Beijing / AFP One of the disinflationary pressures that’s gripped the global economy for the past five years is abating. China’s factory gate prices — falling since the start of 2012 — turned positive in September, squeaking out an increase of 0.1 percent from a year earlier. Given China’s status as factory to the world, that means prices of …

  Bloomberg Essar Group, controlled by India’s billionaire Ruia brothers, signed binding agreements to sell a combined 98 percent stake in its refinery unit to Russian energy giant Rosneft PJSC and a consortium of Trafigura and United Capital Partners. The Indian conglomerate agreed to sell 49 percent each of Essar Oil Ltd. to Rosneft and the consortium for an enterprise …

  BLOOMBERG Steinhoff International Holdings NV agreed to buy Fantastic Holdings Ltd. of Australia for A$361.4 million ($275 million) as the South African retailer seeks to expand its footprint in the southern hemisphere. The company offered A$3.50 a share in cash, a 43 percent premium to Thursday’s closing share price, Fantastic Holdings said in a statement on Friday. The deal …