December, 2018

• 30 December

  Nomura CEO signals more job cuts in Europe

  

  Bloomberg Next year is shaping up to be another tough one for Nomura Holdings Inc’s employees in Europe, with more job losses likely as the Japanese securities firm shifts business away from the region to more profitable centers in Asia and the US. Japan’s biggest investment bank needs to cut staff while finding ways to spur revenue in the region, …

  Read More »
• 30 December

  India rule on e-comm giants may hurt shoppers

  

  Bloomberg India’s new rules for foreign e-commerce platforms may be designed to protect local companies from Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc., but consumers are likely to suffer the collateral damage. Online marketplaces must treat all vendors equally by providing the same terms, India’s trade ministry said. In practice, this means barring e-commerce companies from forcing a seller to feature products …

  Read More »
• 30 December

  Booming budget travel helps Gatwick value soar in deal

  

  Bloomberg Vinci SA is doubling down on budget travel with the $3.7 billion purchase of a controlling stake in Gatwick Airport. London’s second-busiest hub has more than tripled in value since it was bought by Global Infrastructure Partners for about 1.5 billion pounds ($1.9 billion) in 2009, mainly because of the surge in low-cost tourism. The skies looked very different …

  Read More »
• 30 December

  Sears may stay alive with rescue bid cobbled by Lampert

  

  Bloomberg Sears Holdings Corp. got another chance at survival after Chairman Eddie Lampert put together a last-minute, last-ditch bid to buy the retailer out of bankruptcy. Lampert persuaded three lenders to finance the $4.4 billion offer, according to a statement from ESL Investments. The plan includes keeping 425 stores open and a $1.3 billion financing commitment, the statement said. Bank …

  Read More »
• 29 December

  Big progress on possible China trade deal: Trump

  

  Bloomberg President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he’d spoken at length with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that “big progress” is being made towards a deal between the world’s largest economies. The agreement will be “very comprehensive” and will cover “all subjects, areas and points of dispute,” the president said in a tweet. Trump’s comment comes as a US …

  Read More »
• 29 December

  US gas imports up despite export boom

  

  Bloomberg The US may be exporting natural gas at a record clip, but that hasn’t stopped it from accepting new imports. A tanker with fuel from Nigeria has berthed at the Cove Point import terminal in Maryland, while a second ship with Russian gas is idling outside Boston Harbor. Pipeline constraints, depleted stockpiles and a 98-year-old law barring foreign ships …

  Read More »
• 29 December

  Green power is gold dust for utility investors

  

  Bloomberg If you ever needed convincing there’s money to be made investing in renewable energy companies, just look at the best performer this year on Europe’s main utilities index. As a torrid year for global markets draws to a close, Verbund AG almost tripled in value in 2018 and is beating all of its 27 peers to the top spot …

  Read More »
• 29 December

  Chesapeake Energy shares surge most in two years

  

  Bloomberg Chesapeake Energy Corp shares rose the most in two years after board member Archie Dunham, former chief executive of ConocoPhillips’ predecessor company, bought more than $4 million in additional stock. Dunham purchased 2.1 million shares December 21, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, nearly doubling his position this month to over 1 percent of …

  Read More »
• 29 December

  Toyota wants to put robots in every home

  

  Bloomberg Toyota Motor Corp. has sold enough cars to put one outside every Japanese home. Now it wants to put robots inside. Well-known for its automated assembly lines, Toyota sees a not-so-far-off future in which robots transcend the factory and become commonplace in homes, helping with chores — and even offering companionship — in an aging society where a quarter …

  Read More »
• 29 December

  Porsche Taycan is 2019’s most-anticipated launch

  

  Bloomberg The year 2018 was very good for the car industry. According to Cox Automotive, US auto sales are expected to total 17.2 million units in this year, which is more than last year and the fourth year in a row to beat 17 million, finishing above the firm’s forecasts. For starters, there’s the convertible version of the Bentley Continental …

  Read More »