Author: KMFSLLP

* Savings goal raised to 2.8 bln euros, shares up (Adds share reaction, analysts, details)

Lending to euro zone companies held steady at a two-year low last month even as household lending hit another post-crisis high, European Central Bank data showed on Thursday, underlining a growing rift in the bloc's economy.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, made a 19.9% return on investment last year, earning a record 1.69 trillion Norwegian crowns ($180.49 billion), it said on Thursday.

European shares fell again on Thursday, with travel stocks taking the biggest knock, as a jump in new coronavirus cases outside of China deepened fears of a pandemic that could dent global growth.

* London shares fall 5% after earlier Hong Kong gains (Adds management comment, updates share price)

Hong Kong stocks reversed earlier losses to end higher on Thursday, after Beijing indicated more support to bolster its economy pressured by the coronavirus outbreak. ** At the close of trade, the Hang Seng index was up 82.13 points or 0.31% at 26,778.62. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 0.87%...

Lebanon intends to ask for a seven-day grace period for a $1.2 billion Eurobond that matures on March 9, as it is entitled to, in order to give financial advisers more time to draft a restructuring plan, a government source said on Thursday.

NMC Health said on Thursday trading in its shares on the London bourse has been suspended, a day after the UAE healthcare firm removed its top boss and granted its finance chief an extended sick leave as details of an investigation into the company emerged. Abu-Dhabi based NMC's shares have...

The coronavirus epidemic has prompted Australian firms to cut over $500 million from profit forecasts in the current financial year, a Reuters analysis showed, as a stock sell-off sparked by the outbreak wipes billions of dollars from company valuations.

Standard Chartered booked a robust 46% jump in annual profit but warned a key earnings target would take longer to meet as the coronavirus epidemic adds to headwinds in its main markets of China and Hong Kong.

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