Virus-hit stocks shed $3 trillion; safe havens thrive
Risk aversion drove global stocks lower on Thursday, increasing their drop in value this week alone to more than $3 trillion, and U.S. Treasuries yields hit record lows as the coronavirus spread faster outside China than in.
Aston Martin shares slide as losses deepen and finance chief leaves
Aston Martin shares slumped to a record low on Thursday after the British luxury carmaker said its losses ballooned last year and its chief financial officer would leave by the end of April.
Bayer aims for 7%-9.6% profit growth in 2020
Bayer said on Thursday it was targeting growth in adjusted core profit of 7% to 9.6% this year, driven by sales of agriculture products and pharmaceuticals, with only the upper end of that range meeting market projections.
Zalando to tap designer labels, vintage to boost sales
Zalando plans to offer more premium and luxury ranges and move into the vintage clothing market as the online fashion retailer predicted slower sales growth in 2020 after a strong final quarter to 2019.
WPP shares slide again after fourth-quarter slowdown
WPP , the world’s biggest advertising company, reported a sharp slowdown in its final quarter of the year on Thursday and said it did not expect any improvement in 2020, hammering its shares once again.
Nokia shares outperform on M&A hopes
Shares in Finnish telecom network equipment maker Nokia Oyj outperformed a falling market on Thursday, following a Bloomberg report it was weighing options for potential asset sales and mergers.
Thai tycoons in fray as Tesco sets bid deadline for $9 billion Asia business: sources
British retailer Tesco has asked bidders to submit binding offers for its Asian business by Friday, in a deal that will see Thai billionaires fight for an asset valued at up to $9 billion, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
IKEA reduces climate footprint for the first time
Carbon emissions throughout the full value chain of IKEA furniture fell for the first time last year, brand owner Inter IKEA said on Thursday citing increased use of renewable energy.
Aston Martin’s finance boss to leave as losses deepen
Aston Martin’s chief finance officer will leave the company following a tumultuous 2019 in which the luxury carmaker’s losses ballooned after sales dropped and it drafted in a new investor to help turn around the firm.
China’s top container ports unclog backlog as virus curbs ease
China’s top container ports are loosening the backlog of cargoes on their docks as workers return to their jobs after coronavirus travel curbs that kept them away and jammed up global supply chains have been eased.
