Japan Tobacco coughs up for more frontier smokers 7 Aug 2018 The owner of Camel and Silk Cut is paying $1.5 bln – a hefty eight times revenue - for Bangladesh's second-largest cigarette company. Its latest emerging market splurge adds sales, but risks distracting the $50 bln giant from newer alternatives, where rivals are forging ahead.
Blockchain teamwork could help banks fight hackers 13 May 2016 An $81 mln central bank heist and a new attack on a commercial lender underscore the rise of cyber-related risks. The European Central Bank wants banks to log serious incidents. But industry collaboration - as seen with distributed ledgers - would do more to shore up defences.
Greek bank bail-in threat starts to recede 13 Aug 2015 Savers have rightly feared their deposits may get turned into equity. Draft proposals for Athens’ new bailout imply this may be unnecessary. It probably isn’t enough to entice private investors, but boosting depositor confidence is an important step in clearing up Greece’s mess.
Bangladeshi accord shows limits of market forces 14 May 2013 Price isn’t everything, even in the fiercely competitive garment trade. A combination of conscience and public relations has pushed the largest European retailers to agree to curb the industry’s race to the bottom. If the new accord works, it will be globalisation at its best.