Bloomberg Earnings continued to set the tone on global equity markets, as equities from Europe to the U.S. fluctuated with investors looking for evidence that economic growth is bolstering profits. Government bonds retreated after the European Central Bank signaled stimulus expansion was on hold. The S&P 500 Index swung between gains and losses after closing at its sixth record …

Bloomberg Most Gulf stock markets fell on Thursday amid soft oil prices and mixed corporate earnings, while Egypt was hit once again by concern about instability in the country’s currency. Dubai’s index edged down 0.1 percent. Dubai Parks & Resorts surged 3.8 percent but real estate stocks were weak, with Deyaar Development dropping 1.1 percent after reporting a 17.8 percent …

  Bloomberg Swatch Group AG, the maker of Omega and Tissot timepieces, reported its lowest first-half profit in seven years as demand cratered in Hong Kong, France and Switzerland. First-half operating profit declined 54 percent to 353 million francs ($359 million), the Biel, Switzerland-based company said in a statement on Thursday. The company said last week that earnings at that …

  Bloomberg EasyJet Plc reported lower quarterly revenue and said volatility would affect the key summer travel season as the British low-cost carrier faces headwinds including a string of terrorist attacks across its main markets and Britain’s decision to exit the European Union. Sales in the fiscal third quarter ended June 30 fell 2.6 percent to 1.2 billion pounds ($1.58 …

  Bloomberg American Airlines Group Inc. expects new credit-card deals with Citigroup Inc. and Barclays Plc to boost its pretax income by about $1.55 billion over the next two-and-a-half years. The accords will generate $200 million before taxes in the second half of this year, $550 million in 2017 and $800 million in 2018, the carrier said in a US …

  Bloomberg UK retail sales had their biggest drop in six months in June, adding to signs that the vote to leave the European Union is starting to bite. The volume of goods sold in stores and online dropped 0.9 percent, more than the 0.6 percent decline seen in a Bloomberg survey of economists, figures from the Office for National …

  New York / AP Macy’s is testing a mobile tool using artificial intelligence that lets shoppers get answers about the store they’re in — like where a particular brand is located or what’s in stock — that they would normally ask a sales associate face-to-face. The tool, which the nation’s largest department store chain calls a “mobile companion,” can be …

  Bloomberg India isn’t an easy place to build an e-commerce company. The vast, multilingual nation suffers from creaky infrastructure, a sometimes myopic bureaucracy and an ingrained distrust of the merchant class. Yet homegrown Flipkart Ltd. has managed the impossible with a blend of Silicon Valley smarts — its founders worked for Amazon.com Inc.; key hires were lured from the …

  Bloomberg Geothermal wells usually provide a steady supply of clean energy flowing from the natural heat of the Earth. In Turkey, because of a quirk in the geology, some of those wells pollute as much as coal-fired power plants. The nation has a layer of subterranean limestone, which lets loose carbon dioxide when it comes in contact with steam …

  Dan Scalco / TNS Are you a small-business owner looking to have a website built? To someone new, the entire process can seem daunting and leave you feeling confused. Don’t throw up your hands yet! Use these five simple website design tips to make it easier on yourself. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY When it comes to designing and developing a …