Business News

Amazon.com Inc said on Wednesday it leased 12 Boeing 767-300 converted cargo aircraft from Air Transport Services Group Inc , bringing its total fleet to more than 80, as it pushes for faster delivery to meet a surge in online orders.

Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday trip requests were gradually picking up, but still remained significantly below prior year levels, as several countries start to lift coronavirus-led restrictions.

Global equity markets rallied and the euro rose against the dollar on Wednesday, both for a seventh straight session, indicating strong risk appetite as easing lockdowns and hopes for more monetary stimulus boosted investor confidence.

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee said on Wednesday it opposed the Trump administration's plan to expand economic ties to Brazil under the leadership of President Jair Bolsonaro, given its record on human rights and the environment.

Monika Bacardi, a member of the family owning the maker of the eponymous rum, said her Liechtenstein-based trust was blocking her attempt to reshuffle the management team at the spirits group, uncovering a fight inside the family.

U.S. private payrolls fell less than expected in May, suggesting layoffs were abating as businesses reopen, though the overall economy's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will be slow.

Wall Street rallied broadly on Wednesday with the Nasdaq approaching record highs as signs of an economic recovery from mandated shutdowns helped investors look beyond U.S. social unrest and pandemic worries.

Oil ended slightly higher on Wednesday but remained below the session's early highs above $40 a barrel, the highest since March, retreating as doubts emerged about the timing and scale of a potential extension to the pact between OPEC and its allies to cut crude supplies.

A Minnesota pollution regulator said on Wednesday it will hold a public hearing this summer on Enbridge Inc's plan to replace its Line 3 oil pipeline, adding a potential three-month delay and pushing the bulk of construction to next year.

Delta Air Lines Inc said on Wednesday it will extend social distancing measures on its flights through Sept. 30 and will block the selection of middle seats and cap seating in every cabin.

Brazil's real surged on Wednesday after industrial output in the country fell less than expected, while Latin American stocks surged as major global economies were seen recovering from the coronavirus' economic rout. The real rose 2

Corporate agitators who had tread lightly as the deadly coronavirus spread in March and April stepped up the pressure on global corporations by launching 16 new campaigns in May, including five in Japan, data from Lazard Ltd show.

Five U.S. senators are to announce legislation on Wednesday to expand sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2, a natural gas pipeline that would increase exports to Germany but is opposed by many in Washington who say it would tighten Moscow's political and economic grip on Europe.

More than three out of four U.S. human resource executives think more employees will continue to work from home even after the threat of the novel coronavirus subsides, according to a survey by a large business association released on Wednesday.

Delta Air Lines Inc said on Wednesday it will extend social distancing measures on its flights through Sept. 30 and will block the selection of middle seats and cap seating in every cabin.

A Minnesota pollution regulator said on Wednesday that it will hold a public hearing this summer on Enbridge Inc's plan to replace its Line 3 oil pipeline, adding a potential three-month delay and pushing the bulk of construction to next year.

* Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets:

Five U.S. senators are to announce legislation on Wednesday to expand sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2, a natural gas pipeline that would increase exports to Germany but is opposed by many in Washington who say it would tighten Moscow's political and economic grip on Europe.

Canadian heavy crude's discount widened versus the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) on Wednesday as Alberta oil storage levels eased and Enbridge Inc's Line 3 pipeline faced added delays. * Western Canada Select (WCS) heavy blend crude for July delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, traded at $8.60 per barrel below WTI, according to NE2 Canada Inc, wider than Tuesday's settle of $7.65 under.

The chief executive of Pilgrim's Pride Corp, a major U.S. poultry company, was indicted along with three other current and former industry executives on charges of seeking to fix the price of chickens, the Justice Department said on Wednesday.