Month: January 2020

(Bloomberg) — Want the lowdown on European markets? In your inbox before the open, every day. Sign up here.Anglo American Plc said it’s in advanced talks over a possible takeover offer for troubled Sirius Minerals Plc, which is struggling to build a $3.8 billion potash mine in the U.K.The potential acquisition of Sirius comes after Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutifani strengthened the balance sheet of Anglo, whose mining portfolio spans copper and iron ore to platinum and diamonds. The company said it had identified the potential of Sirius’s potash mine some time ago, given its projected scale, lifespan and profit …read more […]

The spike in oil prices due to the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran is causing investors to worry that U.S. corporate earnings will be crimped by rising energy costs. While the energy sector would benefit from higher oil prices, other sectors ranging from shipping to manufacturing to restaurants would see their profit margins compress as gasoline prices rise. Some investors said they were acting more defensively against this backdrop. …read more […]

MADRID/HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) – After years of reconnaissance, China’s retail king Alibaba is finally making its move on Europe. It is undercutting Amazon sellers’ fees to attract vendors but has had mixed results, six sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. A flood of small businesses have joined its European platform, AliExpress, in recent months but some larger brands are holding back, according to the sources. …read more […]

The spike in oil prices due to the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran is causing investors to worry that U.S. corporate earnings will be crimped by rising energy costs. While the energy sector would benefit from higher oil prices, other sectors ranging from shipping to manufacturing to restaurants would see their profit margins compress as gasoline prices rise. Some investors said they were acting more defensively against this backdrop. …read more […]

Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles on at least two Iraqi facilities hosting U.S.-led coalition personnel at about 2230 GMT on Tuesday, the U.S. military said. The attack rattled global financial markets and sent investors scurrying for safe-haven assets, with S&P futures tumbling as much as 1.7% and the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yield falling to a one-month low. Investors have been on edge since Friday when a U.S. drone strike killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, prompting a vow of harsh revenge from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. …read more […]