Business

Investors shun Bayer stock over US pesticide ruling that awarded $290M to cancer patient

https://youtu.be/rEeEdBlt_OI   by Tom Barfield Agence France Presse FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — Investors fled shares in German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer Monday, fearing a massive damages ruling against one of newly-acquired US firm Monsanto’s flagship products could signal a wave of costly lawsuits. The stock had plunged 11.5 percent to 82.60 euros ($94.47) by midday (1000 GMT), lopping around $10 billion off its market value. A California jury on Friday awarded dying […]

Tokyo shares open lower on Turkey crisis

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo stocks opened lower Monday as investors watched tension between the US and Turkey that has driven down the lira, fanning fears of possible wider financial instability. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.83 percent or 185.56 points to 22,112.2 while the broader Topix index gave up 0.83 percent or 14.22 points to 1,705.94. The Turkish lira fell to a new record low of 7.2362 to the dollar overnight, before recovering […]

Back to black: Japan economy rebounds after first dip in 2 years

by Shingo Ito Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) – Japan bounced back to growth following its first contraction in two years, official figures showed Friday, but fears of US trade wars clouded the outlook for the world’s third-largest economy. The economy grew 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter in the April-June period, compared with a 0.2-percent decline in January-March, according to data from the Cabinet Office. The growth figure — annualised at 1.9 percent — was better than […]

Tokyo stocks open lower as US-Japan trade talks continue

TOKYO, Japan (AFP)–Tokyo stocks opened lower on Friday as investors awaited the outcome of US-Japan trade talks while shrugging off solid Japan growth data. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.17 percent or 38.99 points to 22,559.40 in early trade while the broader Topix index was down 0.22 percent or 3.82 points at 1,736.34. “On top of the US-China trade row, Japan-US trade negotiations are underway in Washington, making investors cautious,” said Mutsumi Kagawa, chief […]

Criminal case filed against BMW over S. Korea car fires

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — A group of BMW owners in South Korea filed a criminal complaint against the German automaker Thursday over alleged delays in recalling more than 100,000 cars after a spate of engine fires, their lawyer said. The timing of the recall, which was issued last month, is already the subject of a government probe, after more than 30 BMW cars — mostly the 520d sedan model — caught fire this year […]

Tokyo shares inch higher after Wall Street gains

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo stocks opened fractionally higher Tuesday following overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors searched for fresh news to move the market. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.06 percent, or 14.27 points, to 22,521.59 in early trade while the broader Topix index was up 0.04 percent, or 0.63 points, at 1,733.53. With a dearth of major incentives, players will likely cherry pick selective shares like companies with strong earnings, before […]

Chinese tech ‘wolf’ Huawei stalks Apple and Samsung

by Dan Martin Agence France-Presse Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei, likens the company to a ruthless “wolf” tirelessly running down its prey, an ethos that could soon make it the apex predator of the smartphone world. Despite being essentially barred from the critical US market, Huawei surpassed Apple to become the world’s number two smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year and has market leader Samsung in its sights. […]

Tokyo shares inch higher after Wall Street gains

TOKYO, Japan (AFP)–Tokyo stocks opened fractionally higher Tuesday following overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors searched for fresh news to move the market. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.06 percent, or 14.27 points, to 22,521.59 in early trade while the broader Topix index was up 0.04 percent, or 0.63 points, at 1,733.53. With a dearth of major incentives, players will likely cherry pick selective shares like companies with strong earnings, before turning their […]

HSBC pre-tax profit up 4.58% at $10.7 bn in first half

HONG KONG, China (AFP)–Banking giant HSBC said on Monday that pre-tax profit rose 4.58 percent to $10.7 billion in the first six months of the year and voiced “cautious optimism” despite the China-US trade row. After wide-ranging cutbacks that saw 50,000 jobs axed in an overhaul announced in 2015, the bank said it was now hiring “more frontline staff” in its strongest businesses as it seeks new growth. “We are investing to win new customers, […]

Tokyo stocks open flat as trade war fears weigh

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo stocks opened flat on Monday with investors sitting on the sidelines as US-China trade war fears ramped up and the yen appreciated. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index inched up 0.03 percent, or 6.88 points, to 22,532.06 in early trade while the broader Topix index was up 0.02 percent, or 0.35 points, at 1,742.93. “Rallies on US and European markets on Friday could lead to buying in early trade but there […]

Asian markets swing after bruising week with trade center stage

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Asian equities were mixed on Friday after another painful week as fears of an all-out trade war between Beijing and Washington keep investors on edge, while China’s stock market was toppled by Japan as the world’s number two. While Apple provided a boost for Wall Street after hitting the $1 trillion market capitalization mark, the prospect of the world’s top two economies exchanging painful tariffs on hundreds of billions […]

Apple hits $1 trillion as trade fears hit European, Asian stocks

NEW YORK, United States (AFP)–Apple became the first private company to reach $1 trillion in market capitalization on Thursday, a bright spot on an otherwise dreary day for European and Asian stock bourses wracked by trade war fears. Shares of Apple finished the formal Wall Street trading day up 2.9 percent at $207.39, topping the magic number needed to exceed $1 trillion in market value two days after the California tech giant reported strong quarterly earnings. […]