European dealmakers top global M&A rankings for second consecutive year December 17, 2019 Europe was the only region to enjoy a positive M&A performance in 2019 amid a global downturn that will continue into 2020, according to new analysis. European dealmakers marginally outperformed their regional index by 0.6 percentage points over the last year despite a poor performance from UK buyers, according to research by insurer Willis Towers [...]
Aramco hits $2 trillion as shares rise for fourth day in a row December 16, 2019 Shares in Saudi Aramco continued to rise for a fourth day, with the firm’s value tipping $2 trillion (£1.5 trillion) as shares hit 38 riyals (760p) today. The firm’s opening price was 37.5 riyals, but soon rose 1.6 per cent to reach 38 riyals, making the oil giant worth $2.03 trillion. Read more: Saudi Aramco [...]
Uber in talks to sell Indian food delivery business to Zomato in $400m deal December 16, 2019 Uber is said to be in talks to sell its Indian food delivery business to local rival Zomato in a deal worth roughly $400m (£299m). The ride-hailing giant is looking to offload Uber Eats in India to Zomato as part of its plan to reach profitability by 2021, according to several media reports. Read more: [...]
US reaches deal ‘in principle’ with China December 12, 2019 The US today reached a preliminary deal with China to end the year and a half long trade war that has slowed global growth and dampened investment around the world. A source briefed on the talks told Reuters: “The written agreement is still being formulated, but they have reached an agreement in principle.” Read more: [...]
US stock markets rise as Donald Trump says China deal ‘VERY’ close December 12, 2019 New York’s stock markets have opened higher after President Donald Trump tweeted that the US is “VERY close to a BIG DEAL” with China. The excited Twitter outburst marks a turnaround from Trump’s views of the situation last week, when he said he would happily wait until after the late-2020 US presidential elections to strike [...]
Softbank-backed Oneconnect slashes IPO and lowers valuation December 12, 2019 Chinese fintech Oneconnect has slashed its target valuation and downsized its planned initial public offering (IPO) in the US, in yet another blow for Softbank. The fintech, which is a subsidiary of Chinese insurance giant Ping An, downsized its planned stock market debut in New York by 28 per cent. Read more: Another dog for Softbank [...]
Saudi Aramco hits $2 trillion valuation as shares open higher December 12, 2019 Saudi Aramco shares opened 10 per cent higher in the second session of trading today, sending the state-owned oil company’s value above $2 trillion (£1.5 trillion). The shares rose as high as 38.7 Saudi riyals before easing to just over 38 riyals – a rise of more than eight per cent. Read more: Saudi Aramco [...]
Bangkok 2049: What do the next three decades hold for this neon metropolis? December 11, 2019 It looked like volleyball from afar. Up close, I realised the players were only using their feet. And the ball was hollow; a spherical rattan of bamboo. Sepak Takraw (or “Muzzle”) was being played with brio by a group of local boys on Phutharet Square, a Thai time capsule in Old City Bangkok. They invited [...]
Steel makers face another tough year ahead, says Moody’s December 10, 2019 European steel makers have been dealt a gloomy forecast for next year, as Moody’s ratings agency predicted slowing demand and deteriorating profitability for the industry. Key sectors using European-made steel such as the automotive industry are likely to need less of the material next year amid a wider market slowdown, it said. Read more: New [...]
Car sales fall for 17th straight month in China, as global market suffers December 10, 2019 Chinese car sales fell for a 17th consecutive month in November, as electric and hybrid car demand contracted yet again. Total automotive sales from the world’s biggest market fell 3.6 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Read more: Car production falls again amid [...]