U.S. trade data points to first-quarter economic contraction
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A surge in imports lifted the U.S. trade deficit in March to its highest level in nearly 6-1/2 years, suggesting the economy contracted in the first quarter.
VW aims to find new chairman quickly and return focus to business
HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) – Volkswagen said it would try to find a new chairman quickly and announced a long-planned tie-up of its truck brands, seeking to return the focus to business following the carmaker’s shock ouster of former patriarch Ferdinan…
Warren Buffett to auction another charity lunch
(Reuters) – Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has once again agreed to have lunch this year with the winner of an auction to benefit a San Francisco charity.
BG chief welcomes $70 billion Shell offer with ‘mixed emotions’
LONDON (Reuters) – BG Chief Executive Helge Lund on Tuesday welcomed with “mixed emotions” Royal Dutch Shell’s $70 billion takeover bid, which came only two months after he took office.
U.S. services sector growth cools in April: Markit
NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The pace of expansion in the U.S. services sector eased from a seven-month high in April on a dip in new business growth, but hiring in the sector accelerated to its highest since June, an industry report showed on Tuesday.
Adidas begins marathon turnaround in North America
BERLIN (Reuters) – German sportswear company Adidas turned around its sales in North America in the first quarter, helped by a marketing campaign designed to win business from dominant rival Nike.
Fancy fast food shares surge in U.S. as Shake Shack draws shorts
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Investors seem willing to pay just about anything for a better burger.
Exclusive: Head of Coutts Intl set to exit following UBP deal – source
ZURICH (Reuters) – Alexander Classen, chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland’s overseas private banking arm, is set to step down shortly following a sale to Union Bancaire Privee (UBP), according to a person familiar with his thinking.
Greece seeks breathing room from ECB chief Draghi
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Greek Deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragasakis meets European Central Bank President Mario Draghi on Tuesday, as his government seeks financial breathing room to prevent a default and stay in the euro.
Greek debt talks progress, no breakthrough yet: Austria
VIENNA (Reuters) – Greece’s debt talks with international creditors are making progress but have not yet produced a breakthrough, Austrian Finance Minister Hans Joerg Schelling said on Tuesday, adding he could not tell if a deal was in reach next week….
