November, 2018

• 5 November

  European VCs seek to raise more money in fewer funds

  

  Bloomberg A range of European venture capital firms are seeking to raise more money in fewer funds as they ride a global trend towards larger investment vehicles. For five prominent firms in the region, sizes are expected to range from $100 million to $350 million each. Idinvest Partners SA, one of France’s largest VC firms, is targeting a $350 million ...

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• 5 November

  AMD battered with huge share declines

  

  Bloomberg Advanced Micro Devices Inc ad-ded its name to a growing list of semiconductor companies that were battered with huge share declines after reporting disappointing results and forecasts. The stock slumped 20 percent. AMD’s results came on a day when investors were already pressing the sell button on a sector that many now fear is signaling a wider technology industry ...

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• 5 November

  UK services growth slumps as Brexit hurts business optimism

  

  Bloomberg The UK economy kicked off the fourth quarter on a disappointing note as Brexit concerns pushed growth in services to a seven-month low. IHS Markit’s index for the sector fell more than economists expected last month, recording the lowest reading since March when the nation was battered with bad weather. New business growth and optimism over the outlook were ...

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• 5 November

  Abbott gets FDA approval for much-awaited diabetes app

  

  Bloomberg Abbott Laboratories won US approval for its FreeStyle LibreLink diabetes-monitoring app, giving users a way to keep track of their glucose levels from their iPhones. The app works with Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre glucose sensors, which have rapidly become some of the top-selling medical devices in the US. It is likely to be a welcome addition for millions of customers ...

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• 5 November

  Trafigura’s bet on Nyrstar keeps getting uglier

  

  Bloomberg For nearly a decade, Trafigura Group Chairman Claude Dauphin coveted a zinc deal with Europe’s top smelter. The commodities trader finally got across the threshold in 2015, months after its co-founder’s sudden death. Just a few years later, it’s become one of Trafigura’s biggest headaches. Nyrstar NV shares have plu-nged to record lows as falling zinc prices squeeze profit ...

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• 5 November

  Merkel’s party turns inward with ‘leadership contest’

  

  Bloomberg Contenders to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel as party chief will criss-cross the country to campaign ahead of a convention in December, giving an early taste of the choices for the next potential leader of Europe’s pivotal country. The process agreed among the Christian Democratic Union’s leadership signals that Germany is headed for another inward-looking period as the post-Merkel ...

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• 5 November

  Pompeo defends Iran oil sanctions waivers

  

  Bloomberg Secretary of State Michael Pompeo defended the temporary waivers granted to eight countries to continue buying Iranian crude oil for now against Congressional critics and others who say the US is being too lenient on the Islamic Republic. The comments on “Fox News Sunday” come a day before US sanctions on Iran’s energy and shipping are due to snap ...

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• 5 November

  UK plans Brexit cabinet without deal

  

  Bloomberg The UK Cabinet will discuss Brexit on Tuesday, but Prime Minister Theresa May probably won’t ask ministers to approve the terms of a deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. The premier is likely to update ministers on the past two weeks’ of technical negotiations that have been taking place at a less senior level, the person ...

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• 5 November

  Swedish speaker bets on opposition leader to break stalemate

  Bloomberg The speaker of parliament said he will nominate opposition leader Ulf Kristersson as the prime minister candidate next week to break the gridlock that has gripped Sweden since its inconclusive election two months ago. At a press conference at parliament on Monday, Speaker Andreas Norlen said it’s important that the process is driven forward and that alternatives are tested ...

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• 5 November

  US midterm votes vulnerable to cyber-attacks: Experts

  

  Bloomberg US cybersecurity experts are bracing for possible attempts to attack the midterm election by Russia or another adversary hoping to engineer a disruption that casts doubt on the integrity of the vote. Interference may range from altering websites used by state and local election authorities, to spreading propaganda through social media, to hacking at polling places intended to complicate ...

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