Bloomberg Telefonica SA and John Malone’s Liberty Global Plc have never been closer to finally creating the UK’s biggest telecom operator after flirting with various combinations over the years. Racing for a potential announcement as early as this week, talks hinge in part on striking equal control for the merger of O2 and Virgin Media, while structuring a deal that’ll ...

Bloomberg Canada officially entered a recession in the first quarter of 2020, according to the C.D. Howe Institute. Preliminary data for the first quarter showed a deep contraction in economic activity coupled with a weakening labour market. This was enough to suggest the country fell into a recession, the report said. The institute concluded that Canada hit the peak of ...

Bloomberg UK business confidence slumped the most on record last quarter as financial leaders said they see no quick recovery from the coronavirus downturn. On average, the 104 chief financial officers (CFOs) in Deloitte’s quarterly survey said they expect revenues this year to be more than a fifth lower than previously anticipated. Most said they do not see demand recovering ...

Bloomberg The UK risks failing to recruit the 50,000 customs agents the logistics industry says are needed before Britain’s final parting with the European Union, spelling potential chaos at the country’s busiest border. The coronavirus hampered efforts to train staff to handle the extra paperwork firms will need to complete after the UK exits the EU’s customs union at the ...

Bloomberg Ericsson AB, the communications equipment supplier, has started a sale process for Iconectiv, its US call routing unit, people familiar with the matter said. The telecom infrastructure company is working with an adviser on the potential divestment, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Bidders include several private equity firms, the people said. ...

Bloomberg Small businesses that struggled to get loans from a government pandemic relief program still don’t know how much they may have to repay after the government missed a deadline to give specific guidance. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) was supposed to clarify by April 26 how loans it approved as part of the Trump administration’s multitrillion-dollar coronavirus stimulus ...

Bloomberg US President Donald Trump promised a “conclusive” report on the Chinese origins of the coronavirus outbreak, showing relations between the world’s biggest economies are set to remain rocky at least until the next election six months from now. Trump pledged the report in a “virtual town hall” with Fox News, in which he added that he had little doubt ...

Bloomberg The Trump administration’s relentless attacks on China over the cause of the coronavirus outbreak are targeted at a domestic audience in an election year. But they may have the effect of emboldening Beijing’s leaders. President Donald Trump promised a “conclusive” report on the Chinese origins of Covid-19, shortly after Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said — without providing proof ...

Bloomberg Eight people were killed and two were arrested after a group of “mercenaries” Venezuela’s vice president said were backed by the US and Colombia were caught trying to enter along its northern coast near the capital Caracas. Colombia’s government rejected any link to the incident, while Venezuela’s opposition said the alleged attack appeared to be staged. Speed boats came ...

Bloomberg New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she will join an Australian government cabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss, among other issues, the eventual re-opening of borders between the two nations. Ardern accepted an invitation from Australian counterpart Scott Morrison to join his national cabinet meeting, which includes state premiers, via video link on Tuesday, she told a news ...