Australia Q1 GDP growth hits weakest pace in 1-1/2 years as consumers struggle

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s economy grew at the weakest pace in 1-1/2 years last quarter as high prices and rising interest rates sapped consumer spending, while emerging signs pointed to further softness ahead amid elevated borrowing costs and a slowdown in global growth. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday showed real gross…

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Investigators to review records from crashed plane that sparked DC scare

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said investigators plan to conclude its on-scene investigative work Wednesday from the southwest Virginia crash site of the light plane that caused a security scare on Sunday when it flew over heavily restricted airspace near Washington. Four people including the pilot of the…

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Australia’s Estia Health soars on sweetened $552 million bid from Bain Capital

(Reuters) -Australia’s Estia Health on Wednesday said it intended to back Bain Capital’s sweetened takeover offer that valued the aged-care provider at A$826.8 million ($552.05 million), sending its shares about 19% higher to a near five-year peak. Under the revised proposal, Bain Capital would offer A$3.20 in cash for every Estia share, which represents a…

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Zhao-controlled Binance trading firms at heart of SEC lawsuit

By Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson LONDON (Reuters) – Two offshore trading firms controlled by Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao lie at the centre of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit launched against the world’s largest crypto exchange, which highlights concerns over client funds. Swiss-registered Sigma Chain received customer funds from Binance, the…

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