AAA credit rating is becoming a museum piece in the corporate world. In April, Standard & Poor's downgraded oil company ExxonMobil to AA-, thus leaving the United States with only two companies rated the highest - Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft. To compare, there were 98 of them in 1992. Shrinking number of AAA-rated companies is one of the clearest evidence of how actively business has...

The Google office located in the IX arrondissement of Paris is under investigative action started today at 5 am. According to Le Parisien, citing informed sources, the search is led by about a hundred employees of the tax service, tax police and the prosecutor's office of the tax department. The company is suspected of tax evasion. The publication’s source notes that preparations for the...

Brazil's government may approve sale of the state share in the scandal-ridden Brazilian oil and gas giant Petrobras, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the situation. Earlier it was reported that the Brazilian government is considering selling shares in state assets, including postal, transport and insurance companies. According to Globo newspaper, the government can take such shifts...

Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., which owns the manufacturer of London black cabs, has attracted $ 400 million to finance development of hybrid TX5, Bloomberg reported. This vehicle is designed to replace traditional cabs. The funds were drawn by placing a so-called green bonds (debt instruments, gains from the sale of which is given to finance environmental projects). According...

British ARM Holdings, specializing in the development of chips for iPhone and other mobile devices, announced purchase of Apical company. The deal will strengthen ARM’s position in the machine-readable products market. It follows from the company’s message that ARM acquired Apical for $ 350 million. The transaction was closed May 17, 2016. Through the acquisition of Apical, ARM hopes to...

Nokia is giving a 10 years-long right of production of devices under the brand to the Finnish company HMD Global. The latter, in partnership with Foxconn’s subsidiary, buys the business of manufacturing push-button telephones for $ 350 million from Microsoft. Nokia’s mobile production revival became possible thanks to a deal between HMD Global, FIH Mobile Ltd of Foxconn Technology Group, and...

In the next few weeks, US Internet giant Amazon may introduce new types of products under private label, told sources familiar with the situation. For example, the retailer plans to sell food under brand Happy Belly. The product range will include nuts, tea, coffee and cooking oil. A variety of snacks will go under The Wickedly name, said a source close to the company. Another two brands, he...

According to Reuters’ informed sources, American entrepreneur and billionaire Warren Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway will apply to purchase online assets of Yahoo! Buffets wants to incorporate the media company in his consortium. According to sources, Mr. Buffett is willing to provide financing to investors, if Yahoo! assets transaction is held. Citing informed sources, Reuters agency...

Apple is investing in China's largest online taxi service Didi. The investment’s size will amount to $ 1 billion. Didi is one of the fastest growing Chinese technology startups. According to experts, by devoting the money, Apple hopes to strengthen its position in the Chinese market, one of the most important for the corporation. American Apple Inc. reported that it is going to invest $ 1 billion...