Economy

Blackstone strikes chord with $1.6 bn bid for UK music firm
Blackstone strikes chord with $1.6 bn bid for UK music firm

Struggling UK music rights owner Hipgnosis Songs Fund agreed Monday to an improved $1.6-billion takeover from US private equity firm Blackstone, which trumped a rival bid from Concord. "Blackstone appears to have emerged supreme in the bidding war for the Hipgnosis Songs Fund," commented Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Climate change, Brexit threaten to wilt Dutch tulips
Climate change, Brexit threaten to wilt Dutch tulips

Arjan Smit gazes out over his tulip fields, a riot of red and pink flowers he has cultivated all his adult life and part of a family business his grandfather started in 1940. Despite the challenges, the genial farmer is upbeat about the prospects for his son, 22-year-old Tim, who will be the fourth generation Smit running the family business.

Yen sinks to 34-year low past 160 per dollar
Yen sinks to 34-year low past 160 per dollar

The yen sank to a new 34-year low past 160 per dollar on Monday after a forecast-beating US inflation reading dented expectations for US interest rate cuts this year. "Markets appear to be trying to push dollar-yen towards 160 in the absence of official intervention," said Vishnu Varathan, at Mizuho Bank.

Yen slides to fresh 34-year low against dollar, stocks rally
Yen slides to fresh 34-year low against dollar, stocks rally

The yen slumped to a fresh 34-year low against the dollar on Monday, fuelling expectations Japanese authorities would step in to support their currency for the first time since late 2022. The yen slipped to 160.17 to the greenback in morning trade, stirring speculation that Japanese authorities would intervene to arrest its slide.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk in China for talks
Tesla CEO Elon Musk in China for talks

Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in China for talks on Sunday, making his second trip in less than a year to the world's biggest market for electric vehicles. "It's good to see electric vehicles making progress in China," he was quoted as saying by a state-backed media outlet on Sunday.