Latest Stories

  • UniCredit cranks up Commerzbank stake as BPM bid faces hurdles

    MILAN (Reuters) -Italy's UniCredit said on Wednesday it had raised its stake in Commerzbank to 28%, ratcheting up the pressure on the German lender while at the same time it pursues a bid for smaller domestic rival Banco BPM. UniCredit, which angered the German government when it emerged as Commerzbank's biggest private investor in September, has sought European Central Bank clearance to get to 29.9%, just below the level that triggers a mandatory takeover offer. "The (Commerzbank) position remains at this time solely an investment and does not have any impact on the public exchange offer with Banco BPM," UniCredit said in a statement.

  • What we know as Axel Rudakubana pleads not guilty over Southport attack

    Rudakubana was silent in court once again as judge schedules trial for knife attack which left three dead

  • Report: Wake Forest to hire Washington State coach Jake Dickert

    Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson stepped down on Monday after 11 seasons.

  • ‘Drunk’ cruise passenger dies after staff detained him over violent outburst and injected sedative, family claims

    35-year-old guest was on Royal Caribbean cruise with fiancé and son

  • Councils get £700m funding boost under revised settlement

    Local government minister Jim McMahon has confirmed a significant uplift in funding across local government in 2025-26.

  • Stock market today: Wall Street is stuck in neutral ahead of the Federal Reserve's rate decision

    NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are drifting as Wall Street waits for an announcement from the Federal Reserve that could guide its direction into next year. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 40 points, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Jabil helped lead the market after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. General Mills dropped after cutting its profit forecast for the year. Trading is likely to rem

  • Marathon VW talks drag on in search for pre-Christmas deal with unions

    HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) -Crunch talks between Volkswagen and unions over cuts to the automaker's German operations continued on Wednesday and are expected to last into the night, reflecting intense efforts to strike a deal before Christmas and avert major strikes in 2025. An agreement before Christmas is possible, a person familiar with the negotiations said, while cautioning that the complexity of the talks, which initially kicked off in late September, meant there is no guarantee of a compromise. Germany's IG Metall union, which has vowed fierce resistance to any plant closures and staff cuts, said it would provide an update depending on any new developments, adding it was currently not clear when that would be the case.

  • Not guilty pleas entered for Southport stabbings suspect Axel Rudakubana after he refuses to speak

    Not guilty pleas have been entered on behalf of Southport stabbings suspect Axel Rudakubana after he refused to speak in court. Axel Rudakubana, 18, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today by video-link charged with three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder and possession of a kitchen knife over the attack in the Merseyside town on 29 July. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar were killed, while eight other children, aged between seven and 13, were injured, along with yoga instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.

  • Lando Norris told by Nico Rosberg how to correct ‘extreme’ mistake and win F1 title

    Norris finished 63 points behind champion Max Verstappen in 2024 but Rosberg thinks the Briton is an early favourite for next year’s title

  • Dow Jones Rises Ahead Of Fed Decision, Powell; Nvidia Rebounds, Tesla Slides

    The Dow Jones rose Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve rate decision and Fed Chair Jerome Powell's comments. Nvidia stock rebounded.

  • Is Tesla Stock A Buy Or A Sell After Latest Price Target Hike During 90% 'Trump Bump'?

    Tesla is on a 90% tear since Donald Trump's election win, as investors speculate that self-driving is coming soon, with the Trump administration easing the regulatory path for autonomous vehicles. Tesla shares dropped 3.2% to 464.40 during market action on Wednesday after advancing 3.6% to 479.86, hitting a record high of 483.99, on Tuesday. On Sunday, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, a longtime Tesla bull, raised his Tesla stock price target to 515, up from 400.

  • Southport suspect Axel Rudakubana pleads not guilty to murdering girls in dance class stabbing

    The pleas to multiple charges were entered by the court on Axel Rudakubana’s behalf after he didn’t respond

  • This 'flattering' cardigan is perfect for winter — and it's up to 50% off ahead of Boxing Day

    This flattering Amazon Canada cardigan makes a great layering piece to any cold-weather wardrobe.

  • Why Salesforce stock has ripped higher — and what may be next

    Believe it or not, one of the hottest stocks in the market this winter isn’t AI chip darling Nvidia (NVDA)! Nope, think again. Rather it’s software platform Salesforce (CRM), who has seen its stock rip higher by 35% since its big annual Dreamforce event in September. The reason is none other than optimism around new AI powered digital agents. Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff took the wraps off its Agentforce 2.0 platform at an event in San Francisco. The new technology offers a new library of pre-built skills and workflow integrations. Benioff told me Salesforce has signed 1,000 more revenue based Agentforce deals since it reported earnings a few weeks ago. That call out may go a long way in tempering ongoing skepticism on the financial impact of digital agents. “We still maintain some skepticism around the durability/monetization of Salesforce’s Agentforce products amid limited in production data points and the rapidly evolving competitive landscape,” Citi analyst Tyler Radke said. For full episodes of Opening Bid, listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on our website. This post was written by Rachael Lewis-Krisky, producer for Opening Bid.

  • Stock market today: Dow looks to snap longest losing streak since 1978 with Fed decision on deck

    Stocks eyed a rebound Wednesday, with the blue-chip Dow looking to snap its longest losing streak since 1978

  • Cop accused of raping woman who he escorted home and only stopped when he was called to an incident

    The alleged victim claims Filemon Perez told her she ‘was beautiful’ before launching himself on her inside her Lewisville home

  • Pelicot rape trial shifts France's practices around drug-facilitated assaults

    Around late September, staff manning the phones at 39 19, France's main anonymous hotline for women who are victims of violence, began noticing a new type of case. The trial, in which Dominique Pelicot has admitted to drugging his wife Gisele and recruiting dozens of men online to rape her while she was unconscious over nearly a decade, is reaching its end. The mass rape trial has shocked France and its implications will be felt far beyond the Avignon courthouse where judges have heard and seen more than three months of evidence.

  • Sam Altman Nuclear Startup Continues Hot 2024 With 12-Gigawatt Data Center Deal

    Nuclear startup Oklo announced a data center deal Wednesday, propelling nuclear-related stocks higher.

  • How much money does Mariah Carey make from All I Want for Christmas?

    The song is officially 20 years old

  • Chinese, Indian officials in talks to ease dispute over Himalayan border area

    China and India took a further step towards easing their long-running border dispute on Wednesday, with senior officials holding formal talks for the first time in five years and committing to finding mutually-acceptable solutions. The meeting in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval followed a milestone pact two months ago on lowering military tensions at a contested part of their border.