Daily news - 06.12.2019
Published: 06. 12. 2019

SLOVENIA

New SSH chairman calls for new strategy in managing state assets

Gabrijel Škof, the new chairman of Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), believes the strategy for managing state assets needs to be revised and adjusted to the changes in the portfolio as well as economic and political changes. (STA)

Govt adopts positions for final stage of EU budget talks

The government has adopted positions for the final stage of negotiations on the EU's next long-term budget. Those remain confidential, but unofficial information indicates that Slovenia will try to reduce cutbacks to cohesion funds that are being proposed by the Finnish presidency. (STA)

Počivalšek reported to EU Commission over Mercator intervention

Mercator's bankrupt Croatian owner Agrokor and the newly established Fortenova group, which has taken over Agrokor's assets, have reported the Slovenian Economy Ministry led by Zdravko Počivalšek to the European Commission over his interference in the transfer of Slovenian retailer Mercator to Fortenova, the newspaper Dnevnik reported. (STA)

Bankruptcy proceedings initiated for Istrabenz

Bankruptcy proceedings have been initiated for Istrabenz, a once mighty financial holding, as the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), its creditor and major shareholder, moved to secure its claim with what little assets Istrabenz has left. (STA)

Competition watchdog clears Abanka acquisition

NKBM bank has received clearance from the Competition Protection Agency to acquire rival Abanka. The EUR 444 million transaction will be completed once the banking regulator has okayed the deal as well. (STA)

Regulator approves Generali's takeover of Adriatic Slovenica

The Insurance Supervision Agency has approved the takeover of insurer Adriatic Slovenia by Generali CEE, an affiliate of Italy's Generali Group, with the procedure to be finalised with the entry into the court register, expectedly at the beginning of 2020. (STA)

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Stocks close little changed in choppy trading; European markets edge lower; Kering eyes Moncler

Stocks were little changed on Thursday as investors digested strong employment data while monitoring U.S.-China trade negotiations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 9 points, or 0.04%. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also hovered around the flatline. Nike led the slight gains for the Dow, rising 1.8% after a Goldman Sachs analyst upgraded the stock.
U.S. weekly jobless claims dropped 203,000 last week, the Labor Department said. That’s below a Reuters estimate of 215,000. The print was the lowest in seven months.
European stocks proved a mixed bag Thursday as investors monitored U.S.-China trade, data releases and an OPEC meeting. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally 0.08% lower. Retail and construction stocks were among the top-performing sectors. Luxury stocks granbbed the headlines outperformed on reports that Kering is considering buying the Italian brand Moncler. Shares of the latter rose 6.9%.

Serbia’s external trade in the first ten months of 2019 cca 35 bln EUR

The value of Serbia’s external trade in goods stood at 34.09 billion euro in the first ten months of this year, which is 7.5% more than the same period last year, with exports growing by 7.3% and imports by 7.8%, announcedthe State Statistical Office. Total export of goods stood at 14.60 billion euro, while the import amounted to 19.48 billion euro, so the deficit was 4.88 billion euro, an increase of 9.2%. The import to export ratio amounted to 74.9% and is lower than in the same period of 2018, when it was 75.3%. (Tanjug)

Back to news