A Swiss National Bank logo is pictured on the SNB

Shades of Detroit? Germany’s auto heartlands in peril as ‘golden age’ fades

By Michael Nienaber BAMBERG, Germany (Reuters) – When Kristin and Thomas Schmitt took out a mortgage and bought a house last summer, the German couple’s dream looked as if it was coming true. Two months later, they learned that the tire factory where both work would be shut down early next year. A malaise in […]

China's new construction starts plunge as chill spreads across sector

FILE PHOTO: A man rides a bicycle next to a construction site near residential buildings in Beijing, China, January 13, 2021. REUTERS/Tingshu WangBEIJING (Reuters) – China’s September new construction starts slumped for a sixth straight month, the longest spate of monthly declines since 2015, as cash-strapped developers reined in investment and put a pause on […]

Goldman ranks as top activism defense firm, beating Morgan Stanley

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss BOSTON (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs ranked as the top adviser to companies targeted by activist investors in 2019, dethroning Morgan Stanley, which had held the top spot for three straight years, according to Refinitiv data published on Friday. In 2019 Goldman advised on 48 campaigns to capture the top spot while Morgan […]