Bloomberg The International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded its outlook for the coronavirus-ravaged world economy, projecting a significantly deeper recession and slower recovery than it anticipated just two months ago. The fund said it now expects global gross domestic product to shrink 4.9% this year, more than the 3% predicted in April. For 2021, the fund sees growth of 5.4%, down ...
Read More »Blog Layout
Wirecard files for insolvency after $2.1b went missing
Bloomberg Wirecard AG filed for insolvency proceedings after a massive accounting scandal brought the payments company to its knees. Wirecard management cited over-indebtedness as the reason behind decision to seek court protection in Munich. The company also said it’s considering whether the insolvency proceedings should also be applied to its subsidiaries. The company’s rapid fall from grace comes after it ...
Read More »Royal Mail slashes 2,000 jobs as virus hits demand
Bloomberg Royal Mail Plc said it will cut around 2,000 management posts, or about 20% of the total, in a bid to streamline the business after the coronavirus outbreak accelerated a decline in letter volumes. Britain’s 500-year-old postal service plans to reduce costs by 500 million pounds ($620 million) over the next two years by paring labour expenses and reining ...
Read More »France outlines virus layoffs that could run for two years
Bloomberg French President Emmanuel Macron is planning a new virus furlough program that could see the state covering a large share of lost incomes for as long as two years to protect jobs. Macron outlined new measure in a meeting with labour unions and business groups. Starting July 1, it aims for a compromise between blanket support and more targeted ...
Read More »European car sales forecast to drop by 25%
Bloomberg European car sales are forecast to drop by a record 25% this year after coronavirus pandemic shuttered factories ad showrooms, leading to a collapse in demand. Sales in the European Union are expected to fall to 9.6 million vehicles, from 12.8 million last year, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said in its first forecast since January, before Covid-19 hit ...
Read More »Bayer pays $12bn to put Monsanto liabilities behind it
Bloomberg Bayer AG’s $12.1 billion settlement to resolve US lawsuits over its flagship weedkiller Roundup and other products offered fleeting relief to investors looking to move on from the legal woes that have hobbled the stock for almost two years. The shares rose as much as 3.6% in Frankfurt trading after the German company’s move to resolve a trio of ...
Read More »US futures decline on virus worry; dollar fluctuates
Bloomberg US equity futures slipped, while European stocks advanced as investors studied whether a resurgence in coronavirus infections will sap appetite for riskier assets. EasyJet Plc slumped after selling more shares. Deutsche Lufthansa AG rallied as its biggest stockholder backed a government rescue package. West Texas crude oil fell below $38 a barrel. Gold continued its push towards $1,800 an ...
Read More »India stocks drop in volatile trading
Bloomberg Indian stocks declined in volatile trading as investors weighed the worsening economic outlook with the novel coronavirus continuing to spread. The S&P BSE Sensex fell 0.5% to 34,695.76 in Mumbai, while the NSE Nifty 50 Index dropped 0.4% after both gauges earlier erased losses to gain as much as 0.5%. The measures are both set for their best quarter ...
Read More »Covid-19: UAE launches world’s first phase III clinical trial of vaccine
Abu Dhabi / WAM Following a ceremony via video conference between Abu Dhabi and Beijing, health authorities from the UAE have announced the commencement of the world’s first phase III clinical trial of a Covid-19 inactivated vaccine. Inspired by the UAE Leadership’s vision and commitment to overcome the pandemic through a global collaborative effort, a clinical cooperation agreement was signed ...
Read More »Oil declines near $40 with rising inventories, dollar
Bloomberg Oil fell in New York after an industry report signalled another increase in US crude stockpiles, while the spread of the coronavirus continued to cloud prospects for an economic recovery. Futures dropped 1.6%, extending the decline after settling at the highest since early March on Monday. The American Petroleum Institute reported that inventories rose by 1.75 million barrels last ...
Read More »