Bloomberg Hyundai Motor backed away from a statement confirming it is in talks with Apple Inc. on developing self-driving car that fuelled an $8 billion surge in the Korean automaker’s market value, saying instead that it received requests for potential cooperation from a number of companies. Revising its statement for the second time in a matter of hours, Hyundai said …

Bloomberg Rivian Automotive Inc., the electric-truck startup backed by Amazon.com Inc. and Ford Motor Co., is close to raising a new round of funding valuing it at about $25 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. Several existing Rivian investors are participating in the round, which will raise several billion dollars. Existing investors in company include Amazon, T. Rowe …

Bloomberg Equifax Inc. agreed to acquire Kount Inc., which offers fraud protection for e-commerce retailers, for $640 million. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter, Atlanta-based Equifax said in a statement Friday. Kount’s employees will continue to be based in Boise, Idaho, and will report to Equifax’s US information-solutions unit. The credit-reporting firm has been building out …

Bloomberg Samsung Electronics Co. shares rise 7.1% to a record high in Seoul amid signs of a rebound in the memory-chip market and off the back of a surge in earnings. South Korea’s biggest company posted a 26% increase in operating income to 9 trillion won ($8.3 billion) for the three months ended December in preliminary results. That compares with …

BAHRAIN / WAM Investcorp, a Bahrain-based asset manager that counts Mubadala Investment Company as its biggest shareholder, announced on Wednesday that its portfolio company, Impero, a provider of online student safety and classroom and network management software, has acquired Netop, an international software solutions provider to the education sector and corporates, from Consolidated Holdings A/S. Terms of the transaction were …

JEDDAH / WAM The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has welcomed the signing of Al Ula Declaration by the leaders of the GCC member states at the 41st GCC Summit which took place in Al Ula Governorate, Saudi Arabia. The OIC’s Secretary-General Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al Othaimeen praised the efforts of the GCC’s leaders.

Bloomberg Airlines kicked off 2021 by shrinking their already meager UK schedules, prompted by a new coronavirus lockdown and the prospect of further restrictions on travel abroad. EasyJet Plc, Britain’s biggest discount carrier, pared back its flying program to prioritise essential connections between key UK cities and “a small number of international routes.” British Airways said it’ll keep crucial links …

Bloomberg Nykaa E-Retail Pvt is planning an initial public offering as soon as this year that could value the Indian online cosmetic retailer at a minimum $3 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The startup founded by Falguni Nayar, a former investment banker, is working with advisers to prepare for the share sale in Mumbai, the people said. …

Bloomberg Qantas Airways Ltd has started taking bookings for international flights from July 1 in a perhaps optimistic view that by then, vaccinations will have begun to curb the spread of the coronavirus and travel demand will pick up. Ticket sales for Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which had been set to start in March, have been pushed back to …

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc is buying 11 used Boeing 767-300 planes, the first time the online retail giant has purchased, rather than leased, aircraft for its fast-growing air cargo operation. The company said it was buying seven aircraft from Delta Air Lines Inc and four from WestJet Airlines Ltd. The WestJet aircraft are currently being converted from passenger to cargo use …