International News

Bloomberg As Covid-19 business disruptions continued to mount through April, more top executives grew worried about corporate liquidity and long term survival, according to surveys conducted by the consultancy firm West Monroe. “The fear is that as businesses are forced to alter their operations overnight, they take drastic measures, cease communications, and go dark on suppliers and vendors,”said Kevin McCarty, ...

Bloomberg Some of London’s most influential investors are giving UK companies extra time to find new board members because of the coronavirus crisis, potentially offering a group of long-standing chairmen an unexpected extension to their careers. Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) will allow London-listed companies an additional 12 months to replace directors coming to the end of their recommended ...

Bloomberg National Public Radio (NPR) is cutting pay and benefits in a bid to “save jobs and support the future of NPR” after the coronavirus pandemic ballooned its projected losses to as much as $53 million over the next two years. Employees’ base pay will be reduced on a sliding scale of up to 9% through Sept. 30 and workers ...

Bloomberg Blackstone Group Inc’s talks about a potential investment in Chinese property developer Soho China Ltd have stalled, people with knowledge of the matter said. The private equity firm’s discussions are no longer progressing after the coronavirus outbreak made it difficult to assess the developer’s business outlook, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is ...

Bloomberg Factory output across several Asian countries slumped to record lows in April, signaling a deeper contraction in the world’s manufacturing hub even as China begins restarting some operations. Purchasing managers indexes across Southeast Asia slumped further below 50, the dividing line between contraction and expansion, to post their weakest readings since the series began, according to data released by ...

Bloomberg Sugar mills in Indonesia called on consumers to reduce consumption after shortages pushed retail prices to the highest in almost four years. Their plea comes as the world’s top sugar buyer faces challenges importing the sweetener due to tight global supplies and countries’ restrictions to prevent spread of virus, said Yadi Yusriyadi, senior adviser at Indonesian Sugar Association.

Bloomberg Leyou Technologies Holdings Ltd has received a new non-binding takeover offer from a Shenzhen-listed rival gaming firm, according to people familiar with the matter. Zhejiang Century Huatong Group Co and Leyou’s controlling shareholder Charles Yuk are in talks after signing a memorandum of understanding, the people said. Century Huatong will likely kick off due diligence soon, said the people, ...

Bloomberg The trial of Malaysia’s former leader Najib Razak for his alleged role in 1MDB will resume next week as the country relaxes its lockdown. All relevant parties including Najib have been told to attend court on May 13, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib. The country allowed nearly all sectors of the economy to reopen starting on Monday ...

Bloomberg Hong Kong’s downturn is now the worst on record, extending the first recession seen in a decade as the coronavirus outbreak further battered an economy already weakened by political unrest. The city’s economy contracted 8.9% in the first quarter from year-ago levels, according to advance government data. The decline surpasses the previous record of -8.3% in the third quarter ...

Bloomberg European manufacturing will take a long time to overcome the damage caused by the coronavirus, after suffering an unprecedented slump in April. In its monthly report on factories, IHS Markit said the recovery from shutdowns will be “frustratingly slow.” With economies still not running at full speed for some time, that means businesses and jobs will remain under threat. ...