New Zealand joins global shift away from high rates

Bloomberg New Zealand’s central bank joined the global shift away from higher interest rates, saying its next move is more likely to be a cut and sending the kiwi dollar tumbling by the most in seven weeks. “Given the weaker global economic outlook and reduced momentum in domestic spe-nding, the more likely direction of our next OCR move is down,” ...

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Hong Kong grants licenses to virtual banks

Bloomberg Hong Kong’s traditional banks are set to face one of their biggest challenges yet: a new breed of financial technology firms estimated to snare as much as 30 percent of their revenue. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has granted three virtual bank licenses and is processing five more, Deputy Chief Executive Arthur Yuen said in a briefing on Wednesday. ...

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Malaysia central bank vows support as GDP forecast cut

Bloomberg Malaysia lowered its economic growth forecast for 2019, and pledged to keep policy accommodative as global risks weigh on the trade-reliant economy. Gross domestic product is expected to increase 4.3 percent to 4.8 percent in 2019, with trade tensions and lower commodity prices among the biggest wildcards, Bank Negara Malaysia said in its annual report on Wednesday. The projection ...

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Deutsche Bank hires SCB’s Suntichok as Thailand head

Bloomberg Deutsche Bank AG has hired Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) Pcl’s Pimolpa Suntichok to head its business in Thailand, according to people with knowledge of the matter. She will join the German lender in May as chief country officer and head of the financing and solutions group for Thailand, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because ...

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Boeing launches campaign to restore faith in 737 Max

Bloomberg After two deadly crashes in five months, Boeing Co is embarking on a campaign to restore confidence in the 737 Max so that its best-selling jet can return to the skies. In Renton, Washington, the company was expected to gather customers and news media to walk through the details of a software update designed to help pilots more easily ...

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Tata, GIC buy $1.2bn stake in New Delhi’s airport operator

Bloomberg A consortium of India’s Tata Group, a unit of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and SSG Capital Management will invest 80 billion rupees ($1.2 billion) to buy a stake in GMR Airports Ltd, which runs India’s biggest airport. The deal will pump 10 billion rupees into GMR Airports, a unit of GMR Infrastructure Ltd and purchase 70 billion rupees ...

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Cathay enters no-frills market with Hong Kong Express deal

Bloomberg Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd agreed to pay $287 million in cash for Hong Kong’s only budget airline to enter the no-frills market, after more than a decade resisting such a move to focus on premium services. Cathay plans to operate Hong Kong Express Airways, part of HNA Group, as a standalone carrier after the transaction is completed by December ...

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Steinhoff raises $332mn by selling KAP stake

Bloomberg Steinhoff International Holdings NV raised $332 million by selling its remaining shares in KAP Industrial Holdings Ltd as the embattled retailer looks to shore up its balance sheet. The owner of Conforama in France and Mattress Firm in the US sold its 26 percent stake in the South African industrial company at a 9.4 percent discount, Steinhoff said. The ...

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Bed Bath & Beyond surges most since 2000 on activist plans

Bloomberg Bed Bath & Beyond Inc soared as much as 30 percent — the most intraday in 19 years — on news that activist investors plan to challenge the home-goods retailer’s directors in a proxy fight. The company responded by saying the investors have ignored its requests for feedback and only appear interested in gaining ammunition for an activist battle. ...

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UAE’s GDP to expand 3.5% in 2019

Dubai / WAM The UAE’s GDP is set to expand 3.5 percent this year against 2.8 percent in 2018, thanks to a stimulus package worth AED 50 billion announced last year along with a host of other mea-sures for ease of doing business in all emirates, said Director of Dubai Customs, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, while chairing the first quarterly Consultative ...

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