Reuters UK Business

By James Davey LONDON (Reuters) -B&Q and Castorama owner Kingfisher lifted the bottom end of its annual profit outlook, saying that while demand for ‘big-ticket’ home improvements like kitchens and bathrooms remained weak, seasonal sales trends have improved since early July. Shares in the FTSE 100-listed European retailer, which also owns Screwfix in Britain and …

Home improvement retailer Kingfisher sees improving sales trends Read More »

BERLIN (Reuters) – German broadcaster RTL and Paramount have withdrawn their bid to merge Super RTL, a children’s television network, with Nickelodeon, said the German cartel office on Tuesday. The office said the withdrawal happened after it informed the companies that it intended to prohibit the planned marriage. Super RTL, belonging to Bertelsmann’s RTL Group, …

Planned merger of Super RTL, Nickelodeon withdrawn, says German cartel office Read More »

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – NATO’s newest member Sweden plans to raise its defence spending by 13 billion crowns ($1.3 billion) in the state budget for 2025 to a total of 138 billion, Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on Tuesday. Military spending will rise in 2025 to 2.4% of GDP from 2.2% this year and is projected …

Sweden to boost defence spending by $1.3 billion in 2025 Read More »

By Max A. Cherney (Reuters) -Amazon’s AWS unit said on Monday it would expand a collaboration with Intel featuring co-investments on chip designs and a deal to manufacture a processor for artificial intelligence, a vote of confidence for Intel’s contract manufacturing effort. Intel’s shares jumped 7% in extended trading after the chip maker’s CEO Pat Gelsinger released …

Intel foundry business to make custom chip for Amazon, chipmaker’s shares jump Read More »

By Jeffrey Dastin and Katie Paul (Reuters) – A team of technology experts issued a global call on Monday seeking the toughest questions to pose to artificial intelligence systems, which increasingly have handled popular benchmark tests like child’s play. Dubbed “Humanity’s Last Exam,” the project seeks to determine when expert-level AI has arrived. It aims …

AI experts ready ‘Humanity’s Last Exam’ to stump powerful tech Read More »

By Nora Eckert DETROIT (Reuters) -The United Auto Workers (UAW) union said on Monday it had filed unfair labor practice charges against Chrysler-parent Stellantis for violating the labor contract the parties reached last fall. The UAW said it filed grievances with the National Labor Relations Board because Stellantis has refused to provide information about its …

UAW files unfair labor practice charges against Stellantis Read More »

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s competition watchdog said on Monday a planned tie-up between Swisscom’s and Vodafone’s Italian units could pose a threat to competition in the country’s fixed-line connectivity services. Last week the Italian antitrust authority, called AGCM, opened an in-depth review of Swisscom’s 8-billion-euro buyout of Vodafone Italia, which will be combined with Swisscom’s …

Italy’s antitrust scrutinises impact of Swisscom-Vodafone deal on landline service Read More »

(Reuters) -Apollo Global Management has signed a $1 billion deal with British energy major BP to fund its stake in the Trans Adriatic natural gas pipeline, the companies said on Monday. The U.S.-based asset management company would become a non-controlling shareholder in BP’s unit that holds a 20% stake in Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG. Other …

Apollo inks $1 billion deal with BP to fund stake in Trans Adriatic gas pipeline Read More »