Before the Catalonia crisis, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s popularity ratings were in the doldrums. But his leadership during the Catalonia constitutional crisis has given him and his Partido Popular (PP) a boost. Over the last month, Rajoy’s government has been uncompromising with Catalonia’s separatists following the region’s illegal independence referendum on October 1. Last […]
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Spain's chief prosecutor calls for arrest of Catalan leader Puigdemont
Spain’s High Court is likely to issue a warrant for the arrest of the former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont after the pro-independence leader failed to appear at a court hearing on Thursday. Spain’s High Court issued a summons for Puigdemont and 13 of his colleagues to appear in the Madrid-based court on Thursday and Friday. […]
Read moreTelecommunications corporation Orange has launched its own bank, it was announced Thursday. Orange said its mobile-based retail bank is available in France and offers customers current accounts, bank cards, overdraft lending, a free insurance package and a savings account. “With Orange Bank, this is an important new chapter in our history: Orange is now also […]
Read moreFed Governor Jerome Powell delivered a speech Thursday morning but dropped no hints about his impending appointment to lead the central bank. Powell spoke at a roundtable in New York just hours before he likely will be nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the central bank. The remarks were videotaped and in fact got […]
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Sterling tanks as BOE hikes rates but signals only gradual easing in future
Sterling dropped sharply against the U.S. dollar Thursday after the Bank of England announced the first rate hike since the financial crisis, but said any subsequent rises would be gradual. The pound was trading at $1.3113 shortly after midday London time, but was close to $1.322 just before the rate decision. It was down nearly […]
Read moreThe Bank of England (BOE) raised interest rates for the first time in more than 10 years Thursday, a landmark move after borrowing costs had slumped to the lowest level on record. Alongside Governor Mark Carney, the majority of rate-setters at the U.K.’s central bank voted in favor of hiking the benchmark rate to 0.5 […]
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Markets seeing 'dumb flows' because of complacency over next Fed chair, strategist says
Investors are becoming too relaxed about the future direction of the Federal Reserve and need to pay closer attention to the composition of its next board of governors, a strategist told CNBC. The next leader of the U.S. Federal Reserve will be named Thursday and most expect President Donald Trump to have chosen Jay Powell, […]
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Banks are staying away from bitcoin 'bubble' due to money laundering, Credit Suisse CEO says
Banks have “little or no appetite” to get involved with bitcoin and cryptocurrencies due to fears of a bubble and illicit activity associated with it, the chief executive of Credit Suisse said Thursday. “I think most banks in the current state of regulation have little or no appetite to get involved in a currency which […]
Read moreBombardier said on Thursday it received a letter of intent from a European customer to buy up to 61 CSeries jets, while reporting a larger loss for the third quarter. The Canadian plane and train maker said the letter of intent includes 31 firm orders and options for another 30 jets. Based on list prices, […]
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Credit Suisse CEO responds to calls for bank to break up — and will meet with activist investor
Credit Suisse boss Tidjane Thiam staunchly defended his record as CEO of Switzerland’s second-largest bank Thursday, despite calls from an activist investor for the lender to break up. In recent weeks, a relatively small but top-performing activist hedge fund announced an ambitious plan to break up Credit Suisse. RBR Capital Advisors, led by outspoken trader […]
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