By Bansari Mayur Kamdar (Reuters) – UK’s FTSE 100 ended 2021 with its best annual performance in five years on the back of gains in commodity-linked and industrial stocks although the index fell in Friday’s holiday-thinned trading. The benchmark index declined 0.3%, hit by concerns around surging COVID-19 cases as the United Kingdom reported a …
FTSE 100 posts biggest annual gains in five years Read More »
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s exports of sparkling wine to the rest of the world fell last year for the first time in a decade, Eurostat said on Friday, largely because of a massive drop in champagne sales, though prosecco and cava sold well. The COVID-19 pandemic dampened wine trade globally in 2020, the …
EU records first drop in sparkling wine exports in decade as champagne loses its fizz Read More »
By Supantha Mukherjee and Helena Soderpalm STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden’s Northvolt said on Wednesday its new gigafactory in northern Sweden has assembled its first battery cell, making it the first European company to design and manufacture a battery on the continent. The cell is of a prismatic cell format – a variety of thinner and lighter …
Northvolt battery plant sparks into life, a first for Europe Read More »
(Reuters) -Sterling hit its highest level against the euro since the end of February 2020 as easing concerns about the economic impact of the pandemic boosted risk-on currencies, while analysts expect more rate rises from the Bank of England in 2022. Risk appetite was supported by signs that governments, despite coronavirus cases hitting record highs, …
Sterling at its highest versus euro since February 2020 Read More »
By Ashitha Shivaprasad (Reuters) – Oil analysts have lowered their price forecasts for 2022 as the Omicron coronavirus variant poses headwinds to recovering fuel demand and risks a supply glut as producers pump more oil, a Reuters poll showed on Friday. A survey of 35 economists and analysts forecast Brent crude would average $73.57 a …
Oil rally hits Omicron demand roadblock as glut worries rise- Reuters poll Read More »
By Keith Weir (Reuters) -Private equity firm 3G Capital sealed its first big deal since 2015 when it agreed to buy a majority stake in Dutch blinds and window shutters maker Hunter Douglas NV at an enterprise value of about $7.1 billion. Best known for its investment in the food and drinks sector through companies …
3G Capital branches out with $7.1 billion Hunter Douglas deal Read More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Yamal-Europe pipeline that usually delivers Russian gas to Western Europe was sending fuel back to Poland for an eleventh day on Friday, data from German network operator Gascade shows. Flows at the Mallnow metering point on the German-Polish border were going east into Poland at an hourly volume of more than …
Gas flows east via Russian Yamal-Europe pipeline Read More »
MILAN (Reuters) -Telecoms operator Tiscali and Linkem Retail, a unit of private broadband group Linkem, have agreed to merge in a deal that would create Italy’s fifth largest fixed line telecoms operator, the two companies said on Thursday. The move flags a push for consolidation in Italy’s hyper-competitive telecoms sector, which is facing shrinking revenues …
Tiscali, Linkem to create Italy’s fifth largest fixed line operator Read More »
MILAN (Reuters) -Italian household electricity prices will jump 55% in the first quarter of next year and gas prices will rise 41.8% due to higher commodity prices, energy watchdog ARERA said on Thursday. The increases take into account 3.8 billion euros ($4.3 billion) of public money stumped up by the government to curb the surge …
Italy household energy bills to jump in next quarter – regulator Read More »
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The world’s biggest furniture brand IKEA is raising prices by an average of 9% as it faces increasing costs in transport and raw materials, the owner of most of its stores worldwide said on Thursday. IKEA had previously said it was leasing more ships, buying containers and re-routing goods between warehouses to …
Furniture giant IKEA raises prices as supply chain woes persist Read More »
