Automaker Porsche has been named the best employer in Germany for 2020, in a new analysis. The luxury vehicle manufacturer was ranked as the number one firm to work for in the country in a report published Wednesday by global jobs site Glassdoor. Infineon employees told Glassdoor they were happy with their pay, flexible working hours and being given autonomy over their work schedules. Engineering firm Bosch was named Germany’s third-best employer, with workers satisfied with career development o

The pound could rally to 1.40 against the dollar: Standard CharteredEric Robertsen of Standard Chartered Bank says fiscal stimulus will be “extremely positive” for the British pound. He says he expects the U.K. to pursue a fiscal program over the next 18 months.

Goldman Sachs sees a “pretty big opportunity” for the Indonesian rupiah in 2020, according to one strategist at the investment bank. On the domestic front, Indonesia is “a story of stability,” Pandl told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Friday. You have a pretty good governance picture in Indonesia and you have a central bank that is trying to keep the currency relatively stable.” The rupiah, which was at 14,010 per dollar on Wednesday morning Asia time, has risen more than 2.5% so far this year. Pandl sa

Indonesia’s fires have been an annual problem for decades, though this year’s were particularly bad because of the dry weather. The total damage and economic loss from forest fires in Indonesia this year amounted to at least $5.2 billion, equal to 0.5% of gross domestic product, the World Bank said in a report on Wednesday. The World Bank also estimated a 0.09 and 0.05 percentage points reduction in Indonesia’s economic growth in 2019 and 2020, respectively, due to the fires. The European Centre

A mural for YouTube is displayed at the entrance to Google’s Kings Cross office in London, U.K., on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016. Google is the U.K.’s best company to work for in 2020, according to a new analysis. In a report published Wednesday by global jobs site Glassdoor, the tech giant was named the top employer in Britain for the year ahead. Technology firms led the way when it came to keeping workers happy, with companies in the sector securing four out of the top five spots in the 2020 ranking

SALFORD, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 19: In this handout image supplied by ITV, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn shake hands during the ITV Leaders Debate at Media Centre on November 19, 2019 in Salford, England. More than a fifth (22%) said they would vote to keep the right-leaning Conservative Party in power, while 15% said they planned to support centrist party the Liberal Democrats. University feesThe biggest shake-up for student finances would come from Jerem

European stocks traded cautiously Wednesday as investors await the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision and monitor developments ahead of the weekend’s U.S.-China trade tariff deadline. The pan-European Stoxx 600 hovered just above the flatline in early deals, with basic resources climbing 0.9% while retail and telecoms stocks fell 0.4%. The Fed’s final interest rate decision of the year is due later in the day stateside, with the central bank widely expected to hold rates steady. Stock

U.S. stock index futures were mixed Wednesday morning, as investors wait to hear from the Federal Reserve. ET, Dow futures dropped 15 points, but indicated a positive open of more than 14 points. Futures on the S&P and Nasdaq were both pointing to a slightly higher open. There is no clear indication that both countries will reach an agreement over trade that could stop or reduce the current level of tariffs. In its October meeting, the Fed decided to cut the Fed Funds Rate to a range of 1.5% to

U.S. government debt prices were lower Wednesday morning, as investors await updates from the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting. ET, the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to price, was higher at around 1.8312%, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also higher at around 2.2546%. Market focus remains largely attuned to global trade developments, amid conflicting signals about whether the U.S. will impose even more tariffs on Chinese goods from Sunday. Speaking at a

Another approach being taken by employers around the world is working five-hour days over a five-day week. But according to two CEOs who have implemented the five-hour day, slashing hours created unprecedented challenges in terms of recruiting and retaining talent. Stephan Aarstol, founder and CEO of Tower Paddle Boards — a California-based start-up backed by billionaire investor Mark Cuban — began trialing a five-hour day across the company in June 2015. He addressed that issue by modifying the

Apple CEO Tim Cook started his Wednesday with a Singaporean breakfast in the quaint and charming neighborhood of Tiong Bahru — one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore known for its 1930s streamline moderne architecture. On what appears to be Soh’s private page, he said, “Tim tried Chwee Kueh, Carrot Cake, Soya Bean Milk but his favourite was pandan flavoured Gao Teng Kueh.” Chwee kueh is a dish of steamed rice cakes topped with preserved radish. The carrot cake that Cook tried is likely a

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smile during a meeting at the second U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi on Feb. 28, 2019. As U.S.-North Korea relations turn increasingly tense amid rising rhetoric, analysts warn that it could signal an end to diplomacy between the two countries. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un risks losing “everything” if he acts in a hostile manner. To that, North Korean state media on M

The curt riposte to Blair’s desire to talk about his Christian faith reflects a general attitude in the U.K. — both among the political establishment and the general public — that politics and religion don’t mix well. In the case of the forthcoming U.K. election on Thursday December 12, however, political parties have been unable to dodge religion with controversies over discrimination coming to the fore for both the Conservative and Labour parties. The bigger prominence of religion in the 2019

Johnson’s center-right Conservative government holds a commanding lead in the latest opinion polls, with just one day to go before the election. CNBC takes a look at all you need to know about Britain’s voting system. British Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson arrives to speak at a general election campaign rally on December 9, 2019 in Quedgeley, near Gloucester, England. The U.K will go to the polls in a general election on December 12. If, as in 2017, the election produces an

The U.S. and China will probably announce some form of trade deal ahead of Sunday — when additional tariffs on Chinese goods are due to kick in — and that’s going to boost financial markets, say analysts. There will be an “eleventh hour” announcement about a deal on Saturday night, says Kenny Polcari, senior market strategist at Slatestone Wealth. “They’re going to come out and say ‘we’ve got a deal … we’re working on tweaking, fine-tuning it. U.S. President Donald Trump announced in October t

Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest initial public offering (IPO), surged past expectations as it debuted on the country’s stock exchange on Wednesday morning. Shares of the state-owned oil company rose to 35.2 Saudi riyals ($9.38) from 32 riyals in early deals in Riyadh, up 10% and hitting their daily limit. It gives it a valuation of $1.88 trillion and makes it the largest listed company in the world. The launch follows a weeks-long local roadshow around the Middle East that saw Aramco’s local l

For some people on your holiday shopping list, an “Instagrammable” moment beats a new pair of shoes or a sweater any day. Here are “experience” gifts for everyone on your list. This type of course can cost as little as little as $45 per person in some locations. “In terms of our price points, most of our customers are spending between $150 and $200 on experience gifts for two people,” says Geib. For the thrill seekerIndoor skydiving could be the perfect, once-in-a lifetime experience for the adr

India’s curve is going to get steeper rather than flatter: InvestorEven if India switches on fiscal stimulus, it doesn’t have a lot of room to make a big impact, says Leong Lin Jing of Aberdeen Standard Investments.

State Street: We’re still avoiding Hong Kong stocksBen Luk of State Street Global Markets says Hong Kong’s market is undervalued and under owned, but there are “a lot more opportunities” such as in the South Korean market.

Long haul flights still ‘incredibly important’ for us: Air New ZealandNick Judd of Air New Zealand discusses new routes and markets for the airline, including an ultra-long flight to New York.