Town Hall News

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli troops killed two Palestinians who opened fire on them in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the army said, and the Islamic Jihad militant group claimed the slain men as members. The shooting in Qabatiya, near the flashpoint town of Jenin, came as both sides braced for a flare-up after Israel carried out surprise air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday that killed three Islamic Jihad […]

BERLIN (Reuters) – Volkswagen investors will demand answers from the carmakers’ executives at its annual general meeting on Wednesday on its competitiveness in China and its contested plant in Xinjiang, advance copies of their speeches showed. Chief Executive Oliver Blume will acknowledge the fast pace of China’s electrification, and outline Volkswagen’s strategy to hold on to its position as market leader – tailoring products to Chinese tastes and building local […]

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese electric vehicle (EV) battery maker Panasonic Holdings Corp on Wednesday forecast a higher operating profit this year as it expects robust auto battery sales in the United States. The industrial conglomerate, which supplies batteries to U.S. EV leader Tesla Inc, is expanding its energy business just as persistently high inflation rates worldwide dampen consumer sentiment. Panasonic expects operating profit of 430 billion yen ($3.18 billion) for the […]

By Summer Zhen HONG KONG (Reuters) – People in China splashed out on dining, travel and luxury goods after emerging from three years of pandemic restrictions but are still not spending freely on routine consumer items, if first quarter corporate results are an indication. There was a broad bounce in earnings after China ended its zero-COVID policy involving city-wide lockdowns and extensive quarantine in December, but consumer caution over global […]

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – BYD Co Ltd launched on Wednesday five lower-priced versions of its Seal sedan, as the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant seeks to extend its lead in the world’s largest market for new-energy cars. The price of the rear-wheel drive Seal Champion Edition with a 550 kilometre (341.75 miles) driving range per charge starts at 189,800 yuan ($27,459.09), 10% lower than a previous version with the same driving […]

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – BYD Co Ltd launched on Wednesday five lower-priced versions of its Seal sedan, as the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant seeks to extend its lead in the world’s largest market for new-energy cars. The price of the rear-wheel drive Seal Champion Edition with a 550 kilometre (341.75 miles) driving range per charge starts at 189,800 yuan ($27,459.09), 10% lower than a previous version with the same driving […]

By Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) – CICC Capital, a unit of leading Chinese investment bank CICC, has stopped using Capvision Partners’ services, three sources said, following an investigation into the “expert network” as part of Beijing’s crackdown on national security. Shanghai-based Capvision is the latest consultancy and due diligence firm to get caught in Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on what state media describes as “intensifying” law enforcement push around sensitive […]

By Summer Zhen HONG KONG (Reuters) – People in China splashed out on dining, travel and luxury goods after emerging from three years of pandemic restrictions but are still not spending freely on routine consumer items, if first quarter corporate results are an indication. There was a broad bounce in earnings after China ended its zero-COVID policy involving city-wide lockdowns and extensive quarantine in December, but consumer caution over global […]

By Stephanie Kelly and Muyu Xu (Reuters) – Oil prices fell on Wednesday, ending a three-day rally, as an unexpected rise in U.S. oil inventories sparked demand concerns and investors awaited U.S. inflation data to gauge the next rate decision in the top oil consuming nation. Brent crude dropped 69 cents, or 0.9%, to $76.75 a barrel at 0643 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 67 cents, […]