HONG KONG / AP Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways posted its first annual loss in almost a decade, blaming it on tough competition from rival airlines, slowing Chinese economic growth and a stronger currency. The airline said that it lost 575 million Hong Kong dollars ($74 million) in 2016 compared with a HK$6 billion profit the year before. The …

  Tribune News Service Special to Emirates Business A jewel and luxury fashion industry leader for more than 110 years is once again looking for a suitor. After reporting its sixth consecutive quarter of sales declines, Dallas-based Neiman Marcus said that it’s exploring all options, including a sale of the company. A sale has been rumored for some time. Saddled …

  FRANKFURT / AP German airline Lufthansa has reached a preliminary agreement on a labor deal with its pilots that would cut pension liabilities and bar strikes through 2022. Lufthansa’s drawn-out talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit union have led to several costly stoppages that disrupted hundreds of flights. Lufthansa’s labor relations head, Bettina Volkens, on Wednesday called the deal a …

  MADRID / AP Zara fashion brand owner Inditex says strong sales and expansion of new stores boosted net profit in the past fiscal year by a 10 percent. The world’s largest clothes retailer said that net profit for the 12 months ending January 31 rose to 3.16 billion euros ($3.35 billion) from 2.88 billion euros ($3.06 billion) a year …

  Bloomberg Microsoft Corp. officially rolled out its Teams workplace-collaboration software, counting on integration with its ubiquitous Office and Outlook programs and partnerships with popular business software makers such as SAP to challenge Slack Technologies Inc. for big corporate customers. Teams, in preview mode since November, is now widely available in 181 markets, Microsoft said Tuesday. Already 50,000 Office 365 …

  Bloomberg Wu Xinhong, co-founder and chief executive officer of Meitu Inc., became the second billionaire at the Chinese beauty-enhancing selfie app developer after the stock rose for nine straight days. The shares extended gains since it was added to a second equity-trading link between China’s Shenzhen exchange and Hong Kong on March 6, and jumped 11 percent to a …

  Bloomberg The US officials are planning to charge four people abroad related to the hacking attacks against Yahoo! Inc., according to a person briefed on the matter. The Justice Department is accusing them of participating in massive online security breaches that compromised hundreds of millions of user accounts, said the person, who asked not to be identified because it …

  Emirates Business Taiwan is a breathtaking island which is a host to a variety of terrain such as green mountains with rich flora and fauna, sea, natural hot springs and a lake surrounded by forests. A nature lover or a shopaholic, a foodie or an adventure seeker, Taiwan is perfect for all… Scenic attractions… Sun Moon Lake, a major …

  AP A remote Eskimo village on a tundra-covered island in western Alaska is hoping to counter its steep unemployment rate and achieve greater self-sufficiency through one of its few resources: reindeer meat. Mekoryuk’s tribal government is expanding its commercial reindeer venture with a herd introduced a century ago to Nunivak Island, 40 miles off the coast in the Bering …

  Dubai / Emirates Business SAP SE announced a five-year $200 million (AED 734 million) investment in the UAE, underpinning objectives outlined by the UAE Vision 2021 plan to create economic diversity and jobs for youth. Senior officials participated in the official ribbon-cutting VIP ceremony and inaugurated new SAP MENA headquarters in Dubai Internet City. Ammar Al Malik, Executive Director, …