Town Hall News

(Reuters) -Japan’s Astellas Pharma said on Monday it agreed to buy U.S. drugmaker Iveric Bio Inc for about $5.9 billion in its biggest acquisition, giving it access to a range of ophthalmology treatments. Through Berry Merger Sub Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Astellas U.S. Holding, the Japanese company agreed to acquire Iveric for $40 per share in cash, Astellas said in a release. The price is a 22% premium to […]

By Lucinda Elliott and Daniela Desantis ASUNCION (Reuters) -Paraguay’s ruling candidate Santiago Pena, 44, scored a big win in the country’s presidential election on Sunday, tightening the conservative Colorado Party’s political grip in the country and defusing fears about the end of diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Pena, who has pledged to maintain Paraguay’s long-standing Taiwan relations, had 42.7% of the vote with over 99% of ballots counted, a more than […]

By Stella Qiu SYDNEY (Reuters) – Currencies were in limbo on Monday as holidays in most of Asia made for thin trading, while traders braced for a packed week of central bank meetings that would offer the latest guidance on future rate hikes across continents. Activity in the foreign exchange markets was subdued due to the Labour Day holidays in Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China. Japan, Australia, and New […]

By Chris Prentice, Nupur Anand and Saeed Azhar NEW YORK (Reuters) -PNC Financial Services Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Citizens Financial Group Inc were among banks that submitted final bids for First Republic Bank on Sunday in an auction being run by U.S. regulators, sources familiar with the matter said. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp had been expected to announce a deal on Sunday night, with the regulator likely […]

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea’s exports fell for a seventh straight month in April for their longest losing streak in three years, driven by an extended slump in sales to China and suggesting persistent pressure on the economy from frail global demand. The downturn comes despite the reopening of the Chinese economy – a major market for South Korean goods and especially for chips – in December, and raises the challenge […]

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – At least 18 people were killed and 33 injured when a bus fell off a cliff in western Mexico, local authorities said Sunday. The prosecutor’s office in Nayarit, the state where the accident occurred, said the vehicle fell some 15 meters (49.21 ft) down a ravine on Saturday night, on a highway that connects state capital Tepic and the tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta. “From the […]

By Lucinda Elliott and Daniela Desantis ASUNCION (Reuters) -Paraguay’s ruling candidate Santiago Pena, 44, scored a big win in the country’s presidential election on Sunday, tightening the conservative Colorado Party’s political grip in the country and defusing fears about the end of diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Pena, who has pledged to maintain Paraguay’s long-standing Taiwan relations, had 42.7% of the vote with over 99% of ballots counted, a more than […]

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – At least 18 people were killed and 33 injured when a bus fell off a cliff in western Mexico, local authorities said Sunday. The prosecutor’s office in Nayarit, the state where the accident occurred, said the vehicle fell some 15 meters (49.21 ft) down a ravine on Saturday night, on a highway that connects state capital Tepic and the tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta. “From the […]

By Lucinda Elliott and Daniela Desantis ASUNCION (Reuters) – Paraguay’s President-elect Santiago Pena, a clean-cut former central bank director, will need all his wits and cool to steer the South American nation through economic headwinds hurting voters and rising pressure from farmers to cut ties with Taiwan. The former International Monetary Fund (IMF) economist, who was hand-picked by the powerful head of the country’s dominant political force, the conservative Colorado […]