Reuters Gulf stock markets were mixed on Wednesday with Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar’s second-largest bank by market value, pulling the Qatari stock index 0.2 percent lower. Shares in Masraf Al Rayan sank 2.7 percent after the bank reported a 9.6 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profit to 466 million riyals, below an average 562.5 million riyal forecast by Reuters analysts. ...

Bloomberg India is considering a plan to sell its ownership in Hindustan Petroleum Corp. (HPCL) to the nation’s biggest explorer at a premium of not more than 9 percent of the company’s six-month average share price as it seeks to reach a final agreement as early as January 31, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Capping the premium ...

Bloomberg WhatsApp rival Hike of India is introducing a version of Android that lets users message, make payments and access information without an active data connection, seeking to offer services to people who aren’t yet able to access the internet. The modified mobile software, called Total, will be available on four devices starting March, Hike said. People will be able ...