International News

Qualcomm’s sweetened offer for NXP prompts Broadcom rebuke

Bloomberg Qualcomm Inc. raised its offer for NXP Semiconductors NV and cut a deal with investors who had been threatening to hold up the transaction— prompting a sharp response from its own hostile suitor Broadcom Ltd. Qualcomm’s sweetened offer of $127.50 a share—16 percent more than the previous price—was enough to secure support from holders, including activist Elliott Management Corp., ...

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Wages in UK pick up as fewer eastern EU workers fill jobs

Bloomberg UK pay is picking up after employment among citizens of the eastern countries that joined the European Union more than a decade ago fell for the first time since 2009. Average weekly earnings excluding bonuses rose 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, the most since December 2016, the Office for National Statistics said. The overall ...

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‘Productivity to rise in US, Europe’

Bloomberg The era of anemic productivity growth may be coming to an end in the US and Europe. So says the research arm of consultation company McKinsey & Co. in a new 147-page report. It argues that productivity could expand at a 2 percent-plus annual clip over the coming decade versus the roughly 0.5 percent pace in recent years. “We ...

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May asks EU for flexible Brexit transition dates

Bloomberg UK PM Theresa May is asking the European Union for flexibility on the length of the Brexit transition period with just over a year before the country leaves the bloc. The UK has said it wants an implementation period to last around two years, while the European Union has stipulated an end date of December 31, 2020. But the ...

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‘US companies upbeat about world economy’

Bloomberg American business confidence in the world economy has surged, adding to an uptick in overall optimism as US tax cuts and looser regulation improve the outlook for domestic growth, according to a new study. Some 69 percent of leaders from mid-size companies across the US said they were optimistic about the global economy this year, more than double the ...

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Uber CEO’s Asia trip underscores its persistent global ambitions

Bloomberg Uber Technologies Inc. isn’t ready to give up the world. Dara Khosrowshahi, in his first trip to Asia since becoming chief executive officer, made it clear that the ride-hailing company isn’t about to scale back its business to just countries where it already has a strong market position. During his first stop in Japan, he said he’s willing to ...

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Arcelor, VTB hit snag pursuing $6 billion Indian steelmaker

Bloomberg ArcelorMittal and Russia’s state-controlled VTB Group have hit a fresh snag in their pursuit of Essar Steel India Ltd., an insolvent producer that could fetch at least $6 billion. Advisers evaluating the offers for Essar Steel are recommending that all the bids be disqualified, according to people with knowledge of the matter. A committee of Essar Steel lenders will ...

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Toyota halves rare earth use for cheaper electric motor

Bloomberg Toyota Motor Corp. is readying electric motors that include as much as 50 percent less in rare earths amid concern of a supply crunch as automakers race to expand their electric-vehicle lineups. Asia’s biggest carmaker has developed a magnet for the motors that as much as halves the use of a rare earth called neodymium and eliminates the use ...

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India’s IT firms expect continued growth

Bloomberg India’s software services industry expects growth of as much as 9 percent in fiscal 2019 as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and its peers strengthen automation and adapt to the rapid onset of digital technologies. Sales will rise 7 to 9 percent in constant currency terms in the fiscal year ending in March 2019, the National Association of Software and ...

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‘Singapore home tax hike not a market cooling move’

Bloomberg Singapore’s tax increase on home purchases exceeding S$1 million ($758,960) is aimed at making duties more equitable rather than imposing an additional property curb, said S. Iswaran, minister of trade and industry. Stamp duty on the portion of a property’s price above S$1 million will be raised starting from Tuesday to 4 percent from 3 percent, the government said ...

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