Australia's AGL Energy Spurns Surprise $3.5 Billion Bid, Stands By Demerger Plan

Australia’s AGL Energy Spurns Surprise $3.5 Billion Bid, Stands By Demerger Plan

By Sonali Paul and Shashwat Awasthi MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Australia’s top power producer AGL Energy Ltd on Monday rejected an unsolicited $3.54 billion takeover overture from tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management, sticking to its own spin-off tune. The surprise bid comes as AGL seeks to split itself in two – a retail…

Read More
Exclusive-Contracts Show Lebanon's Central Bank Obscured Recipients Of Commissions 

Exclusive-Contracts Show Lebanon’s Central Bank Obscured Recipients Of Commissions 

By Samia Nakhoul and Timour Azhari BEIRUT (Reuters) – For more than a decade, Lebanon’s central bank charged commercial banks in the country commissions when they bought government securities without making clear that the bulk of those commissions went to a company controlled by the brother of the central bank’s governor, according to documents seen…

Read More
Exclusive-U.S. Plans To Cut Ties With Targeted Russian Banks If Ukraine Is Invaded - Sources

Exclusive-U.S. Plans To Cut Ties With Targeted Russian Banks If Ukraine Is Invaded – Sources

By Alexandra Alper and Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – President Joe Biden’s administration has prepared an initial package of sanctions against Russia that includes barring U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions for major Russian banks, three people familiar with the matter said. The measures, which would only be implemented if Russia invades Ukraine, aim…

Read More
Australia's Zip Sees HY Loss As Fiscal Stimulus Money Dries Up In United States

Australia’s Zip Sees HY Loss As Fiscal Stimulus Money Dries Up In United States

(Reuters) – Australian payments firm Zip Co on Monday forecast a bigger half-year loss than analysts’ expectation, citing lower consumer spending in the United States as fiscal stimulus money dries up. The downbeat forecast sent the stock of Australia’s biggest standalone buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) company down nearly 7% to its lowest since May 2020. The BNPL…

Read More
Thai Economy Returns To Growth In Q4 On Tourism, Outlook Maintained

Thai Economy Returns To Growth In Q4 On Tourism, Outlook Maintained

By Orathai Sriring and Kitiphong Thaichareon BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s economy returned to growth in the fourth quarter, rebounding more quickly than expected, on robust exports and a recovery in domestic activity following an easing of coronavirus curbs and as borders reopened to foreign visitors. The government maintained its economic growth outlook at 3.5%-4.5%, counting…

Read More
Australia's AGL Energy Rejects $3.5 Billion Offer, Investors Expect More

Australia’s AGL Energy Rejects $3.5 Billion Offer, Investors Expect More

By Shashwat Awasthi and Harish Sridharan (Reuters) -Australia’s biggest power producer AGL Energy Ltd on Monday rejected a surprise $3.54 billion takeover approach from billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management in favour of a plan to split in two this year. AGL said the A$7.50 apiece proposal from the Canadian group and Cannon-Brookes,…

Read More