DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

WILL SHOPPERS FIND BLACK FRIDAY DEALS THIS YEAR? HOW MUCH ARE SHOPPERS EXPECTED TO SPEND? Spending online during Black Friday is expected to rise 5.7% to roughly $9.6 billion, according to Adobe. WHAT ARE RETAILERS DOING TO ATTRACT HOLIDAY SHOPPERS? Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette on Thursday said the competitive landscape has shifted to Black Friday deals prior to Black Friday.

Persons: Marcus Collins, Collins, Jane Hali, Max, Lancome mascaras, Bobbi Brown concealers, Dana Telsey, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, David Bujnicki, Kimco, Jeff Gennette, Mattel, Steve Totzke, Juveria Tabassum, Savyata Mishra, Richa Naidu, Helen Reid, Herbert Lash, Josie Kao Organizations: Retailers, Department, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Dollar, Walmart, Associates, Nordstrom, Adobe Analytics, Electronics, Mastercard, National Retail Federation, Telsey Advisory, Sensormatic Solutions, U.S, Black, REUTERS, Adobe, Labor, Kimco Realty Corp, Consumers, Deloitte, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, Europe, Philadelphia, China, United States, Caracas, Venezuela, Panama, Israel, Sixth, Washington, Germany, India, Spain, United Kingdom, Bengaluru, London

Defence Minister Yasar Guler said last week that Turkey was in talks with Britain and Spain to buy Eurofighter Typhoon jets, though Germany objected to the idea. Guler was holding talks on the issue with his British counterpart Grant Shapps in Ankara on Thursday, the source said. Turkey wants to buy the most advanced, newly built version of the Eurofighter, he added. NATO member Turkey requested in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-16 fighters and 79 modernisation kits for its existing warplanes. The Eurofighter Typhoon jets are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by Airbus (AIR.PA), BAE Systems (BAES.L) and Leonardo (LDOF.MI).

Persons: Yasar Guler, Guler, Grant Shapps, Joe Biden's, Leonardo, Tayfun Ozberk, Serhat, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, William Maclean Organizations: Eurofighter, . Defence, Eurofighter Typhoon, British, NATO, Turkey, Lockheed Martin Corp, U.S . Congress, Airbus, BAE Systems, Biden Administration, Eurofighter Typhoons, Kadir Has University, Turkish Air Force, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, United States, Turkish, Britain, Spain, Germany, Ankara, Italy

Steel coils are waiting for delivery at the storage and distribution facility of German steel maker ThyssenKrupp in Duisburg, Germany, November 16, 2023. Scholz's three-way coalition is reeling from a court ruling last week that wiped 60 billion euros ($65 billion) from the budget at a stroke and forced it to freeze most new spending commitments, delaying talks on the 2024 budget. LOSS OF CONFIDENCEGermany's steel sector added its voice to the growing jitters, warning that the court ruling had put a question mark over more than 40 billion euros in planned investments. "I find it correct that the consequences of the constitutional court ruling ... are checked carefully," Scholz told a news conference. Scholz also described this as conceivable, participants at the meeting told Reuters, adding that the court ruling put the coalition into a difficult situation but it could be resolved.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Robert Grundke, Bernhard Osburg, Osburg, Berlin, Scholz, Achim Post, Andreas Rinke, Christoph Steitz, Holger Hansen, Rene Wagner, Matthias Williams, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Economic Cooperation, Development, Reuters, Scholz's Social Democrats, Thomson Locations: Duisburg, Germany, FRANKFURT, Paris, United States, decarbonisation

Their options include drawing up a supplementary budget for 2023 and suspending Germany's self-imposed debt brake before reinstating it for next year. "Our goal is to discuss the budget quickly but with due care," said a joint statement of ruling party lawmakers. The delay has heightened uncertainty about spending in all areas of the German economy and meant the 2024 budget might not be concluded before the end of the year. "I firmly assume that the commitments for Intel and TSMC will remain," a government source said, adding: "This is very important to the chancellor, as well as to the economy minister." This will happen in the course of next early 2024 and we will see how far hydrogen is available," CEO Miguel Lopez said.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Christian Lindner, Robert Habeck, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz's, Siegfried Russwurm, TSMC, Scholz, Miguel Lopez, Holger Hansen, Christian Kraemer, Victoria Waldersee, Andreas Rinke, Madeline Chambers, Matthias Williams, Miranda Murray, Alex Richardson, Christina Fincher Organizations: Finance, Climate, Government, Ukraine Industry, Intel, TSMC, Wednesday, Social Democrat, Greens, Free Democrats, Fund, Eurasia Group, U.S, BMW, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: TSMC BERLIN, Germany's, Ukraine, EU, Saxony, Anhalt, Berlin, Germany

☆ France beats Gibraltar a record 14-0 in Euro 2024 qualifier
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

2-ranked team playing against a country ranked 198 in the world and the gulf between the two was evident on the pitch. Marcus Thuram, Jonathan Clauss, Youssouf Fofana, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembélé all scored for France, while Olivier Giroud and Kingsley Coman got two goals apiece. “Being down to 10, already with 11 it’s complicated for them, but it doesn’t take away the credit for us even if we could have been more efficient, it’s as much about respecting the opponent as scoring goals,” France manager Didier Deschamps said, per Reuters. “Fourteen is not bad.”France had 39 attempts on goal, 19 of which were on target, while Gibraltar failed to muster a chance. France, already qualified for Euro 2024 in Germany, is top of Group B while a winless Gibraltar is bottom on zero points without having yet scored a goal during qualification.

Persons: Les Bleus, Kylian Mbappé, Warren Zaïre, Emery, Philippe Lecoeur, Ethan Santos, Santos, Marcus Thuram, Jonathan Clauss, Youssouf Fofana, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembélé, Olivier Giroud, Kingsley Coman, Didier Deschamps, ” Organizations: CNN, France, European Championship, Reuters, Allianz, “, ” Locations: Gibraltar, San Marino, Nice, ” France, France, Germany

Scholz, who has visited Africa several times since taking office in late 2021, will hold bilateral talks with several African countries on Sunday, before hosting a German-African investment summit at Berlin's Marriott Hotel on Monday morning. African countries have long complained that while Europe talks about investment, China actually provides financing without any moral lecturing. Still, Chinese lending in Africa is in decline, while European interest is rising as it seeks to diversify supply chains. Nearly two thirds of German companies want to expand their business in Africa, according to a study by KPMG and the German-African Business Association. The member countries of the G20 Compact are Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia.

Persons: jostling, Scholz, Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Sarah Marsh, Andreas Rinke, Mike Harrison Organizations: Africa, Dutch, African Union, KPMG, African Business Association, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Africa, Macron BERLIN, Germany, Berlin's, Europe, United States, Russia, China, Asia, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia

☆ Europe Moves to Fill Weapons Gap Amid Doubts About U.S. Commitment to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Lara Jakes | More About Lara Jakes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Faced with growing American reluctance to send more military aid to Ukraine, European leaders are moving to fill the gap, vowing new support for Kyiv as it battles Russia in a war in Europe’s backyard. Several countries — including Germany, Britain and Norway — are increasing production of weapons, especially the artillery ammunition that Ukraine so badly needs. Germany, once a laggard in providing aid to Ukraine, announced a week ago that it planned to double its support to $8.5 billion in 2024 and would deliver more crucial air-defense systems by the end of this year. And European Union states are gearing up to train an additional 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers, bringing the total so far to 40,000. But that may be little comfort to Ukraine, where a counteroffensive against invading Russian forces has stalled as winter approaches, and officials say more support is needed now, even as many countries turn their attention to the Israel-Gaza war.

Persons: Kajsa Ollongren Organizations: Kyiv, Union, Clingendael Institute Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Britain, Norway, Israel, Gaza

☆ German police raid Iran-linked centre over suspected Hezbollah support
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] German police officers walk towards the Islamic Center Hamburg, during a raid, due to suspicion of members acting against a constitutional order and supporting the militant group Hezbollah in Hamburg, Germany, November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 16 (Reuters) - German police conducted raids early on Thursday in seven states over the Islamic Centre of Hamburg's suspected support for the militant group Hezbollah, the interior ministry said. "I want to make clear that we are acting against Islamists, not against a religion or another state," said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. In Hamburg alone, 300 officers conducted 31 searches in connection with the centre, the city's interior senator said. "The suspicions against the Islamic Centre of Hamburg are serious," and it has long been monitored by the domestic intelligence agency for Islamist activities, said Faeser.

Persons: Fabian Bimmer, Nancy Faeser, Linda Pasquini, Miranda Murray, Madeline Chambers, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Islamic Center, Hezbollah, REUTERS, Rights, Islamic, Authorities, of, Lebanese, Thomson Locations: Islamic Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, Israel, Gaza, Iran, of Hamburg

☆ Colourful Euro 2024 ball to reflect energy of tournament, say organisers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Organisers Present the Official Match Ball - Maifeld, Berlin, Germany - November 15, 2023 General view of the Euro 2024 match ball 'Fussballliebe' REUTERS/Annegret Hilse Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Organisers of Euro 2024 on Wednesday unveiled the official ball for the continental tournament next year, with its colourful pattern designed to reflect the energy of the event and with built-in technology to assist in VAR decisions. Organisers said the design, featuring black wing shapes with colourful edges, curves and dots, was a reflection of the tournament's energy. Germany is hosting its first major international football tournament since the 2006 World Cup, which at the time had triggered an unprecedented wave of enthusiasm with large fan zones across the country and the event dubbed the "summer fairytale". Illustrations of each of the stadiums appear on the ball alongside the name of each host city. The ball also features some built-in technology to track all elements of its the movement and help with VAR decisions.

Persons: Annegret, Philipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer, Karolos, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Soccer Football, REUTERS, Rights, Wednesday, Adidas, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany

☆ French Judges Issue Warrant for Assad in Syria War Crimes Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Marlise Simons | More About Marlise Simons | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

French investigative judges have issued an international arrest warrant for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria that accuses him of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity over the deadly use of chemical weapons against his own people, a judicial official said on Wednesday. The move was a major step to hold Mr. al-Assad and his circle accountable for some of the worst atrocities committed in the yearslong Syria conflict. In the absence of any international court or tribunal that has jurisdiction over Syrian crimes, a patchwork of efforts for accountability has been underway for some time. Several countries, including Germany, Sweden and France, have launched prosecutions of individuals — mostly of low-level members of the Syrian security forces. A special war crimes unit in the French judiciary has been investigating a complaint against Mr. al-Assad and his close associates that was filed in March 2021 by three international human rights groups.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, al Locations: Syria, Germany, Sweden, France

☆ Top German Journalist Received €600,000 From Putin Ally, Leak Reveals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Graham Bowley | More About Graham Bowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Germany went through a period of uncomfortable soul-searching about the close ties that some of its political and business leaders had to Moscow. That self-examination spilled into the country’s journalistic establishment this week after published reports revealed that an award-winning television broadcaster and author who has extensively covered Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, had received hundreds of thousands of euros in undisclosed payments from businesses linked to a billionaire ally of Mr. Putin. The reports, by a consortium of publishing outlets including Germany’s Der Spiegel and The Guardian of Britain, were based on what the consortium said was a leaked cache of offshore financial records. They said that the broadcaster, Hubert Seipel, had been paid about 600,000 euros (about $651,000) in installments from accounts connected to Alexei A. Mordashov, a prominent Russian businessman, who was placed under sanctions by the United States last year as a way to punish Mr. Putin for his war in Ukraine. The payments were to support Mr. Seipel’s books about Mr. Putin, the reports said.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Mr, Der Spiegel, Hubert Seipel, Alexei A Organizations: Guardian, United Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Moscow, Britain, Russian, United States

[1/3] FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz looks on as he meets NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Berlin, Germany, November 9, 2023. Wednesday's decision by the constitutional court could also set a precedent for fiscal responses to future crises. "FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES""The court ruling has far-reaching consequences for fiscal policy in Germany," said Clemens Fuest, President of the Ifo economic institute. This was done with the Second Supplementary Budget Act 2021, which retroactively amended the Budget Act for 2021. The constitutional court ruled that this act was incompatible with Germany's Basic Law and so was void.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, Liesa, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Christian Lindner, Lindner, Scholz, Robert Habeck, Clemens Fuest, Ralph Solveen, Habeck, Friedrich Merz, Maria Martinez, Christian Kraemer, Ursula Knapp, Matthias Williams, Kirsti Knolle, Madeline Chambers, Susan Fenton, William Maclean, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Union, Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Christian Democratic Union, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Ukraine

☆ Allianz retains full-year outlook despite 30% slump in Q3 profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of insurer Allianz SE is seen on the company building in Puteaux at the financial and business district of La Defense near Paris, outside Paris, France, May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Germany's Allianz (ALVG.DE) on Friday posted a 30% fall in its third-quarter net profit, dragged down by claims from natural catastrophes, although the financial services company maintained its full-year profit outlook. Net profit attributable to shareholders of 2.021 billion euros ($2.16 billion) in the three-month period ended September, compared with 2.866 billion euros a year earlier. Allianz, one of Europe's largest financial services groups, described the level of claims as "exceptionally high". Still, the company stuck to its target of 2023 operating profit between 13.2 billion and 15.2 billion euros.

Persons: Charles Platiau, Tom Sims, Christina Amann, Linda Pasquini, Miranda Murray, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Allianz, La Defense, REUTERS, Rights, Germany's Allianz, Thomson Locations: Puteaux, La, Paris, France, Ukraine, Continental Europe, Germany, Italy, Austria

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Despite the Patriots' 2-7 slump, coach Bill Belichick was in an unusually upbeat mood Friday as he hoped his New England team could enjoy the experience of playing against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany. Belichick and the Patriots have a 3-0 all-time record in regular-season international games — the last in 2017 — but haven't played in Germany. That's our goal.”The Patriots are looking for the first win outside their division this season as they play the 4-5 Colts. Belichick confirmed offensive tackle Trent Brown had not made the trip to Germany with the team. Belichick indicated he expected Jackson would be available following the trip to Germany.

Persons: Bill Belichick, Belichick, haven't, ” Belichick, “, We’ll, ”, he's, ” —, Trent Brown, — Belichick, J.C . Jackson, Jackson, ___ Organizations: Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Washington, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany, England, Mexico City, London, Frankfurt

☆ Billionaire FBI informant Peter Thiel dished about two Kremlin invites to private Putin meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | Hans-Martin Tillack | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

It was Angermayer who introduced Bisslinger to Thiel at the party, Thiel would later tell the FBI. After some small talk, Bisslinger made a pitch to Thiel: Thiel should travel to Russia to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. If Thiel chose to attend, Bisslinger said, Bisslinger would arrange for him to meet privately with Putin. "Even if Mr. Angermayer did introduce Mr. Thiel and Mr. Bisslinger," the lawyers wrote in another letter, "Mr. Angermayer is not—and cannot be—responsible for whatever Mr. Bisslinger and Mr. Thiel may or may not have discussed." At his 40th birthday, he connected Peter Thiel with a Russian diplomat, Thiel later told the FBI.

Persons: Peter Thiel, Christian Angermayer, Thiel, Daniil Bisslinger, Bisslinger, Vladimir Putin's, Angermayer, Putin, Maksim Konstantinov, —, Frank Figliuzzi, Vladimir Putin, — Charles Johnson —, Johnathan Buma, Johnson, Welt, Dmitry Peskov, John Lamparski, Donald Trump, — Thiel, Der Spiegel, he'd, Elon Musk, Musk, Thiel —, he's, Palantir, He's, Uma Thurman, Robbie Williams, Queen Latifah, Paul Kagame, Dan McCrum, John Kerry, Richard Grenell, Kerry, Sensei Biotherapeutics, Trump, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, Maureen Dowd, Alexander Schütz, Eva Schütz, Schütz, — Heinz, Christian Strache, Markus Braun, Jan Marsalek, Marsalek, Caroline Haskins, Katherine Long, Jack Newsham, Mattathias Schwartz, Hans, Martin Tillack Organizations: Kremlin, Tech, Pentagon, CIA, Facebook, SpaceX, Kremlin's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russian Embassy, Thiel, St ., Economic, Getty, FBI, Atlantic, Bisslinger, Germany, Elon, Russia, NSA, US Special Operations Command, National Health Service, Apeiron Investment, Munich Security, intel, Trump, State Department, Angermayer's, PayPal, Nasdaq, Sciences, The New York Times, Deutsche Bank, Welt Locations: Silicon Valley, Schloss Neuwaldegg, Vienna, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Berlin, Russia, St, St . Petersburg, Petersburg, Ukraine, Europe, Germany, NATO, Crimea, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Palantir, Washington, Rwanda, Baltic, Belarus, Iran, Angermayer's Malta, Munich, China, China's, Austrian, Austria, Exxpress, Wirecard, schwartz79@protonmail.com

☆ Siemens Energy shares recover further as guarantee talks continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The logo of energy technology company Siemens Energy is displayed during the LNG 2023 energy trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT/BERLIN, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Shares in Siemens Energy continued their recovery on Monday, topping Germany's blue-chip index as concerns over the group's ability to post guarantees for big industrial projects eased. Siemens (SIEGn.DE), which owns a 25.1% stake in Siemens Energy, was up 1.6%. News of the talks pushed Siemens Energy's shares to a record low last week on concerns the issue around guarantees could have an impact on the group's balance sheet. Around half of that, or about 15 billion euros, needs to be covered by the government, banks and Siemens, the sources said.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Joe Kaeser, Kaeser, Christoph Steitz, Markus Wacket, Rachel More, Mark Potter Organizations: Siemens Energy, REUTERS, Siemens, German Economy Ministry, Reuters, Welt, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, FRANKFURT, BERLIN, downpayments

☆ EU's von der Leyen to attend Britain's AI summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Vera Jourova, a vice president, will attend the summit, according to an update to their official calendars published on Friday. While Sunak hopes to secure Britain's role as a world leader in AI regulation, some have questioned what the summit will achieve in practice. Last week, Bloomberg reported a number of world leaders - including Germany's Olaf Scholz and Canada's Justin Trudeau - would not be attending. While several world leaders, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, are expected to attend the summit, the full guest list has not been made public. Matt Clifford, a tech investor and one of two chief organisers of the event, recently told Reuters the aim of the summit was to kickstart international dialogue on AI regulation.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Vera Jourova, Rishi Sunak, Alan Turing, Sunak, Germany's Olaf Scholz, Canada's Justin Trudeau, Kamala Harris, Matt Clifford, Clifford, We're, Martin Coulter, Christina Fincher, Sharon Singleton Organizations: U.S, European Commission, British, Bletchley, Bloomberg, Reuters, Thomson Locations: England

☆ Rising yields and war: Here's how to trade the volatility, according to fund managers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Market volatility looks here to stay: Yields are still rising, a war is raging, and it's uncertain whether interest rates will stay higher for longer. Go for bonds Though volatility in the bond market has led to losses, some fund managers are saying that it's time to get back into this asset class, given that yields are high. Money market funds typically include short-term Treasurys. Bond yields move inversely to prices — that means a peak in interest rates may signal that bond prices have bottomed. When interest rates rise, bond prices typically fall as existing bonds with lower yields become less attractive.

Persons: Investors, David Katz, Katz, Bryn Jones, there's, Jones, Hide, Paul Meeks, Meeks, Steven Glass, Glass, Marsh McLennan, he's, they're, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Treasury, Bank of America, Matrix Asset, CNBC Pro, gilts, U.S . Federal, Treasury Bond ETF, Pella Funds, Group, ASM, Taiwan's Locations: Israel, United States, China, U.S, Pella, Germany, Netherlands

☆ Morning Bid: Megacaps scatter in the cloud
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 28, 2023. But after the S&P500 staged an impressive 0.7% bounce on Tuesday, futures were back in the red again ahead of the open. The negativity cut across what was otherwise a more upbeat macro picture and a calmer bond market following recent ructions. Chinese developer Country Garden (2007.HK) is deemed in default on a dollar bond for the first time, Bloomberg News reported. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Dolan, Alphabet's, Microsoft's, Baker Hughes, Teradyne, Hess, Jerome Powell, Barbara Lewis Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Big Tech, Google, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, Boeing, Bloomberg News, Treasury, Bank of Canada, Deutsche Bank, United Health, General Dynamics, Whirlpool, Otis, Hilton, U.S, Reuters, PMI, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, HK, United States, Europe, Worldline, Germany, Ameriprise, EQT, Washington

☆ French payment company Worldline slump nearly 40% as it cuts targets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 25 (Reuters) - Shares in Worldline (WLN.PA) slumped nearly 40% on Wednesday after the French payment company cut its full-year targets as the economic slowdown hurt its business in key markets including Germany. The group also said it had cut ties with some of its merchants to reduce risks "in light of an increase in cybercrime." The group now sees organic sales growth in 2023 of between 6% and 7%, compared with 8% to 10% previously. It also forecast a 150 basis point drop in its operating margin before depreciation and amortization for 2023, compared with a previous forecast of a 100 bps increase. "Worldline missed sales estimates in every division...These results are a disappointment in terms of the full-year miss and also that long-term targets have been discarded," JPMorgan analysts said.

Persons: Worldline, Lina Golovnya, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Germany

☆ Finland says gas pipeline likely broken by ship dragging anchor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Investigators said they had now retrieved a lost anchor from the seabed location where the pipeline ruptured on Oct. 8, and were investigating whether it belonged to a Chinese container vessel. Police have previously said damage to the Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline and two Baltic Sea telecoms cables was cause by external mechanical force and were investigating whether this was a case of sabotage or caused by accident. Broad drag marks were seen on the seabed leading up to where the pipeline was broken, and the anchor was lying immediately after the damage spot. China called on Monday for an "objective, fair and professional" investigation into the pipeline damage. The incident cut pipeline gas supplies to Finland, although the country expects to manage with imports of liquefied natural gas via ship deliveries to its Inkoo port.

Persons: Investigators, Robin Lardot, Essi Lehto, Terje Solsvik, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Hong, Police, Baltic, Bureau of Investigation, NATO, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Finland, HELSINKI, Baltic, Gulf of Finland, China, Germany, Russia

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition unveiled in July a strategy toward de-risking Germany's economic relationship with China, calling Beijing a "partner, competitor and systemic rival". German investment in Asia excluding China is rising as a share of overall investment. "No company is going to say that it will leave China," said Sandra Ebner, senior economist at Union Investment, Germany's second-largest fund manager. "But what companies are increasingly doing is to produce in China for China and to position themselves around China for the remaining Asian or global market." In July, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck travelled to India with a delegation of executives to discuss opportunities for German companies.

Persons: Thomas Nuernberger, Nuernberger, Olaf Scholz's, Volker Treier, Munk, Ferdinand Munk, Scholz, Angela Merkel's, Martin Brudermueller, Max Zenglein, Juergen Matthes, Markus Horn, Matthias Bianchi, Joe Biden, Wolfgang Niedermark, Jan Roennfeld, Roennfeld, Sandra Ebner, BDI's Niedermark, Robert Habeck, Christoph Steitz, Sarah Marsh, Maria Martinez, Aditya Kalra, Sarita Chaganti Singh, Xinghui, Orathai, Brenda Goh Organizations: Reuters, Commerce and Industry, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, BASF, IW Institute, Big, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Economic Institute, Horn, German Association of, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, Union Investment, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, BERLIN, Berlin, Beijing, China, Taiwan, India, Asia, Germany, Europe, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia, South China, European, Thailand, United States, Mexico, Indonesian, Eastern Germany, Malaysia, Frankfurt, New Delhi, Xinghui Kok, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai

☆ Big Tobacco turns to rooibos tea to counter upcoming ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Emma Rumney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Tobacco companies have yet to publish any research showing the health implications of rooibos or other zero-tobacco sticks, Simonavicius added. PMI (PM.N) CEO Jacek Olczak told shareholders that its zero-tobacco sticks could avoid the regulatory scrutiny that tobacco products face. BAT's zero-tobacco sticks are not subject to current EU tobacco rules, the company told Reuters. That means it can sell rooibos sticks in flavours like peppermint and tropical fruit even after a ban on flavoured heated tobacco products is implemented across the bloc later this month. Across the European Union, heated tobacco products must be taxed at a minimum of 20% of the retail price, though national governments can go higher.

Persons: Erikas Simonavicius, Simonavicius, Philip Morris, Jacek Olczak, Jefferies, Owen Bennett, Bennett, Phil Gorham, Gorham, Fabienne, Morningstar's Gorham, Shabab, Emma Rumney, Matt Scuffham, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Big Tobacco, British American Tobacco, Union, Tobacco, BAT, Reuters, King's College, King's College London . Tobacco, Philip Morris International, PMI, Rivals Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International, Morningstar, EU, Dunhill, Lucky, European Union, University College London . Tobacco, Thomson Locations: Cape, Germany, Greece, King's College London

☆ Israel-Hamas war risks further deglobalization and inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington, DC CNN —The global economy is facing tremendous uncertainty from the war between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East, on top of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. They say Israel’s declaration of war against Hamas could be yet another catalyst for deglobalization, though the extent of that is still up in the air. If deglobalization does get exacerbated, what would that mean for inflation and monetary policy, globally? With deglobalization, you get a global economic environment that’s less competitive, and when there’s less competition, that is ultimately inflationary, causing prices to rise. Over the Covid era, China shut down production, disrupting the global supply chain, so deglobalization would bring some production back within US borders.

Persons: Wells, Bell, Brendan McKenna, that’s, Trump, there’s, Hanna Ziady, we’ve, ”, Avi Hasson, Patrick Harker, John Williams, Tom Barkin, Michelle Bowman, Tesla, Christopher Waller, Lisa Cook, Jerome Powell, Austan Goolsbee, Michael Barr, Raphael Bostic, Loretta Mester Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Trump, Hamas, Nation Central, Philadelphia Fed, US Commerce Department, Federal Reserve, National Association of Home Builders, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Procter & Gamble, United Kingdom’s, National Statistics, American Airlines, US Labor Department, Federal, Fed Locations: Washington, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, China, Wells Fargo, Gaza, deglobalization, United States, Mexico, US, Tel Aviv, New York

BRUSSELS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Defence ministers at NATO's Brussels headquarters watched stunned as their Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Thursday showed them "shocking" and "horrific" video from the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, diplomats said. Gallant, who remotely attended the one-hour NATO session, briefed ministers on the attack and showed them what the Times of Israel, which was the first to report on it, called an "uncensored video of Hamas atrocities". In a statement after the session with Gallant, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared: "Israel does not stand alone." On Wednesday, Stoltenberg said Israel had the right to defend itself and NATO expected its response to the Hamas attack to be proportionate. There was no immediate comment from the Turkish delegation to NATO or the Turkish foreign ministry.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Israel, Gallant, Germany's Boris Pistorius, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Sabine Siebold, Andrew Gray, Ingrid Melander, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: NATO's Brussels, NATO, Israel, Turkish, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Gaza, of Israel, Germany, Israel, Turkey

Search resuls for: "ING Germany"

25 mentions found