Bloomberg Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that mainland China and Taiwan enter into “in-depth democratic consultations†and work towards unification, in the clearest sign yet that he wants to settle the 70-year dispute during his tenure. “China must and will be united, which is an inevitable requirement for the historical rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era,†Xi ...
Read More »Family of accused US spy says he’s innocent
Bloomberg The family of a US citizen detained in Moscow on December 28 on suspicion of espionage said he was a former marine who was in Russia for a wedding. Paul Whelan, the director of global security for Michigan-based auto parts supplier BorgWarner Inc., hasn’t been in touch since the day of his arrest, his family said in a statement ...
Read More »Hunt: Brexit talks centre on defining ‘temporary’
Bloomberg The UK’s main focus in Brexit talks with its European Union counterparts is for a definition of the word “temporary†that persuades British lawmakers the country won’t be permanently tied to the bloc’s trade arrangements, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said. Prime Minister Theresa May deferred a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she negotiated with Brussels, acknowledging she didn’t ...
Read More »Kim: Trump talks at risk over sanctions
Bloomberg Kim Jong-un used his New Year’s address to issue a pointed warning to President Donald Trump, saying North Korea would take a “new path†in nuclear talks if the US didn’t relax economic sanctions. While Kim affirmed his willingness to meet Trump again, his nationally televised speech offered no new initiatives to advance talks that have sputtered since their ...
Read More »Crunch time for Trump’s ‘America First’ as deadlines loom
Bloomberg Donald Trump ended 2018 dramatically by ordering US troops out of Syria and accelerating his defense secretary’s resignation by two months. The first quarter of 2019 looks to be just as tumultuous. From China to Iran, Trump has set a host of deadlines for action that will help reveal if the president is really the global deal-maker he professes ...
Read More »US stocks pare poor start to 2019, Treasuries slide
Bloomberg US stocks fell as investors began the new year anxious about the same issues that sent equities to the worst December rout since the Great Depression. Safe havens rallied, with gold, bonds and the yen higher. The S&P 500 Index retreated, though losses were less than the overnight futures session suggested. The latest blow to investor sentiment came from ...
Read More »Gold opens new year with fanfare
Bloomberg Gold’s year-end rally is pushing into 2019, with bullion advancing for a fifth straight day as equities posted fresh losses after the worst year since the financial crisis. The metal hit a six-month high nearing $1,300 an ounce, even as some daily technical indicators highlighted the potential for a reversal after recent gains. The advance came as fresh figures ...
Read More »Jet Airways misses payment to lenders, rating cut to default
Bloomberg Jet Airways India Ltd. has missed a payment to Indian lenders in the latest sign of mounting strains at the country’s second largest airline by passengers, after losses worsened a cash crunch. The setback underscores a lack of progress lining up sufficient funds for debt payments after the beleaguered carrier approached banks for a moratorium on loans and asked ...
Read More »Amazon to expand Whole Foods stores
Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc shares gained after a report said the company plans to expand its Whole Foods grocery stores in the US. The e-commerce giant aims to add locations to suburbs and other areas where the organic grocer is adding more customers since it was bought by Amazon last year, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited a person ...
Read More »US restaurants see tough year ahead over food, wage costs
Bloomberg It’s not going to get much easier for the restaurant industry. After facing stagnant sales and weak customer traffic in 2018, US restaurants will encounter more headwinds this year, including rising food and wage costs, that may stall profit and hinder efforts to jump start growth. Even the industry stalwarts are dealing with such issues in a fiercely competitive ...
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