As it heads into a major leadership transition, China is attempting a strange breed of corporate reform. Rather than privatizing state-owned enterprises outright, the government is testing whether selling minority stakes to private investors may improve their performance. Meanwhile, state companies are busy revising their governing laws to give the Communist Party more control over management. The goals of these ...

Bloomberg US stocks added to records as consumer-focussed shares led gains amid data showing a surge in the American services sector. The dollar and Treasuries edged lower amid speculation over a new Federal Reserve chair. The S&P 500 Index added to records for the seventh day. Carmakers, producers of household products and food retailers led gains after services industries rose ...

Reuters Qatar’s stock index sank to a five-year low on Wednesday as foreign funds continued to sell ahead of third-quarter corporate earnings, while banks in Egypt were hit by news that the central bank would raise the required reserve ratio. The Qatari index lost 1.6 percent in thin trade, bringing its losses since four other Arab states broke off ties ...