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☆ China's Huawei set to re-enter mid-range 5G phone market -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People walk past a Huawei store with advertisements for the Mate 60 series smartphones, at a shopping mall in Beijing, China August 30, 2023. Huawei (HWT.UL) may launch a 5G version of its mid-ranged Nova around October or November, the IT Times said, citing industrial supply chain sources. Last month, Huawei rolled out the Mate 60 Pro smartphone with little advertising or prior notice. Huawei's last Nova model is constrained to 4G and retails for around 2,400 yuan($329)domestically, while the Mate 60 Pro, released in limited numbers so far, retails for 6,999 yuan. The company is expected to give more details on the Mate 60 Pro at a product launch event next week.

Persons: Yelin, David Kirton, Alexander Smith Organizations: Huawei, REUTERS, Rights, IT, IT Times, China Telecom, HK, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights SHENZHEN, U.S, Shanghai

On Monday, the UAW held talks with Stellantis though no deal was reached. About 12,700 UAW workers are on strike as part of a labor action targeting three U.S. assembly plants - one at each of the Detroit Three - after the prior four-year labor agreements expired. He said the UAW is ready to do what was necessary when asked whether it would extend the strike to other plants this week. Ford has an assembly plant and two engine plants in Canada with a total of about 5,000 union workers. Shares of BlueScope Steel (BSL.AX) slipped to an over three-month low as the strike weighs on its North American business.

Persons: Hakeem Jeffries, Rebecca Cook, plateauing, Shawn Fain, Fain, Unifor, Ford, Janet Yellen, Biden, Yellen, Stellantis's Ram, David Shepardson, Ben Klayman, Doina Chiacu, Deepa Babington, Alexander Smith Organizations: Democratic, U.S . House, United Auto Workers, Ford Motor Michigan, Plant, Wayne , Michigan U.S, REUTERS, Detroit Three, Union, General Motors, Ford, UAW, Detroit, MSNBC, CNBC, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet, Michigan Bronco, GM's, Silverado, BlueScope, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Wayne , Michigan, Canada, Michigan , Ohio, Missouri, Chevrolet Colorado, Kansas, North America, Michigan

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield hit 4.399% overnight in Asia, its highest rate since early November 2007, and the two-year yield rose further above 5%. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) shed 0.27%, while the pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) lost 1.05%, hit by lowered growth outlooks. CENTRAL BANKSGlobal central banks take stage, with five of those overseeing the 10 most-heavily traded currencies holding rate-setting meetings this week. A swathe of emerging market central banks including Turkey and South Africa will also meet. The Swedish crown sank to a record low against the euro on Monday, days before the Riksbank is expected to raise interest rates again.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, BOE, Brent, Marc Chandler, Chandler, Saira Malik, France's, Stocks, Xi, Kazuo Ueda, Herbert Lash, Nell Mackenzie, Dhara, Stella Qiu, Philippa Fletcher, Alexander Smith, Christina Fincher Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Treasury, Global, Federal, United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, Bannockburn Global, U.S, Societe Generale, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, China Evergrande, HK, CENTRAL, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, Bannockburn, New York, Asia, Turkey, South Africa, Swedish, London, Sydney

☆ China central bank, FX regulator meet foreign firms in capital drive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, is pictured in Beijing, China, February 3, 2020. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 18 (Reuters) - China's central bank and forex regulator met with foreign financial institutions and companies on Monday, as Beijing strives to attract overseas investment to support its recovery. China will improve its policies, and create a market-oriented and international-level business climate, PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng was quoted as saying in the statement. China has sought to court foreign capital as its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic slows in the face of tepid overseas demand and property weakness. Actualised foreign direct investment into China fell 5.1% year-on year to 847.2 billion yuan ($116 billion) in the first eight months of 2023, the commerce ministry said on Friday.

Persons: Jason Lee, Morgan Stanley, Pan Gongsheng, Pan, Ellen Zhang, Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr, Louise Heavens, Alexander Smith Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Council, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING

REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON/SINGAPORE, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar hovered near a six-month high on Monday as traders looked ahead to interest rate decisions this week from the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan. the yen was up a similar amount at 147.69 to the dollar, with traders out for a Japanese public holiday. Traders were looking towards central bank decisions later in the week which could shake up the currency market. Investors expect the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates on hold in the 5.25% to 5.5% range on Wednesday. The European Central Bank raised interest rates to 4% last week, but said this hike could be its last.

Persons: Lee Jae, Alvin Tan, RBC's Tan, Kazuo Ueda, Ueda's, Carol Kong, Ueda, Sterling, BoE, Harry Robertson, Vidya Ranganathan, Lincoln, Bernadette Baum, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, Asia FX, RBC Capital Markets, Traders, Investors, Bank of, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: Seoul, SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Europe, China, Bank of England, Ukraine, London, Singapore

China property woes, geopolitical tensions and ongoing strikes also stoked worries about global growth. CENTRAL BANKSGlobal central banks take centre stage, with five of those overseeing the 10 most heavily traded currencies holding rate-setting meetings this week. A swathe of emerging market central banks such as Turkey and South Africa will also meet. In currency markets, the dollar drifted lower with the dollar index last down a touch at 105.24 but within sight of recent six-month highs. The euro gained about 0.1% to $1.0663, after slumping to a 3-1/2 month low of $1.0632 last week as the European Central Bank signalled its rate hikes could be over.

Persons: BOE, BOJ, France's, Taiwan's TSMC, Xi, James Rossiter, Rossiter, Marc Chandler, Goldman Sachs, Kazuo Ueda, Nell Mackenzie, Stella Qiu, Dhara, Philippa Fletcher, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Societe Generale, China Evergrande, HK, Technology, Reuters, TD Securities, Japan's Nikkei, Brent, . West Texas, Federal Reserve, Bannockburn Global, CENTRAL, Global, Fed, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, Treasury, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, United States, Japan, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Britain, Asia, U.S, London, Bannockburn, Turkey, South Africa, Europe, SYDNEY

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON/DUBLIN, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Societe Generale's (SOGN.PA) much-hyped new strategy plans were given a thumbs down by investors on Monday, underscoring uncertainty over European banks as they face a brittle economy. "There are more questions about the future and the economy," Legras said, adding that transformative mergers between banks, which investors have waited for in vain, remained unlikely. Reuters GraphicsThat dampens the prospects for Europe's banks, whose valuations are low and static, said one adviser who works with top executives from the region's lenders, adding that investors struggle to see much promise for the sector. European banks' modest earning power has dampened investor appetite for their shares, which often trade at just a fraction of book value - the sum of their assets. While in the United States, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley are valued at around 1.5 times book value, Germany's Deutsche Bank, Dutch lender ABN Amro, France's Credit Agricole and Britain's Standard Chartered are valued at just half book value or less.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Jerome Legras, Legras, Slawomir Krupa, Krupa, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Frederic Rozier, Morgan Stanley, Karel Lannoo, Elisa Martinuzzi, John O'Donnell, Alexander Smith Organizations: Societe Generale, La Defense, REUTERS, Reuters, European Central Bank, European Union, Commission, Deutsche Bank, ABN Amro, France's Credit, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France, DUBLIN, France's, Europe, United States, Germany, Mirabaud, U.S, Brussels

☆ Lyft to pay $10 mln civil penalty over disclosure failures -SEC
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Prior to its public listing in March 2019, a Lyft board director arranged for the sale of $424 million worth of private shares through a special purpose vehicle affiliated with the director, the SEC said in a statement. Lyft did not disclose this information in its SEC filings for 2019, said the regulators, who did not disclose the director's name. Representatives for Lyft, which did not admit or deny the SEC allegations, did not respond immediately to requests for comment. The SEC said that Lyft was required to report details of the transaction because Lyft, which approved sale of the private sales, was a participant in the deal. The director left Lyft's board at the time of the transaction, regulators said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lyft, Chris Prentice, Doina Chiacu, Katharine Jackson, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Lyft, Thomson Locations: U.S, New York, Washington

☆ Portugal's telecom watchdog working with operators to bar Huawei
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLISBON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Portugal's telecom watchdog said on Monday it is working with operators to implement a high-level resolution which effectively bars Huawei's equipment from the country's 5G mobile networks, despite legal objections from the Chinese company. Huawei filed a lawsuit with a Lisbon court against the resolution at the end of August, seeking "protection of its legitimate interests and legal rights under the law". Portugal's main operators, Altice, NOS (NOS.LS) and Vodafone (VOD.L) have already said they will not use Huawei equipment in 5G core networks, amid European and U.S. concerns that Chinese involvement in critical infrastructure could compromise security. "It is work that is ongoing and we hope that it will be carried out successfully. We can assure the Portuguese that we are also working together with the operators", he added.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Joao Cadete de Matos, Matos, Mario Campolargo, Sergio Goncalves, Alexander Smith Organizations: Huawei Technologies, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, Portugal's, Huawei, Vodafone, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Rights LISBON, Portuguese, Lisbon, Beijing

☆ Romance in the air as Paul Costelloe, Bora Aksu open London Fashion Week
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Sarah Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Paul Costelloe opened London Fashion Week on Friday, with the Irish designer saying he was "bringing back a bit of romance" to the catwalks with feminine dresses and soft, fluid looks. "(I'm) bringing back a bit of romance and a bit of femininity into fashion," Costelloe told Reuters. [1/5]A model presents a creation on the day of the Paul Costelloe catwalk show during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, September 15, 2023. As in previous years, this year's cohort will showcase their collections at London Fashion Week, which runs until Tuesday. "It is really difficult for our young designer businesses to get partnership and sponsorship opportunities for their shows.

Persons: Paul Costelloe, Costelloe, We’ve, Paul, Hollie Adams, JW Anderson, Erdem, Molly Goddard, Alexander McQueen, Anderson, Caroline Rush, Rush, Sarah Mills, Marie, Louise Gumuchian, Alexander Smith, Mark Porter Organizations: London, Reuters, REUTERS, Burberry, British Fashion Council, BFC, London Fashion, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Turkish, Aksu, Ottoman, New York

☆ Logitech founder calls on computer peripherals group to find new chairperson
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( John Revill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Logitech International SA FollowZURICH, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Logitech (LOGN.S) co-founder Daniel Borel stepped up his call for it to find a new chairperson on Friday, after objecting to Wendy Becker's re-election to the role at the Swiss-American computer peripherals maker's AGM earlier this week. Borel, one of three people who founded Logitech (LOGN.S) in 1981, said the maker of computer mice and keyboards had lost its way under Becker, who has chaired it since September 2019. "I am not yet a dinosaur meddling, but I am worried about the future of Logitech, the company I created," Borel told Reuters. "Logitech needs a new chairperson, someone who can react to the changed market situation." Borel, who holds a stake of around 1.5% in Logitech said the downturn had not been recognised quickly enough.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Daniel Borel, Wendy Becker's, Becker, Borel, Logitech, Jack Wills, Wendy, Bracken Darrell, John Revill, Alexander Smith Organizations: Logitech, REUTERS, Logitech International, Follow ZURICH, Swiss, Reuters, Thomson Locations: American, Swiss

☆ Turmoil showed top level failures at banks, global watchdog says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brittany Hosea-Small/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - This year's bank turmoil showed some boards and senior management failed in their most basic responsibilities and more regulatory guidance may be needed, a global watchdog said. Pablo Hernandez de Cos, chair of the Basel Committee, said on Thursday that the turmoil highlighted many shortcomings. The Basel Committee writes capital rules for banks, determining how much they need to set aside in case they get into difficulty. Most of the banks that failed during the turmoil were not subject to Basel's standards, said de Cos, who is also governor of the Bank of Spain. Basel may also consider how national regulators decide to exempt a bank with cross-border features from the committee's standards, de Cos said.

Persons: Brittany Hosea, Pablo Hernandez de Cos, de Cos, Cos, Huw Jones, Alexander Smith Organizations: Bank, REUTERS, Credit Suisse, Silicon Valley Bank, Basel Committee, Committee, Bank of Spain, Banking, Thomson Locations: Santa Clara , California, U.S, Basel

☆ EU states consider easing post-Brexit derivatives clearing plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But the Spanish EU presidency wants to water this down. Under the draft law, EU securities watchdog ESMA would determine minimum clearing thresholds. The European Parliament is also finalising its own position, before it meets with EU states to thrash out a final text. EU clearing customers "shall clear at least proportions" of euro derivatives in an active account, the compromises say, specifying no minimum clearing figure from the outset. If not enough clearing is being done in the EU within 18 months, ESMA should specify the proportion of clearing that each customer must undertake through their EU accounts, the compromises say.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lawmakers, Huw Jones, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, EU, London Stock Exchange, Deutsche Boerse's Eurex, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Britain, London, Frankfurt, Spanish, EU

☆ London's India Club to serve its last curry after more than 70 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sachin Ravikumar | Thomson Reuters | Sachin Ravikumar Is A Correspondent For Reuters In London Covering General News Across The Uk. Over Nine Years At Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The India Club, a historic London curry house with links to India's freedom struggle, will close its doors for the last time on Sunday after failing to stop a hotel redevelopment plan. For decades, the India Club has drawn regulars craving a masala dosa or bhuna lamb with a pint of Cobra or Kingfisher beer, but also many Londoners of Indian descent. Retired civil servant Ian Angell, who has been an India Club regular for nearly a decade, said its closure was very sad news. "It's such a great shame," he added, sitting below portraits of Indian independence heroes Gandhi and Nehru. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shashi Tharoor, Chandran, Phiroza Marker, Ian Angell, Gandhi, Sachin Ravikumar, Alexander Smith Organizations: India, India League, Reuters, India Club, Nehru, Thomson Locations: London, India

☆ U.S. Treasury official says Iraq must act to avoid further action on banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Timour Azhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Employees walk at the headquarters of the Central Bank of Iraq in Baghdad, Iraq August 15, 2023. Despite the crackdown, the senior U.S. Treasury official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there were still other Iraqi banks operating with risks "that must be remediated". Iraq's central bank governor has said Iraq is committed to implementing tighter financial regulations and combating the smuggling of dollars. The central bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. However, there were still "vested interests comfortable with the status quo that can create friction to driving change," the Treasury official said, without identifying who these were.

Persons: Ahmed Saad, Farhad Alaadin, Alaadin, Saddam Hussein, Mohammed Shia Al, Timour Azhari, Alexander Smith Organizations: Central Bank of, REUTERS, Treasury, U.S, Reuters, Iraqi, U.S . Federal, Iraq, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Central Bank of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, Iran, BAGHDAD, U.S, United States, Iraqi, Iranian, Tehran, Iraq's

A company logo of Shanghai Futures Exchange is displayed at a booth during LME Week Asia in Hong Kong, China June 14, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The Shanghai Futures Exchange (ShFE) is looking into the possible launch of nickel futures for international use, a potential challenge to the London Metal Exchange's (LME) contract, five sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Average daily LME nickel volumes plunged because of the crisis. CME Group (CME.O) is also looking to launch a nickel contract that would settle against prices gathered from a platform to be launched by British-based Global Commodities Holdings (GCH). CME did not respond to a request for an update on its plans for a nickel contract.

Persons: Bobby Yip, ShFE, Nickel, GCH, Pratima Desai, Siyi Liu, Julian Luk, Veronica Brown, Alexander Smith Organizations: Shanghai Futures, REUTERS, Rights, Shanghai Futures Exchange, London, Reuters, International Energy Exchange, CME, Global Commodities Holdings, Thomson Locations: Asia, Hong Kong, China, Rights BEIJING, LONDON, British, Singapore, Abaxx

A diesel fuel nozzle is seen attached to a car at a Shell petrol station in Berlin, Germany October 22, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/ Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Global distillate fuel oil inventories remain much lower than normal for the time of year which is putting strong upward pressure on fuel prices. Initially, the upward pressure on distillate refining margins was masked by downward pressure on the underlying prices for crude oil. Since July, however, both crude prices and distillate refining margins have been rising, causing the total price of fuel to surge. Related columns:- U.S. diesel prices surge anticipating a soft landing (August 11, 2023)- Depleted U.S. diesel stocks attract hedge funds (July 20, 2023)- Global distillate stocks low despite industrial slowdown (June 13, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, John Kemp, Alexander Smith Organizations: Shell, REUTERS, OPEC ⁺, U.S, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Berlin, Germany, Singapore, New York, Saudi Arabia, Europe, North America, Russia, Ukraine, U.S, China

☆ Bank of England tells UK to hold insurers to account on infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view of the Bank of England (BoE) building, the BoE confirmed to raise interest rates to 1.75%, in London, Britain, August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Bank Of England FollowLONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The government should check that insurers are spending up to 100 billion pounds ($125 billion) on Britain's economy after their capital rules were eased, Bank of England Deputy Governor Sam Woods said on Wednesday. "I think it may happen, but I can't guarantee it," Woods told a sub-committee of parliament's Treasury Select Committee. The finance ministry overrode the Bank of England to ease some capital rules more than Woods had wanted, which could make an insurance company failure more likely. This means insurers will have more money to invest, currently only a modest part of their portfolios is in infrastructure, Gerken said.

Persons: BoE, Maja Smiejkowska, Sam Woods, Woods, Charlotte Gerken, Gerken, Huw Jones, Alexander Smith Organizations: Bank of England, REUTERS, Bank, Association of, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

Reliance Retail is India's largest retailer and is led by Asia's richest person Mukesh Ambani. Of that, QIA last month announced a $1 billion investment and KKR & Co (KKR.N) this week $250 million. Reliance sold a 10.09% stake in its retail unit in 2020, valuing it at 4.68 trillion rupees ($56.4 billion). When ADIA invested in Reliance Retail in 2020, it said it was part of its strategy of targeting market leading businesses in Asia linked to the region's consumption-driven growth. Reliance Retail reported a consolidated net profit of 91.81 billion rupees ($1.11 billion) for the financial year that ended in March 2023, on revenue of 2.6 trillion rupees.

Persons: Singapore's GIC, Mukesh Ambani, QIA, ADIA, PIF, Marks, Spencer, Ambani, Sriram, Aditya Kalra, Yantoultra Ngui, Alexander Smith Organizations: Reliance, Asia's, Reuters, KKR, Co, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Reliance Industries, Reliance Retail, Unilever, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, DELHI, DUBAI, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, GIC, Asia

[1/2] A bartender pours a drink at a Campari inauguration of a new brand house for Aperol, its best-selling beverage, in Venice. Shares in Campari fell by more than 5% in Milan after the departure of Kunze-Concewitz, who is 56, was announced. Under Kunze-Concewitz, Campari roughly tripled its net sales and profitability, investing around 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) on acquisitions. Sales of Aperol have increased by 12 times since 2007 and it has become the group's largest brand. Kunze-Concewitz, an Austrian citizen who was born in Istanbul, will remain as a non-executive director at Campari.

Persons: Manuel Silvestri, Bob Kunze, Matteo Fantacchiotti, Kunze Concewitz, Fantacchiotti, Italy's, Cristina Carlevaro, Elisa Anzolin, Keith Weir, Jason Neely, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Asia Pacific, Nestle, Diageo, Carlsberg, Jefferies, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Aperol, Venice . Italy, Italian, Campari, Milan, Asia, Austrian, Istanbul

Ukrainian Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo plane, the world's biggest aircraft, flies during the Independence Day military parade in Kyiv, Ukraine August 24, 2021. Antonov did not respond to requests for comment on the centre and expansion plans in the drone sector. Under Ukroboronprom, Antonov has designed and built drones in the past, including the Horlytsia model, but cargo planes have long been its primary focus. Antonov's expertise in cargo planes could also be applied to long-distance drones, the source added, giving Ukraine's armed forces the capability to strike deeper into Russian territory. LIVE TESTINGKyiv has used aerial drones to attack airfields and Russian troops and aquatic drones against ships and a bridge.

Persons: Gleb Garanich, Antonov, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukroboronprom, inefficiently, Tom Balmforth, Tim Hepher, Mike Collett, White, Alexander Smith Organizations: world's, Independence Day, REUTERS, Reuters, Washington , D.C, Vehicle, Russia, Strategic Industries, Thomson Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, KYIV, Washington ,, Soviet, Russia

☆ Israel central bank says digital shekel launch an 'open question'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Bank of Israel in November 2021 stepped up its research and preparation for the possible issuance of a digital shekel to create a more efficient payments system after first considering issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in late 2017. "Whether or not we will issue a digital shekel is still an open question, as it is in most if not all other advanced economies," Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron said at a conference on digital currencies. Israel's central bank has been experimenting with a digital shekel with its Hong Kong counterpart and the Bank for International Settlements. Deputy Governor Andrew Abir said that for Israel, issuing a digital shekel would provide more competition in a financial system dominated by a few large banks and institutions. "I believe central banks should return to examine the possibility (of) remunerated CBDCs – that is, for the central bank to pay interest CBDC directly to the end users who hold it, and enjoy the security provided by the central bank.

Persons: Amir Yaron, Yaron, Israel, Andrew Abir, Abir, Steven Scheer, Alexander Smith, Mark Porter Organizations: The Bank of Israel, Bank of Israel, Hong Kong, Bank for International, Thomson Locations: Israel

☆ Analysis: Wegovy launch in UK may underline Novo's need to get ahead of Lilly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A 0.25 mg injection pen of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy is shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, August31, 2023. Studies have demonstrated more weight loss than with Wegovy. Novo's type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic has been on the market in Britain since 2019. A Lilly spokesperson declined to comment on Wegovy's launch or when exactly it would launch Mounjaro for diabetes treatment. Studies have shown that, used alongside exercise and lifestyle changes, Wegovy led to 15% weight loss over 68 weeks, while Mounjaro led to more than 22% over 72 weeks.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Eli Lilly's, Wegovy, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Novo, Lilly, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Eli Lilly, Maggie Fick, Alexander Smith, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Wegovy, Economic Co, Development, Reuters, National Health Service, stoke, NHS, Britain's Department of Health, Social Care, Diabetes, UBS, Novo, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, August31, Victoria, Britain, British, Danish, United States, Denmark, Germany, Europe, England

Cocoa beans are pictured next to a warehouse at the village of Atroni, near Sunyani, Ghana April 11, 2019. A weakened cedi currency and a lower farmgate cocoa price in Ghana in the 2022/2023 season, compared with neighbouring Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa grower, saw beans smuggled to there and to Togo. Fiifi Boafo, head of public affairs at regulator COCOBOD regulator told Reuters on Saturday that Ghana is targeting an output of 820,000 metric tons for the 2023/2024 season after the increased farmgate price. Boafo added that Ghana is planning to borrow $1.2 billion for its annual cocoa purchases. Cameroon, another top West African cocoa producer, and the world's fourth biggest, on Thursday raised its farmgate cocoa price by 25% to around 1,500 ($2.45) CFA franc per kg for the 2023/2024 season.

Persons: Ange Aboa, Nana Akufo, Addo, Ghana cedi, , Leticia Adu Yankey, Fiifi Boafo, Maxwell Adombila, Bate Felix, Clelia Oziel, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Ghana cedi, Ghana Civil Society Cocoa, Reuters, CFA, Central African CFA, Thomson Locations: Atroni, Sunyani, Ghana, Akufo, West Africa, London, Ivory Coast, Togo, Cameroon

☆ US, Canadian warships transit Taiwan Strait in latest joint mission
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, marking the second such joint mission since June and coinciding with the leaders of both countries attending the G20 summit in India. "Ralph Johnson and Ottawa's bilateral transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the U.S. Navy added in a statement. China's military condemned the transit as is usual with such missions, accusing the ships of carrying out "public hyping" in the strait, which separates Chinese-claimed Taiwan from China. Taiwan's defence ministry said the ships sailed in a southerly direction and that it had observed nothing unusual. While U.S. warships transit the strait around once a month, it is unusual for them to do so with those of other allies.

Persons: Ralph Johnson, Canada's, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, Ben Blanchard, Alexander Smith Organizations: U.S . Navy, Navy's, Fleet, Eastern Theatre Command, Liberation Army, U.S, Canadian, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, U.S, Canadian, Taiwan Strait, India, The U.S, Ottawa, Taiwan, United States, China, New Delhi

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