Bloomberg JAB Holding Co. agreed to buy Panera Bread Co. for about $7.5 billion, adding a fast-growing US bakery chain to a food empire that spans coffee, bagels and doughnuts. Panera investors will receive $315 per share in cash, the companies said in a statement on Wednesday. That’s 20 percent higher than the closing price on March 31, the ...

  Bloomberg Airbus Group SE is making a fresh sales pitch for its A380 superjumbo with half a dozen proposals to accommodate more than 80 additional seats, seeking to enhance the flagship jet’s economic credentials after a struggle to win orders in recent years. The changes on offer include removing an upper-deck stowage area to add 10 business-class seats, re-positioning ...

  Bloomberg It was Amazon that drove America’s warehouse operators into the robot business. Quiet Logistics, which ships apparel out of its Devens, Mass., warehouse, had been using robots made by a company called Kiva Systems. When Amazon bought Kiva in 2012, Quiet hired scientists. In 2015 it spun out a new company called Locus Robotics, which raised $8 million ...

  Bloomberg Venture capitalists have more cash on hand to invest than ever before, but private technology firms are seeing a shrinking share of the pie. “Tech privates continue to lead the total VC investment landscape, but other primary verticals such as healthcare, consumer, financials, industrials and energy continue to occupy roughly 40 percent of VC investment,’’ Goldman Sachs Group ...

  Bloomberg Spotify Ltd. struck a long-term licensing deal for songs from Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest record label, agreeing to limit free play on some new albums. Universal artists including Taylor Swift will be able to offer new albums to paid subscribers only for two weeks, with singles available on the free service, the companies said ...

  Bloomberg South Korea is famous as a high-tech powerhouse, from Samsung’s smartphones, the world’s fastest internet connection speed and world-beating innovation. And while presidential hopefuls are laying out plans to develop new technology to drive the economy over the next five years, here is a reality check: the advantage of Korean companies over their Chinese competitors is closing fast. ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business The UAE Purchasing Managers’ Indexâ„¢ (PMIâ„¢) — a composite indicator designed to give an accurate overview of operating conditions in the non-oil private sector economy — picked up to a 19-month high of 56.2 in March, from 56.0 in February. Growth of the UAE non-oil private sector gained further momentum in March, continuing the trend ...

  DUBAI / WAM Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has concluded its successful participation at the 5th Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition (DIGAE), which was held from April 2-4, under the theme: ‘National Governments .. Global Achievements’. DEWA’s stand attracted many visitors who commended its innovative projects and initiatives, and actively took part in discussions, lectures, and workshops that ...

  RAS AL-KHAIMAH / WAM The real estate sector in Ras al-Khaimah has expanded considerably, increasing from AED3.401 billion in 2011 to AED4.947 billion in 2015, a total percentage of growth of 45 percent, according to a study by the RAK Chamber of Commerce. The annual growth of the real estate sector amounted to 15 percent per annum over the ...

  DUBAI / Emirates Business Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, announced its partnership with Samsung to provide early access to Samsung Pay, for the bank’s customers. Samsung Pay is a secure, fast and convenient mobile payment service that can be used to make contactless purchases with select Samsung devices* almost everywhere a card is accepted. The launch ...