WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
OMAHA — Billionaire Warren Buffett says it is not likely that the US and China will come to loggerheads on trade, saying the two countries would avoid doing “something extremely foolish.”
LONDON — Britain’s data privacy watchdog has ordered Cambridge Analytica to hand over all the personal information it holds on a US academic, confirming the right of people abroad to seek data held by a UK firm.
HOUSTON — US oil firm ConocoPhillips has moved to take the Caribbean assets of Venezuela’s state-run PDVSA to enforce a $US2 billion arbitration award over a decade-old nationalization of its projects in the South American country, according to two sources familiar with its actions.
LONDON — Britain is weeks away from deciding on its future customs arrangements with the European Union, a minister says, adding fuel to a debate that is all but stalling Brexit talks in Brussels and politics at home.
FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
AMP — AMP says it “strenuously denies” allegations it may have committed a criminal offense by misleading regulators about fees for services its customers never received.
AMP MURRAY — Former Commonwealth Bank chief executive David Murray has agreed to become AMP chairman.
Macquarie chief executive Nicholas Moore has been rewarded for another record profit with a nearly $20 million pay packet.
FRANCHISE — According to claims made to a Senate inquiry, some Oporto, Red Rooster, and Chicken Treats outlets are at risk of bankruptcy because of onerous costs and other unfair business practices by their parent company.
AIRTEX — Sirtex Medical has received a surprise $1.9 billion takeover bid from a China-based asset manager. Still, it has maintained its support for the $1.6 billion takeover offer from US company Varian received in January.
RBA SOMP — More women and older men will be part of future Australian workplaces if recent trends continue.
AINSWORTH — Shares in poker machine maker Ainsworth Game Technology have tumbled after it slashed its full-year earnings outlook.
