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☆ Davos 2023: Trip.com hopes China overseas travel capacity back to normal by Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Brenda Goh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Travel website operator Trip.com Group Ltd (9961.HK) is working with airlines and airports to encourage recovery in China's cross-border travel capacity and hopes levels will return to normal by the third quarter, its CEO Jane Sun said on Tuesday. "Domestic travel for Chinese people travelling within China has already recovered to 2019 levels very rapidly," Sun told Reuters on the sidelines of the forum in the ski resort of Davos. At least one study has also pointed to some hesitancy over outbound travel among Chinese residents. The pandemic had reshaped demands from Chinese travellers, Sun said. Trip.com is one of the world's largest online travel agencies with over 400 million users, most of them in China.

Jan 17 (Reuters) - Montfort has emerged as the top bidder for Uniper Energy's oil refinery in the UAE that produces low-sulphur fuel oil for the shipping industry, multiple sources familiar with the matter said this week. The companies are finalising the deal, some of the sources said, although one source said the deal has been closed. Other companies that were also in the running were Vitol and BB Energy, the sources said. The Fujairah plant processes mainly African sweet, or low-sulphur, crude oil, producing about 5 million tonnes per year of very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), according to Uniper and Refinitiv data. Montfort has a bunker supplier licence in Fujairah under the entity of Montfort Trading FZE.

☆ Lessor says Air India to order around 500 jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBLIN, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Air India is set to order around 500 planes as an airline industry recovery takes hold following the pandemic, one of the world's leading aircraft lessors said on Monday. The comments are the first public indication of the scale of the planned order after Reuters reported in December that Air India was close to ordering as many as 500 jets as it carves out a renaissance under the Tata Group conglomerate. Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China last year placed a block order for Airbus jets. "We do expect a number of airlines will place large orders and again most of these orders will be for replacement," Udvar-Hazy said.

☆ Revolut close to finalising 2021 accounts as fintech seeks U.K. licence - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Stefania Spezzati | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Fintech firm Revolut Ltd. is close to finalising its long-overdue 2021 financial accounts, a move that could pave the way for the start-up to obtain a UK banking licence, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Revolut is set to publish financial accounts for the year ended December 2021 - which were due last summer - at the end of January after auditing firm BDO LLP’s final sign-off, the people said. The Revolut filing will likely show a rise in 2021 revenue from clients’ subscriptions and exchange rate fees, the person said. The accounts may help the entrepreneur to convince UK regulators that Revolut is ready for a banking licence after a two-year wait. Britain is a key market for Revolut, which aims to become a global financial firm.

☆ Investors sit on a plastic waste ticking bomb
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In the United States 73% of plastic waste ends up in landfills, where it takes up to 500 years to decompose. Using recycled plastic, while less energy-intensive than creating virgin plastic, can cost more overall. In March, 175 governments agreed to work out binding laws to end plastic pollution by end-2024. Reuters GraphicsFollow @LJucca on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSRepresentatives of 175 countries endorsed in March a landmark resolution to develop international legally binding instruments to end plastic pollution. In 2008 the Netherlands introduced a packaging waste management levy.

[1/3] Drivers push auto rickshaws in a line to buy petrol from a fuel station amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29, 2022. India's foreign ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters on its plans and strategic aims in Sri Lanka. New Delhi has long been concerned about China's clout in its neighbourhood, including Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. "And as far as Sri Lanka is concerned, we don't want to contribute to any escalation of tension between any countries." "Sri Lanka has clearly benefited from being the closest neighbour to the most powerful country in the region.

SummarySummary Companies Auditors cite past 'financial irregularities'Utility reports $719 mln net loss for 2022Expects bigger loss this yearEskom says reliant on government supportJOHANNESBURG, Dec 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's Eskom said on Friday that auditors have questioned the utility's ability to survive as a going concern citing past financial irregularities. Auditors Deloitte & Touche LLP in a report said there is “a material uncertainty relating to Eskom’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the utility said in its annual financial report. [1/2] Locals walk past electricity pylons during frequent power outages from South African utility Eskom, caused by its aging coal-fired plants, in Orlando, Soweto, South Africa, September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo 1 2In response, Eskom said it was investigating the incident and was finalising a disciplinary process against an individual. Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter resigned this month saying a lack of political support had made his position "untenable".

The 1.4 trillion yen includes 200 billion yen in working capital, they said. The main banking arms of Mizuho Financial Group (8411.T), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316.T) and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc (8309.T) are together expected to lend more than 1 trillion yen, three sources said. The core bank unit of Japan's biggest financial group, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (8306.T) and Aozora Bank Ltd (8304.T) are also participating, they added. Spokespeople for all five banks declined to comment. Toshiba named a JIP-led group as its preferred bidder in October for the buyout process.

Poland withdrew last-minute objections to a global minimum corporate tax, unblocking a whole package of linked agreements that includes the loan to Ukraine, invaded by Russia almost 10 months ago. "The next six months will demand even greater efforts from us," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the 27 EU leaders gathered in Brussels, asking them for more support from air defences to energy equipment. EU leaders also agreed a ninth package of sanctions against Russia for waging the war against Ukraine, diplomats said. The decision, which requires unanimity, came after EU Russia hawks Poland and Lithuania had warned that proposed exceptions for food security might in fact benefit Russian oligarchs in the fertilizer business. Poorer EU countries want a coordinated response and warned richer member states like Germany against supporting their industries without showing solidarity with the rest of the bloc.

☆ Kremlin: U.S. Patriot systems in Ukraine would be legitimate target
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 14 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that U.S. Patriot missile defence systems would be a legitimate target for Russian strikes against Ukraine, should the United States authorise them to be delivered to support Kyiv. Washington is finalising plans to send the Patriot missile defence system to Ukraine, a decision that could be announced as soon as this week, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Tuesday. The Patriot is considered to be one of the most advanced U.S. air defence systems, including against aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. "It is the United States that is responsible for the prolongation and escalation of the Ukrainian conflict." For the United States, this has included NASAMS air defence systems that the Pentagon says have flawlessly intercepted Russian missiles in Ukraine.

☆ UK watchdog says applying lessons from FTX crypto collapse will be 'pacy'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Representations of cryptocurrencies are seen in front of displayed FTX logo and decreasing stock graph in this illustration taken November 10, 2022. REUTERS/Dado RuvicLONDON, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Lessons will be applied swiftly from the collapse of crypto exchange FTX that left 80,000 UK investors nursing losses even though the platform was not registered in Britain, the UK Financial Conduct Authority said on Wednesday. Long said regulators' response to the FTX debacle would be "pacy". Currently crypto dealings are unregulated in Britain, with firms only needing to show they can comply with anti-money laundering rules. "In terms of dark money, there is money laundering that is running through crypto," Long said.

☆ Gulf states, looking East, to reinforce economic ties with China as Xi visits Saudi
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Rachna Uppal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Saudi Arabia is China's top oil supplier, making up 18% of China's total crude oil purchases, and state-run Saudi Aramco has annual supply deals with half a dozen Chinese refiners. Outside energy, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states provide markets for Chinese goods, construction contracts and investment opportunities in infrastructure, manufacturing and digital economies that fit Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are also investing in future technologies as a pillar of economic diversification, which has gained impetus in a global transition away from fossil fuels. Online giant Alibaba has partnered with STC Group for cloud services in Saudi Arabia. BALANCING ACTHow Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states handle both Chinese and Western supply chains in sensitive areas like critical national infrastructure is likely to remain a point of friction with key security partner the United States, analysts say.

☆ Morning Bid: Powerless
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. Treasury yields are up, the dollar is standing firm after its biggest rally in two weeks and risk-off sentiment is holding sway. For the euro zone, however, there is little in the way of good news. Industrial orders data from Germany, the biggest economy in the euro zone, is the only economic indicator worth watching on Tuesday. Chairman Axel Lehmann told media the embattled bank is "definitely stable" and has seen a stabilisation in client funds outflows.

☆ Indonesia govt to create a mechanism for rollout of B35 biodiesel policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JAKARTA, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Indonesia's president has asked the government to create a mechanism next year to ensure the rollout of B35 biodiesel, a senior minister said on Tuesday. B35 is a fuel containing a 35% mix of palm oil-based fuel. Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, currently has a mandatory 30% mix of palm oil fuel in biodiesel, known as B30. Southeast Asia's biggest economy is currently finalising trials on biodiesel containing 40% palm oil-based fuel known as B40. "We will monitor the global geopolitical environment, extreme weather and the scarring effects on inflation," Airlangga said.

☆ Britain finalises plans for regulation of crypto industry - FT
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 5 (Reuters) - Britain's Treasury is finalising plans for a package to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, including limits on foreign companies selling into the country and restrictions on advertising, the Financial Times reported on Monday. Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in BengaluruOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Spain to announce details on mortgage relief measures next Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The Spanish government expects to unveil details of mortgage relief measures to help vulnerable households and middle-class clients cope with rising borrowing costs on such loans at the next cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the economy minister said. Nadia Calvino told reporters on Friday the government and banks were finalising work on expanding and improving an existing industry-wide code of good practice for that purpose. "I hope that in the next few hours we will reach an agreement so that we can present it on Tuesday," Calvino said during a joint news conference with European Union antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager. Calvino said the government and lenders were also working on measures to support middle-class families that may be at risk as a result of an accelerated rise in interest rates by the European Central Bank translating into higher mortgage rates. Reporting by Jesús Aguado, Emma Pinedo and Inti Landauro; editing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, opened the India plant in 2019 and has been ramping up production. Foxconn has shared its plans with Tamil Nadu officials about accelerating its hiring efforts at the Indian plant due to disruptions in China, said the first government source. "We are gradually increasing our production scale there," the person said, declining to give details on its hiring plans in India. The second government source in India, a senior official in the Tamil Nadu administration, said the state government was working with Foxconn in "finalising" the expansion. Currently, iPhones are assembled in India by at least three of Apple's global suppliers: Foxconn and Pegatron (4938.TW) in Tamil Nadu; and Wistron (3231.TW) in nearby Karnataka state.

Global regulators have called on the EU and ISSB to make their climate disclosures interoperable to avoid competing norms confusing cross-border investors. An advisory body is due to present technical guidance to the European Commission on how to implement the disclosures. The ISSB hopes the EU could move towards its definition of materiality, which is drawn from accounting norms already being applied by EU companies in financial statements. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, however, is facing pressure to ditch Scope 3 from its draft climate disclosures. It said it will apply the ISSB's climate disclosure standard in its work.

But there was also a wider question for the officials: could the energy companies' use of such complex instruments threaten financial stability? So the ECB has widened its scrutiny to examine potential domino effects, including on the banks which it supervises. read moreWhile ECB President Christine Lagarde said the ECB stood ready to provide liquidity to banks, she said it would not do the same for energy firms. "Energy companies pose specific risks not only to financial stability. Reuters GraphicsRating agency Moody's, meanwhile, said that energy companies did not provide enough information about their derivatives.

☆ EU seeks better alignment with global sustainability rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Huw Jones | Nita Bhalla | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The European Union sought on Thursday to reassure international companies it would seek to align its sustainability disclosure rules with a global initiative, after warnings from regulators over fragmenting capital markets. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is writing global baseline standards for corporate disclosures on climate for use in non-EU countries such as Britain, while the United States is working on its own disclosure rules. "We want to see as much alignment as possible with the work of the International Sustainability Standards Board, even though as I have said Europe is likely to go further and faster to meet our more higher ambitions on climate," McGuinness said. She is moving to the next stage of the EU's green plans by assessing how best to encourage sustainable retail lending for small firms and households. "With the support of the European Banking Authority, we are examining what needs to be done to promote the growth of green loans and green mortgages," McGuinness said.

☆ U.S. firm Safanad to co-invest $200 million in MENA education
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Safanad, a New York-based private investment firm, will co-invest with Global School Management (GSM) $200 million in the education sector in the Middle East and North Africa, they said on Wednesday. They committed "to invest significantly beyond this to acquire, manage and develop multiple charter, online, early learning, and K-12 private schools independently and in partnership with regional governments," the firms said in a statement. GSM, set up in 2014 with Safanad as a founding investor, has more than 50,000 students in 165 schools and academies, mainly in the United States, Europe and Africa, the statement said. "We also hope to serve as a strategic partner to regional governments by cooperating with them in public private partnership initiatives," GSM CEO Ron Packard said in the statement. The firm announced the investment commitment at Saudi Arabia's FII investment conference.

☆ UK financial watchdog proposes rules to stamp out 'greenwashing'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Trillions of dollars have flowed globally into investments touting their environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials, but rules on what constitutes ESG are patchy. The market for UK-listed responsible investment funds grew 64% in 2021 to reach 79 billion pounds ($89.34 billion), the Financial Conduct Authority said. "Greenwashing misleads consumers and erodes trust in all ESG products," said Sacha Sadan, director of environment, social and governance at the FCA. "This places the UK at the forefront of sustainable investment internationally." It said it was stepping up checks on sustainable products and enhancing enforcement.

☆ Renault says price hikes help sales grow in Q3, confirms outlook
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Gilles Guillaume | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Overall group revenues grew by 20.5% when adjusted for the disposal of its former Russian unit Avtovaz, Renault said, adding that it had recorded its best-ever price effect as quarterly vehicle sales decreased by 2.4% from last year. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterRenault's third-quarter sales figure of 9.8 billion euros was in line with an analyst consensus provided by the company. Renault is Nissan's largest shareholder with 43% while the Japanese automaker owns 15% in its partner. The two companies said last week they were in talks about a new phase in their partnership that could include Nissan investing in Renault's new electric vehicle venture. Talks so far have included consideration of Renault selling some of its Nissan stake, sources have said.

The Group of Seven richest economies (G7) has been trying to enforce a price-capping mechanism on Russian oil exports by Dec. 5, when European Union sanctions banning seaborne imports of Russian crude come into force. Moscow has said it would not supply oil to any country that agrees to the price cap. The price cap plan calls for G7 countries to deny insurance, finance, brokering, navigation and other services to oil cargoes priced above a yet-to-be-determined price cap on crude and oil products. "We get Russian oil on a delivered basis, let the contours of the price cap mechanism be finalised. Another source said a halt of Russian oil purchases by India will create a 'huge energy imbalance', which will not be affordable to some economies.

The agreement is also seen as critical to unlock bilateral aid from country donors that wanted the reassurance of an IMF programme that Tunisia would carry out reforms to put its finances on a more sustainable footing. "The agreement is an important step for Tunisia's public finances and will allow Tunisia to borrow from some bilateral sources," a senior Tunisian official said on condition of anonymity. It is subject to the approval of the IMF board, which is scheduled to discuss Tunisia's programme request in December, the fund said. The IMF warned that in the near term growth would likely slow with more pressure on inflation and on the external and fiscal balances. The government negotiated for months with the IMF and had to also to sign an agreement with the UGTT to limit public sector wage increases over the next three years.

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