Bloomberg Australia would block any attempt to move BHP Billiton Ltd.’s main sharemarket listing to the UK as proposed by New York-based activist investor Elliott Management Corp., Treasurer Scott Morrison said. “It is unthinkable that any Australian government could allow this original Big Australian to head offshore,” Morrison said in a statement. If BHP implemented Elliott’s proposals, “it may ...

  Bloomberg A surging rupee, rising currency reserves and a comfortable current-account gap could see India’s central bank consider relaxing rules on outward investments, paving the way for domestic companies to step up their shopping abroad, especially in Latin America and Africa. An uptick in overseas acquisitions would help keep a lid on the rupee, which is among the top ...

  Bloomberg Coal India Ltd. may keep production subdued after it fell to the lowest seasonal level in three years as the world’s biggest miner of the fuel seeks to cut inventories. Output in April dropped to the least for the month since 2014, and shipments surpassed production by the biggest volume in records going back almost four years. The ...

  Bloomberg Gold imports by India, the world’s biggest market after China, jumped to the highest level since 2014 in the first three months of the year, spurred by jewelers restocking for weddings and improving cash flow in the financial system, the World Gold Council said. Net inbound shipments more than doubled to 270.1 metric tons from 127.4 tons a ...

  Bloomberg Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai wants to gut Obama-era net neutrality rules, but even he says the matter is best left to someone else: the lawmakers in Congress. Broadband companies AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Corp. support Pai’s initiative but also want Congress — rather than his agency — to step in and end a ...

  Bloomberg Activity in euro-area manufacturing and services accelerated more than initially estimated as growth in the region’s three largest economies converged. A composite Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 56.8 in April from 56.4 in March, IHS Markit said on Thursday. An April 21 flash report was for an increase to 56.7. The spread between gauges for the rates of ...

  Bloomberg Being a big drug company isn’t what it used to be. The largest drugmakers are finding it more difficult to charge high prices for a range of medications, their latest quarterly results show. That’s raising the pressure to pump up sales volumes and find lucrative new treatments for niche markets. “You had an environment in which you could ...

  Bloomberg Growth in Britain’s services sector unexpectedly strengthened in April, giving the economy a solid start to the second quarter after a weaker-than-forecast performance at the start of the year. IHS Markit’s index rose to 55.8 in April from 55 in March, defying expectations for a decline to 54.5. Its measures for manufacturing and construction published earlier this week ...

    DUBAI / Reuters Arabtec’s shares rose after the Dubai builder swung to its first quarterly net profit since September 2014, bucking the trend in most of the region’s markets which followed global bourses and oil prices lower on Thursday. “The return to profitability (at Arabtec) is a good indicator and we believe there will be no negative surprises ...

  Bloomberg US stock futures pointed to a higher opening and European equities advanced amid positive earnings reports. Brent crude slid below $50 a barrel for the first time since March, while the rout in metals prices worsened. The S&P 500 Index looked to snap a string of meager moves, and the Euro Stoxx 600 climbed as Met Life Inc. ...