By James Davey LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – British electricals retailer Currys reported a more than doubling in first half profit and kept its guidance for full-year growth, saying trading in the all-important second half, including Black Friday, is on track. Chief Executive Alex Baldock said Currys entered the peak trading period “well prepared, with …
UK electricals retailer Currys says well placed for Christmas Read More »
BUCHAREST, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Romania’s coalition government will raise the monthly gross minimum wage by 6.8% to 4,325 lei ($998) but also cut in half a 1% minimum tax on turnover from January to help ease the burden on companies, it said. The six-month-old government has raised a series of taxes, frozen public sector …
MILAN, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Italian drinks group Campari said on Thursday it had agreed to sell its brands Averna and Zedda Piras to spirits company Illva Saronno for 100 million euros ($117.45 million). The sale is another step in Campari’s strategy to shrink its portfolio, focus on its core brands and cut debt, the …
Campari sells Averna and Zedda Piras in 100 million euro deal Read More »
By William Schomberg LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – The Bank of England is expected to lower interest rates on Thursday after a sharp slowdown in inflation and a weakening in economic growth, but a string of further cuts in 2026 looks unlikely given Britain’s lingering price pressures. Investors think the BoE will reduce its benchmark …
Bank of England set to cut rates as inflation and economy slow Read More »
By Elizabeth Howcroft and Phoebe Seers Dec 18 (Reuters) – U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase has appointed former British finance minister George Osborne to run its internal advisory council, the company said on Thursday, as it aims to expand its influence with governments beyond the U.S. The crypto industry has become a major lobbying force in the …
Coinbase appoints UK ex-finance minister George Osborne to run advisory council Read More »
By Kate Holton LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – The European Union must reform or risk becoming irrelevant as the rivalry between China and the U.S. sparks a new era without precedent, posing challenges on security, energy, technology and trade, a report led by Tony Blair and Jamie Dimon says. Based on conversations with government, business …
EU must reform or risk irrelevance, Blair and Dimon say Read More »
(Corrects headline and paragraph 1 to say listing, not listings) Dec 18 (Reuters) – Hedge fund Elliott Management is preparing for the initial public offering of bookstores Barnes & Noble and Waterstones, with the listing expected next year in London or New York, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. …
Elliott gears up for Barnes & Noble and Waterstones listing, FT reports Read More »
LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – German airline group Lufthansa has vowed to start making its ambitious turnaround plan a reality in 2026 as investors remain sceptical at the end of another mixed year under Chief Executive Carsten Spohr. Since Spohr took the helm in 2014, the group’s shares are down around a third. Although the …
Lufthansa plays catch up with European rivals after bumpy ride Read More »
By Olena Harmash KYIV, Dec 18 (Reuters) – European Union leaders are set to review on Thursday proposals for using the proceeds from immobilised Russian sovereign assets, mostly held in Belgium, to support Ukraine’s financial needs for the coming years – the so-called “reparations loan”. The main issue still to be resolved is Belgium’s demand …
Factbox-Can Ukraine survive without the EU’s ‘reparation loan’? Read More »
By Nick Carey LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – Brussels’ proposal to abandon a 2035 deadline for a total shift to fully electric driving allows Europe’s legacy carmakers more time to sell hybrids, but for the longer term, EVs are still the future, analysts and experts said. On Tuesday, the European Commission published plans to abandon …
Europe’s auto industry future may be electric even after EU climbdown Read More »
