Month: February 2023

World Bank’s Malpass on surprise exit: Four years is a long time

World Bank President David Malpass told Reuters exclusively that he decided to leave before his five-year contract ended because he felt work was well underway on reforms aimed at expanding the bank’s lending. The former Bear Stearns chief economist told Reuters he would support a “smooth transition” to a successor, declined comment on possible replacements, […]
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Reuters exclusively reported that Broadcom faces EU antitrust warning on $61 billion VMware deal

Reuters exclusively reported that U.S. chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO.O) is set to receive an EU antitrust warning about the possible anti-competitive effects of its proposed $61 billion bid for cloud computing company VMware (VMW.N) in the coming weeks. The European Commission opened an investigation in December, saying the deal – which was announced last year as […]
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Assad approved Syria quake aid with a UAE nudge

Reuters was first to reveal that President Bashar al-Assad ceded to calls for additional aid access to Syria after prodding from the UAE. This is a diplomatic win for the Gulf state, which has rebuilt ties with Damascus despite U.S. disapproval. Assad’s decision to approve wider aid access for U.N. convoys into the northwest from […]
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Russia plans deep March oil export cuts

Reuters exclusively reported that Russia plans to cut oil exports from its western ports by up to 25% in March versus February, exceeding its announced production cuts in a bid to lift prices for its oil, three sources in the Russian oil market said. Russia had already announced plans to cut its oil production by […]
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Indian agency accuses Pernod Ricard of more policy violations

Reuters exclusively revealed that an Indian investigating agency has accused French spirits group Pernod Ricard of illegally profiting $23 million in India by providing false price information and conspiring in an email campaign to sway New Delhi’s liquor policy. The new allegations represent an escalation of problems for Pernod in India, a key growth market […]
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Tencent scraps plans for VR hardware as metaverse bet falters

Reuters was first to share that Tencent Holdings (0700.HK) is abandoning plans to venture into virtual reality hardware, as a sobering economic outlook prompts the Chinese tech giant to cut costs and headcount at its metaverse unit, three sources familiar with the matter said. The world’s largest video game publisher had ambitious plans to build both virtual […]
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China rolls out GMO corn planting, starts small

Reuters exclusively reported that China will likely plant less than 1% of its corn fields with genetically modified varieties this year, said two people familiar with the plans, dashing hopes for a full market launch of the technology in the world’s second-largest corn market. The agriculture ministry has designated around 4 million mu (60,000 acres) […]
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Reuters exclusively revealed that U.S. sanctions authority probes Raiffeisen on Russia

Reuters exclusively revealed that the United States’ sanctions authority has launched an inquiry into Raiffeisen Bank International over its Russian business, increasing scrutiny of the Austrian lender that plays a critical role in the Russian economy. The request, part of Washington’s renewed push to financially isolate Moscow, is worrying European financial regulators that oversee Raiffeisen […]
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