HONG KONG (Reuters) - HSBC Holdings ( HSBC ) reported a slight decline of 0.4% in first-half profit on Wednesday but still beat analyst estimates, as its businesses benefited from higher interest rates worldwide while robust growth in its wealth business boosted revenue. Europe's largest bank posted pretax profit of $21.6 billion for the first six months this year versus...

BERLIN (Reuters) - German flag carrier Lufthansa expects lower earnings in the third quarter as yields slump and unit costs increase, the company said on Wednesday. Airfares around Europe and Asia have started to plateau or fall, signalling that a prolonged post-COVID travel boom is waning and delivering a setback for airlines struggling with higher costs and limited aircraft availability....

PARIS (Reuters) - Jet engine and equipment maker Safran reaffirmed financial targets as it posted higher first-half profit on Wednesday, led by growth in the demand for spares and maintenance for existing aircraft and an end to losses in aircraft interiors. The French aerospace company said recurring operating income rose 41% in the first half to 1.974 billion euros ($2.14...

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Oil futures rebounded more than $1 a barrel from 7-week lows on Wednesday after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran ratcheted up tensions in the Middle East, but prices stayed under pressure from concerns about weak China demand. Brent crude futures climbed $1.17, or 1.5%, to $79.80 a barrel by 0346 GMT ahead of expiry...