Reuters Profit-taking hit stocks in Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Monday following strong rallies in both markets, while general weakness in emerging markets dragged down the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Cairo’s blue chip index, which had soared 28.1 percent since the Egyptian pound was floated on Nov. 3, fell 2.0 percent ending 12 consecutive sessions of gains. The ...
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European stocks, dollar rally tracking Trump
London / AFP European stock markets rallied on Monday and the dollar surged to multi-month highs, with traders shrugging off concerns over the Trump presidency and weak Chinese economic data. In foreign exchange, the euro struck a ten-month low at $1.0728, while the dollar reached also a five-month peak versus the yen. “European shares are trading higher… despite disappointing ...
Read More »Energy from earth’s depths
Soultz-sous-Forêts / DPA France and Germany could hardly be more different in their attitudes to tapping the free heat from deep under the earth. The French have enthusiastically sunk bores and exploited the heat, which is invitingly close to the surface at a hot spot which straddles the two countries’ border, whereas residents on the German side are squabbling ...
Read More »Brazil sways to new-wave rhythms
Goiania / AFP Brazil may be the land of samba and bossa nova, but lately its hips are swaying to a different rhythm. In cowboy hats and plaid shirts, with touches of bling, new-wave country singers are conquering the airwaves and the dance floors. A world away from the soft jazz and Latin rhythms that Brazil crafted from the ...
Read More »UK sees $82bn investment hit as Brexit tariffs tallied
Bloomberg UK businesses have delayed or canceled investments worth 65.5 billion pounds ($82 billion) since the vote to leave the European Union, with more than 40 percent of large companies scaling back, according to a new survey. Executives have been reluctant to follow through on spending plans because of a plunge in the pound and a lack of clarity ...
Read More »EU offers Trump cooperation while signalling policy firmness
Bloomberg The European Union promised to cooperate with US President-elect Donald Trump while vowing to stand by international agreements he has questioned including United Nations deals to curb climate change and ease sanctions on Iran. After a dinner in Brussels to discuss future EU-US relations in the wake of Trump’s victory in the Nov. 8 American election, European foreign ...
Read More »Trump Victory spurs foreign demand for London property
Bloomberg Donald Trump may be good for the London housing market. That’s according to property website operator Rightmove, which says Trump’s shock election victory could spur the return of international investors seeking a safe haven. While asking prices in the capital fell for a fifth month, the 0.3 percent drop was much smaller than the 1.5 percent average seen ...
Read More »Novartis to hold talks to buy generics maker Amneal
Bloomberg Novartis AG is in talks to acquire US generic-drugs maker Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC as the Swiss health-care company seeks to bolster its Sandoz business amid consolidation in the industry, according to people familiar with the matter. Novartis and Amneal may reach an agreement soon, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. No ...
Read More »Siemens to buy US software maker mentor for $4.5bn
Bloomberg Siemens AG agreed to buy Mentor Graphics Corp. for $4.5 billion in its biggest acquisition since 2014 as the German engineering company extends its industrial software capability. Siemens will pay $37.25 a share in cash for Wilsonville, Oregon-based Mentor, the industrial giant said in a statement on Monday. That’s 21 percent above the closing price on Friday. Elliott ...
Read More »Samsung to buy US auto parts supplier Harman
Seoul / AFP Samsung Electronics said on Monday it would buy US auto parts maker Harman International Industries for $8 billion in a bid to enter the growing market for automotive technology to produce “connected†cars. The deal, the biggest in the firm’s history, will provide a chance for the tech titan to move past the exploding Galaxy Note 7 ...
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