Xiaomi Corp. is set to pull in revenue of $17 billion to $18 billion this year, ahead of its own target, Reuters reported, citing the company’s comments to bankers. That’s impressive, but believable. Xiaomi has had a great year. Stretching the credibility scale, though, are estimates that net income could hit $1 billion. They’re banker projections, Reuters notes, not necessarily ...

Over the past few weeks, people here in Beijing have been riveted by the so-called migrant ‘clean-out’ — the government’s attempt to evict tens of thousands of migrant workers from their homes in the poorer parts of the city. What’s not being discussed, however, is how the crackdown could threaten one of the government’s other main priorities: managing debt. In ...

Large bank failures in recent years have led to reforms that strengthen crisis prevention and give regulators and banks the tools for dealing with crises that do occur. Similar policy measures can be helpful in dealing with sovereign crises — when governments run out of money and credit. Unfortunately, the European Commission misses the mark in its recent proposals to ...

There’s no better way to cap a storied business career than a stint atop one of the world’s largest banks. That’s more or less the future that was mapped out for Catherine Livingstone when she was appointed chairman of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) in January. The former state-owned lender was then world’s 10th largest by market capitalization, and most ...

It’s that time again, when we scan the stars for clues about the year ahead in mergers. What follows is our second annual Gadfly compilation of dealmaker horoscopes: 12 CEOs and top executives across a variety of industries—matched with their zodiac signs—who appear destined for mergers and acquisitions in 2018. Capricorn: Jeff Bezos, chairman and CEO of Amazon.com Inc. Capricorn, ...

Bloomberg The US economy is booming, unemployment is low and the White House is occupied by a president synonymous with ostentatious luxury. Why, then, have Americans stopped buying expensive watches? Swiss watch exports to the US fell 0.4 percent in November, extending the decline for the year so far to 4 percent after a 9 percent drop in 2016. By ...

Bloomberg France is wavering on a plan to sell part of a $9 billion stake in Paris’ two main airports to avoid hurting Air France-KLM, the airline in which the government also has a significant investment, according to an official with knowledge of the matter. President Emmanuel Macron’s government has sought to divest shareholdings, which include Charles de Gaulle and ...

Bloomberg Considering that the last major innovation in luggage was a four-wheeled suitcase patented in 1972, it’s understandable that recent shifts have thrown the travel industry for a loop. For the past few years, makers of so-called smart luggage—that’s bags with anything from a USB charging port to motorised wheels—have disrupted the market. Airlines are now taking note with arched ...

DUBAi / Emirates Business Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, received Japan’s Consul-General in Dubai Akima Umezawa, where they discussed reinforcing mutual cooperation to enhance trade and customs ties between the United Arab Emirates and Japan. Welcoming the Consul-General of Japan, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih underscored Dubai Customs’ commitment to constant coordination with Japanese diplomatic corps to boost trade between ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The interest rates charged by the Emirates Inter-Bank Offered Rate (EIBOR) have continued their impressive increase since the beginning of the year, with EIBOR set for one-month period posting a significant rise of 19 percent over the past two months, surging to 156 points on December 24 from 131 points in early November, according to UAE ...