Business digest: pricier parcels from China, Alphabet slump, OTP Bank–Luminor deal
The Delfi Bizness portal's Thursday roundup covers the main business news in Latvia and abroad. It mentions the OTP Bank and Luminor deal receiving European Commission approval, costlier parcels from China and a slump at Alphabet.
The news portal Delfi Bizness has published a Thursday digest of the main business and economic developments in Latvia and around the world. It briefly lists the topics that mattered that day to entrepreneurs, borrowers and investors.
Latvian highlights
The digest begins by noting that the deal between OTP Bank and Luminor has received approval from the European Commission, the EU's executive body. It also explains how far the remaining assessment of the deal has progressed. Parcels from China are reported to be getting even more expensive.
The roundup also mentions that a new type of renovation project for multi-apartment buildings has been completed, and that changes are coming at IKEA. For the first time in Latvia, several businesses have received partner status under the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, awarded by the EUROPARC Federation. Another item looks at projects in Alūksne that have drawn the attention of KNAB, Latvia's Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau, and the EPPO, the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
World and region
In international news, the digest says technology company Alphabet suffered a heavy fall, and it reports how much Samsung Electronics earned. It also states that the ECB, the European Central Bank, expects changes, and it mentions "good news for borrowers".
On the Baltic front, a subsidiary of an Estonian investment company has bought a Lithuanian agricultural group. A huge mineral fertiliser plant is also planned.
The digest further includes a survey on debts and a look at trends in the mortgage market. The source summary gives no figures or further details; these are found in separate Delfi Bizness articles.
