Abu Dhabi / WAM Renewable energy continues to bring socio-economic benefits by creating numerous jobs worldwide, according to the latest figures released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena). The seventh edition of Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review shows that jobs in the sector reached 11.5 million globally last year, led by solar PV with some 3.8 million ...

Bloomberg Octopus Energy, the UK green power provider, bought US startup Evolve Energy as part of a $100 million push into the American market. The company hopes to attract millions of customers as it gets a foothold in the Texas market. It’s the latest step in Octopus’s plan to expand globally, driving down consumer prices with low-cost renewable power. Evolve ...

Bloomberg Royal Dutch Shell Plc will cut as many as 9,000 jobs as crude’s crash forces billions of dollars in cost savings and the oil and gas giant overhauls its business to embrace clean energy. The move reflects the challenge facing Big Oil as the virus pandemic persists, with some in the industry believing the era of demand growth is ...

Bloomberg The Swiss National Bank (SNB) spent 90 billion francs ($98 billion) on interventions in the first half of 2020, the most in years, amid a market rout in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. The SNB was forced to step up its battle against the strong franc as investors drove the haven currency to the strongest level in ...

Bloomberg Taiwanese banks’ contributions to offshore loans for mainland Chinese firms fell to their lowest levels in at least 10 years as lenders turn increasingly anxious to limit their credit exposure to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and rising political tensions. The share of Taiwanese financial institutions in China’s offshore syndicated and club loans tumbled to the lowest ...

Bloomberg While most global banks say they’re gearing up for a shift from Libor, concerns persist about lawsuits if borrowers reach a cliff-edge scenario, according to Moody’s Investors Service. Banks’ clients are lagging in their effort to prepare for Libor’s exit and this could come back to haunt lenders, Vice President Olivier Panis said in an interview. Financial institutions risk ...

Bloomberg Gold buying by central banks, an important driver of bullion’s advance in recent years, is forecast to pick up in 2021 after a slowdown this year. Citigroup Inc. sees demand from the official sector rising to about 450 tons after a drop to 375 tons this year, which would be the lowest in a decade. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. ...

Bloomberg European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said it’s worth examining a Federal Reserve-style strategy that allows for inflation to temporarily rise above the institution’s target. A policy under of committing to make up for low inflation after missing the goal for a while “could be examined,” as part of the institution’s strategic review, Lagarde said at a conference ...

Bloomberg The Philippine central bank said it will ban from the industry former bank employees who allegedly falsified documents for German payments company Wirecard AG. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is adding the former bankers to a list of persons disqualified from becoming directors or officers at any supervised financial institution, it said in an email. Wirecard filed for bankruptcy in ...

Bloomberg US equity-index futures dropped alongside most stock markets after an acrimonious American presidential debate highlighted the risk of a contested vote in November. A gauge of the dollar edged higher. S&P 500 futures fall as much as 1.3% in the hours after the chaotic sparring between Donald Trump and Democratic hopeful Joe Biden during which the president suggested vote-by-mail ...