Bloomberg Nestle, the world’s largest food company, on Thursday reported a 9.1 percent fall in profits through the first six months of 2016, but said its sluggish performance should be reversed in a strong second half. The firm posted 4.1 billion Swiss francs ($4.3 billion, 3.9 billion euros) in profits through the first half of the year, a step …

Bloomberg Wal-Mart Stores Inc. increased its annual earnings forecast after second-quarter results topped analysts’ estimates, a sign the world’s largest retailer is pulling business away from rivals such as Target Corp. Sales at U.S. Wal-Mart stores open more than 12 months rose 1.6 percent last quarter, which ended July 31, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said in a statement Thursday. The …

AFP Singapore Telecom said on Thursday it will spend $1.8 billion to take a stake in Thailand’s Intouch and raise its share of India’s Bharti, boosting its access to fast-growing Asian and African mobile markets. SingTel, Southeast Asia’s biggest telecom group by revenue, will acquire 21 percent of Intouch and an additional 7.39 percent in Bharti Telecom from state-linked investment …