Bloomberg Bonds that are supposed to make banks stronger may end up causing another crisis. The 178.6 billion euros ($222 billion) of notes that are meant to absorb losses at European banks — while keeping them a going concern — have gone largely untested. Actually triggering these contingent convertible notes, or CoCos, could spook investors and destabilise other lenders, especially …

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc. is taking aim at France, securing a delivery deal with Casino Guichard Perrachon SA that shakes up one of Europe’s most competitive grocery markets. Groceries from Casino’s Monoprix stores will be sold via Amazon’s Prime Now service in Paris and the surrounding region, the companies said. The move comes as Amazon pushes further into food in Europe …

Bloomberg Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB said it’s increasing markdowns this quarter after accumulating a record pile of unsold garments worth more than $4 billion. Operating profit fell 62 percent to the lowest level in 16 years as inventory rose to 17.6 percent of sales in the first quarter. The stock slumped to the lowest in almost a …

Bloomberg Airlines are coming under UK government pressure to disclose more information about the hundreds of pounds worth of extra fees that travellers can rack up after they book flights. The UK’s Department for Transport intends to release an aviation policy on the charges, which can cover changing a passenger’s name or reissuing boarding cards, Aviation Minister Elizabeth Sugg said …

Bloomberg Boeing Co. is heading for its biggest monthly decline in two years as US-China tensions over tariffs threaten a wider trade war that would stifle demand for its airliners. President Donald Trump’s plan for sweeping duties against China triggered retaliation by the Asian nation, heightening uncertainty for Boeing, which is poised to generate a torrent of cash from a …

Dubai / WAM Dubai Land Department (DLD) has confirmed that the Dubai Property Festival (DPF), which will be held from April 9-11 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will contribute to stimulating sales and purchases in the Emirate’s real estate market. DPF coincides with a series of other international events aimed at attracting investment in the UAE. The event is …

BEIJING / Reuters China’s crude futures kicked off to a roaring start on Monday as western traders and Chinese majors eagerly traded the world’s newest financial oil instrument, which many expect to become a third global price benchmark alongside Brent and WTI crude. Global commodity trader and miner Glencore, and big merchants Trafigura, Freepoint Commodities and Mercuria were among the …

BEIJING / Reuters Russia kept its spot as the largest crude oil supplier to China in February, data showed, a role it held in January and for the past two years on an annual basis. Russia supplied 5.052 million tonnes, or 1.32 million barrels per day (bpd) last month, up 17.8 percent from a year earlier, data from the Chinese …

Bloomberg Norway’s oil industry has one more thing to worry about. After an unprecedented lawsuit against Arctic drilling, environmentalists have launched a new legal battle to challenge a tax incentive that’s been a cornerstone of the country’s policy to stimulate oil exploration. The move comes at a bad time for Norway, which needs to step up the search for new …

Bloomberg Vitol Group, the world’s biggest independent oil trader, suffered a 25 percent drop in annual profit as income from assets sales failed to offset weaker trading results. Net income fell to $1.5 billion in 2017, from $2 billion the year before, according to a person familiar with Vitol’s results. The energy-trading environment has deteriorated as output curbs by OPEC …