March, 2020

• 7 March

  John Lewis employee bonus at 67-year low as profit drops

  

  Bloomberg John Lewis Partnership Plc’s employees will get their lowest bonuses in 67 years in 2020, though they may be relieved to get anything following the UK retailer’s three straight annual profit declines in a highly competitive market. The parent company of John Lewis department stores and upmarket grocer Waitrose said it will pay a 2% bonus to its employee-owners …

  Read More »
• 7 March

  Lawmakers press Amazon, EBay over counterfeit goods

  

  Bloomberg A bipartisan group of house lawmakers urged Amazon.com Inc and EBay Inc executives to take stronger actions against third-party vendors who sell fake, stolen or unsafe goods on their shopping websites. “Organised retail crime, selling counterfeits and stolen products, poses a threat to consumers who are unwittingly purchasing these items,” said Representative Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, during a …

  Read More »
• 7 March

  Flying in US more comfortable due to virus

  Bloomberg While the novel coronavirus has killed thousands and roiled economies, there’s been an unlikely upside for air travel in the US. Passengers flying in America now have more cabin space as airlines are deploying wide-body aircraft domestically because demand for international routes has slumped, according to OAG Aviation Worldwide. “Such short-term fleet changes create great opportunities for the regular …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  Oil rises as Saudis push for deeper Opec+ output cuts

  

  Bloomberg Oil rose for a third day after Saudi Arabia pushed for a deeper output cut than Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec’s) technical committee recommended a day earlier. The Saudis are looking for a cut of more than 1 million barrels a day, after the Joint Technical Committee suggested an supply reduction of 600,000 to 1 million barrels a …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  World Bank commits $12 billion to fight coronavirus outbreak

  

  WASHINGTON / WAM The World Bank Group announced it is making available an initial package of up to $12 billion in immediate support to assist countries coping with the health and economic impacts of the global outbreak of coronavirus, (Covid-19). In a statement, the World Bank said as the virus reached more than 60 countries, “This financing is designed to …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  Global air cargo demand down 3.3% in January

  

  GENEVA / WAM The International Air Transport Association (IATA), released data for global air freight markets showing that demand, measured in cargo tonne kilometres (CTKs), decreased by 3.3 percent in January 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Commenting on the results, IATA’s Director-General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said, “January marked the tenth consecutive month of year-on-year declines …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  Enoc Misr commences production in Egypt

  CAIRO / WAM Enoc Misr, a joint venture between Proserv Group and the UAE’s Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with local lubricant manufacturers to evaluate blending and manufacturing Enoc lubricants in Egypt. The move comes as part of Enoc Misr’s plans to maximise operational efficiency and ensure product availability in local market. The agreement …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  Fed cuts rates in emergency move amid spreading virus

  

  Bloomberg The Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by half a percentage point in the first such emergency move since the 2008 financial crisis, amid mounting concern that the coronavirus outbreak threatens to stall the record US economic expansion. The rate cut, which came between the central bank’s regularly scheduled meetings, was announced hours after Group of Seven finance chiefs held …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  EU weighing tougher bank-rescue rules after outrage over bailouts

  

  Bloomberg European Union (EU) officials are weighing a new crackdown on bank bailouts after national governments exploited loopholes in rules passed in the wake of the financial crisis. One focus of the discussions is the so-called “precautionary recapitalisation” rule that Italy used to inject 5.4 billion euros ($6 billion) into Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA in 2017, according …

  Read More »
• 4 March

  Brazil mulls rate cut as virus threatens growth

  

  Bloomberg Brazil’s central bank opened the door to more interest rate cuts as it signalled that the outbreak of the new coronavirus creates a bigger risk of an economic slowdown than of a spike in inflation. Policy makers said that they’re closely monitoring the effects of the epidemic on financial markets and on the wider economy. Its impact on Brazil’s …

  Read More »