Bloomberg Italy’s central bank warned that low growth and high public debt pose the greatest risks to financial stability, while further sovereign bond market tensions would hurt banks’ capital and the solvency position of insurers. In its Financial Stability Report, the Bank of Italy outlines risks arising from uncertainty about the economic and fiscal policy in the country, which led ...
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Nigeria’s base rate loses bite as stealth tightening takes hold
Bloomberg Nigeria’s base interest rate is becoming more and more irrelevant. That’s the view of some analysts after the Monetary Policy Committee in Africa’s biggest oil producer held its key rate for the 14th straight meeting, despite inflation being above its target range of 6 percent to 9 percent for more than three years. Central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele is ...
Read More »Venezuela fuel shortages worsen as tanker staff flee
Bloomberg Venezuela’s fuel shortages are worsening as mass resignations at the state oil company’s tanker fleet have delayed gasoline shipments. Petroleos de Venezuela SA’s refineries are running at less than a quarter of their capacity, forcing the country to rely on imported gasoline. Once the cargoes are unloaded at import docks, smaller ships distribute fuel to terminals along the coast, ...
Read More »â€˜Amid Brexit, UK could breach emergency fuel commitments’
Bloomberg The UK might fail to honour commitments relating to emergency fuel stockpiles as its exit from the European Union approaches, a trade group representing the nation’s oil refiners said. Europe manages its fuel inventories as a bloc, so part of the UK’s emergency stocks can be held in other member states. In some cases, the fuels are held by ...
Read More »Buffett solar farm downgraded over PG&E crisis
Bloomberg PG&E Corp’s financial pain is spreading to some of the power plants that sell it electricity. Fitch Ratings Ltd downgraded the debt of two solar farms in California, citing concern about PG&E’s finances. The utility, which was downgraded last week, is the sole electricity customer for Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s 550-megawatt Topaz Solar Farms and NextEra Energy Inc’s 250-megawatt Genesis ...
Read More »Equatorial Guinea bans oil-services firm Subsea 7
Bloomberg Equatorial Guinea has banned oil-services company Subsea 7 SA from operating in the central African nation over local content rules, according to a person familiar with the situation. TechnipFMC Plc and Schlumberger Ltd have resolved all issues to do with local content, said the person, requesting anonymity because the information is not public. The Opec member considered the exclusion ...
Read More »Grim stock signals pile up as Wall Street mulls ‘recession’
Bloomberg Nine turbulent weeks and a correction in US stocks have left analysts with a thorny question. What’s the market saying about the economy? And while few see incontrovertible signs investors are bracing for a recession, it’s a word that’s been coming up more as they seek a signal in the chaos. From the ascent of defensive industries to the ...
Read More »UBP goes treasure hunting in Asia as stock markets crash
Bloomberg The tech sell-off isn’t something UBP Asset Management Asia Ltd.’s Michiel van Voorst is too worried about. What he’s interested in: treasure hunting in the market wreck. The chief investment officer for the region’s equities sees opportunities to invest in companies trading at 6 to 7 times price-to-earnings ratios and around 5 percent dividend yields. That gives investors plenty ...
Read More »Ghosn exit sets stage for face-off over car alliance
Bloomberg The sudden downfall of Carlos Ghosn looks set to unleash a power struggle between Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. over the alliance he oversaw for two decades. While both sides say they’re committed to the partnership, they’re already prepping for a battle over control of the world’s biggest car alliance, people familiar with their discussions said. And with ...
Read More »Tyson among bidders for BRF Thai
Bloomberg Tyson Foods Inc. is among the five firms still in the running for Asian and European chicken plants owned by BRF SA, people with direct knowledge said, asking not to be named because talks are private. Both Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson and Sao Paulo-based BRF declined to comment. Binding offers for Thai poultry processor Golden Foods Siam and assets in ...
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