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[1/2] The Subway restaurant logo is seen on a napkin in this illustration photo August 30, 2017. Subway expects to fetch well over $9 billion in a deal, and it remains uncertain whether TDR and Sycamore can meet its price expectations, the sources said. Private equity firm Advent International, which had teamed up with Goldman Sachs Asset Management on a bid for Subway, has dropped out of the process, the sources said. Goldman Sachs (GS.N) may decide to team up with one of the other bidders, the sources added. Subway, Roark and TDR did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Thomas White, Goldman Sachs, Roark, Jimmy John's, Jimmy John’s, TDR, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, TDR Capital, Sycamore Partners, Roark Capital, International, Goldman Sachs, Management, Subway, Bloomberg News, JPMorgan Chase &, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sycamore, Champaign , Illinois, Milford , Connecticut, Bridgeport , Connecticut, The Milford , Connecticut, U.S, New York

☆ Bernstein picks recession-beating global stocks for ‘value, growth and quality’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investment bank Bernstein picked a raft of Chinese and Indian stocks in sectors including tech, pharma and IT, naming them on a list of "opportunities for value, growth and quality." "We believe that it is time to increase risk exposure in China by adding more high volatility stocks," the analysts wrote. "GPT can accelerate development of its business and give the company the tailwinds to reshape its strategy," the analysts wrote. Indian stock picks Indian drug company Sun Pharma is also on Bernstein's list of outperform-rated stocks. In India … they have outperformed the market," the analysts wrote, and they also praised Sun's specialty drug portfolio in the U.S.

Persons: Bernstein, Rupal Agarwal, India … Organizations: pharma, " Pharma, Wuxi, Baidu, Sun Pharma, U.S, Infosys, Reliance Industries, New Locations: Asia, China, Wuxi, India, Bangalore, New Commerce

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoNEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) - KKR & Co Inc (KKR.N) is in advanced talks to acquire book publisher Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global (PARA.O) for $1.65 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. KKR was competing against bidders including News Corp (NWSA.O)-owned HarperCollins Publishers for Simon & Schuster and investor Richard Hurowitz, the sources said. The Wall Street Journal reported the advanced talks between KKR and Paramount earlier on Thursday. Last year, the U.S. Justice Department sued to stop the tie-up of Penguin and Simon & Schuster, which led to a collapse of the deal. Simon & Schuster publishes authors including Stephen King, Jennifer Weiner, and former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Simon & Schuster, Richard Hurowitz, Simon, Schuster, Hurowitz, Stephen King, Jennifer Weiner, Hillary Clinton, King, Anirban Sen, Milana, Sandra Maler Organizations: KKR, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Co Inc, Paramount Global, News Corp, HarperCollins Publishers, Simon &, Reuters, Paramount, Penguin Random, HarperCollins, Street Journal, Penguin, U.S . Justice Department, Bertelsmann, Simon, Schuster, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

NEW YORK, July 31 (Reuters) - Shares of SoFi Technologies Inc (SOFI.O) rose by more than 22% on Monday, hitting highest level in more than a year, after the financial services provider reported second quarter results that beat analyst expectations. That result exceeded the average analyst estimate of $476.2 million and $261.3 million for SoFi's revenue and NII, according to Refinitiv data. SoFi's shares rose as high as $11.70, the highest level since March last year, before closing at $11.45 on Monday - a nearly 20% gain from the previous session. "(Second quarter) results beat expectations and were largely positive with continued rapid member and deposit growth," Jefferies analysts, led by John Hecht, said in an investor note. "We highlight that results were more from net interest income and less from fair value marks relative to our forecast, which represents recurring revenues," the analysts added.

Persons: John Hecht, Jefferies, Chibuike Oguh, Medha Singh, Nick Zieminski, Susan Heavey Organizations: YORK, SoFi Technologies, JPMorgan, Jefferies, Wall, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, New York, Bangalore

☆ India woos U.S. chip giants as it looks to become a semiconductor superpower
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has looked to woo American semiconductor firms to invest in his country. India's chip strategyIndia's chip strategy consists of two major parts. At SemiconIndia, the American chip firms in attendance spoke about their investments in India and announced new ones, highlighting India's focus on attracting foreign companies. Last month, Micron announced plans to set up a semiconductor assembly and testing facility in the state of Gujarat in India. The chip manufacturing tie-up between Vedanta and Foxconn reportedly relied on technology from European semiconductor firm STMicroelectronics.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Anna Moneymaker, Modi, Ajit Manocha, Jefferies, Manocha, …, Mark Papermaster, Sanjay Mehrotra, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Young Liu, Foxconn, hasn't, Liu, Anil Agarwal, Pranay Kotasthane, haven't, Kotasthane Organizations: Indian, Getty Images, U.S, Micron, Cadence, Applied Materials, AMD, SemiconIndia, U.S ., Vedanta, CNBC, TV18, Takshashila Locations: U.S, Taiwan, South Korea, U.S . New Delhi, India, America, SemiconIndia, Bangalore, Gujarat, Vedanta

☆ Wall St sees bargains and lure of Europe buoying cruise, hotel earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Doyinsola Oladipo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Passenger ticket and onboard spending revenue is expected to increase 66% and 36%, respectively. Cabin bookings in the second quarter were up 58% compared to this time last year. For Carnival, booking volumes in the second quarter were 17% higher than in 2019, Carnival CEO Josh Weinstein told investors in June. Meanwhile, investors will be watching if record nightly rates for on-shore accommodations can offset revenue in the second quarter. Hotel and short-term rental rates were about 18% and 35% more expensive in the second quarter than in 2019, according to analytics firms CoStar and AirDNA.

Persons: Brandt Montour, McKinsey, Sylvia Jablonski, Patrick Scholes, Josh Weinstein, AirDNA, Hilton, Doyinsola Oladipo, Granth, Susan Heavey Organizations: YORK, Investors, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Barclays, Royal, Carnival Corp, Cruise Line Holdings, Airlines, Cruises, Cruise, Truist Securities, Thomson Locations: Europe, United States, AirDNA . U.S, Asia, New York, Bangalore

☆ A Mother, Her Daughter, a Masterwork of Psychological Tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Flynn Berry | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

HOW TO LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER, by Hila Blum. A woman travels for thousands of miles to spy on a family at the start of “How to Love Your Daughter,” by Hila Blum. Inside are her daughter Leah and her two granddaughters, but they don’t know she is outside: Yoella hasn’t seen Leah in years and has never met her granddaughters. For six years, Leah has made sporadic calls to her mother from around the world, “from Dharamsala, Bangalore, Hanoi, Chiang Mai. She puts herself on trial as a mother, summoning witnesses, poring over the evidence, searching for a crime.

Persons: Hila Blum, Daniella Zamir, Yoella, Leah, Yoella hasn’t, Chiang Mai, “, poring Locations: Dharamsala, Bangalore, Hanoi, Netherlands

☆ China's sagging economy looms over quarterly results around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Noel Randewich | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

July 20 (Reuters) - China's frail growth could weigh on companies with exposure to the world's second-largest economy, including Apple (AAPL.O), big chipmakers and luxury retailers as they report quarterly results in the next few weeks. China accounted for 36% of NXP's revenue last year and half of Texas Instruments' revenue. Analysts estimate NXP reporting a 3.2% drop in quarterly revenue, with Texas Instruments' revenue tumbling 16%, which would be its steepest drop since 2009, according to Refinitiv. The specialty glass maker blamed "anticipated recession-level demand" for weak results in its previous quarterly report last April. Coffee maker Starbucks (SBUX.O) in May reported quarterly results that beat estimates, powered by recovering demand in China.

Persons: Ross Mayfield, Baird, Cartier, Richemont, Bernstein, Tesla, Jonathan Golub, hobble, David Klink, Noel Randewich, Chavi Mehta, Caroline Valetkovitch, Mimosa Spencer, David Gaffen, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Apple, U.S, Shanghai, ABB, HK, NXP Semiconductors, Texas, Texas Instruments, . Credit Suisse Chief, Equity, Corning Inc, Samsung Electronics, Huntington Private Bank, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Swiss, Asia, ., China . U.S, Washington, Beijing, Oakland , California, Bangalore, New York, Paris

[1/2] Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard logo in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Nonetheless, Microsoft, which makes the Xbox gaming console, has been seeking the contract extension to ensure that Activision is not wooed by another potential acquirer or has a change of heart, the source said. The terms of the extension under negotiation and whether it would come with more financially advantageous terms for Activision could not immediately be learned. Microsoft and Activision did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Microsoft and Activision are negotiating potential remedies with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which they hope will appease its antitrust concerns.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Anirban Sen, Matthew Lewis, Stephen Coates Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Microsoft Corp, Competition, Markets Authority, CMA, Sony Group, Sony, U.S . Federal, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S, New York

[1/2] Cars are shown lined up at the valet parking area outside the Creative Artists Agency building in Los Angeles, California, September 24, 2012. REUTERS/Jonathan AlcornJuly 14 (Reuters) - Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is in advanced talks to sell a majority stake to French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault in a deal that could value the Hollywood talent agency at over $7 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and spokespeople for Pinault and for TPG declined to comment. In 2021, CAA announced a deal to buy major Hollywood rival ICM Partners. Bloomberg first reported the talks between Pinault and CAA.

Persons: Jonathan Alcorn, Francois, Henri Pinault, Pinault, Kering, Salma Hayek, Tom Hanks, Zendaya, Steven Spielberg, Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Gursimran Kaur, Jyoti Narayan, Rishabh, Muralikumar Anantharaman, John Stonestreet Organizations: Creative Artists Agency, REUTERS, Hollywood, Gucci, TPG, CAA, ICM Partners, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, Los Angeles, Pinault, Bengaluru

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) ended 0.6% higher, extending gains to the fifth straight day, its longest winning streak in nearly three months. Rate-sensitive technology stocks (.SX8P) were the top gainers on STOXX 600, jumping 1.7%, with IT provider Softcat (SCTS.L) advancing 5.3% after Citi raised it to "buy". Also supporting STOXX 600 were miners (.SXPP) rising 1.7%, as commodity prices won support from a weaker dollar. [MET/l]A faster-than-expected slowdown in U.S. inflation reinforced bets that the Fed could end its rate hikes soon after July. Shares of Swatch (UHR.S) rose 6.9% after the watchmaker reported record growth in the first half of the year.

Persons: Barratt, Pierre Veyret, Chris Zaccarelli, Matteo Allievi, Shreyashi Sanyal, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Janane Venkatraman, William Maclean Organizations: Federal, Citi, ActivTrades, Independent, Alliance, Swatch, Thomson Locations: Tech, U.S, Gdansk, Amruta, Bangalore

☆ European shares edge higher, but mixed data limit gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 13 (Reuters) - European shares edged higher on Thursday as U.S. inflation data fuelled hopes that the Federal Reserve was on the brink of ending its post-pandemic tightening cycle, although a raft of mixed economic data limited further upside. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) edged up 0.1% by 0708 GMT. Keeping a lid on risk sentiment was weak trade data from China, while on the other hand, Britain's economy contracted less than expected in May. Industrial stocks (.SXNP), which are sensitive to China-related news, were the biggest drags in the index. Reporting by Matteo Allievi in Gdansk and Amruta Khandekar in Bangalore; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Barratt, Matteo Allievi, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Federal, Swatch, Thomson Locations: China, Gdansk, Amruta, Bangalore

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) closed 1.5% higher, extending gains to the fourth straight day. U.S. consumer prices advanced 3.0% in June - their smallest year-on-year increase since March 2021 - after 4% growth in May. Gains in the lenders lifted UK's FTSE 100 index (.FTSE) by 1.8%, leading gains among European peers and pushing the European banks index (.SX7P) up 1.9%. European shares have performed better than UK stocks so far this year, amid economic resilience and signs of cooling inflation in the euro zone, with focus now shifting to the upcoming earnings season. Data showed Spanish national consumer prices rose 1.9% in the 12 months through June, down from a 3.2% rise in the period through May.

Persons: Daniel Casali, Evelyn, Jefferies, Vincent Chaigneau, Matteo Allievi, Shreyashi Sanyal, Sohini Goswami, Nick Zieminski Organizations: U.S, Jefferies, Federal, Evelyn Partners, Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC, Bank of England, Miners, ASM International, Infineon, Generali Investments, Air France, KLM, Deutsche Bank, Thales, Cobham Aerospace Communications, Spanish, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Gdansk, Amruta, Bangalore

☆ Exclusive: Bonderman's Wildcat seeks to thwart $2.9 billion Consolidated Communications deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Anirban Sen | Thomson Reuters | Anirban Sen Is The Editor In Charge For U.S. M A At Reuters In New York | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Wildcat said it owned 3 million Consolidated Communications shares, equivalent to about a 2.6% stake. The offer was made on April 12 by a consortium led by private equity firm Searchlight Capital, which owns 34% of Consolidated Communications. Consolidated Communications formed a special committee to consider the offer later that month but has not provided an update since. TD Cowen analysts wrote in an April 13 note that they expected Consolidated Communications to accept the deal given its capital needs and operational challenges. But Wildcat argues that any deal should not be for less than $14 per share because the value of Consolidated Communications' investment in its business has yet to be realized.

Persons: David Bonderman, Wildcat, TD Cowen, Tom McConnon, McConnon, Anirban Sen, Greg Roumeliotis, Edwina Gibbs, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: YORK, Wildcat Capital Management LLC, TPG, Consolidated Communications Holdings Inc, Consolidated Communications, Reuters, Searchlight Capital, Consolidated Communications . Consolidated Communications, Apollo Global Management, Lumen Technologies, Sorrento Therapeutics Inc, Thomson Locations: New York, , Illinois, Sorrento

SummaryCompanies Dollar down 0.3%, at lowest since May 11Inflation data expected at 1230 GMTJuly 12 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose on Wednesday after the dollar and bond yields retreated as investors awaited U.S. inflation data that could offer more cues on the Federal Reserve's rate-hike policy path. Making gold cheaper for holders of other currencies, the dollar index (.DXY) fell 0.3% to its lowest level since May 11. "There has been some renewed confidence in gold prices lately, given the broad expectations for the upcoming U.S. CPI to reflect further moderation in pricing pressures," said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG. Economists polled by Reuters expect June core inflation rate to have dropped to 5% from 5.3%, still significantly above the Fed's 2% target. In the wider base metals market, prices rose, supported by a weaker dollar, although a gloomy demand outlook loomed over the market.

Persons: Jun Rong, Barot, Seher, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Sohini Organizations: Treasury, CPI, IG, Reuters, Metals, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ European shares gain ahead of key US inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 12 (Reuters) - European shares edged higher on Wednesday in the run-up to the release of key U.S. inflation data which will determine whether the Federal Reserve is nearing the end of its monetary policy tightening. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) was up 0.3% by 7:07 GMT. The U.S. data, scheduled to be released at 1230 GMT, is expected to show the consumer price (CPI) index moderated to 3.1% year-on-year in June after May's 4% rise. A sharp slowdown in inflation could fuel bets that the Fed might end its market-punishing rate hikes after July. Reporting by Matteo Allievi in Gdansk and Amruta Khandekar in Bangalore; Editing by Sohini GoswamiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jefferies, Matteo Allievi, Sohini Goswami Organizations: Federal Reserve, May's, Technology, ASML, Infineon, Thomson Locations: U.S, Gdansk, Amruta, Bangalore

☆ Indian CEO of Dukaan replaced 90% of staff with an AI chatbot
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The average time taken to resolve a customer’s issue also dropped by almost 98% when they interacted with the chatbot, he tweeted. Shah said the job cuts were “tough” but “necessary.”Shah told CNN Wednesday that the 23 layoffs were made in September. By introducing the technology, the company has cut the cost of its customer support function by about 85%, Shah said. Shah told CNN that he believed “in a future where AI and humans work together, each doing what they do best,” and that he was exploring opportunities to use AI in work involving graphic design, illustration and data science. AI fearsThe news of the layoffs comes as fears that AI will result in mass job losses have escalated eight months after Open AI released its AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT to the public.

Persons: Shah, ” Shah, “, Dukaan, ChatGPT Organizations: London CNN, Summit Shah, Twitter, CNN, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, OECD Locations: Bangalore

☆ More tech workers in India are moonlighting — despite their bosses’ disapproval
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

There are a range of reasons that are driving IT professionals to engage in moonlighting, according to Indeed India. Abhishek Software engineerBut his bosses are not aware of his plans, nor has he told them he is moonlighting. 'The root cause is the money'There are a number of reasons driving IT professionals to engage in moonlighting, according to Indeed India. Where employers disagreeHere's where employers disagree: moonlighting goes against the sense of loyalty a company wishes to instill into employees. IT services giant Wipro for example, fired 300 employees last year for allegedly "working for rival companies," according to local reports.

Persons: Sashi Kumar, Abhishek, he's, HackerRank, —, Moonlighting, Kumar, moonlighting, Indeed's Kumar, Viswanath Organizations: CNBC, India, Wipro, Infosys — Locations: India, Bangalore, U.S

The pan-European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) ended 0.7% higher, rising for the third straight session. Irish stocks (.ISEQ) jumped 2.1%, leading the advance among its continental peers. Irish stocks were boosted by gains in Kingspan (KSP.I) which jumped 15.7% after forecasting record profit for the first half of the year. Shares of China-exposed luxury firms including LVMH (LVMH.PA), Hermes (HRMS.PA) and Richemont (CFR.S) rose between 2% and 2.3% while industrial stocks (.SXNP) also sensitive to China advanced 1.0%. Mercedes-Benz Group (MBGn.DE) shares rose 0.7% after sales in the second quarter rose 6% year-on-year on the back of demand for all-electric and top-end vehicles.

Persons: Michael Hewson, Richard Flax, Matteo Allievi, Shreyashi Sanyal, Rashmi Aich, Nivedita, Emelia Organizations: Miners, U.S . Federal Reserve, LVMH, CMC Markets, tomorrow's U.S, Nordic Semiconductor, Daimler, Benz Group, Thomson Locations: China, Kingspan, Europe, U.S, tomorrow's, Britain, Gdansk, Amruta, Bangalore

☆ European shares gain on hopes of end to Fed rate hikes, China stimulus
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 11 (Reuters) - European shares rose on Tuesday as investors hoped the U.S. Federal Reserve was closing in on the end of its interest rate hiking cycle, while China's policy measures to prop up its battered real estate sector also boosted sentiment. On Monday, China extended until the end of 2024 some policies in a November rescue package to shore up the real estate sector. Markets also digested comments from several Fed officials signalling the U.S. central bank was nearing the end of its rate hiking cycle. Daimler Truck (DTGGe.DE) rose 1.1% after the German automaker raised its profit and revenue guidance on easing of supply chain constraints. Reporting by Matteo Allievi in Gdansk and Amruta Khandekar in Bangalore; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matteo Allievi, Rashmi Organizations: U.S . Federal, Daimler, Nordic Semiconductor, Thomson Locations: China, Gdansk, Amruta, Bangalore

Spot gold held its ground at $1,926.19 per ounce by 0231 GMT. The dollar (.DXY) was near a two-month low on prospects of lower rates, while benchmark U.S. yields hovered near Monday's lows at 4.0018%. A weaker dollar makes gold cheaper for holders of foreign currencies. "As we've become accustomed to inflation decelerating, an upside surprise would spark the most volatile reaction and weigh on gold. Gold bulls need inflation to behave to justify a bullish breakout," Simpson added.

Persons: Matt Simpson, we've, Simpson, Seher, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Index, U.S, Investors, U.S . CPI, Consumer, Thomson Locations: Wednesday's U.S, China, Bengaluru

July 10 (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley (MS.N) has hired senior investment banker Marco Caggiano from JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), where he led the bank's North America mergers and acquisitions (M&A) business, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. Caggiano, a veteran investment banker who spent 23 years with JPMorgan, will join Morgan Stanley as vice chairman of M&A, the sources said. JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley declined to comment. Caggiano trained as a lawyer and worked at Paul Hastings before he joined JPMorgan. He was co-head of North America M&A before Chris Roop, his other co-head, exited JPMorgan last year to join Jefferies Financial Group Inc (JEF.N).

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Marco Caggiano, Caggiano, Elon Musk, Paul Hastings, Chris Roop, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Anirban Sen, Greg Roumeliotis Organizations: JPMorgan Chase &, JPMorgan, Twitter Inc, Elon, Zynga, Hasbro Inc, Alta Fox, Jefferies Financial Group Inc, Svea, Thomson Locations: America, Rhode Island, New York

CNN —Indian authorities have arrested three railway officials as part of an investigation into one of the deadliest train crashes in the country’s history. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in a statement that they had arrested three Department of Railways officials on Friday. The move follows the deaths of at least 275 people in a three-way crash involving two passenger trains and a freight train in eastern Odisha state on June 2. The railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has previously said the accident had occurred “due to a change in electronic interlocking” and that an investigation would show “who was responsible” for that. According to senior railway officials, the crash took place when the Coromandel Express, a high-speed train traveling from Kolkata to Chennai, was diverted onto a loop line and slammed into a heavy goods train idled at Bahanaga Bazar railway station.

Persons: ”, Narenda Modi, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jaya Varma Sinha, Naveen Patnaik, Modi, Modi’s Organizations: CNN, Central Bureau of Investigation, of Railways, Indian, Howrah Locations: Odisha, Kolkata, Chennai, Bahanaga Bazar, Bangalore

The STOXX 600 (.STOXX) rose 0.1% by 1615 GMT, turning positive midway through the session after data showed the U.S. economy added the fewest jobs in 2-1/2 years in June. However, persistently strong U.S. wage growth pointed to still tight labour market conditions that cemented bets the Fed will resume raising interest rates, later this month. Traders stuck to bets the Fed will raise its benchmark interest rate this month to a 5.25%-5.5% range, but were sceptical of further hikes beyond that. The STOXX 600 fell 3.1% for the week, its worst performance since mid-March. Comments from European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will be monitored later in the day.

Persons: Candice Tse, Christine Lagarde, Matteo Allievi, Shubham Batra, Shreyashi Sanyal, Ankika Biswas, Janane Venkatraman, Shinjini Ganguli, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Federal, Traders, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Reuters, Coca Cola HBC AG, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Gdansk, Bangalore

NEW YORK, July 6 (Reuters) - Cronos Group Inc (CRON.TO), the Canadian cannabis producer backed by cigarette maker Altria Group Inc (MO.N), confirmed on Thursday it is in talks with potential buyers to explore a sale of the company, after Reuters reported on the talks. In a statement, Cronos said it "is in the initial stages of reviewing these indications of interest." The future of the cannabis industry is uncertain as more favorable regulatory regimes in North America have fueled fierce competition among more companies. For the first quarter, Cronos posted a net loss of $19.3 million, compared with a loss of $32.7 million a year ago. Cronos has total cash, including short-term investments, of about $836.43 million, according to its first-quarter report.

Persons: Cronos, Curaleaf, Altria, Joe Biden's, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Leslie Adler, Richard Chang, David Gregorio Our Organizations: YORK, Cronos, Altria, Reuters, Curaleaf Holdings, U.S, Thomson Locations: U.S, Toronto, North America, Cronos, New York

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