RIYADH / WAM The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen has declared a comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen for a period of two weeks, starting April 9 at 12:00 KSA time. The two-week period is subject to extension. “Based on its previous announcement on March 25, the Joint Forces Command of the coalition supported the Yemeni …
Read More »Oil rises in volatile trading as production deal nears
Bloomberg Oil rose but trading was volatile as the world’s top producers inched towards a deal to curb output. Brent futures were higher on the day, but fell sharply by about $2 a barrel on concerns that any deal may not be enough to stem rising inventories. The Opec+ meeting discuss curbing output by 10 million barrels a day, said …
Read More »India plans $6.6b lifeline for virus-hit power firms
Bloomberg India is planning to provide nearly $6.6 billion in loans to state power utilities as a slump in electricity demand squeezes liquidity while dues to generators pile up, according to people with knowledge of the development. The loans, via state-run Power Finance Corp. Ltd. and its unit REC Ltd., will help the utilities, known as discoms, clear debts to …
Read More »World hunger could double as Covid-19 disrupts food supplies
Bloomberg The number of people going hungry around the world could double in just a few months as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on food supplies and hurts incomes. That’s according to a group of major food companies, industry bodies and academics, which warned that those suffering from chronic hunger may surge from about 800 million amid mounting food-supply risks. …
Read More »Air France-KLM sees 90% of its capacity to remain suspended
Bloomberg Air France-KLM expects more than 90% of its capacity to remain suspended through the end of May as the coronavirus pandemic paralyses the travel industry worldwide. For the next two months, the airline aims to continue serving only some key city pairs with a “skeleton operation,†according to a statement. Beyond that time frame, the company said, projections are …
Read More »Air Canada to use Trudeau’s wage subsidy for 36,000 employees
Bloomberg A 75% wage subsidy touted by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has caught the interest of the country’s biggest airline, a request that could cost the government as much as C$30.5 million (about $22 million) a week. Air Canada said it will apply for the money to help keep or recall its 36,000 employees based in the country, 16,500 …
Read More »Costco says curbs on customers, store hours tempered its growth
Bloomberg Costco Wholesale Corp’s sales soared in March, but not as much as expected: Curbs the retailer placed on its operations to cope with coronavirus-related demand slowed the pace in the back half of the month. The shares fell in extended trading. The retailer’s comparable US sales excluding fuel — a key metric watched by analysts — rose 12.1%, it …
Read More »S African property owners plan relief for retail tenants
Bloomberg South Africa’s property owners will provide relief to retail tenants hardest hit by a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19. The initiative, which focusses on small-, medium- and micro-sized enterprises, will be rolled out by landlords nationally, the Property Industry Group said in a statement published on the website of the South African Real Estate Investment Trusts …
Read More »Stocks pare gains with US futures before holiday
Bloomberg European stocks pared their gains alongside US equity futures on Thursday as investors mulled estimates of how soon economies can reboot when the coronavirus outbreak eases. Oil rose after Russia signalled it’s ready to make production cuts. Declines in telecoms and media shares helped trim an earlier advance by the Stoxx Europe 600 Index. American index contracts fluctuated a …
Read More »Pakistan stocks rise after IMF’s approval for emergency funds
Bloomberg Pakistani stocks rose after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it plans to disburse about $1.4 billion in emergency financing next week to help the nation shield its economy hit by the coronavirus outbreak. “The IMF and the Pakistani authorities are working hard for a prompt approval and disbursement†in a single installment, Teresa Daban Sanchez, IMF’s chief in …
Read More »
The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.