Reuters

Qatar Airways is in talks with banks for loans worth billions of dollars, three sources familiar with the matter said, as the state-owned airline readies to begin rebuilding its network that has been crushed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Italy's government will inject fresh capital worth at least 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion) in the ailing carrier Alitalia, which is being nationalised following financial problems, Industry Minister Stefano Patuanelli said on Thursday.

Swedish fashion retailer H&M said on Thursday its sales tumbled 57% from a year ago in local currencies during the March 1 to May 6 period as the novel coronavirus pandemic and restrictions to curb it kept most of its stores closed.

GlaxoSmithKline said on Thursday it sold its stake in Unilever's Indian business for $3.35 billion, which Refinitiv says is the largest block trade ever to have been carried out in India.

The German government will prevent Lufthansa , the country's flagship carrier, from being sold out, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told Bild newspaper on Thursday.

World food prices fell for a third consecutive month in April, hit by the economic and logistical impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations food agency said on Thursday.

French media conglomerate Vivendi has increased its stake in Lagardere to 13.36% from 10.6%, an AMF regulatory filing published on Thursday showed.

Norwegian Air has secured vital funding from shareholders as it battles to survive the novel coronavirus pandemic that drove down April passenger volumes by 98.7%, the budget carrier said on Thursday.

Climate activists from the Extinction Rebellion group sprayed "fake oil" onto the Barclays headquarters in London's Canary Wharf on Thursday, calling on the bank to divest from fossil fuels.

British fashion retailer Superdry said its revenue plunged 37% in its latest quarter, reflecting the closure of its stores across the world because of the novel coronavirus.

Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd said on Thursday it sold 21 million Switch units in the year ended March, smashing its forecast of 19.5 million units, with hit title Animal Crossing: New Horizons shifting 13.4 million units in its first six weeks.

The British parliament's treasury committee chairman has told the chief executive of Barclays to explain delays to granting emergency loans to small businesses.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)

Norwegian Air's passenger volume fell by 98.7% in April from a year earlier as most of its fleet was grounded due to the coronavirus pandemic, the budget airline said on Thursday.

Norwegian Air's deeply discounted 400 million crowns ($39 million) share issue, part of the company's financial rescue plan, has now been oversubscribed by investors, the budget carrier said on Thursday.

Planemakers Airbus and Boeing have asked Air France to delay taking some wide-body jets after a manufacturing slowdown caused by the coronavirus crisis, the head of parent Air France-KLM told Reuters.

Air France-KLM is opening talks with its French unions on workforce cuts, Chief Executive Ben Smith told Reuters, as the airline group warned of mounting losses with no clear end in sight to the coronavirus crisis.

British Airways-owner IAG said that chief executive Willie Walsh would stay on until September to steer it through the coronavirus crisis, and that it was planning for flights to return to service in July.

Britain's biggest telecoms group BT has suspended its dividend until 2021/22, one of the biggest on the London stock exchange, and pulled its financial outlook in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

British aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce signalled on Thursday it expects to cut some of its workforce to respond to the slump in the global aerospace market, saying it would inform affected employees before the end of this month.