Bloomberg General Motors Co. said it intends to file its South Korean unit for bankruptcy if its labor union fails to agree on a restructuring plan that needs to be outlined within the next four weeks, putting pressure on employees and the government to help it stay afloat in the country. Barry Engle, GM’s international chief, told union leaders that ...
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Japanese commercial land prices increase by most in a decade
Bloomberg Commercial land prices in Japan rose by the most in a decade last year, thanks to a years-long tourism boom and ultra-low lending rates. The average price of commercial land nationwide rose 1.9 percent, the most since 2008, the land ministry said. The average price outside the three biggest metropolitan areas rose 0.5 percent—the first gain in 26 years. ...
Read More »UK employers concerned about Brexit migration restrictions
Bloomberg British employers have become reliant on European Union workers and are concerned about restrictions after Britain leaves the bloc next year, according to a government-commissioned study published. “Employers were fearful about what the future migration system might be,†the Migration Advisory Committee said in an interim report. “Many employers in lower-skilled sectors have built a business model in which ...
Read More »Glaxo in $13 billion push as Novartis bets on new drugs
Bloomberg The new bosses of two of Europe’s largest drugmakers are pivoting in different directions, with GlaxoSmithKline Plc doubling down on consumer health as Novartis AG focusses on finding new prescription medicines. Glaxo CEO Emma Walmsley’s $13 billion deal for Novartis’s stake in a joint venture that includes Panadol pain relievers and Theraflu cold medicine comes only days after the ...
Read More »BMW plans car-subscription pilot in Nashville
Bloomberg BMW AG will begin a car-subscription pilot in Tennessee next week, joining the ranks of automakers experimenting with new ownership models as ride hailing and smartphones upend traditional auto retailing. The service, called Access by BMW, will be offered by a local BMW dealership in Nashville starting from April 2, according to a person familiar with the company’s plans ...
Read More »Facebook: Zuckerberg won’t testify to British lawmakers
Bloomberg Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said he will not appear before a UK parliamentary committee to give evidence in the wake of allegations that information on millions of its users was misused. Damian Collins, the head of the committee that is also investigating the impact of social media on recent elections, had invited Zuckerberg to answer for a ...
Read More »Rift opens between Germany, France over US steel tariffs
Bloomberg Germany is willing to offer the US concessions to stop President Donald Trump from slapping tariffs on European steel and aluminum, exposing a divide with France on how to avert a trade war. Germany is ready to discuss with the European Union in every respect measures to counter the US threat to impose tariffs, according to a government official ...
Read More »Not everyone will lose in US-China trade war
Economists like to say that no one wins in a trade war. We may soon find out if they’re right. Only hours after US President Donald Trump said he would slap tariffs on a range of Chinese products, China imposed punitive duties on some imports from the US in retaliation for previously announced US tariffs on steel and aluminum. And ...
Read More »India should learn from China’s bond market
India has much to learn from the opening of China’s onshore bond market. Last year, Beijing allowed overseas investors to access local-currency securities via its so-called Bond Connect. On Friday, Bloomberg LP announced the inclusion of Chinese government and policy-bank debt in the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index. Over a 20-month period starting in April next year, as many as ...
Read More »Just what Warren Buffett needs, more cash for the pile
For Warren Buffett, when it rains, it pours — money, that is. The billionaire investor is grappling with an excessive cash buildup at his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and fewer acquisition opportunities to spend it on. The last thing he would seem to need is more cash. So it’s more than a little ironic that as Buffett searches up and down ...
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