Hong Kong’s retail banks posted 7.3 per cent pre-tax profit growth last year, as rising bad debts and a narrower net interest margin offset growing income from wealth-management services. The city’s 30 retail banks recorded lower growth in aggregated pre-tax profit than in 2024, when profits increased 8.4 per cent, according to data from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). The annual growth w...
Hong Kong’s retail banks posted 7.3 per cent pre-tax profit growth last year, as rising bad debts and a narrower net interest margin offset growing income from wealth-management services. The city’s 30 retail banks recorded lower growth in aggregated pre-tax profit than in 2024, when profits increased 8.4 per cent, according to data from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). The annual growth was much slower than the 62 per cent jump in 2023, when the city had just reopened the border with...
vadishzainer London ( UKX ) +0.49% to 10,523. UK's GDP expected to grow 1% Y/Y in Q4. The UK trade deficit narrowed to £4.34 billion in December 2025. Germany ( DAX:IND ) +1.07% to 25,118. France ( CAC:IND ) +1.33% to 8,424. In other parts of Europe, t he annual inflation rate in the Netherlands slowed to 2.4% in January. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ( STOXX ) moved 0.58% higher to around €625, with...
vadishzainer London ( UKX ) +0.49% to 10,523. UK's GDP expected to grow 1% Y/Y in Q4. The UK trade deficit narrowed to £4.34 billion in December 2025. Germany ( DAX:IND ) +1.07% to 25,118. France ( CAC:IND ) +1.33% to 8,424. In other parts of Europe, t he annual inflation rate in the Netherlands slowed to 2.4% in January. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ( STOXX ) moved 0.58% higher to around €625, with earnings outlook in Europe showing resilience despite headwinds, with major benchmarks remaining in positive territory year-to-date. Stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data reduced the likelihood of a near-term Fed rate cut, injecting caution among investors globally. Investors turn to U.S. inflation figures due Friday for additional policy signals. C orporate earnings, including results from Hermes ( HESAY ), Unilever ( UL ), Anheuser-Busch InBev ( BUD ) and Mercedes-Benz ( MBGYY ) expected today. In the bond market , the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was down less than 1 basis point to 4.18%. Germany's 10-year yield was up 1 basis point to 2.80%. UK's 10-year yield was up less than 1 basis point to 4.48%. Currencies: ( EUR:USD ) ( GBP:USD ) ( CHF:USD ) ETFs: (NYSEARCA: EWG ), (NYSE: GF ), (NYSEARCA: EWI ), (NYSEARCA: EWQ ), (NASDAQ: FGM ), (NASDAQ: DAX ), (NYSEARCA: FLGR ), (NYSEARCA: FXB ), (NYSEARCA: EWU ), (NASDAQ: FKU ), (BATS: EWUS ), (NYSEARCA: FLGB ), (NYSEARCA: GREK ) More on Europe Beyond The Rate Hold: Examining The ECB's Path Forward Amidst Euro Strength U.S. Dollar Stakes Get Raised - What To Do Now In The Rates Space? Technical Levels For Major FX Pairs Ahead Of The FOMC Rate Decision UK's GDP expected to grow 1% Y/Y in Q4 European indexes mixed as investors read flurry of earnings
Singapore’s leader and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong has announced that the country will move aggressively to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) with help extended to businesses and workers to adapt, even as he warned that growth will be harder in a changed world. Opening his annual budget speech on Thursday by pointing to the wider world, he noted that America was reassessing and in some areas...
Singapore’s leader and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong has announced that the country will move aggressively to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) with help extended to businesses and workers to adapt, even as he warned that growth will be harder in a changed world. Opening his annual budget speech on Thursday by pointing to the wider world, he noted that America was reassessing and in some areas, “undoing key elements of the very system it once helped to build [...] trade rules that were once...
For many decades, Australia was known as the “lucky country”. Its long period of uninterrupted growth stretching back to the 1990s was a rarity among advanced economies. Yet even before the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, Australia’s luck was running out amid stagnant productivity, a housing affordability crisis and the slowdown in China’s economy. Another developed country that has had luck on its sid...
For many decades, Australia was known as the “lucky country”. Its long period of uninterrupted growth stretching back to the 1990s was a rarity among advanced economies. Yet even before the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, Australia’s luck was running out amid stagnant productivity, a housing affordability crisis and the slowdown in China’s economy. Another developed country that has had luck on its side is Japan. Having endured more than three “lost decades” in a prolonged struggle against deflation,...
Zug, 12 February 2026 – Multitude AG, a listed European FinTech company, offering digital lending and online banking services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other FinTechs (WKN: A40VJN, ISIN: CH1398992755) (“Multitude”, “Company” or “Group”) warmly invites financial analysts, investors, and media to its FY2025 Preliminary Results Presentation webcast.
Zug, 12 February 2026 – Multitude AG, a listed European FinTech company, offering digital lending and online banking services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other FinTechs (WKN: A40VJN, ISIN: CH1398992755) (“Multitude”, “Company” or “Group”) warmly invites financial analysts, investors, and media to its FY2025 Preliminary Results Presentation webcast.
Erik Prince, Israeli Advisers Operated With Congolese Special Forces Via The Libertarian Institute American mercenary Erik Price and Israeli soldiers operated with Congolese special forces battalions. Congo has been fighting against multiple rebel groups. According to Reuters , the Israeli advisors' role is limited to training, and Erik Prince is providing drone support . The outlet reports that t...
Erik Prince, Israeli Advisers Operated With Congolese Special Forces Via The Libertarian Institute American mercenary Erik Price and Israeli soldiers operated with Congolese special forces battalions. Congo has been fighting against multiple rebel groups. According to Reuters , the Israeli advisors' role is limited to training, and Erik Prince is providing drone support . The outlet reports that the assistance helped Congo take a city back from two rebel groups, the Congo River Alliance (AFC) and the March 23 Movement (M23). Reuters: Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, attends a police and military presentation, in Guayaquil, Ecuador on April 5, 2025. A senior Congolese defense official explained that Kinshasa " needed help recapturing Uvira and pulled in every resource they could ." They added that the presence of Americans on the frontlines is keeping the AFC and M23 from launching new attacks. Prince's firm is also helping to secure Kinshasa and improve tax revenue collection. Sources told Reuters that Americans have been pulled off the frontlines, but could return . Prince is a notorious American mercenary. His first firm, Blackwater, is responsible for the Nisour Square massacre, which left 17 Iraqis dead. Prince later rebranded and sold Blackwater. He is a long-time ally of the US president, and the men responsible for murdering the Iraqi civilians were ultimately pardoned by Trump during his first term . However, Prince has formed other private security firms that have conducted operations around the globe. His company, Vectus Global , has a contract with the Haitian government to conduct anti-drone operations . Several civilians have been killed by drones in Haiti, including eight children at a birthday party. According to the scant details in The Guardian on the last September strike : At least eight children were killed and six others seriously injured in a drone attack on a birthday party in Haiti ’s capital where an alleged gang leader was distributing g...
ATN International ( ATNI ) Wednesday said that Commnet Wireless and certain subsidiaries have agreed to sell a portfolio of 214 towers and related operations in the Southwestern U.S. to Everest Infrastructure Partners for up to $297 million in cash. The company currently expects estimated taxes, payments to minority investors in the Tower Portfolio, and transaction-related expenses will total appr...
ATN International ( ATNI ) Wednesday said that Commnet Wireless and certain subsidiaries have agreed to sell a portfolio of 214 towers and related operations in the Southwestern U.S. to Everest Infrastructure Partners for up to $297 million in cash. The company currently expects estimated taxes, payments to minority investors in the Tower Portfolio, and transaction-related expenses will total approximately 25% to 30% of the gross proceeds received. ATN International ( ATNI ) plans to use the proceeds to reduce debt, invest in existing operations, and advance select growth opportunities. The company expects the initial closing of the transaction to occur in the second quarter of 2026. More on ATN International Cheap high flyer communication services stocks - high momentum and low valuation Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on ATN International Historical earnings data for ATN International Dividend scorecard for ATN International Financial information for ATN International
Presight has reported full year revenue that beat the average estimate, coming in at just over AED 3 billion. Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight spoke to Bloomberg’s Horizons Middle East and Africa anchor Joumanna Bercetche on the revenue. (Source: Bloomberg)
Presight has reported full year revenue that beat the average estimate, coming in at just over AED 3 billion. Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight spoke to Bloomberg’s Horizons Middle East and Africa anchor Joumanna Bercetche on the revenue. (Source: Bloomberg)
European shares reversed course to post declines, tracking a slide in US peers amid broader worries around disruption from artificial intelligence. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.5% by the close, after earlier hitting a record high. The S&P 500 slid 1% , while the 10-year Treasury yield retreated. The Nasdaq 100 tumbled 1.5% , dragged down by technology heavyweights. Bitcoin, gold and oil price...
European shares reversed course to post declines, tracking a slide in US peers amid broader worries around disruption from artificial intelligence. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.5% by the close, after earlier hitting a record high. The S&P 500 slid 1% , while the 10-year Treasury yield retreated. The Nasdaq 100 tumbled 1.5% , dragged down by technology heavyweights. Bitcoin, gold and oil prices also declined. Logistics stocks including Denmark’s DSV A/S and Swiss firm Kuehne + Nagel International AG fell more than 10%, as the sector became the latest casualty of the “AI scare trade.” “It feels like AI disruption concerns are spreading fast and turning into a broader macro/credit issue now, so no longer a single stock issue,” said Barclays Plc strategist Emmanuel Cau . “This feels reflective of market exhaustion and fear, more than fundamentals.” Sectors exposed to the economic cycle such as banks, miners and tech were the biggest laggards, while defensives including telecoms and personal care outperformed. A crop of upbeat earnings had lifted the mood earlier. EssilorLuxottica SA gained 4.2% after the eyewear maker reported better-than-expected sales, riding a boom in demand for AI-powered glasses. Siemens AG also hit an all-time peak before paring gains to 0.3% , as the German industrial company raised its outlook. Schroders Plc surged 29% as Nuveen agreed to acquire the firm in a £9.9 billion ($13.5 billion) deal, creating one of the world’s largest active asset managers with nearly $2.5 trillion of assets. The main regional index had scaled records amid lingering optimism over economic resilience. However, sectors including wealth management and software have recently been hit on fears that AI would disrupt their businesses. “It appears as if the market is now starting to price the wider economic impact of AI, driven by recent model advancements, which have been ahead of expectations,” said Wolf von Rotberg , equity strategist at Bank J Safra Sarasin. Focus i...
Medal table | Live scores and schedule | Results | Briefing Follow us over on Bluesky | And get in touch: mail Tanya Per the Associated Press: International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry was waiting for Heraskevych at the top of the track when he arrived at around 8.15am Thursday, or roughly 75 minutes before the start of the men’s skeleton race. Continue reading...
Medal table | Live scores and schedule | Results | Briefing Follow us over on Bluesky | And get in touch: mail Tanya Per the Associated Press: International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry was waiting for Heraskevych at the top of the track when he arrived at around 8.15am Thursday, or roughly 75 minutes before the start of the men’s skeleton race. Continue reading...
Magnum Ice Cream Co. shares fell as much as 16% in Amsterdam after the former Unilever Plc unit posted full-year results and sales guidance that disappointed investors. The group, which owns brands including Ben & Jerry’s and Cornetto, said it expects 3% to 5% organic sales growth for the coming year. Last year Magnum reported 4.2% organic sales growth. This is the first set of results for the com...
Magnum Ice Cream Co. shares fell as much as 16% in Amsterdam after the former Unilever Plc unit posted full-year results and sales guidance that disappointed investors. The group, which owns brands including Ben & Jerry’s and Cornetto, said it expects 3% to 5% organic sales growth for the coming year. Last year Magnum reported 4.2% organic sales growth. This is the first set of results for the company after its demerger from Unilever and independent listing at the end of last year. Magnum, the world’s biggest ice cream maker, aims to show investors it will be able to spur growth and lift volumes and margins once freed from Unilever.