July, 2018

• 18 July

  Akzo treads water in China as CEO raises prices for paint

  

  Bloomberg Akzo Nobel NV’s growth in China stuttered as Europe’s biggest coatings maker opted to push through higher prices for household paint at the expense of losing some customers. “After really sharp growth in China, we made a more deliberate choice to hit the pause button on growth,” Chief Executive Officer Thierry Vanlancker said on a media call. That led ...

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• 18 July

  S Korea trims growth forecasts amid trade tensions

  Bloomberg South Korea has trimmed its economic growth forecasts for this year, citing rising global trade tensions and a slump in facilities investment. Asia’s fourth-largest economy is expected to grow 2.9 percent in 2018, versus an earlier forecast of 3 percent, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. The economy grew 3.1 percent in 2017. “Exports excluding semiconductors are stagnant and ...

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• 18 July

  Swatch’s highest profit since 2015 gets boost from Asia

  

  Bloomberg Swatch Group AG, the maker of Omega and Tissot timepieces, reported the highest first-half profit in three years, fuelled by Asian demand and market share gains across its collection of 18 brands. Operating profit rose 70 percent to $628 million, the Biel, Switzerland-based company said in a statement. Analysts expected 612 million francs. The stock rose as much as ...

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• 18 July

  US plans uranium import probe that may lead to tariffs

  

  Bloomberg The Trump administration plans to open an investigation into whether uranium imports are harming national security, a move that could lead to tariffs on foreign shipments of the metal, said three people familiar with the matter. US uranium producers Energy Fuels Inc. and Ur-Energy Inc. filed a petition in January asking the Commerce Department to investigate the matter under ...

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• 18 July

  Google fined $5bn by EU over Android

  

  Bloomberg Google will be fined about $5 billion by the European Union (EU)over apps for Android mobile devices, setting a record for antitrust penalties, according to a person familiar with the EU decision. The penalty—the same amount the Netherlands contributes to the EU budget every year— is due to be announced by EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager at 1 pm ...

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• 18 July

  UK inflation stays at 2.4% as stores discount clothing

  

  Bloomberg UK inflation unexpectedly held at 2.4 percent last month as cheaper clothing and computer games offset the rising cost of filling up a vehicle. The pound weakened as investors pared bets that the Bank of England will raise interest rates next month. Consumer prices were unchanged from May, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday. Annual inflation was ...

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• 18 July

  Putin’s business ally says US firms keen on post-summit deal

  

  Bloomberg After the drama of President Donald Trump’s widely criticized news conference with President Vladimir Putin, one agreement the two leaders reached on the business front may go forward, according to the head of the Kremlin-backed Russian Direct Investment Fund. Kirill Dmitriev, an ally of Putin who heads the sovereign wealth fund sanctioned by the US, says American businesses are ...

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• 18 July

  German Tesla drivers told to return $4,650 subsidy

  

  Bloomberg Hundreds of German Tesla Inc. Model S drivers have been ordered to pay back a 4,000 euro electric-vehicle subsidy after a government agency deemed their luxury cars too expensive to qualify for the programme. Some 800 drivers who bought their cars before March 6 and have received the so-called “environmental bonus” will have to return it, Germany’s Federal Office ...

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• 18 July

  Russia battles World Cup curse of distracted consumer

  

  Bloomberg The home crowd that cheered on Russia’s run to the quarterfinals of the soccer World Cup may have been too preoccupied to do much shopping. Countries staging the world’s most-watched sporting event have a poor record when it comes to economic benefits off the pitch. In the three past World Cups, South Africa — the only host nation whose ...

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• 18 July

  The US yield curve is sending right signals

  

  When it comes to assessing the outlook for the US economy these days, the discussion usually starts with the bond market’s yield curve. At less than 30 basis points, the difference between two- and 10-year Treasury yields is the narrowest since 2007. This is classic late-cycle behaviour. The curve is signalling that the market thinks the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate increases, ...

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