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☆ Dubai DXB airport Q1 passenger traffic reaches 96% of pre-pandemic level
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, May 9 (Reuters) - Dubai's main airport registered a 55.8% increase in passenger traffic in the first quarter of this year compared to last year, reaching 95.6% of 2019 pre-pandemic levels, operator Dubai Airports said on Tuesday. Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world's busiest international hub, welcomed around 21.3 million passengers in the first three months of 2023, Dubai Airports said. Dubai International registered 66 million passengers in 2022. Dubai Airports has revised its 2023 forecast upwards to 83.6 million passengers, bringing it within "striking distance" of 2019 annual traffic, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said. DXB is connected to 234 destinations, with India, Saudi Arabia and Britain the top three countries by passenger numbers this quarter, Dubai Airports said.

☆ India says other African cheetahs well after two deaths
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A cheetah looks on after being sedated, before being flown with eleven others from South Africa to India under an agreement between the two governments to introduce the African cats to the South Asian country over the next decade, at Rooiberg veterinary facility, Limpopo province, South Africa, February 17, 2023. The deaths raised concerns about the effort that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has championed, but that some conservationists have called a "vanity project" that overlooks the fact the African cheetah is not native to South Asia. "The other cheetahs have been closely monitored and none of them has shown any similar symptoms," the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a statement. The ministry said a team of experts from South Africa and India visited the park in Madhya Pradesh state on April 30 and submitted a report to it on the way ahead. "This is the first intercontinental re-introduction of a wild, large carnivore species and therefore there is no comparable historical precedent."

☆ Iraqi court sentences police officer to death for murder of government adviser
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BAGHDAD, May 7 (Reuters) - An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced to death a police officer blamed for leading a group that gunned down well-known analyst and government adviser Hisham al-Hashemi three years ago in Baghdad. A Baghdad court issued a death sentence on Sunday against Ahmed Hamdawi under Iraqi counter-terrorism laws, a judicial authority statement said. Media were not allowed access, but a lawyer who attended the court session said Hamdawi did not say anything in the court in response to the judge's ruling. In 2021, Iraqi state television aired a video showing Hamdawi saying he led the group that killed Hashemi. Some Islamic State supporters cheered his death, but no group had claimed the murder.

☆ Siemens, SAP say EU draft Data Act puts trade secrets at risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A sign with the logo of Siemens company is on display outside its office in Moscow, Russia, May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia NovozheninaBRUSSELS, May 8 (Reuters) - German business software maker SAP (SAPG.DE) and German engineering company Siemens (SIEGn.DE) have joined U.S. tech giants in criticising draft EU laws on the use of data generated by smart gadgets and other consumer goods. EU countries and EU lawmakers are working on the details of the Data Act, proposed by the European Commission last year before it can be adopted as legislation. U.S. criticisms have included that the proposed law is too restrictive, while the German companies say a provision forcing companies to share data with third parties to provide aftermarket or other data-driven services could endanger trade secrets. "Effectively, this could mean that EU companies will have to disclose data to third-country competitors, notably those not operating in Europe and against which the Data Act's safeguards would be ineffective," they said.

☆ VW to fire top executives at software unit Cariad, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Jan Schwartz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The unit - set up under former VW group CEO Herbert Diess -has exceeded its budget and failed to meet goals, contributing to Diess' departure and replacement by Oliver Blume last September. A VW spokesperson said the German company was analysing Cariad and its projects. A number of decisions have been made, but no decisions on personnel, the spokesperson said, adding that Cariad and vehicle software development remained integral to Volkswagen's group strategy. The problems at Cariad have delayed work on important new vehicle models Porsche e-Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron. The planned launch of company-wide structural car software, initially designed to enable the fourth of five levels of autonomous driving from 2026, has been postponed by two years.

☆ Russian carmaker files third lawsuit against Volkswagen
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Volkswagen AG FollowGaz PAO FollowMay 6 (Reuters) - Russian carmaker GAZ (GAZA.MM) has filed a lawsuit worth 15.6 billion roubles ($200.5 million) against Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), court records show, adding to two others filed earlier this year. The lawsuit, details of which have not been published, was filed with the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Arbitration Court on Friday. Earlier this year, GAZ filed two lawsuits against the German carmaker seeking a total of around $545 million in losses and damages, saying VW's moves to exit the Russian market had put its interests at risk. It initially persuaded a court to freeze Volkswagen's assets in Russia pending court proceedings - a decision the court reversed in April. Volkswagen is preparing to sell its Russian assets, including its flagship plant in the city of Kaluga that has annual production capacity of 225,000 vehicles, but no decision has been made and Russian government approval is pending.

Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, Ukraine ran its nuclear reactors on Russian fuel, producing 55% of the country's electricity. Cameco, like Energoatom, can adjust how much uranium it delivers on two years' notice, Kotin said. Contracted uranium prices are typically higher than spot prices, meaning that Cameco may take a discount if Ukraine purchases less uranium due to the war's impact, Carter said. Kotin said Energoatom will buy Cameco's uranium at a price based equally on a fixed price and a market price. BIG POTENTIAL REWARDSWhile Ukraine will rely on Cameco for uranium, it has struck separate deals for further processing.

☆ Carlsberg agrees to pay 50 million euro fine in German price-fixing case
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN, May 3 (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) has reached a settlement with German authorities and agreed to pay a 50 million-euro ($55 million) fine over the alleged formation of a cartel more than a decade ago. It said it refuted the allegations but had settled in order to focus on its core business of brewing beer. "We confirm that Carlsberg Deutschland Holding GmbH has reached a settlement in this case, which has been ongoing for 11 years and required an enormous amount of time and financial resources," Carlsberg's head of communications, Tanja Frederiksen, said in a statement. "We still strongly disagree with the charges and maintain our innocence, but we have taken this decision in order to be able to fully focus again on the future of Carlsberg Deutschland Holding GmbH," Frederiksen said. The case was concluded on Tuesday at the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court, Carlsberg said.

☆ China tourism rebounds to pre-COVID levels during May Day holiday
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, May 3 (Reuters) - China's tourism business during the May Day holiday rebounded to pre-COVID levels, as the number of domestic trips rose by 70.8% from a year earlier, government data showed on Wednesday. During these trips, Chinese tourists spent 148 billion yuan ($21.42 billion) in total, a 128.9% increase from a year earlier, and on a par with 2019 levels. Asset manager Vontobel said it believes China's recovery should accelerate, benefiting companies that cater to domestic consumers across leisure and e-commerce, as well as travel-focused businesses in China and across Asia. The travel boom during the May holiday "can be seen as a turning point of China's tourism sector", official Xinhua News Agency said on Wednesday. The China Tourism Academy estimates that about 4.55 billion domestic tourist trips will be made this year, up 73% from 2022, Xinhua reported.

During these trips, Chinese tourists spent 148 billion yuan ($21 billion), a 128.9% increase from a year earlier, and on a par with 2019 levels. The figures from this year's May Day holiday - the first travel season since the pandemic without restrictions - are being monitored as a gauge of China's economic health. Official data on Sunday showed activity in China's non-manufacturing sector grew in April, albeit at a slower pace than in March. The travel boom during the May holiday "can be seen as a turning point of China's tourism sector", official Xinhua News Agency said on Wednesday. The China Tourism Academy estimates about 4.55 billion domestic tourist trips will be made this year, up 73% from 2022, Xinhua reported.

☆ German makers of Leopard 2 tank settle legal dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUESSELDORF, May 2 (Reuters) - German arms makers Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE) and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann have settled a legal dispute over the intellectual property rights to the Leopard 2, one of the world's most advanced battle tanks, a court said on Tuesday. A boom in defence orders due to the war in Ukraine, and in particular demand for Leopard tanks from Kyiv to help in the fight against Russian forces, has boosted both companies. Duesseldorf-based Rheinmetall makes the cannon of the Leopard 2 and Munich-based KMW makes its chassis. Rheinmetall said both parties had sought to settle the dispute as quickly as possible with the aim of returning to day-to-day business. Earlier this year, Germany bowed to pressure from allies and agreed to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

☆ Paraguay election result calms fear of another Taiwan ally falling (for now)
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Lucinda Elliott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ASUNCION, May 1 (Reuters) - News of Santiago Pena's election victory in Paraguay will be cheered by officials in Taiwan, which faces an uphill battle against China's economic muscle to keep its remaining 13 allies worldwide, including its last in South America. "This is a relief to Taipei," a senior European diplomat told Reuters in Asuncion asking not to be named. Taiwan's embassy in Paraguay congratulated Pena for winning the election and said it would continue to work on the two countries' "fruitful relationship". Pena's victory - and a strong performance in congressional elections by the ruling conservatives - has dampened hopes of a swift foreign policy shift, Galli said. Rubén Ramírez, a former foreign minister for Paraguay told Reuters that discussions over the Taiwan relationship must remain a priority when the new government is sworn in.

☆ Most Gulf markets fall as Fed seen hiking rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Most major stock markets in the Gulf fell in early trade on Monday, dragged lower by expectations the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates, although the Qatari index bucked the trend. The Fed is predicted to raise rates by another 25 basis points this week. The U.S. central bank has raised its policy rate by 475 basis points since March last year from the near-zero level to the current 4.75%-5.00% range. Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI) fell 0.1%, hit by a 1.1% fall in Emirates NBD Bank (ENBD.DU) and a 0.8% decrease in utility firm Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWAA.DU). In Qatar, the index (.QSI) bucked the trend to trade 0.5% higher, with telecoms firm Ooredoo (ORDS.QA) up more than 5%.

☆ Cutting ties with China is 'unthinkable', Mercedes-Benz CEO tells Bild am Sonntag
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

But Ola Kaellenius said decoupling from China, the world's second largest economy, was "unthinkable for almost all of German industry". "The major players in the global economy, Europe, the U.S. and China, are so closely intertwined that decoupling from China makes no sense," he was quoted as saying. German carmakers depend on the Chinese car market, the world's largest, and Mercedes-Benz counts China's Beijing Automotive Group Co Ltd (1958.HK) and Geely Chairman Li Shufu as its two top shareholders. China accounted for 18% of revenues and 37% of car sales at Mercedes-Benz in 2022 and Kaellenius predicted more to come. "Our sales figures in China are increasing and I am quite optimistic that we will also grow this year.

☆ Uzbeks vote on allowing president to extend time in power
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TASHKENT, April 30 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan votes on constitutional amendments on Sunday that promise its citizens greater social protection in exchange for resetting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's term count to zero, which could allow him to stay in power until 2040. And while Tashkent's Western partners are unlikely to approve of the attempt to extend presidential powers, Uzbekistan risks little given the West is seeking support from all ex-Soviet nations in its efforts to isolate Russia. The reform also extends the presidential term to seven years from five, which could in theory allow Mirziyoyev to remain in charge of the country of 35 million people until 2040. At the same time, the package of amendments proclaims Uzbekistan a "social state" with increased welfare obligations and allows non-farming land ownership. Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Louis Vuitton dazzles luxury-seeking Seoul with first pre-fall show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, April 29 (Reuters) - LVMH's (LVMH.PA) top fashion brand Louis Vuitton held its first-ever pre-fall fashion show on Saturday on a bridge in Seoul, the capital of a leading luxury market. In one of the highest profile events since chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari started at Louis Vuitton earlier this year, the runway on the lower level of the double-decker Jamsu bridge that spans the Han River was bathed in blue shadows. Models walked the 795 metre (2,608 feet) bridge, where traffic was stopped for 24 hours, wearing fitted, sporty designs with geometric patterns designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton. They strode out of a tunnel on chunky-heeled shoes in slick windbreakers, miniskirts that flared out and striped suits. On Saturday the creator and director of 2021's Netflix hit drama "Squid Game" Hwang Dong-hyuk participated in the show scenography.

☆ Even one American in Iraq is too many, Iran leader tells Iraqi president
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attend a meeting, in Tehran, Iran April 29, 2023. Iran, which has strong ties with Iraq, opposes the U.S. military presence on its borders in Iraq and the Gulf, saying Western military intervention is the root of insecurity in the region. U.S. national security agencies are investigating after a leak of classified documents has suggested the United States spied on allies including Ukraine. "Even the presence of one American in Iraq is too much," Khamenei told Rashid, who was in Tehran with a delegation to boost ties between the two neighbours. The United States has some 2,500 troops in Iraq to help advise and assist local troops in combating Islamic State, which in 2014 seized territory in the country.

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Global freight volumes fell at some of the fastest rates for three decades earlier this year, but at the end of the first quarter showed signs of bottoming out. Global freight has been hit by excess inventories held all along the supply chain as consumer and business spending has reverted from merchandise to services after the pandemic. But the most recent data, albeit only covering a small number of transport hubs, shows freight volumes may have stabilised or improved at the very end of the first quarter. Chartbook: Global freight volumesThe port of Singapore’s container throughput climbed to a record high of 3.34 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in March. Related columns:- Hard-ish landing has already arrived for U.S. manufacturers (April 4, 2023)- Global freight slump deepens at the start of 2023 (March 21, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

☆ EU sets out patent rules for smart technology to limit law suits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEPs protect technology such as for 5G, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that is needed by equipment producers to comply with international standards. Under the proposals from the European Union executive, patent holders in the fields of telecoms, computers, payment terminals and other smart technology, will be required to register their essential patents with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The EU proposal also includes a new supplementary protection certificate to extend a patent by five years for pharmaceutical or plant protection products. This would complement the EU unitary patent that will be launched on June 1. The rules need to be agreed with EU countries and the European Parliament before they can become law and may be amended.

☆ Romanian prosecutors add charge against online personality Tristan Tate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUCHAREST, April 25(Reuters) - Romanian prosecutors said on Tuesday they are investigating online personality Tristan Tate on an additional charge of inciting others to violence in a case in which he and his more famous brother Andrew are accused of sexually exploiting women. On Monday, Romania's DIICOT anti-organised crime prosecuting unit notified Tristan Tate that an additional charge of inciting others to violence was added to his name, DIICOT spokesperson Ramona Bolla told Reuters. On Twitter, Tristan Tate said prosecutors were making up new charges without evidence. Under Romanian legislation, prosecutors have filed charges against the four suspects, but the case is under investigation and has not gone to trial. The spokesperson said the prosecutors were also looking into accusations of money laundering, but had not issued any related charges.

☆ Rate hike worries drive US bond funds first outflow in three weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. bond funds suffered big outflows in the week to April 19 on expectations that the Federal Reserve would continue to hike interest rates to tackle inflationary pressures. Refinitiv Lipper data showed $3.1 billion worth of net selling from U.S. bond funds after two weeks of inflows. Investors disposed of $3.16 billion of municipal bond funds in their biggest weekly net selling since December 21, 2022, but purchased about $5 million worth of taxable bond funds. Investors sold U.S. mid-, and small-cap funds of $603 million and $390 million, respectively, but purchased large-cap funds of $797 million. However consumer staples and healthcare drew $580 million and $534 million worth of inflows, respectively.

☆ Investors turn net sellers of global equity funds on recession fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Data from Refinitiv Lipper showed investors sold equity funds worth $2.25 billion in the week, compared with a $215 million net purchase the previous week. Rate hike expectations also affected the bond market, as investors turned net sellers of global bond funds for the first time in five weeks. Investors withdrew $1.68 billion from government bond funds in their first weekly net selling in 10 weeks. Meanwhile, investors exited $89.35 billion worth of global money market funds after a seven-week buying spree. Data for 23,920 emerging market funds showed investors purchased $384 million worth of equity funds in a fourth week of net buying while securing $513 million worth of bond funds.

☆ Deutsche Bank Russian profits leapt in 2022, even as assets dropped
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 20 (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank's (DBKGn.DE) Russian subsidiary's profits jumped by almost six times in 2022 to 5.4 billion roubles ($66.42 million), Russian audit documents showed, the latest example of a foreign lender booking strong earnings in the Russian market. Deutsche Bank said it would wind down its business in Russia in March 2022, joining other foreign lenders in leaving the country. Profit for the period leapt by more than 480% to 5.4 billion roubles. However, total assets dropped 36.3% to 81.6 billion roubles. Net interest income jumped more than 10 times to just over 7 billion roubles.

☆ Guggenheim lures Greenhill's dealmakers to expand into Europe, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Andres Gonzalez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Guggenheim Securities will begin its European expansion by hiring four senior bankers from Greenhill, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Guggenheim already had a small group of bankers covering European deals, one of the sources said. The Wall Street bank has snapped up Greenhill & Co.'s telecoms and digital infrastructure team, led by Jonathan Dann and Pieter-Jan Bouten, the sources said on condition of anonymity. Investment bankers Charlie Evans and Achille Del Pizzo will also move to Guggenheim, where the team will begin in May. Guggenheim, which according to Refinitiv ranked 39th among global M&A advisers in 2022, in the first quarter advised on Pfizer Inc.'s $43 billion deal to acquire Seagen Inc.

☆ UK financial watchdog intervenes to cut building insurance costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) - Britain's financial watchdog has proposed changes to cut the cost of insuring residential apartment blocks, saying intervention was needed to prevent wrongful use of commission. The proposals announced on Friday follow a review after the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, which killed 72 people and led to big increases to building insurance costs. The FCA published a consultation paper on its proposals alongside a review of 16 insurance brokers' sales to blocks of apartments between January 2019 and September 2022. "Brokers were often unable to articulate what insurance-related services or benefits of value were provided by the parties sharing commission," the watchdog said. Leaseholders would have transparency on insurance costs and ability to challenge poor value under the FCA proposals.

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