Trade tensions rattle US equities; crude gains

Bloomberg US stocks slid to three-week lows as President Donald Trump’s threats of more trade protectionism against major partners were met with Chinese and European vows of retaliation, rattling global equities and sparking demand for the safety of bonds. The S&P 500 Index fell to the lowest since May, with technology shares leading declines on reports the US Treasury Department ...

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Pound still stuck in Brexit bog as more talks loom

Bloomberg A boost from the Bank of England, spoilt in no time by Brexit gloom — this has been a recurring pattern for the pound of late. This week may be no exception. While a hawkish surprise out of Thursday’s BOE meeting — namely, Chief Economist Andy Haldane’s shift of stance in favour of raising interest rates — gave the ...

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State pension funds pull up KKR on role in Toys ‘R’ Us fate

Bloomberg KKR & Co.’s leveraged buyout of Toys ‘R’ Us is coming under scrutiny by state pension funds that are questioning the private equity firm’s role in the bankruptcy of the world’s largest toy retailer. The Minnesota State Board of Investment decided to temporarily halt future commitments to KKR as it reviews the investment, while the Washington State Investment Board ...

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Chanel reveals its $46 billion fortune

Bloomberg Chanel Ltd., known for No. 5 perfume, little black dresses and financial secrecy, opened its books for the first time to reveal almost $10 billion in sales last year — a level that rivals luxury leader Louis Vuitton. It also reveals a vastly larger fortune for the two brothers that own the luxury giant than prior estimates. Alain and ...

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Boeing’s $44.3bn tanker nears delivery milestone

Bloomberg Boeing Co. and the US Air Force anticipate delivery in October of the first KC-46 aerial refuelling tanker, settling a disagreement over timing for the much-delayed $44.3 billion programme, according to the service’s No. 2 civilian official. The new schedule is two months earlier than the Air Force had projected. Undersecretary Matthew Donovan called it “aggressive but achievable” in ...

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Conagra Brands approaches Pinnacle Foods about deal

Bloomberg Conagra Brands Inc. has approached Pinnacle Foods Inc. about a potential deal that would add popular freezer-aisle brands to its roster at a time when frozen-food sales are booming, according to people familiar with the matter. The rival food manufacturers have had contact in recent weeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the details aren’t ...

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Virgin Atlantic names Weiss new CEO as Branson cedes control

Bloomberg Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. said commercial head Shai Weiss will take over as chief executive officer as billionaire founder Richard Branson prepares to cede majority control of the UK carrier. Craig Kreeger will stand down as chief at the end of this year, with Weiss taking the helm on January 1, 2019, the Crawley, England-based company said. The switch ...

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US plans new curbs on Chinese investment, citing security risk

Bloomberg The Treasury Department is planning to heighten scrutiny of Chinese investments in sensitive US industries under an emergency law, putting Washington’s trade war with Beijing on a potentially irreversible course. Under the plan, the White House would use one of the most significant legal measures available to declare China’s investment in US companies involved in technologies such as new-energy ...

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EU businesses cut UK ties over Brexit

Bloomberg British businesses aren’t the only ones unhappy with the state of Brexit negotiations. Companies in the rest of the European Union aren’t thrilled either. Exactly two years after the referendum, nearly half of 800 executives surveyed across six EU countries by law firm Baker McKenzie said their businesses had reduced investment in the UK since the Brexit vote, according ...

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Blackstone to raise $5bn for infrastructure fund

Bloomberg Blackstone Group LP is nearing a first close of $5 billion for its inaugural infrastructure fund, according to people familiar with the matter. The fundraising, expected to be finalised this week, is slightly behind schedule but will mark the biggest initial close for a first-time fund across any alternative investment strategy after SoftBank’s $100 billion Vision Fund and the ...

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