Britain inks trade deal with Oklahoma, hails architects’ licensing pact

By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -British trade minister Nigel Huddleston signed a trade deal with the U.S. state of Oklahoma in Washington on Tuesday, while hailing another accord aimed at easing rules for UK architects working in the United States, the British embassy said. The trade and economic memorandum of understanding with Oklahoma, signed by…

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Australian regulator re-authorises 5-year coordination between Jetstar’s Asian brands

(Reuters) – Australia’s competition regulator on Wednesday re-authorised Qantas Airways Ltd and its budget arm Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd for a five-year continued coordination for two Jetstar Asian-based joint ventures – Jetstar Asia and Jetstar Japan. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had previously granted an interim authorisation to the company, saying the continued…

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Fox’s $787.5 million settlement is big win for buyout firm Staple Street

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss (Reuters) – Staple Street Capital Group LLC, the small buyout firm that owns Dominion Voting Systems, has scored a $787.5 million windfall after Fox Corp settled a defamation lawsuit brought by the voting machine operator. The amount is equivalent to 20 times the $38.3 million the New York-based private equity firm paid…

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Unilever wins ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!’ labeling appeal

By Blake Brittain (Reuters) – Unilever’s “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!” spray is governed by different U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations than butter and similar products, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday, defeating a long-running false advertising class action. A split 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected claims that Unilever based its zero-fat,…

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Western Alliance deposits stabilize, profits beat, shares rise after hours

(Reuters) -Western Alliance Bancorp on Tuesday posted stronger-than-expected earnings and said its deposits had stabilized after the March banking crisis, news that boosted its shares and other U.S. regional banks in after-hours trading. The lender said total deposits fell 11.3% to $47.6 billion in the first quarter from the previous three months, but deposits steadied late…

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Australia’s AMP says Q1 fund outflows lower, credit quality strong

(Reuters) – Australian financial services firm AMP Ltd said on Wednesday net cash outflows for its flagship Australian wealth management business were 30% lower in the March quarter, while the banking unit’s credit quality remained strong. AMP Bank’s loan book grew over the first quarter compared with the previous three months, while lending margins were…

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US, General Motors settle alleged discrimination against non-US citizens

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday said it had reached a settlement with General Motors Co to resolve the department’s allegation that the automaker discriminated against non-U.S. citizens. Under the terms of the agreement, the Detroit-based company will pay $365,000 in civil penalties to the United States, the Justice Department…

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