Business

Canal+ partially blamed the withdrawal of its C8 channel for the decision, which came after France’s broadcast regulator pulled its licence. ADVERTISEMENT The French media company Canal+, owned by Vivendi, will take its paid channels off terrestrial TV in France, effective from June 2025. In a press statement published on Thursday evening, the group blamed “an increasingly restrictive tax and …

Northern Ireland continued to experience the strongest gains, mainly due to increasingly competitive mortgage rates. ADVERTISEMENT The year-on-year UK Halifax House Price Index for November was released on Friday, coming in at 4.8%, which was the highest in two years, according to Halifax and Bank of Scotland. This was in contrast with October’s 4%, as well as market expectations of …

The UK insurance firm Aviva has improved on an earlier deal rejected by its smaller competitor Direct Line. ADVERTISEMENT Direct Line has agreed a takeover offer from Aviva that will pave the way for the combined group to own a fifth of the UK motor insurance market. The bid, which values Direct Line at £3.6bn, entails Aviva paying 275p per …

There are growing concerns about the crop in Brazil and Vietnam, the world’s biggest coffee producers. ADVERTISEMENT Coffee prices have hit a 47-year high.  That is as a result of commodity market futures (contracts to buy or sell in the future at a given price) for the Arabica coffee recently reaching $3.35 per ounce (453 grams). That is 70% more …

Following higher EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, car makers such as BYD, SAIC and Geely have increased their hybrid exports to Europe, in an attempt to boost their European market share in this way. ADVERTISEMENT Major Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers may have found a way to sidestep the EU’s increased tariffs on electric cars, while continuing to expand …

The ruling creates uncertainty around criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant in connection with the development of its bestselling airline plane. ADVERTISEMENT A federal judge on Thursday rejected a deal that would have let Boeing plead guiltyto a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading US regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, …

Although luxury watch revenues saw a slight dip, mainly because of one-time rises in showroom stocks, the company reported an increase in demand from the US. ADVERTISEMENT Watches of Switzerland Group has revealed its first half financial year 2025 (H1 FY25) results, for the 26 weeks ended 27 October 2024.  Group revenue for H1 FY25 came in at £785m (€948.61m), …

Oil prices have been down due to weaker than expected demand from China as well as increased production from countries such as Brazil and Argentina that are not in OPEC+. ADVERTISEMENT The OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries are meeting to discuss whether to put off plans to pump more crude amid sluggish demand and competing production from non-allied countries …

CCF, formerly HSBC France, is planning to cut 36% of its workforce and close a third of its branches. ADVERTISEMENT The bank Crédit Commercial de France (CCF) announced a restructuring plan on Wednesday for the next two years, estimating the loss of around 1,400 jobs. The cuts will affect around 36% of CCF’s workforce, made up of around 3,900 employees …

Temu is being investigated in Europe over suspicions it has been failing to prevent the sale of illegal products. ADVERTISEMENT Vietnam has suspended the operations of Chinese online retailer Temu after it failed to meet a government deadline to register the company by the end of November. Temu is being investigated in Europe over suspicions it has been failing to …