Bloomberg Whitbread Plc, the owner of Premier Inn hotels, reported a 12 percent increase in full-year earnings, exceeding analysts’ estimates, fueled by its Costa Coffee chain. Full-year underlying pretax profit rose to 546 million pounds ($792 million), Whitbread said in a statement on Tuesday. The median analyst estimate was for 539 million pounds. “Premier Inn and Costa benefit from …

  Bloomberg Alibaba has found favour again with US investors, rebounding from its February low. But the company still can’t buy love in Hong Kong, where it first planned to list before departing for a New York float. The latest battle: Hong Kong’s takeover panel, part of the Securities and Futures Commission, ruled on Tuesday that while it won’t punish …

  Beijing / AP Automakers are showcasing a new generation of luxurious SUVs at China’s biggest auto show of the year as they battle for buyers in the country’s cooling, crowded market. Honda Motor Co. held world debuts Monday for two SUVs, reflecting China’s high profile in the global industry. Ford, Volkswagen, General Motors and China’s Chery also displayed new …