Corporate results:

  • Deliveroo exceeds earnings forecasts and expects positive cash flow in 2024.
  • Hapag-Lloyd posts net income down 83% in 2023 and cuts dividend by 85%.
  • Lanxess expects an improvement in core earnings in 2024 and reports a difficult first half.
  • Swiss Life reports 2023 results close to expectations.
  • Verbund reports higher attributable profit and sales for 2023.
  • Robinhood Markets climbed 11.1% in premarket trading, as the trading app operator announced that its assets under custody had increased by 16% in February.
  • Dollar General jumped more than 6% in premarket trading, as the low-cost retailer said it expected sales in 2024 to beat expectations thanks to strong demand for cheaper food and household essentials.

In other news:

  • Altria to sell 35 million of its 197 million Anheuser-Busch Inbev shares. The American group holds around 10% of the capital before the operation.
  • Entain is studying the possibility of selling its gambling brands abroad, according to the FT.
  • KKR - The US private equity firm announced on Thursday that it had launched a €2.8 billion takeover bid for German energy producer Encavis.
  • Boeing - The acting executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) warned on Wednesday that the agency could withdraw indirect approvals granted to Boeing for aircraft production if necessary.
  • Shell lowers its carbon emissions reduction target for 2030.
  • Nestlé shareholders led by ShareAction call on the company to reduce its reliance on less healthy foods and improve sales of healthier products.
  • Glencore faces demand from an activist investor to move its main listing to Australia and abandon the demerger of its coal business.
  • Aston Martin Lagonda issues £1.2 billion bond and signs credit facility agreement.
  • AstraZeneca acquires Amolyt Pharma for $1.05 billion to expand its rare disease portfolio.
  • Oracle announced on Thursday that it has integrated generative artificial intelligence functions into its enterprise software range, in a bid to compete with Microsoft and other technology groups.
  • Schaeffler and Vitesco sign merger agreement.
  • The US Department of Health opened an investigation into UnitedHealth following a cyber attack.
  • UnitedHealth Group announced on Wednesday that the pharmacy network of its Change Healthcare division was back up and running, a few weeks after a cyberattack that affected the entire US healthcare system.
  • Varta is back in business, one month after cyberattack.
  • Iveco sells its fire truck unit to German fund Mutares.
  • Infineon takes legal action against Chinese company Innoscience over a patent.
  • Oracle adds generative AI functions to finance and supply chain software.
  • Paramount Global sells its stake in Viacom18 for $517 million in India.
  • Embracer ceases operations in Russia and sells certain Saber assets.
  • Moody's places International Consolidated Airlines' Ba1 rating on review for upgrade, following improved operating performance and reduction in gross debt.
  • Nel obtains an additional $75 million in financial incentives for its electrolyzer plant project in the USA.
  • Zealand Pharma changes its Board of Directors.