Gazprom, Naftogaz to continue talks to try to settle gas dispute: agencies
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian gas company Gazprom and Ukraine’s state-owned Naftogaz will continue talks in Berlin on Wednesday to try to settle a gas dispute, Russian news agencies quoted Ukraine’s energy minister as saying.
Japan’s Dai-ichi Life agrees to buy Protective Life for $5.7 billion
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co has agreed to buy U.S. peer Protective Life for $5.7 billion, the largest acquisition by a Japanese insurer, displaying its determination to grow overseas to counter weak prospects at home.
France’s Sapin warns against ‘inequitable’ BNP fine
PARIS (Reuters) – French Finance Minister Michel Sapin called a possible $10 billion-plus U.S. fine against French bank BNP Paribas “inequitable” on Wednesday, joining concerns about the penalty for alleged sanctions-busting.
Pressure mounts at Tesco as British sales slide worsens
LONDON (Reuters) – Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer, posted the worst quarterly drop in underlying sales in its key home market since Chief Executive Phil Clarke took the helm in 2011, raising further questions over his trading strategy.
China state media calls for ‘severe punishment’ for Google, Apple, U.S. tech firms
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese state media lashed out at Google Inc, Apple Inc and other U.S. technology companies on Wednesday, calling on Beijing “to punish severely the pawns” of the U.S. government for monitoring China and stealing secrets.
U.S. sets new import duties on Chinese solar products
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States slapped new import duties on solar panels and other related products from China on Tuesday after the Commerce department ruled they were produced using Chinese government subsidies, potentially inflaming trade t…
HSBC names Haythorne, Liu as co-heads of AsiaPac banking
HONG KONG (Reuters) – HSBC Holdings Plc has named Martin Haythorne and Che Ning Liu as co-heads of banking for Asia Pacific, according to an internal memo, taking on roles that involve managing the bank’s relationships with top clients in the region.
Exclusive: GM apologizes for sending recall notices to victims’ families
(Reuters) – General Motors on Tuesday apologized to families of accident victims who have been notified to bring in cars for replacement of defective ignition switches.
Fed’s Fisher wants October end to QE3; sees no 2014 rate hike
(Reuters) – Richard Fisher, one of the Federal Reserve’s most ardent policy hawks, said on Tuesday he would favor ending the U.S. central bank’s massive bond-buying program in October, but said he does not expect the Fed to start raising interest rates…
Exclusive: Hutchison, Vimpelcom resume Italian mobile merger talks – sources
LONDON (Reuters) – Hutchison Whampoa has resumed talks with Russian telecoms group Vimpelcom over merging their Italian mobile firms, encouraged by Hutchison’s 3 getting the go-ahead last week for an acquisition in Ireland, according to several people …