in choppy trading as investors await the next batch of second-quarter earnings for clues on how well companies are coping with surging prices. Bonds extended an advance. Nasdaq 100 contracts fall 0.4%, while those on the S&P 500 ticked lower. The Stoxx 600 Index added 0.5%, poised for a weekly advance as investors shrugged …

  Bloomberg Gold rises, erasing its previous decline to the lowest level in 15 months, after the European Central Bank (ECB) raised rates by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points. European stocks and bonds slumped and the euro rose after the ECB joined global central banks in driving outsized rate increases to quell inflation. Bullion climbed back above $1,700 an ounce. The …

Bloomberg Oil declined as investors assessed signs of lackluster US gasoline demand and the return of supplies from Libya. West Texas Intermediate futures fall towards $95 a barrel. The slump came after a US report showed gasoline inventories rose more than expected last week, while stalling demand sent the motor fuel’s premium over crude plummeting. Further bearish signs emerged from …

  Bloomberg Russia began sending natural gas to Europe through the Nord Stream pipeline system after a pause, bringing relief to a continent whose economy is starting to wobble under the strain of reduced supplies. Shipments returned to 40% of capacity, their level before flows were halted for 10 days of planned maintenance, data from the pipeline operator showed. While …

  Bloomberg South Africa’s government wants to start accessing part of the $8.5 billion in climate financing pledged by some of the world’s richest nations in early 2023, the head of its negotiating team said. “That’s what we are aiming for and working towards,” Daniel Mminele, a former central banker governor who was appointed to head the talks for South …

  Bloomberg Elon Musk has called for more investment in global lithium refining to ease shortages in battery materials — and promised those who seize the opportunity it’s as lucrative as “basically minting money.” “I’d like to once again urge entrepreneurs to enter the lithium refining business. The mining is relatively easy, the refining is much harder,” Tesla Inc.’s Chief …

Bloomberg After emerging from a debilitating pilot strike, SAS AB now faces its next battle: convincing investors that it’s worth backing the Scandinavian airline’s $3 billion rescue plan. The carrier has just weeks to secure as much as $700 million in bridge loans to finance ongoing operations while it undergoes US Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, said Jacob Pedersen, an analyst …

  Bloomberg Embraer said the choice of engine provider for a proposed propeller-driven model has been whittled down to US-based Pratt & Whitney and its UK rival Rolls-Royce Holdings. The Brazilian planemaker is evaluating the proposals and will make a final decision on the supplier by the fourth quarter, Arjan Meijer, chief executive officer at its commercial aviation business, said …