News

  Bloomberg Makeblock Co., a Chinese maker of DIY robotics parts, is seeking to raise funding at a $200 million valuation as the Sequoia Capital-backed startup expands into classrooms and hobbyist’s workshops globally, people familiar with the matter said. The Shenzhen-based company us seeking to raise about 200 million yuan ($29 million) in a series B round, the people said, ...

  Bloomberg Douyu, the live-streaming service backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. that’s been compared to Amazon’s Twitch, is in talks to raise a billion yuan ($145 million) in funds at a valuation of about $1.2 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. The three-year-old company, whose name means “fighting fish,” needs capital to expand beyond games-streaming and fend ...

  Bloomberg Japan posted a bigger-than-forecast trade deficit in January as auto exports declined and energy import costs increased. Economists cautioned against reading the single month’s figures negatively, noting that global demand should support Japan exports this year. Exports rose 1.3 percent from a year earlier (versus +5 percent estimate). Imports climbed for the first time in two years, by ...

  Bloomberg Oasis Management Co.’s Seth Fischer increased his pressure on Panasonic Corp. to sweeten its offer for listed subsidiary PanaHome Corp., calling the transaction a test case of whether Japan’s corporate governance overhaul is working. Oasis will ask the courts to rule on whether the price is fair if shareholders approve the deal on current terms, Fischer said in ...

  Bloomberg The half of Russia’s economy that hasn’t got wind of a recovery is already hunkering down for the crisis to come. Once indispensable for the country’s prospects, consumption flat-lined well below zero throughout last year even as the broader economy defied gloom. From the ruble to industrial output and wages, Russia is on the up and up. But ...

  Bloomberg A senior Toyota Motor Corp. executive is urging the federal government to keep states from setting their own autonomous vehicle rules, something carmakers say could threaten the emerging industry with a patchwork of contradictory regulations. “A clear and unequivocal statutory or regulatory prohibition on states regulating vehicle performance of autonomous vehicle technology would help to halt or prevent ...

  Bloomberg Thailand’s economy grew at the slowest pace in a year last quarter as private consumption moderated. Gross domestic product expanded 3 percent from a year earlier, the National Economic and Social Development Board said in Bangkok on Monday. That is the slowest in a year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The median estimate of 20 economists surveyed ...

  Bloomberg Hong Kong Disneyland posted a wider annual loss on Monday as attendance by mainland Chinese tourists dropped amid a softer tourism market. The park said it lost 171 million Hong Kong dollars ($22 million) on revenue of HK$4.8 billion for its most recent financial year, which ended October 3. Some 6.1 million people visited the park last year. ...

  Bloomberg As Singapore’s stock market continues to rally, an often overlooked sector is getting a boost. The city-state’s listed restaurants have outperformed regional and global peers as dining out drives shares higher. These companies may be steady defensive businesses with consistent margins, said Gregory Yap, an analyst at Maybank Kim Eng. The Straits Times Index has surged 7.9% this ...

  Bloomberg Kraft Heinz Co.’s $143 billion bid for Unilever NV collapsed just two days after it became public knowledge, with the adamance of the Anglo-Dutch target’s rejection said to play into billionaire Warren Buffett’s longtime aversion to hostile deals. Unilever shares fell as much as 7.9 percent in early trading in London on Monday, reversing some of their gain ...