Bloomberg UBS AG brought forward its forecast for the next UK interest-rate increase, though it also sounded a warning bell about such a move. Bank of England policy makers will raise their benchmark by 25 points at their May meeting, strategist John Wraith wrote in a report dated January 31. In forecasts published after the BOE’s November rate hike, UBS ...

Bloomberg Czech policy makers raised borrowing costs for the third time in six months to cool one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies and unveiled a hotly anticipated outlook predicting a surge in the currency. The Czech National Bank’s board voted unanimously to increase the benchmark interest rate a quarter point to 0.75 percent, Governor Jiri Rusnok said. The fresh forecasts, which ...

Bloomberg Bank of New York Mellon Corp. and State Street Corp. stand to benefit most as US regulators rush to ease a key leverage rule, giving the custody-banking giants room to once again accept deposits they’ve shunned in recent years. The Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency may unveil a proposal to ease the leverage ...

Bloomberg Macquarie Group Ltd. is teaming up with a New York-based venture firm to spot the next big thing in energy and infrastructure innovation. The Australian bank will provide specialist knowledge and possibly financial backing for the project with R/GA Ventures, according to a statement. Macquarie’s New York-based program will help develop so-called infratech companies, which typically feature technology and ...

Bloomberg Danske Bank A/S hired 2,700 people last year as part of a strategy it says will help it cope with the digital age. In an industry relying increasingly on robots, adding headcount isn’t a given. Danske Chief Financial Officer Jacob Aarup-Andersen says management is building up its technology department, adding staff to areas such as the “customer experience.” Net ...

Bloomberg The European bank with the most capital relative to total assets is DNB ASA of Norway. That pedigree will make it easier to sell a new kind of senior debt that’s designed to absorb losses if issuers get into trouble, according to the bank. “We don’t think that will be a big challenge or problem for DNB due to ...

Bloomberg Whole Foods Market’s lower-priced offshoot chain, whose future was questioned after Amazon.com Inc. took control of the company in 2017, is cautiously plowing ahead. The business, known as 365 by Whole Foods Market, opened its latest store this week in Brooklyn—its first location on the East Coast. And the division is still signing leases and plans to open at ...

Bloomberg Alibaba Group Holding Ltd led a $300 million investment into India’s biggest online grocer Bigbasket, signaling that the region’s segment is firing up. Hari Menon, Bigbasket’s co-founder and chief executive officer, said the investment values the company at $950 million—just $50 million under the $1 billion valuation that would have earned it tech unicorn status. “We wanted a strategic ...

Bloomberg WestJet Airlines Ltd.’s new ultra-low-cost carrier plans to expand to southern locations in the US and Mexico in the second half after it launches with Canada service in June. WestJet is counting on its Swoop brand to fend off a new breed of bargain carriers such as Flair Airlines while the fledgling carrier attempts to take market share from ...

Bloomberg UK airlines’ practice of charging for assigned seats is being scrutinised by regulators amid concerns the policy—which adds as much as 390 million pounds ($550 million) to ticket prices a year—is confusing. An increase in the number of complaints by passengers travelling in groups who are forced to pay to sit together has prompted an examination of “whether consumers ...