Analysis: Russia’s economic defences likely to crumble over time under sanctions onslaught
Russia has spent the past seven years building up formidable financial defences, yet in the long run, its economy is unlikely to withstand the onslaught of coordinated sanctions from the West.
Explainer: How the World Health Organization might face future pandemics
Negotiations on new rules for dealing with pandemics will begin at the World Health Organization on Thursday, with a target date of May 2024 for a treaty to be adopted by the U.N. health agency’s 194 member countries.
EBay forecasts bleak quarter as online shopping frenzy wanes
EBay Inc (EBAY.O) on Wednesday forecast bleak first-quarter results, as the e-commerce platform tackles waning online demand, stiff competition and global supply chain disruptions, sending the company’s shares down nearly 9% in extended trading.
EXCLUSIVE ECB must keep buying bonds to cushion Ukraine fallout, Stournaras says
The European Central Bank should continue its bond-buying stimulus programme at least until the end of the year and keep it open-ended to cushion the fallout from any conflict in Ukraine, ECB policymaker Yannis Stournaras told Reuters.
Munich Re forecasts 2022 profit lift after pandemic rebound
German reinsurance group Munich Re on Wednesday forecast a 14% jump in profit this year as it reported a bounceback in 2021 from the coronavirus pandemic despite big claims from natural disasters.
Hybrid work trend drives PC maker Lenovo’s Q3 profit to record high
Third-quarter profit jumped 62% to an all-time high of $640 million at China’s Lenovo Group (0992.HK), the world’s biggest maker of personal computers said on Wednesday, as the growing popularity of hybrid work arrangements boosts demand for PCs.
HSBC boosts profitability goal on higher rates, profit doubling
HSBC (HSBA.L) brought forward its key profitability target by a year and more than doubled its annual profit as expected bad loans from the COVID-19 pandemic failed to materialise, and it pointed to rising interest rates lifting its income.
Singapore to hike taxes on rich as it winds down COVID-19 spending
Singapore will begin implementing a long-flagged increase to its goods and services tax next year, its finance minister said in his budget speech on Friday, while also announcing a slew of tax hikes aimed at higher income groups.
NatWest earnings soar but rising prices bite
British bank NatWest (NWG.L) swung to a hefty profit on the back of the country’s economic recovery but said rising prices will make it harder to cut overheads, prompting it to lower its cost-cutting target.
Air France-KLM to seek up to 4 bln euros to repay state aid, shares sink
Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) plans to raise up to 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion) as it seeks to repay state pandemic handouts, the airline said on Thursday, overshadowing robust earnings on a recovery in air travel and sending its shares down more than 4%.
