Testing waters, Hungary’s central bank flags cut in top end of rate corridor

By Krisztina Than and Alan Charlish BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary’s central bank could cut its 25% top collateralised loan rate next week as part of a “multi-step process” towards policy normalisation, its deputy governor said on Wednesday, jolting markets as the forint lost almost 2%. With many economists saying inflation in central Europe has peaked,…

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Ryanair to trim schedules as 10 Boeing jets likely delayed

By Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ryanair will have to trim its July schedule because it expects around 10 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will be delayed due to manufacturing issues, Group Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday. “We are beginning to look at schedules maybe being about 10 short for July. We’ll get maybe…

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Exclusive: South Korea’s Yoon opens door for possible military aid to Ukraine

By Soyoung Kim, Ju-min Park and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea might extend its support for Ukraine beyond humanitarian and economic aid if it comes under a large-scale civilian attack, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, signalling a shift in his stance against arming Ukraine for the first time. In an interview with Reuters…

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UK records western Europe’s highest inflation as March fall disappoints

By Andy Bruce and David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) – Britain was the only country in western Europe with double-digit inflation in March after it fell less than expected, official data showed on Wednesday, bolstering bets that the Bank of England will raise interest rates again in May. Consumer price inflation (CPI) dropped to an annual…

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Analysis-Planemakers talk up ‘surge capacity’ amid industrial woes

By Tim Hepher and Valerie Insinna PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Planemakers have signalled a shift in production strategy to make factories more resilient to recent supply disruptions by adding “surge capacity,” even where that means extra cost. Leaders of Airbus and Boeing have both used the term in recent days – which can include expanding factory space…

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Mercedes includes buyback option as Russian assets sale given official approval

(Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz has agreed on a buyback option for its Russian assets, the sale of which has now been granted official approval, the German carmaker said on Wednesday, bringing its exit from Russia one step closer. Mercedes, which suspended exports to Russia and local manufacturing in early March 2022, last year agreed to sell…

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Heineken sees Europe resilience offseting Asia slowdown risk

By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Heineken maintained its forecast for 2023 profit growth with the risk of slower economic expansion in the Asia-Pacific region offset by greater resilience among beer drinkers in Europe. The world’s second-largest brewer expects its operating profit this year to increase by a mid- to high- single-digit percentage. “We see signals…

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