Retail sales slow, but growth outlook still upbeat
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. retail sales braked sharply in April after strong gains in the prior two months, but that did little to change views the economy was poised for faster growth this quarter.
Standard Life makes detailed plans in case Scots vote for independence
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Edinburgh-based insurer Standard Life Plc has started detailed preparations to potentially move some operations out of Scotland to protect itself from upheaval if Scots vote for independence from the United Kingdom later this year…
Carrefour in front line as French retail price war heats up
PARIS (Reuters) – Carrefour is in the front line of a French retail price war that is showing signs of becoming bloodier than expected as supermarkets scrap for market share in a sluggish economic recovery.
Small business confidence back at pre-recession levels
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. small business sentiment jumped to its highest level in 6-1/2 years in April, which should bolster hopes of an acceleration in economic activity in the second quarter.
RBS’s former U.S. boss paid $7.5 million last year
LONDON (Reuters) – The former boss of state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland’s U.S. arm Citizens was paid $7.5 million last year, including $500,000 in consultancy fees for three months after she left.
Fighting fakes: ahead of IPO, Alibaba takes a tougher line
BEIJING/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Alibaba is taking a tougher line against counterfeit items sold on its online marketplaces as the Chinese e-commerce giant heads towards a U.S. stock listing that could be the world’s biggest technology company IPO.
RBS’s former U.S. boss paid $7.5 million last year
LONDON (Reuters) – The boss of state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland’s U.S. arm Citizens was paid $7.5 million last year, including $500,000 in consultancy fees for three months after she left.
BoE’s Cunliffe tells banks to prepare for post-“too big to fail” world
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s banks need to start preparing for a financial environment in which they are no longer “too big to fail”, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said on Tuesday.
BlackBerry aims to reverse emerging market slump with budget handset
JAKARTA/TORONTO (Reuters) – BlackBerry Ltd launched a low-cost touchscreen device in Jakarta, the Z3, as the embattled smartphone maker looks to revive sales in emerging markets like Indonesia where its once-fervent following has shriveled.
Strong results hoist European shares to six-year high
LONDON – European shares rallied on Tuesday with a key index hitting a six-year highs as a strong performance in U.S. equities and upbeat updates from some blue-chip companies boosted appetite for riskier assets.
