Bloomberg Bets that Brazil may hold interest rates at a record low throughout 2019 gained strength after the country posted its biggest monthly deflation in 1-1/2 years. Consumer prices measured by the benchmark IPCA index fell 0.21 percent in November, three times as much as economists expected. Swap rates on futures contracts, a barometer of expected interest-rate decisions, dove following …

Bloomberg Canada’s eight big banks extended their record earnings streak this year, posting a 7.5 percent jump in annual profit fuelled by operations outside their home turf. Net income for the companies totalled C$45.9 billion ($34.3 billion) in the fiscal year ended October 31. Toronto-Dominion Bank and Bank of Montreal profited from their US consumer-lending divisions, while Bank of Nova …

Bloomberg Plans to merge two Kenyan banks will create a lender that can compete adequately with West African banks that are expanding into the region, Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich said. NIC Group Plc, one of Kenya’s mid-sized publicly traded banks, is in merger talks with Commercial Bank of Africa Ltd., the nation’s biggest closely held lender, the two said. The …

Bloomberg The German finance ministry is willing to “orchestrate” a mer-ger between Deutsche Bank AG and Commerzbank AG, according to Focus magazine. Various scenarios have been discussed, including one in which the German state would become Deutsche Bank’s largest shareholder for about five years before merging the two banks, Focus reported without saying how it got the information. Alternatively, Deutsche …

Bloomberg Indonesian flag carrier Garuda will keep taking deliveries of Boeing’s 737 Max jet, giving the new aircraft a vote of confidence while local rival Lion Air threatens to cancel its $22 billion order after suffering a plane crash in October. “Our Max jet has been performing well, we have no significant issue with it,” PT Garuda Indonesia President Director …

Bloomberg Airbus SE firmed up an order for 100 single-aisle aircraft from Avolon, the aircraft-leasing company owned by China’s HNA Group Co. The deal, worth $11.5 billion before discounts, seals an outline accord unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in July, the Irish lessor said in a statement. Aircraft orders typically come in stages, and aren’t counted against order totals …

Bloomberg Hawaiian Holdings Inc. cut its outlook for a key revenue measure, citing low fares and sluggish demand — the second US airline to issue a gloomy forecast in as many days. “Year-over-year visitor growth from North America to Hawaii remains positive, but at a slower pace than industry capacity growth,” the parent of Hawaiian Airlines said. Revenue for each …

Bloomberg The UK will plow 125 million pounds ($160 million) into electric planes and drones to ease congestion in urban areas, Business Secretary Greg Clark announced. The funding — to be matched by the private sector — aims to develop new technologies to cut pollution from the aerospace industry, as well as to ease congestion in London and other urban …

Bloomberg Ingka Holding BV, parent of the world’s largest home-furnishings retailer Ikea, has started construction on a $1.2 billion shopping mall in Shanghai that the company says is its single biggest investment. The mall, Ingka’s fifth in China, will span 430,000 square metres and house more than 300 local and foreign merchants, as well as an Ikea store, Ingka said …

Bloomberg A meeting of Saudi Arabia, Russia and other members of the Opec+ group recommended an oil production cut, but didn’t agree on how big any reduction should be. The group secured Russia’s participation in six months of output curbs starting in January, Oman’s Oil Minister Mohammed Al Rumhy told reporters in Vienna as he left the meeting on Wednesday. …