Japanese machinery orders tumbled by the most in almost two years in May as companies grew more cautious about the business outlook due to a rising yen and signs of a global economic slowdown. Bank lending in June also fell, matching the biggest annual decline in almost five years, as demand from companies for funds…
German defence ministry experts have drawn up a list of potential savings in weapons and equipment worth Ä9.3bn in the long-term, according to newspaper reports. German daily Bild reported the number of A400M military transport aircraft would be reduced and 15 Transall transport planes taken out of service immediately. Under the proposal, Germany would buy…
Dutch carmaker Spyker Cars used internal funding rather than external debt to pay General Motors the final $24m purchase price for Sweden’s Saab, ending concern over how it would foot the bill. Niche carmaker Spyker, which has never made a profit, took over the larger Saab from GM earlier this year and is now working…
Japanese business confidence was at its best in two years in the three months to June and big firms revised up capital spending plans, a Bank of Japan survey showed, in a sign the export-driven economic recovery is taking hold. The tankan survey showed Europe’s sovereign debt woes and the sharp appreciation in the yen…
Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered Plc said it will invest $500m as a cornerstone investor in Agricultural Bank of China’s IPO in Hong Kong. AgBank is seeking to raise more than $20bn in a Hong Kong and Shanghai IPO, and sources had previously told reporters that Standard Chartered would invest $500m. The listing is expected to…
Over the past few years, more feasible, attractive options for financing Mexico real estate purchases have become available for non-Mexican buyers. If real estate buyers or investors plan to finance their purchase, there are steps they need to follow in order to make sure they are choosing the appropriate form of financing. While the steps…
World stocks hit a 2-1/2 week low on Tuesday while oil and the euro also slipped as investors grew nervous over the funding situation of banks about to repay 442 billion euros ($545.5 billion) to the European Central Bank. Banks must repay the money borrowed a year ago at rock bottom rates on Thursday, leaving…
The government said on Tuesday it was cutting police red tape by scrapping two targets introduced by the ousted Labour administration ahead of budget cuts expected to see a reduction in officers. Police minister Nick Herbert said sweeping away bureaucracy would allow officers to “do more with less” but accepted that “substantial” funding cuts were…
Most Asian stock markets rose on Monday, with Europe set to follow, as fears eased that Washington would draft a harsh bill for regulating the banking sector and after an unremarkable conclusion to a Group of 20 leaders’ summit. G20 leaders meeting in Toronto agreed to take their own paths to ensuring economic growth and…
