Feed aggregator

The world's wealthiest nations poured unprecedented aid into the traumatized global economy on Thursday as coronavirus cases ballooned in the current epicentre Europe even as they waned at the pandemic's point of origin, China.

The outbreak of disease caused by the new coronavirus has raised questions about a phenomenon known as "herd immunity" and whether it might play a role in how the pandemic progresses.

China's aviation regulator has asked airlines to cut international flights and ordered some Beijing ones to be rerouted, as the country grapples with a rising number of imported coronavirus cases, especially in the capital.

Walt Disney Co , JPMorgan Chase & Co and United Parcel Service Inc were among seven major U.S. companies that accepted a big rise in their borrowing costs to issue bonds on Thursday, as the coronavirus outbreak roiled credit markets.

Asian shares sought a reprieve on Friday as Wall Street eked out gains, bonds rallied and oil boasted its biggest bounce on record, though a panicked rush into U.S. dollars suggested the crisis was far from done.

Luxury automaker Jaguar Land Rover said late on Thursday it would temporarily suspend production at its UK manufacturing facilities from next week to curb the coronavirus' spread.

Colombia will block entry to everyone traveling from abroad from midnight on Monday in an effort to control the spread of coronavirus, President Ivan Duque said on Thursday.

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Brazil surged past 600 on Thursday, more than doubling in two days, as a diplomatic spat over the disease's origins between President Jair Bolsonaro's son and the Chinese ambassador threatened relations with Brazil's top trading partner.

From Brazil to Norway, policymakers are leaping to defend currencies against the onslaught of the dollar which scaled three-year peaks on Thursday, raising speculation that a joint move by the world's biggest central banks may be in the offing.

Bentley will stop car production at its British factory from the end of Friday for four weeks over the coronavirus outbreak, one of the final automakers in Britain to announce such plans.

Shattered airlines were left counting the cost of government support as politicians in the United States and New Zealand set out conditions for bailouts needed to absorb the shock of coronavirus.

On St. Patrick's Day last year, Amy and Chris Hillyard marked the 30th anniversary of Farley's, their pair of cafes in San Francisco and Oakland, California, with live bagpipes and noisy crowds.

By Barbara Goldberg, Nate Raymond, Jessica Resnick-Ault and Lucy Nicholson

Dunkin' Brands Group Inc on Thursday said it will ease royalty and advertising fee payments for franchisees in the United States and Canada, while McDonald's Corp is in talks to reduce some payments for franchisees.

The board of French carmaker Renault will meet on Friday to discuss the coronavirus outbreak and its effect on operations, three sources close to the company said.

General Motors Co said on Thursday that it will suspend operations at its plant in Mexico's San Luis Potosi state from March 20 to April 13 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Brazil's coronavirus death toll rose to seven on Thursday, including the first fatalities in tourist hotspot Rio de Janeiro, as Latin America's largest nation closed more borders to visitors and the foreign minister waded into a diplomatic spat with China.

Some Amazon sellers say the online retailer's abrupt decision to stop receiving non-essential inventory in response to the coronavirus pandemic could strangle the sales they need to make payments on their Amazon loans.

(This March 18 story corrects in seventh paragraph to clarify dress code is relaxed for operations staff but not Chase branch staff)

Former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley has resigned from Boeing Co's board after opposing its bid for government financial assistance due to the crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak.