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Google, Tencent agree to share patents in global tech alliance

Bloomberg Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Tencent Holdings Ltd. have agreed to share patents covering a range of products and technologies, an alliance between two of the world’s largest corporations. The cross-licensing deal comes with an understanding that the search giant and Tencent—the world’s second largest and fifth largest company, respectively—will team up on developing future technologies. The agreement may smooth ...

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Modi’s home-for-all pledge may become India subprime problem

Bloomberg India’s $207 billion bad loan pile could get worse. Delinquencies are rising in the affordable housing sector, a pet project for Prime Minister Narendra Modi that’s touted as a main growth driver for Asia’s third-largest economy. Most of these were loans below 200,000 rupees ($3,100) made to some of the poorest Indians, whose incomes are now under threat as ...

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Hong Kong targets tighter scrutiny of listed firms’ auditors

Bloomberg Hong Kong, which has faced a slew of criticism on company financial reporting, is set to create a new framework to oversee auditors of listed entities in the city. Proposed legislation will boost the Financial Reporting Council by giving it the independence to investigate and discipline auditors, according to a statement. It will also empower the FRC to oversee ...

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Cinedigm rises on ‘film release’ deal

Bloomberg Cinedigm Corp., a digital distributor of movies and other programming, jumped the most in three months after striking a deal to release films online and in theatres in China. The agreement with Starrise Media Holdings Ltd., a former textile company that entered the media business two years ago, sent shares up as much as 14 percent. The agreement also ...

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Kuwait to join Gulf bond rush with plans for dollar sale

Bloomberg Kuwait is weighing plans to sell dollar-denominated bonds, according to people familiar with the matter, joining other Gulf Cooperation Council states also said to be considering sales. Officials from the oil-rich Gulf nation have held talks with banks about the possibility of a sale as soon as the first quarter, two of the people said, asking not to be ...

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Florida waters still being considered for oil drilling

Bloomberg Despite Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s January 9 declaration that Florida is “off the table” for offshore oil drilling, that activity is actually still on the table. The acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management made clear that Zinke’s decision, announced on Twitter and described to reporters in the Tallahassee airport, doesn’t stop a formal process of considering ...

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Iraq’s Kurdish gas project gets boost amid political tumult

Bloomberg Plans to export natural gas from Iraqi Kurdistan got a boost after reserves were upgraded at two key fields. Yet successful development still hinges on the region’s turbulent politics. The Miran and Bina Bawi deposits hold 14.8 trillion cubic feet of contingent gas resources, explorer Genel Energy Plc said in a statement after an audit was carried out by ...

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China’s oil production shrinks as dirty skies turn cash towards gas

Bloomberg China’s crude oil production will likely extend its slide into a third year as state-run giants focus on pumping natural gas to meet President Xi Jinping’s drive to use more of the cleaner-burning fuel. China, which last year overtook the US as the world’s top oil importer, will see the pace of crude output declines from its old, high-cost ...

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‘UK must stay in customs union with EU’

Bloomberg The UK should ensure it stays in a close and comprehensive customs agreement with the European Union, providing tariff-free trade in all goods after Brexit, according to the leader of a major business group. Remaining in a customs union with the EU will be far more valuable than striking trade deals elsewhere, Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation ...

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Uber completes sales of $9.3bn in stock with SoftBank

Bloomberg Uber Technologies Inc. completed its deal with SoftBank Group Corp., triggering a slate of governance reforms at the ride-hailing company. Uber shareholders sold about $8 billion at a discounted price to a group of investors led by SoftBank, making the Japanese conglomerate the largest shareholder. SoftBank also invested $1.25 billion directly into Uber at a valuation of about $70 ...

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