Bloomberg Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond received a pre-budget boost as Britain posted the biggest surplus for any January since at least 2001. The 9.4 billion-pound ($11.7 billion) surplus compared with 9.1 billion pounds a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday. Revenue rose 5.3 percent and spending increased 5.4 percent. The figures are restated going …

  Bloomberg Air France pilots approved the carrier’s plan to carve out a new, lower-cost business to counter increasing pressure from rivals, marking a rare agreement with workers after years of contentious labor relations at the carrier. Flight-deck employees represented by the SNPL union, who account for two-thirds of pilots at the French arm of Air France-KLM Group, voted 58.1 …

  BENTONVILLE / AP Wal-Mart says fourth-quarter earnings fell nearly 18 percent, hurt by its investments in e-commerce and stores. But the world’s largest retailer saw its U.S. business accelerate during the period that covers the holiday shopping season. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said on Tuesday it earned $3.76 billion, or $1.22 per share in the three months ended Jan. …