Reuters - Before the Bell

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Monday, August 21, 2017

China's Great Wall confirms interest in Fiat Chrysler

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Great Wall Motor Co Ltd is interested in bidding for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), a company official said on Monday, confirming reports it is pursuing all or part of the owner of the Jeep and Ram truck brands.

Factbox: Fiat Chrysler's Chinese suitor, Great Wall

(Reuters) - China's largest SUV manufacturer Great Wall Motor Co Ltd is interested in bidding for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), a company official said on Monday.

PwC Japan exec denies political pressure on Toshiba audit

TOKYO (Reuters) - The head of auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata LLC on Monday denied it came under political pressure to sign off on an annual financial report by Toshiba Corp, a move which helped the troubled Japanese conglomerate avert a delisting.

Futures flat; White House turmoil, North Korea in focus

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were flat on Monday, with investors keeping an eye on the White House as well as the tension between the United States and North Korea – themes that have affected the market the most in the past two weeks.

Uber raises Hong Kong fares amid legal tangles

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc said it raised its Hong Kong minimum fares on Monday by as much as 80 percent following a review.

Special Report: Refiner Valero's secret campaign against U.S. biofuels mandates

(Reuters) - U.S. biofuels regulations, which mandate mixing corn-based ethanol into gasoline, have lately drawn together a diverse cast of political opponents.

U.S. farmers confused by Monsanto weed killer's complex instructions

CHICAGO (Reuters) - With Monsanto Co's latest flagship weed killer, dicamba, banned in Arkansas and under review by U.S. regulators over concerns it can drift in the wind, farmers and weed scientists are also complaining that confusing directions on the label make the product hard to use safely.

Total boosts North Sea business with $7.5 billion Maersk Oil deal

PARIS/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Total is buying Maersk's oil and gas business in a $7.45 billion deal which the French energy major said would strengthen its operations in the North Sea and boost earnings and cash flow.

Total set to raise cost savings target after Maersk Oil deal

PARIS (Reuters) - Total is set to increase its target for $4 billion of cost savings by 2018 in the light of its planned acquisition of Maersk Oil, Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne said on Monday.

Cathay Pacific agrees to buy 32 Airbus planes at list price of $4.06 billion

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airways said on Monday it has agreed to buy 32 new planes from Airbus Group at a list price of $4.06 billion, just a week after it posted its worst first-half loss in at least two decades as it continued to lose customers.