Bloomberg SoftBank Group Corp. is in talks to invest about $1.4 billion in India’s One97 Communications Ltd. in a deal that would value the owner of the country’s largest digital-payments provider at about $7 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The deal is not yet finalized and the terms may yet change, said the people, asking not …
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Bloomberg A directive requiring US pipeline companies to use American steel and iron in their projects is testing President Donald Trump’s ability to keep his promises to two industries on opposing sides of the issue. In comments to the US Department of Commerce, which is crafting the so-called “Buy American†plan, pipeline companies and their trade groups argued the …
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Bloomberg UK manufacturing unexpectedly grew at the fastest pace in three years in April as the domestic market strengthened and the pound’s depreciation boosted exports. A measure of factory conditions rose to 57.3 from 54.2 in March, according to IHS Markit’s Purchasing Managers’ Index. That’s far better than the 54 forecast by economists in a Bloomberg survey and above …
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Bloomberg India’s Infosys Ltd. said it plans to hire 10,000 Americans in the next two years, following criticism from the Trump administration that the company and other outsourcing firms are unfairly taking jobs away from US workers. Infosys, which employs about 200,000 people around the world, will expand its local hiring in the US while adding four hubs to …
Read More »Bloomberg Euro-area factories expanded output at the fastest pace since 2011 as the currency bloc’s economy continued to gather momentum. A gauge of manufacturing activity rose to 56.7 in April from 56.2 the previous month, IHS Markit reported. An April 21 preliminary estimate was for an increase to 56.8. With the European Central Bank showing little hurry to end …
Read More »Bloomberg Italy’s unemployment rate unexpectedly increased in March as the number of people looking for a job rose and the pace of economic growth could not satisfy their demand. Joblessness climbed to 11.7 percent from 11.5 percent in February, statistics agency Istat said in Rome. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of 12 analysts called for a reading …
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ABU DHABI / WAM The statistics by the UAE Central Bank affirmed improved operating efficiency, with public sector deposits up by AED23.8 billion at the end of Q1 2017, while the private sector deposits stood at AED17.6 billion over the same period, bringing to AED41.4 billion ($11.27bn) the two sectors’ total deposits. Credits offered to the trade and industrial …
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Dubai / Agencies The estimated value of the building and construction industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is expected to surge to US$336 billion by the year 2020, according to recent business reports. Thermal insulation technologies provide efficient solutions conducive to increasing the value of the industry in MENA from $235 billion in 2016 to …
Read More »ABU DHABI / AGENCIES First Abu Dhabi Bank is “seriously studying†expanding into Saudi Arabia, either through acquisitions or a new license, its chief executive officer told Al Khaleej newspaper. All opportunities for local and foreign acquisitions are open to the bank, Abdulhamid Saeed, said in an interview with the Arabic daily. First Abu Dhabi Bank was created with …
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SHARJAH / WAM Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has released details of the key themes of the Euromoney Emirates Conference to be held on May 8-9 at the Sheraton Sharjah Hotel, under the theme ‘Finance and Investment for an Innovative Economy’. Held under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamad bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy …
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