ABU DHABI / WAM Driverless vehicles may hit the UAE roads in 2021 as the UAE is preparing to become the first country in the world to have regulations on autonomous vehicles, a top official told Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Monday. “We will announce first draft of the standards and regulations for autonomous vehicles on Tuesday in the 5th …

Bloomberg Stocks climbed globally along with US equity futures as investors digested China’s decision to tighten intellectual property rules, a move that may boost the chances of a trade deal between the world’s largest economies. Treasuries and the yen both dipped. All 19 sectors rose on the Stoxx Europe 600 Index and all major markets advanced, from the UK to …

Bloomberg Bitcoin sank more than 10% to the lowest level in six months, extending last week’s slide past the weekend on concerns about a crackdown on cryptocurrency operations by China. The digital currency plunged as much as 11% from November 22’s close and was trading below $6,600 as of 1:50 pm in Hong Kong, according to Bloomberg composite pricing. It’s …

Bloomberg The International Monetary Fund (IMF) called on Japan’s government and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to cooperate more in support of the economy as it cut its 2019 growth forecast for the third time this year amid heightened global risks. Speaking at the conclusion of the fund’s annual mission to review Japan’s economy, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva essentially …

Bloomberg Italy may be willing to compromise on its holdout against a German plan for further integration of the European Union’s banking system that includes setting limits on holdings of sovereign debt. Vincenzo Amendola, Italy’s minister for European Affairs, said in an interview in Rome that he is confident that a “good compromise” can be found in the next month. …

Bloomberg After half a decade of negative interest rates, one of the biggest Nordic pension funds is wondering whether this is just the beginning. The head of investments at Finland’s Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Co says his industry is “just starting to see what kind of new challenges [negative rates] will cause.” That means “we are just taking the first …

Bloomberg Landlocked Laos may be a net beneficiary of the trade tension between the US and China. Chinese foreign-direct investment has climbed since the trade war began as firms seek alternative manufacturing sites to avoid US tariffs, said Bank of the Lao PDR deputy governor Vathana Dalaloy. “We may gain more than we lose,” she said in an interview in …

Bloomberg India’s rupee is the only emerging Asian currency to weaken this quarter and its losses may gather pace as a report this week is forecast to show economic growth slid to a six-year low. The rupee, which has slumped almost 5% from this year’s high in July, is also under selling pressure due to escalating levels of public debt …

Bloomberg LVMH agreed to buy Tiffany & Co for more than $16 billion in the largest luxury-goods deal ever, raising the French conglomerate’s profile in jewellery and giving it access to a broader swath of shoppers in the US and Asia. The owner of the Louis Vuitton brand agreed to pay $135 a share for the US jeweller, according to …

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc is counting on a smartphone app known for cheap deals to lure Chinese consumers during the Black Friday online spree, in a partnership that extends to the end of the year. The US e-commerce giant’s cross-border unit has just opened a storefront on Pinduoduo (PDD), China’s No. 3 online retailer after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com …