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Frontrunning: April 20

  • After big New York wins, Trump and Clinton cast themselves as inevitable (Reuters)
  • Eastern States Take Turn in Presidential Primary Spotlight (WSJ)
  • China's Stocks Tumble Most in Seven Weeks to Break Trading Calm (BBG)
  • Oil falls on end to Kuwaiti strike, supply outlook (Reuters)
  • Oil price's decline weighs on global stock markets (Reuters)
  • Blankfein's Decade Ending With a Thud on a Humbled Wall Street (BBG)
  • Toyota to Resume Production at Most Japan Plants Next Week (WSJ)
  • Apple refused China request for source code in last two years (Reuters)
  • Japan's Trade in Surplus as Imports Drop for Fifteenth Month (BBG)
  • EU charges Google with abusing Android market dominance (Reuters)
  • Saudi $10 Billion Financial District Is Missing One Thing: Banks (BBG)
  • Brazil's Rouseff slams impeachment drive as 'sexist' (Reuters)
  • Lira Rises on Relief Turkey's Interest Rate Cut Met Expectations (BBG)
  • VW resists move for trial instead of EPA settlement (Reuters)
  • Coca-Cola Profit Tops Estimates as New Drink Sizes Boost Sales (BBG)
  • Saudi Arabia close to securing $10 billion bank loan: sources (Reuters)
  • Commerzbank CEO Says Slow Quarter Means `Challenging' 2016 (BBG)
  • EMC Earnings Fall Short as Storage Demand Is Hurt by Cloud (BBG)
  • Germany Asks Belgium to Shut Two Nuclear Reactors (BBG)

 

Overnight Media Digest

WSJ

- Intel Corp is planning to slash 12,000 jobs, or 11 percent of its workforce, a consequence of the shrinking personal-computer market and the chip maker's failure to take advantage of the industry's transition to smartphones. (http://on.wsj.com/1Wd9KnY)

- United Continental Holdings Inc and two big investors have settled a fight over the makeup of the airline's board of directors, staving off a bruising public battle over the company's future. (http://on.wsj.com/1Vis28u)

- Malaysia Airlines Bhd Chief Executive Christoph Mueller plans to leave the carrier as it continues to try to recover from the catastrophic loss of two jetliners in 2014. Mueller joined the company last year in a bid to revive the airline. (http://on.wsj.com/1SSqtaN)

- Sumner Redstone's granddaughter accused his daughter, Shari Redstone, in court papers Tuesday of pressing for a "do not resuscitate" order and other non-interventionist health measures for the media mogul, over his strong objections. (http://on.wsj.com/1S9OZbv)

- Wendy's Co named Gunther Plosch as its chief financial officer, effective May 2, filling the spot vacated when the burger chain's current financial chief steps up as part of a previously-announced succession plan for Chief Executive Emil Brolick. (http://on.wsj.com/23J9wLa)

 

FT

- Ministers have let go of plans to abolish automatic payrolls payment of union subscriptions as part of compromises over the trade union bill. (http://bit.ly/1XHDSXB)

- Seeking to reassure sceptical Conservative MPs, Philip Hammond insisted there were no plans for British troops to be involved in fighting against the Islamist militants in Libya. (http://bit.ly/1XHExYR)

- Prudential Plc is now closer to secure a tax refund of more than 100 million pounds ($143.86 million) in the latest round of long-running battle for compensation over past breaches of European law. (http://bit.ly/1XHEGvB)

- The Financial Conduct Authority said in its 2015 review into conflicts of interest in asset management that industry chiefs were spending large sums of money to woo clients with hospitality attempting to win business. (http://bit.ly/1XHEHzq)

 

NYT

- Banca Popolare di Vicenza <IPO-BPVS.MI> said on Tuesday that it had set a price range for its initial public offering, in which the Italian lender hopes to raise as much as 1.8 billion euros, or about $2 billion. (http://nyti.ms/23YKrss)

- Intel Corp, the world's largest maker of semiconductors, said on Tuesday that it was laying off 12,000 people, about 11 percent of its work force, as it continues to reel from a long downturn in global demand for personal computers. (http://nyti.ms/1QlbEMj)

- The FBI defended its hiring of a third party to break into an iPhone used by a gunman in last year's San Bernardino mass shooting, telling some skeptical lawmakers on Tuesday that it needed to join with partners in the rarefied world of for-profit hackers as technology companies increasingly resist their demands for consumer information. (http://nyti.ms/1WEoSLN)

- Anheuser-Busch InBev SA said on Tuesday that it had accepted an offer by Asahi Group Holdings Ltd of Japan to buy beer brands Peroni and Grolsch, as well as certain European operations of SABMiller Plc, for 2.55 billion euros, or about $2.9 billion. (http://nyti.ms/1XHS96m)

 

Canada

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

** Manitobans gave Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister one of the province's most resounding victories in decades, handing Greg Selinger defeat and ending nearly 17 years of New Democratic Party's rule. (http://bit.ly/26eDwNL)

** Canada and China are set to enter a new "golden" era under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Li Keqiang told Jean Chretien in Beijing this week. (http://bit.ly/26eDy8s)

** A three-year investigation by Canada's competition watchdog has resulted in a report that clears Alphabet Inc's Google of any substantial wrongdoing in its search ad business, and closely echoes a 2013 investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. (http://bit.ly/26eDIg4)

NATIONAL POST

** The release of an abortion pill allowing women to terminate early pregnancy at home, that is expected to become available in July, is already garnering criticism by way of women's health advocates saying Health Canada's tight controls over its use are unnecessarily restrictive. (http://bit.ly/26eEZUg)

** Toronto-based Turo that took the Airbnb model and adapted it to car rentals launched on Tuesday in three provinces, its first foray outside the United States, though it wrestles with the same insurance headaches that other startups in the so-called sharing economy have faced. (http://bit.ly/26eFOwr)

 

Britain

The Times

* The proposed 18 billion pounds nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset could be abandoned without risking power cuts, contrary to the government's previous claims, the energy secretary has admitted. There would be no significant cost to consumers and no taxpayer liability if the project were cancelled, politician Amber Rudd said in a letter to MPs. (http://bit.ly/1rhklTI)

* Turkey will tear up its migrant deal with the European Union if Brussels fails to deliver visa-free travel for 75 million Turks to Europe by June, according to its prime minister. (http://bit.ly/1U655UD)

The Guardian

* The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the widespread international tax avoidance schemes exposed by the Panama Papers leak, published by the Guardian and other journalistic partners. (http://bit.ly/1ThRreM)

* Yahoo Inc announced falling revenues and a quarterly loss of $99.2 million on Tuesday as the ailing Internet business looks for a buyer. The company reported revenue of $1.09 billion, down 11 percent from the same time last year. The fall shows continuing deterioration in Yahoo's business but was better than analysts had expected. (http://bit.ly/1rhjwdw)

The Telegraph

* The boss of Associated British Foods PLC, the UK's biggest sugar supplier, has come out swinging against the government's proposed "sugar tax" and the suggestion it will help the obesity crisis. (http://bit.ly/1WCJ6FC)

* The City of London could lose its position as the world's leading financial centre in the event of Brexit, Mark Carney, the Bank of England Governor, has warned. (http://bit.ly/1MGPb1r)

Sky News

* Managers at Tata Steel's Port Talbot steelworks have been briefed about a possible management buyout plan, according to Sky sources. Details of the potential lifeline are expected to be announced as early as Wednesday. (http://bit.ly/1S9iXMH)

* Oil industry engineering company Aker is to cut around 280 jobs in Aberdeen and London as low energy prices squeeze the industry. The cuts represent 11 percent of the Norwegian group's UK workforce. (http://bit.ly/1WE57E7)

The Independent

* Renewed Western military intervention in Libya has inched closer after the UK government said it would be ready to consider any request from the new government in Tripoli for naval or air support to help dislodge ISIS from its stronghold in the country. (http://ind.pn/23ISmgN)

* The UK has approved 122 military licences to the value of 2.8 billion pounds to Saudi Arabia since the regime started its widely condemned bombing campaign in Yemen last March, it has been revealed. Saudi Arabia is the biggest recipient of UK arms by a significant margin, and since 2010 has received military equipment worth 6.7 billion pounds, according to official government figures collated by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT). (http://ind.pn/1S9nXRl)