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☆ J&J subsidiary files for bankruptcy to advance $8 billion talc settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

J&J’s Red River Talc unit made its filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. J&J faces lawsuits from more than 62,000 claimants who alleged that its baby powder and other talc products were contaminated with asbestos and caused ovarian and other cancers. After being rebuffed twice by federal courts, New Brunswick New Jersey-based J&J is attempting again to end the litigation in a so-called “Texas two-step” bankruptcy. J&J said the Red River unit filed the bankruptcy case after it received support of about 83% of current claimants for the proposed bankruptcy plan. The goal is to use the proceeding to force all plaintiffs into one settlement, without requiring J&J itself to file for bankruptcy.

Persons: Reuters —, Johnson, J, Dietrich Knauth, Leigh Jones, Will Dunham, Sandra Maler, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Reuters, Johnson, Bankruptcy, Southern, Southern District of, Supreme, Purdue Locations: U.S, Southern District, Southern District of Texas, New Brunswick New Jersey, Texas, Bengaluru

☆ Boeing’s head of defense unit Ted Colbert to leave
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Reuters | Cnn'S Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —Boeing said on Friday that Ted Colbert, president and CEO of its defense, space and security unit will be leaving the company effective immediately. “I’d like to share that Ted Colbert, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS), will be leaving Boeing, and that l’ve asked Steve Parker to temporarily oversee BDS, effective immediately, until a replacement for Ted is named at a later date,” Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s president and CEO, said Friday in a statement. In the most recent quarter, Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security unit lost $913 million, up from the $527 million loss in the same period a year ago, after a narrow profit in the first quarter. But both the second quarter loss and the 2023 full-year loss were more than the company’s troubled commercial aircraft unit lost in the same periods. Boeing’s shares closed down about 1% on Friday and have lost about 41% so far this year.

Persons: Ted Colbert, Steve Parker, “, l’ve, Ted, ” Kelly Ortberg, ”, Utkarsh, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Reuters, Boeing, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, BDS, Boeing Company, Boeing’s Defense, & $ Locations: Bengaluru

☆ US Airlines Cancel Over 2,000 Flights Due to Massive Winter Storm
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) -Airlines in the United States canceled more than 2,000 flights on Friday after a massive winter storm knocked out power and affected businesses in 12 states ahead of a likely brutal freeze over the weekend. A total of 2,058 flights were canceled and 5,846 flights were delayed as of 5.30 p.m. Southwest Airlines led the list of cancellations with 401 flights, followed by SkyWest at 358. "We expect some operational challenges due to the weather in the Midwest today and potentially tomorrow due to the winter weather in the region," Delta Air Lines said. Southwest Airlines said in a travel advisory that some of its flights in Chicago, Detroit and Omaha could be impacted.

Persons: SkyWest, Nathan Gomes, Abhinav Parmar, Sriraj Kalluvila, Arun Koyyur, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Reuters, Airlines, United States, Southwest Airlines, Air Lines, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Alaska Airlines Locations: United, Midwest, Chicago, Detroit, Omaha, Bengaluru

☆ Broadcom plans to close $69 billion VMWare deal on Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the VMware cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsNov 21 (Reuters) - Broadcom (AVGO.O) said it planned to close its $69 billion acquisition of cloud computing firm VMWare (VMW.N) on Wednesday, wrapping up one of the biggest takeover deals in the technology industry that was closely scrutinized by regulators globally. Some investors in the companies had feared about the outcome of the deal after reports said last month that rising Sino-U.S. tensions could lead China's regulator to scuttle the deal. Broadcom shares were down more than 1%, while VMware was down 4.6%. The deal was previously expected to close by Nov. 26.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Biden, Bernstein, Zaheer Kachwala, Mary Varghese, Siu, Anil D'Silva, Shounak Organizations: VMware, REUTERS, Broadcom, VMWare, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Beijing, Washington, Bengaluru, Hong Kong

"In the more recent macro environment, consumer demand has been even more uneven and difficult to predict," Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said. U.S. holiday sales are expected to rise at its slowest pace in five years, according to data from the National Retail Federation, as Americans are likely to pull back on holiday shopping. REUTERS/Bing Guan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLast week, industry bellwether Walmart (WMT.N) warned of cautious consumer spending as the holiday shopping season gets underway. Retail executives said higher interest rates, inflation and a resumption in student loan repayments will keep consumer wallets under pressure. Still, some investors expect holiday sales starting Black Friday to hold "some positive surprises."

Persons: Corie Barry, Bing Guan, Fitch, David Silverman, Marvin Ellison, Thomas Hayes, Rachel Wolff, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Savyata Mishra, Granth Vanaik, Juby Babu, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: National Retail Federation, REUTERS, Walmart, Retail, Apparel, Abercrombie, Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Insider Intelligence, Thomson Locations: United States, SoHo, New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Wells Fargo employees at two branches mount unionization campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Wells Fargo logo is seen in New York City, U.S. January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - Wells Fargo (WFC.N) employees at two of the bank's branches filed for union elections on Monday, laying the groundwork for potential unionization in an industry that has largely been immune to such labor campaigns. In a petition to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), bankers and tellers at Wells Fargo branches in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Bethel, Alaska declared their intent to join the Communications Workers of America's Wells Fargo Workers United (WFWU). "While we are the first Wells Fargo workers to file for union elections, we will not be the last," said Sabrina Perez, a senior premier banker at Wells Fargo's Albuquerque branch. "We have a deep commitment to invest in and support everyone who works at Wells Fargo ... have significantly improved compensation and benefits for our lower paid employees in recent years," he said.

Persons: Stephanie Keith, Wells, Sabrina Perez, Wells Fargo's Saul Van Beurden, Niket, Anil D'Silva, Shounak Organizations: REUTERS, National Labor Relations Board, Communications Workers, America's Wells Fargo Workers United, Labor, Detroit Three, Wells, Wall Street, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Wells Fargo, Albuquerque , New Mexico, Bethel , Alaska, America's Wells, United States, Wells, Albuquerque, Bengaluru

☆ A timeline of Sam Altman’s ouster from OpenAI and Microsoft appointment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Openai LLC FollowMicrosoft Corp FollowNov 20 (Reuters) - Following a surprise ouster, OpenAI co-founder and former CEO Sam Altman joined Microsoft (MSFT.O) as the head of artificial intelligence research along with the ChatGPT maker's former President Greg Brockman and other staff. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsThe developments come less than a year after OpenAI kicked off the generative AI frenzy with the launch of viral chatbot ChatGPT and bagged Microsoft as an investor, among other big names. The shakeup is not the first at OpenAI, which was launched in 2015. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Carlos Barria, Elon Musk, Akash Sriram, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Microsoft, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ A timeline of Sam Altman's firing and dramatic return to OpenAI
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Openai LLC FollowMicrosoft Corp FollowNov 21 (Reuters) - OpenAI said late on Tuesday Sam Altman would return to the company as CEO, capping days of high drama and marathon discussions about the future of the startup at the center of the global artificial intelligence boom. [1/2]Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Acquire Licensing RightsFollowing his surprise dismissal on Friday, Altman had briefly joined Microsoft (MSFT.O) as the head of artificial intelligence research along with the ChatGPT maker's former President Greg Brockman and other staff. The developments come less than a year after OpenAI kicked off a generative AI frenzy with the launch of viral chatbot ChatGPT and bagged Microsoft as an investor, among other big names. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Nivedita BhattacharjeeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, Carlos Barria, Altman, Greg Brockman, Akash Sriram, Shounak Dasgupta, Nivedita Organizations: Microsoft, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ How close are crypto markets to first spot bitcoin, ether ETFs?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Word "Crypto" and stock graph are seen through magnifier displayed in this illustration taken September 4, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - A spate of filings for spot bitcoin and ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including from traditional finance heavyweights, has revived the crypto market that had been crushed by a series of meltdowns last year. A spot crypto ETF would track the market price of the underlying crypto asset, giving investors exposure to the token without having to buy the currency. The SEC has previously denied all spot bitcoin ETF applications citing potential for fraud, but that could soon change after it lost a legal battle in August. Here is a pipeline of filings for spot bitcoin ETFs awaiting approval:Reuters GraphicsHere is a pipeline of spot ether ETFs awaiting approval:Here are some ether futures-tied ETFs that have been approved recently:Sources: filings, media reports, company statementsReporting by Manya Saini and Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Michelle Price and Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: magnifier, Dado Ruvic, Manya Saini, Niket, Michelle Price, Shounak Organizations: REUTERS, SEC, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Morgan Stanley appoints Jed Finn as head of wealth management - memo
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A screen displays the trading information for Morgan Stanley on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley (MS.N) has named Jed Finn as the head of its wealth management unit, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday. Finn, currently the chief operating officer of the division, joined the investment bank in 2011 and has held several leadership roles in the business, the memo said. The appointment, effective Jan. 1, comes weeks after the bank named Ted Pick as its new chief executive officer. The bank also appointed insiders Jacques Chappuis and Ben Huneke as co-heads of investment management, the memo said.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Brendan McDermid, Jed Finn, Finn, Ted Pick, Andy Saperstein, Dan Simkowitz, Jacques Chappuis, Ben Huneke, Niket, Tatiana Bautzer, Shounak Dasgupta, Sonia Cheema Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Reuters, Financial Times, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bengaluru, New York

☆ Structural demand for US debt strong despite bond market volatility - Moody's
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - The structural demand for U.S. debt which underpins the dollar-based global financial system remains strong against the backdrop of recent Treasury market volatility, Moody's Investors Service said on Monday. The firm added U.S. financial regulators have undertaken a series of measures to improve Treasury market resilience and efficiency, and that it expects the market structure will continue to evolve. "Going forward, as the Fed reduces its Treasury holdings, foreign central banks, pension funds, insurance companies and households will be stabilizing factors in the market," Moody's said in a client note. Earlier this month, Moody's lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to "negative" from "stable" citing large fiscal deficits and a decline in debt affordability. Treasury yields have soared this year on expectations the Federal Reserve will keep monetary policy tight, as well as on U.S.-focused fiscal concerns.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Moody's, Manya Saini, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: New York Stock, REUTERS, Moody's Investors, Treasury, Reserve, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Bengaluru

The McDonald's company logo stands on a sign outside a restaurant in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, July 30, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - McDonald's (MCD.N) said on Monday it would acquire investment firm Carlyle's (CG.O) 28% stake in a partnership that manages its business in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, as the burger chain looks to simplify its structure in the region. Reuters reported in April that Carlyle was discussing various options with financial advisers for its stake in McDonald's China, including setting up a continuation fund for the asset. There was "no better time to simplify our structure" given the benefits of China's long-term potential, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said. Reuters reported in August that Trustar Capital, formerly known as CITIC Capital, was also planning to raise a continuation fund that would allow the Chinese private equity firm to sell down its stake in McDonald's China.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Carlyle, Chris Kempczinski, Jim Sanderson, Granth, Deborah Sophia, Anil D'Silva, Shounak Dasgupta, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: REUTERS, CITIC, HK, Reuters, CITIC Ltd, Northcoast, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, China, Hong Kong, Macau, McDonald's China, Bengaluru

Analysts attended earnings calls in the third quarter armed with questions for healthcare and consumer companies about the potential effect on their sales from the growing popularity of these drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists. A Reuters analysis of earnings transcripts for the third quarter showed "GLP-1" or alternatives like "obesity" or "weight-loss medications" were mentioned 256 times across 29 U.S. and European healthcare and consumer companies. That's more than double the mentions for the second quarter, when those phrases came up 127 times. While some consumer companies have talked about factors such as fewer calories being consumed, "these kind of large extrapolations" seem to be a bit of a stretch, said BMO Capital analyst Evan Seigerman. For big pharma manufacturers like Pfizer (PFE.N) and Amgen (AMGN.O), analyst questions were aimed at their obesity drug candidates.

Persons: Lilly, George Frey, Jeff Jonas, it's, Eli Lilly's, John Furner, Mondelez, Eli Lilly, Evan Seigerman, LVMH, Rajesh Kumar, Jonas, Bhanvi Satija, Savyata Mishra, Arpan Varghese, David Gaffen, Shounak Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Gabelli, Novo, Walmart, Walmart U.S, Hershey, Truist Securities, Krispy, BMO Capital, Danish, pharma, Pfizer, Devices, HSBC, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, United States, Novo, Bengaluru

Nov 17 (Reuters) - The board of the company behind ChatGPT late on Friday fired OpenAI CEO Sam Altman - to many, the human face of generative AI - sending shock waves across the tech industry. Backed by billions of dollars from Microsoft (MSFT.O), OpenAI kicked off the generative AI craze last November by releasing its ChatGPT chatbot, which became one of the world's fastest-growing software applications. He was the face of OpenAI and the wildly popular generative AI technology as he toured the world this year. Altman posted on X shortly after OpenAI published its blog: "i loved my time at openai. "That said, we believe Microsoft and Nadella will exert more control at OpenAI going forward with Altman gone."

Persons: Sam Altman, Mira Murati, OpenAI, Altman, what’s, Murati, Tesla, Satya Nadella, Mira, Nadella, Eric Schmidt, Daniel Ives, Thomas Hayes, Davidson, Gil Luria, Samrhitha, Jeffrey Dastin, Anna Tong, Krystal Hu, Shounak Dasgupta, Kenneth Li, Richard Chang Organizations: Microsoft, Union, U.S, Reuters, OpenAI, Wedbush Securities, Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: openai, Asia, San Francisco, Oakland , California, Bengaluru, New York

☆ Moody's lifts Italy's debt outlook to stable in boost for Meloni govt
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 17 (Reuters) - Moody's on Friday left Italy's sovereign debt rating at Baa3, one notch above junk, but upgraded the outlook to stable from negative, in an unexpected boost for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government. Most analysts had expected the agency to leave both Italy's rating and outlook unchanged. Moody's had put the euro zone's third-largest economy on a negative outlook in August last year following a government collapse and in the midst of an energy crisis. "The decision to change the outlook to stable from negative reflects a stabilisation of prospects for the country's economic strength, the health of its banking sector and the government's debt dynamics," Moody's said. The European Commission forecast on Wednesday that Italy's debt, proportionally the second-highest in the euro zone, would rise marginally from a projected 140% of national output this year to 141% in 2025.

Persons: Giorgia, Moody's, DBRS, Fitch, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Gavin Jones, Keith Weir, Shounak Dasgupta, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: P, Economy, Analysts, Saikeerthi, Thomson Locations: Italy, Germany, Bengaluru

☆ Applied Materials forecasts upbeat first-quarter revenue on resilient demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Samrhitha A | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A smartphone with a displayed Applied Materials logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. Reuters reported Applied Materials is under U.S. criminal investigation for potentially evading export restrictions on China's top chipmaker SMIC. Santa Clara, California-based Applied Materials, expects first-quarter revenue of $6.47 billion, plus or minus $400 million, higher than analysts' estimates of $6.37 billion, according to LSEG data. Companies focusing on generative AI tools this year has also led to an increase in spending for Applied Materials' equipment. Rival Lam Research (LRCX.O) last month forecast revenue below estimates due to weak memory chip demand, while KLA (KLAC.O) forecast revenue above expectations on growing adoption of AI tools.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Gary Dickerson, Samrhitha, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, United, Justice and Commerce, Intel, Devices, Materials, Revenue, Lam Research, KLA, Thomson Locations: United States, China, U.S, Santa Clara , California, Bengaluru

☆ Cisco lowers annual forecasts on slowdown in new orders
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Samrhitha A | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Cisco logo is displayed, during the GSMA's 2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain March 1, 2023. The company estimates one to two quarters of shipped product orders are still waiting to be implemented by customers. For the full year, Cisco expects revenue between $53.8 billion and $55.0 billion, and adjusted per-share earnings in the range of $3.87 to $3.93. The company had previously forecast annual revenue of $57.0 billion to $58.2 billion, and adjusted per-share earnings of $4.01 to $4.08. For the second quarter, Cisco expects revenue between $12.6 billion and $12.8 billion, missing analysts' estimates of $14.19 billion, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Nacho, Scott Herren, Samrhitha, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Cisco, Congress, REUTERS, Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, Revenue, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, Bengaluru

☆ Fitch says US regional bank challenges to persist in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A street sign for Wall Street is seen in the financial district in New York, U.S., November 8, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - Rating agency Fitch said on Wednesday that U.S. regional banks will face continued challenges in 2024, with those lacking scale or focused on commercial loan growth disproportionately pressured. Fitch said that a delay in meaningful loosening of monetary policy would likely translate into "sustained competition for deposits" and "stubbornly weak loan growth." Large regional banks focused on commercial loan growth saw the weakest credit demand, which in some cases reached double digit declines on an annualized basis, Fitch said. In third quarter earnings, a string of regional banks reported pressure on net interest income (NII), the difference between what banks earn from lending and pay out on deposits, which hit some of their shares.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Fitch, Bill Gross, Pritam Biswas, Megan Davies, Shounak Dasgupta, Jonathan Oatis, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Wall, REUTERS, Valley Bank, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, SVB, Bengaluru

☆ Amazon says unapproved eye drops being removed from its platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - Amazon (AMZN.O) said on Wednesday it was in the process of removing seven unapproved eye drops from its e-commerce platform following a warning letter from the U.S. health regulator earlier this week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday sent a warning letter to Amazon for selling eye drops which have not been recognized as safe and effective in providing temporary relief from symptoms such as excessive watery discharge, redness, burning and pink eye. The eye drops flagged in the letter to Amazon include Similasan Pink Eye Relief, Can-C Eye Drops, Optique 1 Eye Drops and OcluMed Eye Drops, among others. The FDA has warned consumers against using 26 over-the-counter eye drops due to risk of infection and some cases of possible vision loss. The health agency also sent warning letters to eight other companies in September, including pharmacy giants CVS Health (CVS.N) and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O), against manufacturing or marketing of certain unapproved eye products.

Persons: Pascal, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Monday, Eye, FDA, CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Senators demand documents from Meta on social media harm to children
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Children playground miniatures are seen in front of displayed Instagram logo in this illustration taken April 4, 2023. Senators has written to Meta Platforms (META.O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding documents about its research into the harm to children from its social media platforms. A whistleblower's release of documents in 2021 showed Meta knew Instagram, which began as a photo-sharing app, was addictive and worsened body image issues for some teen girls. The letter follows a hearing with a new whistleblower last week and after a newly unsealed complaint filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General, the senators said. Dozens of U.S. states are also suing Meta and its Instagram unit, accusing them of fueling a youth mental health crisis by making their social media platforms addictive.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Arturo Béjar's, Akash Sriram, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Senators, Meta, Thomson Locations: U.S, Massachusetts, Bengaluru

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. health regulator's staff on Wednesday flagged concerns that data on Merck's (MRK.N) chronic cough drug might not be enough to prove the treatment's meaningful benefit, documents released ahead of a meeting of independent experts showed. The concerns were raised after the company had submitted additional efficacy data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which declined to approve the drug in January last year. A panel of expert advisers to the FDA is set to meet on Friday to discuss the efficacy of Merck's drug gefapixant. Staff assessment of the data submitted by Merck showed a small reduction in cough frequency and side effects such as loss of taste in patients who were administered the drug. The European Union and Japan have approved Merck's drug for the condition and it is sold under the brand name Lyfnua.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mara Goldstein, Christy Santhosh, Shinjini Ganguli, Anil D'Silva, Shailesh, Shounak Organizations: Merck, Co, REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Staff, European Union, Thomson Locations: Rahway , New Jersey, U.S, United States, Japan, Bengaluru

☆ US FDA warns Amazon against sale of unapproved eye drops
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it had sent a warning letter to Amazon.com (AMZN.O) related to sale of seven unapproved eye drops on the company's e-commerce platform. In the letter dated Nov. 13, FDA said Amazon was selling eye drops which have not been recognized as safe and effective for providing temporary relief from eye symptoms such as excessive watery discharge, redness, burning, or pink eye. Eye products generally pose a greater risk of harm to consumers as they bypass some of the body's natural defenses, the agency said. The seven products flagged in the letter to Amazon include Similasan Pink Eye Relief, Can-C Eye Drops, Optique 1 Eye Drops, OcluMed Eye Drops, among others. In September, FDA warned eight companies, including pharmacy giants CVS Health (CVS.N) and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O), against manufacturing or marketing of certain unapproved eye products.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Privately, Similasan, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Amazon, REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Eye, CVS Health, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ India's Sahara conglomerate chief Subrata Roy dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Sahara Group Chairman Subrata Roy gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Kolkata November 29, 2013. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - Embattled Sahara conglomerate chief Subrata Roy died on Tuesday due to cardiorespiratory arrest, the company said in a statement. Roy was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai on Sunday and died following complications arising from metastatic malignancy, hypertension and diabetes, according to the company. Roy, the founder and chairman of Sahara, was arrested in March 2014 for failing to attend a contempt of court hearing and was on bail since 2016. Reporting by Gursimran Kaur and Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Subrata Roy, Roy, Gursimran Kaur, Maria Ponnezhath, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Sahara, REUTERS, national cricket team, New, Grosvenor, Force India, One, Bad, Netflix, Thomson Locations: Kolkata, Sahara, Mumbai, London, Bengaluru

☆ Global EV sales stay strong, China hits record despite end of subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - Electric-vehicle sales are seeing continued strength globally with China reporting record monthly sales in October despite the end of subsidies, according to market research firm Rho Motion. EV sales in China, the world's largest auto market, increased 29% year-to-date in September. The global EV market showed 34% growth in the same period. "This (subsidies) is an important factor in the German market as nearly two-thirds of passenger car registrations are commercial," the market research firm said. EV sales in North America were up 78% so far this year.

Persons: Edgar Su, Tesla, Mercedes Benz, Arsheeya, Paul Lienert, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Rho Motion, EV, Rho, Volkswagen, Cox Automotive, Thomson Locations: Singapore, China, Germany, North America, American, Bengaluru, Detroit

☆ Juul Labs raises $1.3 bln in funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Juul brand vaping pens are displayed for sale at a Juul shop in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 30, 2019. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana Acquire Licensing RightsNov 13 (Reuters) - Juul Labs said on Monday it has raised about $1.3 billion in funding, months after the e-cigarette maker revealed plans to lay off about 250 people in a bid to reduce its operating costs. Juul disclosed in a regulatory filing it had raised $1.27 billion in funding from a total offering amount of $1.6 billion. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how it plans to use these funds. Marlboro maker Altria (MO.N) also exited its stake in Juul earlier this year, days before announcing a purchase of e-cigarette startup Njoy Holdings for about $2.8 billion.

Persons: Juul, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Juul Labs, Juul, District of Columbia, Holdings, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, New York, California, Marlboro, Altria, Bengaluru

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