Business

Tokyo stocks open higher with eyes on US data

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo stocks opened higher Friday, tracking gains on Wall Street as worries subsided over Hurricane Harvey and North Korea, with investors awaiting US jobs data later in the day. Trade would be cautious ahead of the release of US data including key jobs figures Friday, analysts said. The dollar fetched 110.10 yen in early Asian trade, from 109.97 yen in New York. “The market is closely watching” the US nonfarm payrolls […]

Apple sets likely iPhone event for Sept. 12

by Glenn Chapman Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Apple sent out invitations Thursday to a September 12 media event at which the US tech giant is expected to unveil new iPhone models for the 10th anniversary of the culture-changing smartphones. The keenly anticipated event will be the first to take place in the Steve Jobs Theater at its new “spaceship” campus in Silicon Valley. In trademark style, Apple revealed little in […]

Wall Street gains on reduced rate hike fears, Nasdaq breaks record

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Wall Street forged higher on Thursday, with Nasdaq hitting a new record while oil stocks shrugged off hurricane worries and economic data suggested another interest rate increase was less likely. And markets were cheered after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said he expects to complete a tax reform plan this year, with a substantial reduction in taxes paid by corporations. At the close, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average […]

Toshiba says three groups vying for prized chip unit

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Toshiba said Thursday that three groups are vying for its memory chip business, as reports said Apple has jumped into the race with a consortium offering to pay about $20 billion for the unit. The loss-hit conglomerate said bidders include a group led by US investment fund Bain Capital and Japanese state-backed investors and another that includes Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision, better known as Foxconn. A third consortium includes Western Digital, […]

Uber hires Dara Khosrowshahi as chief

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Uber said late Tuesday that it has hired Expedia boss Dara Khosrowshahi as its new chief executive. Khosrowshahi will be at Uber’s headquarters in San Francisco for an ‘all-hands’ gathering to meet workers at the controversy-battered company. “We are delighted to announce that Uber’s Board has voted unanimously to appoint Dara Khosrowshahi to be our new CEO,” Uber executives said in an email sent to employees late Tuesday. Khosrowshahi […]

VW recalling 281,000 vehicles due to defect

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States branch of embattled German carmaker Volkswagen announced Tuesday it was recalling 281,000 vehicles to fix a faulty fuel pump in another blow to the company’s image. While the number is far smaller than the 11 million cars worldwide recalled in the “dieselgate” emissions cheating scandal, including about 600,000 vehicles in the US, news of another problem comes as the company is trying to restore its image with […]

Asia stock markets close, recover from earlier loss amid N.Korea tensions

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) — Stock markets in Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong closed lower on Tuesday (August 29), but regained some of the losses from earlier in the day after North Korea fired a missile over northern Japan, fuelling worries of fresh tension between Washington and Pyongyang. Japan’s Nikkei closed its trading at 19362.55 down 87.35 points while the wider Topix shed 2.36 points to 1597.76. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed down […]

Euro continues rise while Harvey leaves Wall St mixed

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The euro extended its gains on Monday, trading at a two-and-a-half-year high against the dollar as currency traders believed a wind-down in European economic stimulus was not imminent. European stocks also fell while Wall Street was directionless, buffeted in large part by worries over a pounding delivered to US energy infrastructure by Hurricane Harvey. In much anticipated speeches on Friday, central bank chiefs from the US and Europe sidestepped […]

US broadcaster CBS to buy Australia’s Ten Network

  Sydney, Australia (AFP) — American broadcaster CBS has secured a deal to buy Australia’s third-largest television network, Ten, the embattled station’s administrators said Monday. The Ten Network was placed in voluntary administration in June after two billionaire backers refused to continue guaranteeing a key loan of Aus$200 million (US$159 million). CBS — one of Ten’s key content providers — will fund the purchase by refinancing existing secured debt arrangements in full, the administrators said in […]

Harvey forces ExxonMobil to close Baytown refining complex

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US petroleum giant ExxonMobil said Sunday it was temporarily closing its enormous refinery in Baytown, Texas, after flooding caused by monster storm Harvey had led to “operational issues.” “We are in the process of a safe and systematic shutdown of operations,” a company statement said. ExxonMobil said it was “taking all precautions” to ensure workers’ safety and minimize the impact of the closure on employees and the local community. The […]

Brazil announces flood of privatizations

by Jorge Svartzman Agence France-Presse RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – A wave of privatizations announced by Brazil’s President Michel Temer has fired up the stock market with hopes of economic renewal, but critics fear an irresponsible fire sale. It’s an impressive list with 58 items ranging from the Congonhas aircraft terminal in Sao Paulo to big state-run energy utility Eletrobras and even the national mint, which produces banknotes and passports. Throw in Temer’s decree, also unveiled this week, […]

Samsung eyes reset with new Galaxy Note

by Diane Desobeau and Glenn Chapman in San Francisco Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States –  Samsung on Wednesday unveiled a new model of its Galaxy Note as it seeks to leave behind the debacle over exploding batteries in the previous generation of the device, and mount a renewed challenge to Apple and its soon-to-come iPhone 8. Introducing the Note 8 “phablet” at an event in New York City, executives repeatedly thanked fans who had remained loyal […]