India raises $131 million incentives to boost exports

Bloomberg India announced incentives worth $131 million as it seeks to double overseas shipments by 2020 amid slowing trade as well as help exporters tide over a chaotic roll out of the new sales tax. The increased benefits for exporters in labour-intensive businesses including textiles and farms is in addition to incentives worth 250 billion rupees already available to traders, ...

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Europe to weigh if US tax cuts violate ‘trade rules’

Bloomberg European Union finance ministers were expected to discuss US legislation to slash taxes at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday and whether the new plan violates international trade rules. The centerpiece of the tax bill that passed the US Senate is a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent. The bill still needs to ...

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BMW targets 50% increase in electric vehicle sales

Bloomberg BMW AG is targeting another ambitious hike in plug-in hybrid and battery car sales next year to defend its position in the electric-car shift as competitors like Volkswagen AG ready their own battery lineups. The planned increase to about 150,000 cars sold would represent a 50 percent rise from this year, and a jump of about two-thirds from last ...

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Britain’s net worth nears 10trn pounds

Bloomberg The UK’s net worth increased the most on record last year, as the value of land continued to increase. The nation’s total worth was estimated at 9.8 trillion pounds ($13.2 trillion) at the end of 2016, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. That’s 803 billion pounds higher than the previous year— and, at almost 9 percent, the ...

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UK services growth cools as prices charged pick up

Bloomberg UK services growth slowed in November from the fastest pace in six months as price pressures intensified. The services Purchasing Managers Index fell to 53.8 from 55.6 in October, IHS Markit said on Tuesday. Economists had forecast a reading of 55.0. Input costs increased the most since 2011 and prices charged rose at the fastest clip since 2008. While ...

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UK’s Cineworld agrees to buy US’ Regal in $3.6bn deal

Bloomberg The UK’s Cineworld Group Plc agreed to buy US theatre operator Regal Entertainment Group for about $3.6 billion to expand into the biggest movie market. The $23-a-share deal comes a week after the companies confirmed news reports of takeover discussions, jolting cinema-operator stocks. The price represents a 26 percent premium to Regal’s close on November 27, the day before ...

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Saudi bombs Yemen palace as conflict takes new turn

Bloomberg Saudi Arabian warplanes bombed the presidential palace in Yemen’s capital, stepping up attacks on Houthi rebels after they killed the country’s former president just when he appeared set to switch sides and offer the Saudis a way out of the conflict. The palace in Sana’a, currently used by the Houthi leadership, was pounded by at least seven airstrikes late ...

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Court lets Trump travel ban take full effect for now

Bloomberg A divided US Supreme Court let President Donald Trump’s travel ban take full effect while legal challenges go forward, handing him a major vict- ory and suggesting the court ultimately will uphold the restrictions. Trump will now be able to bar or restrict entry by people from six mostly Muslim countries, even if they have a relationship with a ...

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Australia seeks foreign-meddling restrictions after China dust-up

Bloomberg Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would introduce legislation to limit political meddling by foreign powers, citing reports of Chinese influence over a local lawmaker and Russia’s US election interference. People or organisations acting in the interests of foreign powers would be required to register and disclose their ties, Turnbull said, adding that foreign political donations would also ...

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Catalan separatists’ majority under threat

Bloomberg The Catalan election campaign kicks off on Tuesday with polls pointing to a finely balanced race in which turnout could play a crucial role. Surveys show it’s basically a toss-up whether the separatists will cling on to their majority in the regional parliament with the latest projections putting the three pro-independence parties on the cusp of the 68 seats ...

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