Reuters

Anheuser-Busch InBev , the world's largest beer maker, forecast a "materially worse" second quarter as coronavirus restrictions curb drinking across the globe, while noting some improvement in China.

Soft drinks bottler Coca Cola HBC AG on Thursday said sales in April fell by more than a third as fast-food chains, theatres and other public arenas stayed shut to limit the spread of the new coronavirus during stay-at-home orders.

The British businesses of Liberty Global Plc and Telefonica SA will merge to create a major new player in UK mobile and broadband communications in a deal valued at around 31 billion pounds ($38 billion) including debt.

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

Liberty Global expects no major regulatory challenge to a deal to merge its Virgin Media unit with British mobile operator O2, owned by Spain's Telefonica , its chief executive said on Thursday.

British aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce said on Thursday it placed over 4,000 staff on furlough in the UK as it combats the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business.

Liberty Global has agreed to merge its Virgin Media cable company with the O2 mobile business owned by Spain's Telefonica to create a major new force in the British telecoms market.

Two weeks of coronavirus shutdown were enough to hit Air France-KLM with an 815 million-euro ($880 million) first-quarter operating loss, the airline group said on Thursday - predicting demand could take "several years" to recover.

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

Asian shares pared early losses on Thursday after Chinese exports proved far stronger than even bulls had imagined, while U.S. bond investors were still daunted by the staggering amount of new debt set to be sold in coming weeks.

Anheuser-Busch InBev , the world's largest beer maker, reported a decline in profit in the first quarter as coronavirus restrictions curbed drinking and said the second quarter would be "materially worse".

Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee's vow to end dynastic succession at South Korea's biggest conglomerate following three generations of Lee family control sparked skepticism on Thursday.

Asian shares pared early losses on Thursday after Chinese exports proved far stronger than even bulls had imagined, while U.S. bond investors were still daunted by the staggering amount of new debt set to be sold in coming weeks.

The British units of Liberty Global Plc and Telefónica SA will merge in a deal worth 24 billion pounds ($29.57 billion), the Financial Times reported https://www.ft.com/content/2b73a385-7218-47dc-83bf-18e6e3d5f8f4 on Thursday.

Smithfield Foods Inc will restart its plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota from May 7 after being idled for more than three weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, the world's biggest pork processor said late on Wednesday.

U.S. budget carrier Frontier Airlines withdrew on Wednesday a "More Room" policy that would have given passengers the option of paying extra to keep the middle seat empty on flights after a backlash from politicians, according to a letter to lawmakers seen by Reuters.

Sinclair Broadcast Group has agreed to pay a $48 million fine to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) resolving the probe into the company's abandoned deal to buy Tribune Media in what the agency said was its largest-ever civil penalty.

U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co's two ventures in China have reported year-on-year sales growth for April, indicating the world's biggest auto market has started its recovery from coronavirus-induced lows.

T-Mobile US Inc said on Wednesday it added more monthly bill paying phone subscribers than expected in the first quarter, thanks to a surge in demand for cheaper phone services as people work from home amid coronavirus lockdowns.

Asian stocks were set to come under pressure on Thursday as downbeat economic data pushed investors to safe havens and growing worries about falling demand sent oil prices lower.