Bloomberg Two of Europe’s biggest consumer-goods companies signalled a slowdown in China, whose consumers have driven global demand for everything from baby formula food to shampoo. Nestle SA said sales in the country were flat for the first nine months, while Unilever said business there “slowed a little” in the latest period. Nestle shares fell as much as 1.6% in …

Bloomberg Interest rate cuts are supporting Australia’s economy and housing market, Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe said. “The economy has been through a very soft patch over the past year but it is actually gradually improving, the lower interest rates are working,” Lowe said during a panel event at the International Monetary Fund’s annual meetings in Washington. Highlighting an upswing …

Bloomberg Incoming European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said central banks best operate in a regime of independence and President Donald Trump shouldn’t interfere with the US Federal Reserve. “Market stability should not be the subject of a tweet here or a tweet there,” Lagarde said in an interview with CBS ‘60 Minutes’ correspondent John Dickerson. It requires thought …