Author: Reuters

China’s exports fall less than expected

BEIJING: China’s exports and imports contracted less than expected in October, providing some relief for the economy as Beijing tries to reach a partial trade deal with Washington. But even if a US-China trade deal is signed soon, economists say it is unlikely to help boost exports and manufacturing for

US firms walk a line at China expo

SHANGHAI: At trade shows in the United States, California-based Champion Power Equipment displays the faces of the tough-looking sportsmen that it sponsors against the backdrop of an American flag. At an import expo in China this week, the images of a pro bass fisherman, lumberjack, bull rider and NASCAR and

Billionaires’ wealth falls for first time in a decade

ZURICH: The world’s richest people became a little less well off last year, according to a report by UBS and PwC, as geopolitical turmoil and volatile equity markets reduced the wealth of billionaires for the first time in a decade. Billionaires’ wealth fell by $388 billion globally to $8.539 trillion,

Japan’s household spending rises at record fastest pace

TOKYO: Japan’s household spending rose at the fastest pace on record in September as consumers rushed to buy goods before a sales tax hike, though the test for the economy will be whether the higher levy will squeeze domestic demand in coming months. Household spending jumped 9.5 percent in September

WhatsApp adds shopping catalogue feature

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook Inc on Thursday launched a catalogue feature for its WhatsApp messaging app, it said in a blog post, building out the service’s e-commerce tools as it moves slowly toward monetising the app it bought in 2014 for $19 billion. Facebook has been trying to boost revenue from

Aston Martin swings to Q3 loss as volumes drop

LONDON: Luxury British carmaker Aston Martin swung to a third-quarter loss yesterday, saying its full-year wholesale volumes would be lower than previously guided after slumping demand in Europe and Asia. Volumes to dealers fell 16 percent to 1,497 cars in the three months to the end of September as demand

Baidu Q3 profit beats estimates

NEW YORK: Baidu Inc reported better-than-expected third-quarter profit and revenue as more people signed up with the company’s video streaming platform iQIYI, sending the Chinese search engine company’s shares up 5 percent after market. Baidu has been trying to cut its dependence on its core search business, which accounts for

Taiwan warns of China’s possible attack

TAIPEI: Beijing could resort to military conflict with self-ruled Taiwan to divert domestic pressure if a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy amid trade war threatens the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party, the island’s foreign minister has said. As Taiwan’s presidential elections approach in January, China has stepped

Former 
lawmaker urges voters to back 
Johnson

LONDON: A British lawmaker who quit the opposition Labour Party earlier this year saying it had been taken over by extremists and anti-Semites urged voters yesterday to back Prime Minister Boris Johnson over Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn in next month’s election. Ian Austin, who left Labour in February to stand as

German industrial orders rise, offering hope for ailing sector

BERLIN: German industrial orders rose more than expected in September, according to data released yesterday, offering a glimmer of hope for the country’s struggling manufacturers. The export-reliant manufacturers have been suffering from a slowing world economy and business uncertainty linked to a trade war between the United States and China