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☆ Tesla, ABB, TSMC get Q2 earnings off to downbeat start
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The news cast a pall over stocks as second-quarter earnings season ramps up. ABB said its orders in China, its second-biggest market, fell 9% in the three months to the end of June, with its electrification, motion and robotics divisions all seeing lower demand. Analysts have warned easing input costs will put pressure on companies to start cutting prices, or they may lose business. Swedish hygiene product maker Essity's (ESSITYa.ST) second-quarter earnings missed market expectations, hit by wage inflation, bigger marketing costs in its consumer goods unit, and lower volumes after price hikes. Investors punished the companies' shares.

Persons: TSMC, Elon Musk, Aly, Musk, Electrolux, Josephine Mason, Sharon Singleton Organizations: ABB, LONDON, Nasdaq, Shanghai, REUTERS, Europe's, Investors, Netflix, Revenue, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Germany, Shanghai, Europe, lockdowns, United States

Nokia and rival Ericsson (ERICb.ST) have been hit by slowing orders from customers, mostly in their high-margin North American markets. The results come after Nokia last week cut its annual sales and profit margin outlook and Ericsson reported a big fall in quarterly profit. Comparable operating profit in the second quarter fell to 626 million euros ($702.37 million) from 714 million euros last year, but beat market estimates. The decline in North American markets was somewhat offset by India but with a lower margin. Nokia made gains with Indian operators, particularly with the likes of Reliance Jio Infocomm, which was dominated by Samsung for 4G, he said.

Persons: Pekka Lundmark, Lundmark, Supantha Mukherjee, Niklas Pollard, Josephine Mason Organizations: Nokia, Ericsson, Apple, Samsung, 4G, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Finnish, India, North America, Stockholm

☆ Strong U.S. demand eases pressure on Novo to show weight-loss drug's health benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Investors had been banking on the study results being the next big driver of the company's shares. That's due to high demand and after Novo raised its profit outlook in April, said Berenberg analyst Kerry Holford. If the risk reduction was between 10 and 14%, shares would decrease by less than 5%. A year ago, investors said a risk reduction of 10 to 14% in the trial would put significant downward pressure on the stock, Holford said. Barclays analyst Emily Field said a risk reduction as low as 11% could boost the stock.

Persons: Novo, Kerry Holford, Holford, Emily Field, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Soaring U.S, Novo Nordisk's, Nestle, UBS, Reuters, Barclays, May, BMO Global Asset Management, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Danish, United States

[1/3] A selection of injector pens for the Wegovy weight loss drug are shown in this photo illustration in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 31, 2023. It highlights the challenge Novo and rivals face in convincing European governments to pay for obesity drugs, which analysts say is likely to slow their take-up there. Germany's health ministry told Reuters there were no plans to change the law to cover weight loss drugs. DIFFERENT PICTUREIn the United States, the federal Medicare health plan for older Americans is prohibited from covering weight-loss drugs. Many health plans paid for by large employers will cover Wegovy, although they may require that patients try a rigorous diet programme or cheaper drugs first.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Wegovy, Martin Merkel, Merkel, Duane Mellor, Novo, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Michael Wirtz, Terence McManus, Phil McEwan, they've, McEwan, Patricia Weiss, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Wegovy, Europe's, pharma, European Union, Endocrinology Society, Aston University in, Reuters, Bellevue Asset Management, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Germany, FRANKFURT, Aston University in Birmingham, England, Wegovy, Europe, Danish, Berlin, Norway, Denmark, Britain, United States, Switzerland, Bellevue, EU, Cardiff , Wales, Frankfurt

☆ Weight loss without Wegovy’s side-effects on biotech firms' radar
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

It leads to 22.5% weight loss, according to a Lilly trial published last year. The effect achieves far more weight loss than predecessors. An even earlier stage biotech firm, Antag Therapeutics in Denmark, told Reuters that the ballooning obesity market has improved its fundraising prospects. It curbs appetite by restoring the natural release of GLP-1 and other hormones, without causing nausea, Phase I data showed. The effect of the drug on weight loss is being tested in the Phase II study.

Persons: Rebecca Vogt, Handout, Wegovy, Vogt, Jayson Dallas, Noushin Irani, Mounjaro, Eli Lilly's, Lilly, Andrew Levin, Rivus, Mark Fineman, Ashish Nimgaonkar, Nimgaonkar, Alexander Sparre, Ulrich, Tim Opler, Opler, Stifel, Maggie Fick, Josephine Mason, Daniel Flynn Organizations: REUTERS, Nordisk's, Food and Drug Administration, U.S, Reuters, Rivus Pharmaceuticals, Investors, Deutsche, FDA, Pfizer, Capital Management, Rivus, Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University, pharma, Antag Therapeutics, Aphaia Pharma, Thomson Locations: Irving , New York, U.S, GLP, Buffalo , New York, United States, Dallas, Baltimore , Maryland, Denmark, Switzerland

☆ Focus: Biotech firms target weight-loss drugs without Wegovy's side-effects
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/7] Rebecca Vogt, a former user of the weight-loss drug Wegovy, poses for a photo, in Irving, New York, U.S., June 20, 2023. It leads to 22.5% weight loss, according to a Lilly trial published last year. An even earlier stage biotech firm, Antag Therapeutics in Denmark, told Reuters that the ballooning obesity market has improved its fundraising prospects. It curbs appetite by restoring the natural release of GLP-1 and other hormones, without causing nausea, Phase I data showed. The effect of the drug on weight loss is being tested in the Phase II study.

VW, which relies on gallium and germanium for automotive products, said it was "ready to take measures together with its partners if necessary" but did not elaborate. The metals will play a role in future autonomous driving functions, a spokesperson for the German automaker said. Germanium is used in high-speed computer chips, plastics, and in military applications such as night-vision devices, as well as satellite imagery sensors. But if prices rise as restrictions take hold companies would have another reason to shift supply chains. NXP makes some chips for the auto and communications sectors using gallium or germanium.

Persons: Yellen, Janet Yellen, Alastair Neill, Imelda Medina, Liao Chien, Taiwan's TSMC, chipmaker, NXP, Josephine Mason, Matt Scuffham, Catherine Evans Organizations: VW, WIN, Treasury, Beijing Pentagon, Volkswagen, U.S, Critical Minerals, U.S . Defense Department, REUTERS, Capital Securities Corp, WIN Semiconductors, Reuters, Apple, Nvidia, Thomson Locations: Beijing, TAIPEI, China, Puebla, Mexico, Germany, Japan, Taiwan

☆ Factbox: Companies respond to China's curbs on gallium and germanium exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Following are responses from some companies to the announcement of curbs from Aug. 1 on Chinese gallium and germanium exports. The German automaker said gallium and germanium played a role in future autonomous driving functions. * Taiwan's TSMC (2330.TW), the world's largest contract chipmaker, said it did not expect any direct impact on its production but would continue monitoring the situation. * Microchip Technology (MCHP.O) said its initial assessment is that there will not be a material impact. * Stellantis (STLAM.MI) Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said the restrictions on gallium and germanium exports should not push Western companies to "decouple" from China.

Persons: chipmaker, Carlos Tavares, Tavares, Catherine Evans, Josephine Mason Organizations: Volkswagen, Nasdaq, Intel, Infineon, European Union, Navitas Semiconductor Corp, Thomson Locations: China, United States

VW, which relies on gallium and germanium for automotive products, said it was "ready to take measures together with its partners if necessary" but did not elaborate. The metals will also play a role in future autonomous driving functions, a spokesperson for the German carmaker said. The export curbs are likely to further strain U.S.-China relations as the countries vie for dominance in semiconductor and defence technologies. But if prices rise as restrictions take hold companies would have another reason to shift supply chains. Chipmaker NXP Semiconductors (NXPI.O) sees no material impact on its business.

Persons: Imelda Medina, Yellen, Janet Yellen, carmaker, Liao Chien, Taiwan's TSMC, chipmaker, NXP, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, VW, WIN, Treasury, Capital Securities Corp, WIN Semiconductors, Reuters, Apple, Nvidia, Thomson Locations: Puebla, Mexico, Beijing TAIWAN, China, Beijing, U.S, Germany, Japan, Taiwan

☆ H&M to grow third-party brand strategy as online rivalry intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, June 29 (Reuters) - H&M (HMb.ST) plans to sell more third-party brands online and in stores, CEO Helena Helmersson said on Thursday, as one of the world's top fashion retailers ramps up its effort to take on e-commerce rivals. Its marketplace strategy, launched last year, is aimed at challenging online rivals like Zalando, ASOS, and fast-fashion giant Shein as competition intensifies. Inditex-owned (ITX.MC) Zara features other brands only for exclusive collaborations, such as with South Korean label Ader Error and British shoemaker Clarks. "This has been really well received by customers who also complement the H&M assortment with other brands," Helmersson said. "Inditex's thinking is focused on its own brands, own stores and own online," said Lowery.

Persons: Helena Helmersson, M's, Zara, Clarks, Helmersson, Geoff Lowery, Inditex's Zara, Lowery, Marie, Helen Reid, Josephine Mason, Emma Rumney Organizations: Adidas, South, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Cos, Swedish, Monki, Hong Kong, Stockholm, London

☆ Exclusive: EDF CEO tells managers nuclear business to be reorganised
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Electricite de France SA FollowPARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - EDF CEO Luc Remont told managers on Thursday that the state-owned power group's nuclear activities would be reorganised to overcome recurring problems that cut production last year. Two sources said the division would be restructured and five executives charged with drawing up proposals, including nuclear park head Cedric Lewandowski, head of new nuclear projects Xavier Ursat and head of industrial quality Alain Tranzer. France is the region's largest exporter of power, but the outages cut 2022 nuclear power output to the lowest level since 1988. Remont told the group's top 300 managers that talks were still underway with the state and EU competition regulators about its existing and future nuclear activities, the source said. There's no need to wait for a final decision from the president's office," the source said after attending the meeting with managers.

Persons: Luc Remont, Cedric Lewandowski, Xavier Ursat, Alain Tranzer, Emmanuel Macron's, Remont, Elizabeth Pineau, Benjamin Mallet, Josephine Mason, Leigh Thomas, Jan Harvey Organizations: Electricite de, SA, PARIS, EDF, Reuters, French, Thomson Locations: France, EU, Paris, London

HAMBURG, June 11 (Reuters) - BioNTech (22UAy.DE) will go to court on Monday to defend itself against a lawsuit from a German woman who is seeking damages for alleged side effects of its COVID-19 vaccine, the first of potentially hundreds of cases in the country. The plaintiff claims she suffered upper-body pain, swollen extremities, fatigue and sleeping disorder due to the vaccine. Tobias Ulbrich, a lawyer at Rogert & Ulbrich, told Reuters he aimed to challenge in court the assessment made by European Union regulators and German vaccine assessment bodies that the BioNTech shot has a positive risk-benefit profile. Almost 768 million vaccine doses have been administered in the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Rogert & Ulbrich says it has filed about 250 cases for clients seeking damages for alleged side-effects of COVID-19 vaccines.

Persons: Tobias Ulbrich, Caesar, Preller, Ludwig Burger, Patricia Weiss, Emilio Parodi, Natalie Grover, Sam Tobin, Josephine Mason, Mark Potter Organizations: Reuters, European Union, Pfizer, European Medicines Agency, EMA, Economic, BioNTech, United, Thomson Locations: HAMBURG, Hamburg, Germany, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, United States, Italy, Milan, London

In-store and online sales rose 13% to 7.6 billion euros in the first quarter, in line with the 13.5% seen in the first six weeks of the financial year. The company said it plans to invest 1.6 billion euros to increase gross store space in 2023 by about 3%. Inditex closed its over 500 stores in Russia in March 2022 following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February and subsequent Western sanctions. Inditex has begun to charge for online returns in more countries with no impact on sales, the company said. Inditex is also invested in more self-scanning checkouts and is replacing hard anti-theft tags with chips sewn into garments to avoid checkout queues.

Persons: Inditex, Massimo Dutti, Anne Critchlow, Jelena Sokolova, Zara, Corina Pons, Helen Reid, Charlie Devereux, Matt Scuffham, Josephine Mason, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Spain Company, Societe Generale, Inditex, Group, Morningstar, Thomson Locations: Spain, MADRID, LONDON, Zara, United States, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, UAE, France, Germany

Net profit came in at 1.2 billion euros ($1.24 billion) for the quarter that ended in April, exceeding analysts' average expectations of 980 million euros in a Refinitiv poll. Inditex reported solid sales, in line with analyst expectations of 7.56 billion euros, even after selling its profitable Russian division in 2022 and absorbing higher labour costs. Part of Inditex's strategy, which also owns Pull&Bear and Massimo Dutti, is to maintain higher prices outside the Eurozone. STEADY MARGINSThe gross margin reached a record 60.5%, showing it has been able to pass on higher prices to shoppers. Analysts believe only the strongest global fashion retailers will gain market share in an environment where consumers are becoming more discerning.

Persons: Inditex, Massimo Dutti, Corina Pons, Helen Reid, Charlie Devereux, Matt Scuffham, Josephine Mason Organizations: Thomson Locations: MADRID, LONDON, Zara, Spain, United States, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Europe

ISTANBUL, June 6 (Reuters) - An Air India plane flying from Delhi to San Francisco was forced to divert and land at an airport in Russia's Far East after it developed a technical issue with one of its engines, the airline said on Tuesday. The 216 passengers and 16 crew onboard were being offered support on the ground and accommodated in local hotels for the night, Air India said. Air India said it could not share any passenger details. GE Aerospace said it was aware of the diversion and working with Air India to resolve the issue. However, Air India and some Gulf-based, Chinese and African carriers continue to fly over Russia, making flying times shorter and American rivals uncompetitive.

Persons: Rosaviatsia, Campbell Wilson, Biden, Aditi Shah, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, David Shepardson, Valerie Insinna, Alexnader Marrow, Gleb Stolyarov, Josephine Mason, Emelia Sithole, David Evans, Mark Potter Organizations: An, Boeing, United Airlines, Air, General Electric, Union, Norwegian Air Boeing, Washington, GE, U.S . Treasury, U.S . Department of Commerce, GE Aerospace, International Air Transport Association, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, An Air India, Delhi, San Francisco, Russia's Far, Russia, Air India, Magadan, Okhotsk, Iran, Shiraz, India, Washington, United States, Moscow, Ukraine, American, U.S

☆ Analysis: Investors see trouble ahead after Europe's stellar first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Europe's largest listed company LVMH (LVMH.PA) produced stellar sales as China rebounded sharply after COVID restrictions ended. The robust corporate margins on show in the first quarter are seen coming under pressure later in the year. Based on Refinitiv I/B/E/S estimates, STOXX 600 companies are expected to report net profit margins of 11.4% in the first quarter, up from 10.2% in the last quarter of 2022. But margins are seen declining to 10.5% in the third quarter, according to Refinitiv estimates. But there has not been a wave of companies revising earnings forecasts down, providing a cushion for European equities.

☆ Investors see trouble ahead after Europe's stellar first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] An advertising board shows a 5G logo at the International Airport in Zaventem, Belgium May 4, 2020. The proposal is part of feedback to the European Commission which launched a consultation into the issue in February. The document, which was reviewed by Reuters and has not been published, was compiled by lobbying groups GSMA and ETNO. Telecom operators have lobbied for years for leading technology companies to contribute to funding 5G and broadband roll-out, saying that they use a huge part of the region's internet traffic. Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google, Apple (AAPL.O), Meta (META.O), Netflix , Amazon (AMZN.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) account for more than half of data internet traffic.

LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization on Friday declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, marking a major step toward the end of the pandemic that has killed more than 6.9 million people, disrupted the global economy and ravaged communities. "It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the end of the emergency did not mean COVID was over as a global health threat. The WHO's emergency committee first declared that COVID represented its highest level of alert on Jan. 30, 2020. The status helps focus international attention on a global health threat, as well as bolstering collaboration on vaccines and treatments. The decision to end the global health emergency status was supported by a majority of the committee, said Didier Houssin, head of the agency's COVID emergency committee.

☆ Flying high on obesity success, Novo's appetite for deals grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Its interest is largely in areas it has already invested in, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and gene therapies, he said on a panel at the LSX World Congress conference. Since launching its popular Wegovy weight-loss drug in the United States in June 2021, Novo's shares have soared by 140%. The company has traditionally taken a wait-and-see approach to deals, often waiting for drugs to have success in later-stage trials before going for a deal. Since joining the drugmaker in 2018, the company has grown its business development capacity. "If you look at some of our competitors, there are hundreds of people in business development ... and we probably have 25," he said.

☆ Investors see big Novo Nordisk stock boost if obesity drug shows heart benefit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Demand for the Danish company's weight-loss treatment Wegovy is soaring in the United States, leading it to significantly raise its full-year profit and sales expectations last month. "But most insurance companies (...) may need to see that data, to definitively see the correlation between weight loss and improved outcomes." Less than 15% could put downward pressure on the stock while around 10% would be a major disappointment, some of the investors and analysts said. Booming demand and production issues have caused shortages of Wegovy though, forcing Novo to delay launching the weekly injection in most of Europe. Even with the medical benefit, investors say the company faces a challenge convincing Europe's cost-conscious health authorities to pay for the drug.

SAS has lost almost 60% of its value since it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last July, seeking to slash costs and debt after wage talks with pilots collapsed. Apollo will mainly work with aviation regulators in Sweden and Denmark to secure approval, the first source said. The move comes as the airline looks for large investors and seeks to raise equity as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. Denmark's finance ministry told Reuters it was looking for one or more shareholders to take a majority stake in SAS. The company also became the largest shareholder in Mexican airline Aeromexico (GRPAF.PK) in 2020 following Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File PhotoLONDON/STOCKHOLM, April 28 (Reuters) - As recently as February, generative AI did not feature prominently in EU lawmakers' plans for regulating generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as ChatGPT. LAST-MINUTE CHANGESSince launching in November, ChatGPT has become the fastest growing app in history, and sparked a flurry of activity from Big Tech competitors and investment in generative AI startups like Anthropic and Midjourney. THE TERMINATORUntil recently, MEPs were still unconvinced that generative AI deserved any special consideration. In February, Tudorache told Reuters that generative AI was "not going to be covered" in-depth. But Tudorache and his colleagues now agree on the need for laws specifically targeting the use of generative AI.

☆ Explainer: What next for Microsoft's $69 billion Activision deal after UK ban?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, April 28 (Reuters) - Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday blocked Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69 billion acquisition of 'Call of Duty' maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) over concerns it would hinder cloud gaming. The regulator's decision reflected a flawed understanding of the market, it said. Microsoft can appeal to Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), an independent judicial body, which will only examine the CMA's decision-making process, not the merits of the merger. "The CAT aims to deal with 'straightforward' cases in under nine months – and Microsoft/Activision is anything but straightforward," Lane, said. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint to block the deal, which Microsoft has indicated it will fight.

☆ Explainer: What next for Microsoft's $69 bln Activision deal after UK ban?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The regulator's decision reflected a flawed understanding of the market, it said. Microsoft can appeal to Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), an independent judicial body, which will only examine the CMA's decision-making process, not the merits of the merger. "The CAT aims to deal with 'straightforward' cases in under nine months – and Microsoft/Activision is anything but straightforward," Lane, said. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint to block the deal, which Microsoft has indicated it will fight. The regulator then "identified certain potential errors" in its investigation chaired by Martin Coleman, who also oversaw the Microsoft-Activision case.

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