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(Reuters) – E-commerce giant Amazon.com said on Friday it has appealed French regulator CNIL’s decision to fine the company 32 million euros ($34.58 million) for setting up a system to monitor employee activity and performance. The CNIL had in January fined Amazon France Logistique, which manages Amazon’s large warehouses in France, for what the regulator …

Amazon appeals $34.6 million fine by French regulator over staff monitoring Read More »

By Tom Balmforth and John O’Donnell LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) -Ukraine has scrapped its “sponsors of war” blacklist, the centrepiece of its campaign to pressure companies doing business in Russia, the agency in charge said on Friday after a backlash from countries from Austria to China. The end of the blacklist, which has embarrassed around 50 major …

Ukraine drops Russia business blacklist after backlash Read More »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. has filed a lawsuit against Apple with the aim of increasing competition for the iPhone and giving a leg up to smaller companies whose apps work with the ubiquitous device. In the lawsuit against the $2.7 trillion company, the U.S. argues the iPhone maker hurt smaller rivals and drove up …

Explainer-US lawsuit against Apple could make iPhone experience more consumer-friendly Read More »

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators have resumed their investigation into British Airways owner IAG’s 400-million-euro ($432.7 million)) bid to buy out Air Europa, according to an update on the European Commission website. The EU competition enforcer had paused its investigation on Feb. 9 while waiting for the companies to provide information it had requested. …

EU antitrust regulators resume probe into IAG’s Air Europa deal Read More »

By Maria Martinez BERLIN (Reuters) -German business morale improved in March and beat expectations, a survey showed on Friday, though probably not enough to prevent Europe’s biggest economy from slipping into another recession. The Ifo institute said its business climate index stood at 87.8 compared with a reading of 86.0 forecast by analysts in a …

German business sentiment rises in March, Ifo says Read More »

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s upper house of parliament passed on Friday a 3.2 billion euro ($3.46 billion) tax relief package for small and medium-sized companies, aimed at unleashing new investment amid weak foreign demand and high interest rates. The government’s Growth Opportunities Act passed the lower house of parliament in November but then faced opposition …

Germany’s upper house of parliament approves tax relief for companies Read More »

MADRID (Reuters) – Amancio Ortega, the Spanish billionaire and founder of the fashion group that owns Zara, has bought an office building in Luxembourg for 175 million euros ($189 million), his family’s investment vehicle Pontegadea said on Friday. Baltisse, an investment holding company belonging to Belgian entrepreneur Filip Balcaen, said in a post on social …

Zara founder Ortega buys Luxembourg office building for $189 million Read More »

By Radhika Anilkumar (Reuters) -British pub group J D Wetherspoon said on Friday sales growth had slowed at the start of its fiscal second half and that margins were still below pre-pandemic levels, sending its shares down as much as 7% in early trade. The group, which owns and operates pubs across Britain and Ireland, …

Sales growth slows at UK pub groups J D Wetherspoon Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) -A planned merger between Vodafone’s UK operation and Hutchison’s Three UK unit could face a 24-week in-depth investigation after Britain’s antitrust regulator said on Friday the tie-up risked leaving consumers worse off. The $19 billion deal was announced last year, and if it proceeds, would reduce the number of mobile networks in Britain …

UK’s Vodafone, Three deal likely to face in-depth competition probe Read More »

(Reuters) – British luxury carmaker Aston Martin on Friday named Bentley head Adrian Hallmark as its new CEO to replace Amedeo Felisa, in the latest management shake-up under chairman and top shareholder Lawrence Stroll. Hallmark will become the third CEO of Aston Martin since Stroll took over the carmaker in 2020 with a more than …

Aston Martin names Bentley’s Adrian Hallmark as next CEO Read More »