March, 2018

• 28 March

  India to sell 76% stake in Air India; new owners to get jets, $5bn of debt

  

  Bloomberg India is selling a controlling stake in its flagship carrier along with two-thirds of the loss-making airline’s about $7.8 billion debt, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi moves ahead with the nation’s most high profile asset sale in decades. The government will sell 76 percent of Air India Ltd., according to a document uploaded on the civil aviation ministry’s website …

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• 28 March

  China Southern profit jumps to record, focus on higher fares

  

  Bloomberg China Southern Airlines Co., Asia’s biggest carrier by fleet size, said profit jumped to a record on the back of a stronger yuan and as the state-owned carrier focussed on profitable domestic routes. Net income rose 18 percent to 5.96 billion yuan ($950 million) in 2017 while revenue rose 11 percent to 127 billion yuan, the Guangzhou-based airline said …

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• 28 March

  JetBlue speeds snack service with carts

  

  Bloomberg JetBlue Airways Corp. flight attendants are turning in their trays and will begin using onboard carts as passengers call for faster snack and beverage service and more options. The shift on all JetBlue aircraft should cut service time by more than half, said Doug McGraw, a spokesman for the airline. Moving to carts will also enable the New York-based …

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• 28 March

  China courier firm may deliver parcels by drone

  Bloomberg Chinese courier company SF Holding Co. says it’s won a license to operate drones, opening up a new potential frontier for package delivery in the world’s second-largest economy. SF, the nation’s largest listed courier provider by market value, said that one of its units was granted China’s first ever drone operation license and that the firm was now legally …

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• 28 March

  Nestle brings sugar-reduction technology to UK’s Milkybar

  

  Bloomberg Nestle SA plans to begin selling slimmed-down Milkybar chocolates in the UK and Ireland in the first implementation of a new technology that promises the same sweetness with 30 percent less sugar. The Swiss food giant said a new version of the candy bars will be available on store shelves next week. It’s introducing them in markets where government …

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• 27 March

  UAE ranks 7th global retail destination

  

  Dubai / Emirates Business The growth of UAE’s retail industry continues to pick up the pace, drawing momentum from the impressive expansion of the local retail real estate landscape. Based on the latest A.T. Kearney Global Retail Development Index, an annual study that ranks the top-30 developing countries for expansion worldwide, UAE’s ranking improved by two notches in 2017 to …

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• 27 March

  US stock rally fades after surge in Asia, Europe; Treasuries rise

  

  Bloomberg A rebound in global stocks showed signs of fading in the US, with equities little changed after the best rally in two-and-a-half years. The S&P 500 Index fluctuated after European and Asian equities rallied to catch up with march 26’s surge in the US, spurred by speculation the world will avoid an all-out trade war. The dollar strengthened on …

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• 27 March

  Saudi market climbed to 31-month high

  

  Reuters Saudi Arabia’s stock market climbed to a 31-month high on Tuesday, once again outperforming the rest of the region in anticipation of a positive decision by FTSE on Wednesday to include the kingdom in its secondary emerging markets index. The Saudi index rose 1.1 percent, bringing its gain so far this year to 9.9 percent. A positive decision by …

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• 27 March

  Oil gains as easing trade tensions counter supply fears

  

  Bloomberg Oil traded above $65 a barrel as global trade tensions showed signs of easing, countering concerns that US crude stockpiles may have resumed their expansion last week. Futures in New York rose 0.3 percent, remaining near the year’s highest close set in January at $66.14. A resurgence in risk appetite has helped lift markets from equities to commodities after …

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• 27 March

  China’s big banks stage a profit comeback as bad loans recede

  

  Bloomberg Two of China’s largest banks posted better-than-expected profit growth in 2017 as a strengthening economy curbed soured loans and the government’s campaign to cut debt boosted their lending margins. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd on Tuesday reported a 3 percent increase in net income last year, while Agricultural Bank of China Ltd posted a 5 percent gain. …

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