AFP Philippine food giant Universal Robina Corp said Wednesday it would buy Snack Brands Australia for US$460 million, the latest big deal in a global shopping spree by Filipino firms reflecting the nation’s economic rise. URC said it had sealed an agreement to buy the Australian company — maker of popular local brands including Kettles, Thins, CC’s and Cheezels …

  Bloomberg ABN Amro Group NV jumped the most in almost six months after second-quarter profit beat estimates and Chief Executive Officer Gerrit Zalm announced plans to cut costs by about 200 million euros ($225 million). Underlying net income climbed 10 percent to 662 million euros from a year earlier, the Amsterdam-based bank said in a statement on Wednesday. That …

  BLoomberg Citigroup Inc. hired Gavin Michael from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to oversee technology for its consumer bank. Michael replaces Mark Torkos, who retired in July, New York-based Citigroup said Tuesday in an e-mailed statement. He starts Nov. 14 and will report to Stephen Bird, chief executive officer of the global consumer bank, according to the statement. Michael, who …