Business

Bosch pulls plug on solar panel business 23 Mar 2013 - 04:41 am

FRANKFURT: German car parts supplier Bosch said yesterday that it plans to discontinue its solar panel manufacturing business because overcapacity in the industry...

Oil near $108 as Cyprus bailout looms 23 Mar 2013 - 04:40 am

LONDON: Oil prices rose towards $108 a barrel but were headed for a second week of losses yesterday as the lack of a...

French luxury retailer PPR to become Kering 23 Mar 2013 - 04:40 am

PARIS: French high-end retailer PPR will change its name to Kering in June to reflect a fresh focus on sportswear and luxury goods,...

China, Russia hold gas talks 23 Mar 2013 - 04:39 am

MOSCOW/BEIJING: A hardball game on price may leave Russia empty-handed after 15 years of talks on a deal to supply China with gas,...

Apple, Microsoft defend Australia pricing policy 23 Mar 2013 - 04:39 am

SYDNEY: Technology giants Apple and Microsoft yesterday defended their pricing policy in Australia at an official inquiry launched over concerns that they were...

UK’s gas price hits record high 23 Mar 2013 - 04:38 am

LONDON: Britain’s wholesale gas prices surged to a record high yesterday after one of its main gas import pipelines shut down unexpectedly, exposing...

German business confidence sours 23 Mar 2013 - 04:38 am

FRANKFURT: German business confidence fell for the first time in five months in March, data showed yesterday, as disappointing economic data, political gridlock...

US entry into shale set to alter price structure 22 Mar 2013 - 04:22 am

Michiel Soting, Partner, Global Chairman Energy and Natural Resources Sector, KPMG. Salim Matramkot By Satish Kanady DOHA: The US entry into the Shale...

Pharmacy staff protest 22 Mar 2013 - 04:21 am

Pharmacy staff protest against delayed payments by the regional government at Sant Jaume square in Barcelona, yesterday. In Spain, patients are administered by...

Qatari and Saudi Arabian businessmen vow to explore investment 22 Mar 2013 - 04:20 am

DOHA: Qatari and Saudi Arabian businessmen who met in the Saudi city of Dammam last Wednesday to explore opportunities of joint business and...

Qatar Exchange index gains 21.82 points 22 Mar 2013 - 04:20 am

Doha: Qatar Exchange index gained 21.82 points (0.25pc) this week when trading closed yesterday at 8,605.60 points. The trading value this week decreased...

S&P revises CBQ’s outlook to negative 22 Mar 2013 - 04:20 am

DOHA: Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ) to negative from stable. At the same...

Italy to speed up private sector debt repayments 22 Mar 2013 - 04:19 am

MILAN: Italy yesterday said it will accelerate the payment of ¤40bn ($52bn) in state debt arrears to private companies, a move it noted...

European Union gives Cyprus Monday deadline 22 Mar 2013 - 04:11 am

People waiting to make transactions at an ATM outside a branch of Laiki Bank in Nicosia, Cyprus, yesterday. NICOSIA/FRANKFURT: The European Union gave...

Spanish banks see profits after ‘horrific’ 2012 22 Mar 2013 - 04:10 am

MADRID: Spain’s battered banks predicted yesterday they will turn a profit this year after a “horrific” 2012 in which the overall industry recorded...

Cyprus, European data rattle shares and euro 22 Mar 2013 - 04:10 am

NEW YORK: Global equity markets, crude oil and the euro fell yesterday on fears of a potential banking collapse in Cyprus and signs...

Australia’s LNG ambitions 21 Mar 2013 - 01:20 am

An Australian LNG vessel sails off the coast of Western Australia. Australia has surpassed Qatar as the largest LNG supplier to Japan, the...

Rapid growth in Islamic banking assets 21 Mar 2013 - 01:20 am

DOHA: Qatar has been ranked as the country where Islamic banking assets grew fastest in 2012. The country’s Islamic banking assets were estimated...