CCL.L - Carnival plc
| Previous close | 3,062.00 |
| Open | 3,064.00 |
| Bid | 3,019.00 x 0 |
| Ask | 3,021.00 x 0 |
| Day's range | 3,008.00 - 3,067.00 |
| 52-week range | 2,966.00 - 4,393.00 |
| Volume | 1,060,250 |
| Avg. volume | 787,288 |
| Market cap | 21.325B |
| Beta (5Y monthly) | 1.20 |
| PE ratio (TTM) | 6.97 |
| EPS (TTM) | 432.00 |
| Earnings date | 24 Mar 2020 - 30 Mar 2020 |
| Forward dividend & yield | 1.55 (5.05%) |
| Ex-dividend date | 20 Feb 2020 |
| 1y target est | 68.94 |
- Yahoo Finance
What will the coronavirus do to cruise ships
It's certainly not the best of times for the big three publicly traded cruise ship companies: Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.
- Bloomberg
U.S. Raises Japan Warning; Surge in South Korea: Virus Update
(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. raised its travel warning to Japan -– more evidence of the fear of the coronavirus’s spread and that the window to stop a global pandemic is closing.Iran, Italy and South Korea reported new deaths Saturday. In total, there are some 77,000 cases worldwide, with over 2,300 deaths, almost all in China.South Korea reported 229 new cases, almost half of them linked to members of a religious sect, including most of the patients at a hospital’s psychiatric ward.The World Health Organization sent a medical team Saturday to Wuhan, the disease’s epicenter but did not issue any immediate findings. Meantime, China leaders pledged easier monetary and fiscal policy to revive the economy.Key DevelopmentsSixth patient dies in Iran, a second in Italy and a third in South KoreaChina cases rise to 76,288, with 2,345 fatalities, as of SaturdaySouth Korea cases surge among church membersWord awaited from WHO mission to WuhanClick VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the novel coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here.U.S. Raises Threat Warning on Travel to Japan (3:02 p.m. NY)The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its alert level for travel in Japan to Level 2. That level warns of “sustained community transmission” and calls for “precautions for high-risk travelers,” such as those with chronic medical conditions.Though Japan has reported only one death -- amid nearly 80,000 cases and almost 2,400 deaths worldwide --- it has a relatively large number of cases, 121. Much of that was because of the spread on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.Sixth Iranian Reported Dead Amid Wide School Closures (2:15 p.m. NY)A sixth person died Saturday in Iran, in central Markazi province, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Iran’s health officials also reported 785 suspected cases, raising the possibility of far-wider infection. There are 28 confirmed cases.Officials ordered schools in six provinces closed. Soccer teams, concerts halls, theaters and cinemas have also been told to cancel events, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The health ministry later said it closed universities in 10 provinces.Kuwait Airways said it would send planes to Iran’s second-biggest city of Mashhad to evacuate more than 700 Kuwaiti citizens. Private flights have been halted.Israelis and Palestinians Contain Possible Spread from South Koreans (2:10 p.m. NY)Israel and the Palestinian Authority took steps to contain the virus’s spread after nine South Korean tourists who recently visited tested positive.Israel’s health ministry imposed a two-week quarantine on people in contact with the visitors, who traveled to historic sites and cities like Jerusalem and Ramallah. The Palestinian ministry of interior said the visited sites will be closed. Israel also blocked the entry of South Korean tourists on Saturday. The country reported its first case of the virus on Friday.Britons Arrive Back from Diamond Princess (11:40 a.m. NY)The U.K. Foreign Office said 32 British and European citizens arrived from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan. “Our number one priority has consistently been the health and safety of U.K. nationals,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.They are being transported to a hospital in northwestern England where earlier evacuees from Wuhan were quarantined.Iran Confirms Another Death, 10 More Cases (10:35 a.m. NY)Iran reported a fifth death from the coronavirus, the most outside China, according to state television. The country also confirmed an additional 10 cases, bringing the total to 28. Of the new cases, eight are in Qom, the epicenter of coronavirus in Iran, and two in Tehran, according to Kianoush Jahanpour, a health ministry spokesman said on state television.Northern Italy Has 51 Coronavirus Cases (8:42 a.m. NY)The Lombardy region has 39 coronavirus cases with another 12 cases in the Veneto, regional officials said in a press conference Saturday in Milan. Most of the cases are in the Codogno area, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Milan. A woman who was found dead in her home subsequently tested positive, the health secretary said. Earlier, three tourists in Rome were diagnosed with the virus.South Korean Psychiatric Ward Infected (6:26 a.m. NY)Almost all patients at a psychiatric ward of a South Korean hospital tested positive for the coronavirus, with local reports saying a religious sect with followers who were infected had attended a funeral in the same complex. Two confirmed deaths in South Korea are from the Cheongdo hospital’s mental health division, Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday.Italian Deaths Lead to Lockdown (6:10 a.m. NY)The new coronavirus is hitting northern Italy’s Lombardy and Veneto regions, where the number of infected people rose to 30 in about 24 hours, according to local media. In Lombardy, a dozen towns in the Lodi area were locked down Saturday after the virus claimed a second victim in the country. More than 50,000 people were ordered to stay at home by the regional government, according to newswire Ansa. Businesses and restaurants closed and soccer games and Masses were canceled.UBS Chairman Says Effects Underestimated (6:09 a.m. NY)UBS Group AG Chairman Axel Weber said markets are underpricing the risk that the coronavirus poses to the global economy. It will go beyond the first quarter, Weber said in a Bloomberg TV interview during the G-20 Summit in Riyadh. By his estimates, global growth will experience a massive drop from 3.5% to 0.5% and China will post a negative growth rate in the first quarter. That’s not happened since at least 1990, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.Infections Spread in Hospital Psychiatric Ward (2:02 p.m. HK)A hospital near Daegu in Cheongdo County confirmed 111 cases, with 109 of those infected found to be in the psychiatric ward, either as patients or staff, according to Jung Eun-kyeong, director of South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nine hospital employees are infected, she said.Xi Pledges Easier Monetary Policy (12:50 p.m. HK)China will exercise more flexibility in monetary and fiscal policy, according to a statement issued after a Politburo meeting chaired by President Xi on Friday. The central bank could allow some lenders to hold fewer reserves and adjust the benchmark deposit rate at an appropriate time, Deputy Governor Liu Guoqiang said in a statement.China Reports Latest Numbers (9:01 a.m. HK)Chinese health authorities reported 109 more deaths from the virus, taking the total toll to 2,345, while the number of infections reached 76,288. There were also 2,393 patients discharged on Friday. Hubei province accounts for 63,454 confirmed cases and 2,250 deaths.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Ian Fisher in New York at ifisher10@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: James Ludden at jludden@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- Bloomberg
U.S. Raises Japan Warning as Infections Spread: Virus Update
(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. raised its travel warning to Japan as Iran, Italy and South Korea all reported additional deaths from the coronavirus.The spread of the virus outside its origin in China stoked fear that the window to prevent a pandemic may be closing. The World Health Organization, which has a team traveling to the epicenter in Wuhan, said the situation in Iran is “very worrisome” because of the lack of a direct link to China.Cases in northern Italy climbed to 51. Passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship returned to the U.K.South Korea reported 229 new cases and Yonhap News Agency said a third patient died. Almost half of the country’s additional cases were linked to members of a religious sect, including most of the patients at a hospital’s psychiatric ward.Key DevelopmentsSixth patient dies in Iran, a second in Italy and a third in South KoreaChina cases rise to 76,288, with 2,345 fatalities, as of SaturdayXi Jinping pledges easier monetary policySouth Korea cases surge among church membersClick VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the novel coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here.U.S. Raises Threat Warning on Travel to Japan (3:50 p.m.)The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its alert level for travel in Japan to Level 2. That level warns of “sustained community transmission” and calls for “precautions for high-risk travelers,” such as those with chronic medical conditions.Though Japan has reported only one death -- amid nearly 80,000 cases and almost 2,400 deaths worldwide --- it has a relatively large number of cases, 121. Much of that was because of the spread on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.Sixth Iranian Reported Dead Amid Wide School Closures (2:15 p.m. NY)A sixth person died Saturday in Iran, in central Markazi province, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Iran’s health officials also reported 785 suspected cases, raising the possibility of far-wider infection. There are 28 confirmed cases.Officials ordered schools in six provinces closed. Soccer teams, concerts halls, theaters and cinemas have also been told to cancel events, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The health ministry later said it closed universities in 10 provinces.Kuwait Airways said it would send planes to Iran’s second-biggest city of Mashhad to evacuate more than 700 Kuwaiti citizens. Private flights have been halted.Israelis and Palestinians Contain Possible Spread from South Koreans (2:10 p.m. NY)Israel and the Palestinian Authority took steps to contain the virus’s spread after nine South Korean tourists who recently visited tested positive.Israel’s health ministry imposed a two-week quarantine on people in contact with the visitors, who traveled to historic sites and cities like Jerusalem and Ramallah. The Palestinian ministry of interior said the visited sites will be closed. Israel also blocked the entry of South Korean tourists on Saturday. The country reported its first case of the virus on Friday.Britons Arrive Back from Diamond Princess (11:40 a.m. NY)The U.K. Foreign Office said 32 British and European citizens arrived today from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan. “Our number one priority has consistently been the health and safety of U.K. nationals,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.They are being transported to a hospital in northwestern England where earlier evacuees from Wuhan were quarantined.Iran Confirms Another Death, 10 More Cases (10:35 a.m. NY)Iran reported a fifth death from the coronavirus, the most outside China, according to state television. The country also confirmed an additional 10 cases, bringing the total to 28. Of the new cases, eight are in Qom, the epicenter of coronavirus in Iran, and two in Tehran, according to Kianoush Jahanpour, a health ministry spokesman said on state television.Northern Italy Has 51 Coronavirus Cases (8:42 a.m. NY)The Lombardy region has 39 coronavirus cases with another 12 cases in the Veneto, regional officials said in a press conference Saturday in Milan. Most of the cases are in the Codogno area, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Milan. A woman who was found dead in her home subsequently tested positive, the health secretary said. Earlier, three tourists in Rome were diagnosed with the virus.South Korean Psychiatric Ward Infected (6:26 a.m. NY)Almost all patients at a psychiatric ward of a South Korean hospital tested positive for the coronavirus, with local reports saying a religious sect with followers who were infected had attended a funeral in the same complex. Two confirmed deaths in South Korea are from the Cheongdo hospital’s mental health division, Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday.Italian Deaths Lead to Lockdown (6:10 a.m. NY)The new coronavirus is hitting northern Italy’s Lombardy and Veneto regions, where the number of infected people rose to 30 in about 24 hours, according to local media. In Lombardy, a dozen towns in the Lodi area were locked down Saturday after the virus claimed a second victim in the country. More than 50,000 people were ordered to stay at home by the regional government, according to newswire Ansa. Businesses and restaurants closed and soccer games and Masses were canceled.UBS Chairman Says Effects Underestimated (6:09 a.m. NY)UBS Group AG Chairman Axel Weber said markets are underpricing the risk that the coronavirus poses to the global economy. It will go beyond the first quarter, Weber said in a Bloomberg TV interview during the G-20 Summit in Riyadh. By his estimates, global growth will experience a massive drop from 3.5% to 0.5% and China will post a negative growth rate in the first quarter. That’s not happened since at least 1990, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.Infections Spread in Hospital Psychiatric Ward (2:02 p.m. HK)A hospital near Daegu in Cheongdo County confirmed 111 cases, with 109 of those infected found to be in the psychiatric ward, either as patients or staff, according to Jung Eun-kyeong, director of South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nine hospital employees are infected, she said.Xi Pledges Easier Monetary Policy (12:50 p.m. HK)China will exercise more flexibility in monetary and fiscal policy, according to a statement issued after a Politburo meeting chaired by President Xi on Friday. The central bank could allow some lenders to hold fewer reserves and adjust the benchmark deposit rate at an appropriate time, Deputy Governor Liu Guoqiang said in a statement.China Reports Latest Numbers (9:01 a.m. HK)Chinese health authorities reported 109 more deaths from the virus, taking the total toll to 2,345, while the number of infections reached 76,288. There were also 2,393 patients discharged on Friday. Hubei province accounts for 63,454 confirmed cases and 2,250 deaths.\--With assistance from David Stringer, Kanga Kong, Daniele Lepido, Arsalan Shahla, Kazunori Takada, Winnie Zhu, Manus Cranny, Marion Halftermeyer and Jihye Lee.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Kanga Kong in Seoul at kkong50@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Emma O'Brien at eobrien6@bloomberg.net, James LuddenFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- Bloomberg
The Most Coveted Product at Mardi Gras Isn’t Beads
(Bloomberg) -- New Orleans is a city familiar with fanaticism, from secret family recipes for gumbo to the Saints, continually ranked first in fan experience in the NFL. But if there’s a singular obsession for Who Dat Nation and beyond, it’s Camellia Brand beans, the key component in the city’s emblematic Monday specialty, red beans and rice. The unassuming red kidney beans, which are sold in clear bags decorated with the titular flower, are among the Crescent City’s most sought-after products. With only nominal nationwide distribution, they’re not easy to find outside the city; for a hungry diaspora, they’re the most prized component of a care package.“Camellia red beans are everywhere in New Orleans. They are the stuff of myth and folklore,” says Mason Hereford, chef and owner of the acclaimed Turkey and the Wolf. “If I was a chunk of andouille sausage, I would tirelessly walk these streets until I found myself a pot of Camellia red beans I could call home.”The dull red-colored beans have become so synonymous with New Orleans that they represent 90% of dry beans sold in the city and around $61 million in annual revenue for the brand, in good part because of the sales of the one dish. They are America’s No.1 selling red bean according to Nielsen. Their rich and creamy texture is notable, yes, but to explain their cult-like status is to embrace a tautology: Camellia red beans are the best because they are the best. Speaking for a lot of New Orleanians, chef Chris Montero of the city’s vaunted Napoleon House puts it this way, “Comparisons aren’t an option.” He doesn’t know how to contrast them to other brands because Camellia is the only one he’s ever used—and he goes through, and occasionally runs out of, about 50 gallons of pork-studded red beans a week.Camellia is the country’s oldest bean company, started in NOLA’s French Market in 1923 and still family-owned today. Fans include the city’s late culinary matriarch Leah Chase, of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, who maintained that they were the only beans anyone should use. A bag of Camellia red beans is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington next to a recipe collection inspired by Louis Armstrong. There are 18 varieties of Camellia legumes, sourced from farmers around the country. The red beans come from around half a dozen states in the Midwest and West, including Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and the Dakotas. Fourth generation owner Vince Hayward says that the company sometimes takes less than 10% of a crop in their search for plump, uniform beans.Camellia’s popularity comes at a time when more and more people are adopting plant-based diets and interest in new cuisines has increased. Sales have grow 9% year-over-year since 2015, while the global legumes market is projected to grow at a rate of about 6% from 2020 to 2023. (The USDA saw an almost 40% increase in legume consumption between 2014 and 2017.) During Carnival season, consumption spikes, with an 11% bump in red bean sales for Camellia. The company sponsors the Dead Beans Parade on Lundi Gras, the Monday before Fat Tuesday (which is Tuesday, Feb. 25 this year), where revelers dress in customized bean-themed attire.This year, the company has also joined a new Mardi Gras initiative to provide an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional bead throws. The Grounds Krewe, a local nonprofit has created hand-sized bags of local food products including coffee beans, jambalaya mix and, of course, red beans. Camillia donated the beans although their name isn’t on the bags.“It’s more about the throw itself than a branding opportunity,” says Hayward. “Our beans get enough attention.”(Updates percentage of local sales and Jan. 2020 national Nielsen data in 4th paragraph. Adds Smithsonian exhibit in 6th paragraph.)To contact the author of this story: Kate Krader in New York at kkrader@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Justin Ocean at jocean1@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- Reuters - UK Focus
WRAPUP 12-Coronavirus spreads in China prisons, Korean church as fears weigh on global markets
BEIJING/SEOUL, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The coronavirus has infected hundreds of people in Chinese prisons, authorities said, as cases climbed outside the epicentre in Hubei province, including 100 more in South Korea and a worsening outbreak in Italy where officials announced the country's first death. Another 271 cases were reported in prisons in Hubei - where the virus first emerged in December in its now locked-down capital, Wuhan. Total cases of the new coronavirus in the Chinese capital neared 400 with four deaths.
- Reuters - UK Focus
Branson targets younger cruise crowd with DJs, tattoos and yoga
British entrepreneur Richard Branson will unveil the "Scarlet Lady" on Friday, a 60,000 tonne cruise liner complete with a tattoo studio and yoga deck aimed at drawing in a younger generation of holiday-makers. Despite the unfortunate timing, with passengers on one ship quarantined after hundreds caught the coronavirus and another turned away by five countries over fears someone on board may be ill, Branson sees cruises as a growth area. "I have dreamed of starting my own cruise line since I was in my 20s and I'm thrilled that moment has arrived," he said in a statement.
- Yahoo Finance
Coronavirus outbreak may keep cruise line industry underwater until 2021: expert
The cruise line industry may be struggling for some time due to the coronavirus.
- Zacks
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation & Plc and Royal Caribbean Cruises
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation & Plc and Royal Caribbean Cruises
- Reuters - UK Focus
UK to send an evacuation flight for Britons to depart Tokyo on Friday
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday that the government has arranged an evacuation flight for British nationals on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship to depart Tokyo on Friday. "We will continue to support British nationals who wish to stay in Japan," Raab said in a statement We will continue to support British nationals who wish to stay in Japan.
- Yahoo Finance
Manufacturing data, Norwegian Cruise Line earnings: What to know in markets Thursday
Thursday’s economic data earnings releases are poised to shed more light on the impact of the coronavirus to the domestic economy and individual companies.
- Yahoo Finance
Why cruise stocks are still attractive despite coronavirus: analysts
The coronavirus outbreak has taken a bite out of the stocks of major cruise operators over the past month. But once these concerns wane, shares of cruise companies could be in for smoother sailing, as underlying trends in the cruise industry remain largely positive, according to multiple analysts.
- Zacks
Does Coronavirus Crisis Throw Cruise Stocks in the Soup?
Cancelled travel bookings and a decline in new orders due to the coronavirus breakout are likely to dent 2020 earnings results for cruise companies.
- Yahoo Finance
Walmart, Apple warn of coronavirus hit to bottom line
Yahoo Finance is maintaining a working list companies that have been affected by the outbreak, and are expected to feel the effects through the first half of the year.
- Bloomberg
Cruise Travel Risks Remain ‘Manageable’ Despite Virus, WHO Says
(Bloomberg) -- Cruise ship travel remains a “manageable risk” for now, and it doesn’t make sense to recommend a ban on it, the World Health Organization said, even as the return home of 3,000 travelers from two coronavirus-stricken cruise ships fuels fears of further contagion.“People say we should steer clear of cruise ships, or steer clear of airports or steer clear of certain ethnic groups,” Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, said at a press briefing Monday at the organization’s Geneva headquarters. “We have to be really careful” of such suggestions. “We need an approach to managing risk that allows us to continue to operate as a society.”The number of reported cases of coronavirus from two Carnival Corp. cruise ships, the Westerdam and the Diamond Princess, continues to raise questions about the effectiveness of containing the virus in such environments. Japanese authorities earlier Monday said 99 more people from the Diamond Princess tested positive for coronavirus. The vast majority of cases in the virus outbreak are in China, and people shouldn’t rush to judgment, Ryan said.“If we’re going to disrupt every cruise ship in the world on the off chance that there might be some potential contact with some potential pathogen, then where do we stop?” he said.To contact the reporter on this story: Hugo Miller in Geneva at hugomiller@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@bloomberg.net, Anne PollakFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- Reuters - UK Focus
Ex-divs to take 8.9 points off FTSE 100 on Feb 20
- Bloomberg
When Waving a Stick at Friends Backfires
(Bloomberg) -- Want to receive this post in your inbox every day? Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more.Trade and politics (especially geopolitics) have always gone hand in hand, though generally with the understanding that using trade as a weapon should be kept to a minimum. This past weekend shows us again how much that has changed.At the Munich Security Conference, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo had some relatively polite words in public to say about the transatlantic alliance, including the security umbrella provided by NATO. Behind the scenes, though, the waters are getting ever more muddied.Tensions are running high over Europe’s refusal to accede to U.S. demands for a full ban on China’s telecom giant Huawei in 5G networks. That’s as Washington continues to warn of the potential for tariffs against Europe on key products like cars and wine.Defense Secretary Mark Esper has now thrown NATO further into the fray. Speaking in Munich, he warned that unless Europe better appreciates the threat from China “it could compromise what is the most successful military alliance in history.”Any rift in NATO may have a major impact on security not just in Europe but also in the Middle East and North Africa. Witness the recent assertiveness of Turkey and Russia.Even so, you can expect Europe to keep pushing back as the U.S. continues to throw politics and trade into the same mixing bowl. America under Donald Trump is perhaps finding out that waving a big stick against longstanding friends without any carrot can backfire.Global HeadlinesContagion threat | More than 3,000 travelers on two coronavirus-stricken Carnival cruise ships are returning home, fanning out to more than 40 countries, fueling fears of further contagion. The startling number of cases on the Diamond Princess, which accounts for the biggest cluster outside of China, and the newly detected case from the Westerdam raise concerns about the effectiveness of containing the virus on cruise ships.China is considering delaying its most high-profile annual political meeting for the first time in decades. Health authorities in Taiwan are scouring travel histories, phone records and security footage to map out everyone who came into contact with a taxi driver who became its first confirmed virus death.Drawing criticism | Rival Democrats battling for the Nevada caucuses later this week have seized on Michael Bloomberg’s Republican past and comments about policing, women and race to argue he has no place in the crowded presidential primary field. Also facing more scrutiny: Amy Klobuchar, who finished third in New Hampshire.(Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.) Joe Biden, meanwhile, brushed off weak showings in the first two 2020 Democratic nominating contests and vowed to be the party’s presumptive front-runner by the end of March.Trade sparring | The chief U.K. Brexit negotiator, David Frost, is due to set out Britain’s goals for talks over its future relationship with the European Union in a speech in Brussels today as the two sides prepare to reach an agreement before the end of the year. The U.K. wants a deal similar to those the EU agreed to with other countries, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian yesterday pointed to “serious issues,” including fishing.Bleak prospects | Top government officials meeting in Munich made little progress in securing an end to the Libyan civil war, with a senior United Nations official calling an agreed-to arms embargo on the oil-rich North African nation “a joke.” It was part of an effort to end a 10-month conflict between Fayez al-Sarraj, Libya’s UN-backed prime minister, and his rival General Khalifa Haftar. A joint military committee aiming to lock in a permanent cease-fire will start work tomorrow in Geneva.Escalating tensions | Turkey is sending a delegation of military, intelligence and diplomatic officials to Moscow today to seek a way out of the crisis in northwestern Syria that’s straining ties between Ankara and Moscow. Turkey is trying to end an offensive by Russian-backed Syrian forces on the country’s last rebel stronghold of Idlib, while Russia accuses Turkey of failing to abide by agreements to ease hostilities by deploying its forces to the area.What to WatchDemocratic presidential candidates debate Wednesday in Las Vegas ahead of the Feb. 22 Nevada caucuses. Longtime Republican operative Roger Stone is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday for witness tampering and lying to Congress, a case that has sparked a crisis at the Justice Department. Group of 20 finance ministers meet in Saudi Arabia Feb 22-23 where the economic cost of the coronavirus is likely to take center stage. Pompeo began a three-nation visit to Africa yesterday that includes stops in Senegal, Angola and Ethiopia. Iran’s parliamentary elections on Friday are expected to mark the beginning of the end of President Hassan Rouhani’s brand of moderate policies, with hard-liners and ultra-conservatives tipped to win a majority. President Emmanuel Macron’s party chose his health minister to run for mayor of Paris next month after the release of sex videos led its initial pick to withdraw — the latest setback for the French leader.Thanks to all who responded to our pop quiz Friday and congratulations to reader Jack Silvers, who was the first to correctly name Rafael Correa of Ecuador as the former Latin American president who went on trial last week on charges of campaign finance fraud and accepting bribes. Tell us how we’re doing or what we’re missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net.And finally ... We’ve had “Howdy Modi.” Now it’s “Namaste Trump.” That’s how the western Indian city of Ahmedabad is advertising the event where the U.S. president and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to share the stage at a cricket stadium on Feb. 24. It follows Modi’s trip to the U.S. in September where he walked hand-in-hand with Trump at a rock concert-like event at a Houston football arena. The Hindi “Namaste” means “hello” in English. \--With assistance from Muneeza Naqvi.To contact the author of this story: Rosalind Mathieson in London at rmathieson3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.net, Ruth PollardFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- Reuters - UK Focus
Cruise firm seeks new virus test for passenger from ship in Cambodia
More tests are needed to confirm that an American passenger from a cruise ship docked in Cambodia has the new coronavirus after she tested positive in Malaysia, the MS Westerdam's operator said on Sunday. The 83-year-old woman was the first passenger from the MS Westerdam, operated by Carnival Corp unit Holland America Inc, to test positive for the virus. "While the first results have been reported, they are preliminary at this point and we are awaiting secondary testing for confirmation," Holland America said in a statement.
- Reuters - UK Focus
Malaysia says American from cruise ship tests positive for new coronavirus
Malaysia said on Saturday said an 83-year-old American passenger on a cruise ship that docked in Cambodia has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The American woman took a flight to Malaysia on Friday from Cambodia, the Malaysian health ministry said in a statement, adding that her husband had tested negative. The Westerdam, operated by Carnival Corp unit Holland America Inc, docked in the port of Sihanoukville, Cambodia on Thursday after being shunned by several countries on fears that passengers could be carrying the virus.
- Reuters
Coronavirus concerns loom over cruise industry
NEW YORK/BENGALURU (Reuters) - The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease is taking a toll on the $46 billion global ocean cruise industry. Dominated by three U.S.-listed companies, Carnival Corp, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the industry is under sharp scrutiny following the virus outbreak that has left one ship quarantined in Asia. Many see Asia as a potential growth area for cruise tourism: 39 cruise brands were active in Asian waters last year, deploying a total of 79 ships, according to trade group Cruise Lines International Association.
- Reuters - UK Focus
GRAPHIC-Coronavirus concerns loom over cruise industry
NEW YORK/BENGALURU, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease is taking a toll on the $46 billion global ocean cruise industry. Dominated by three U.S.-listed companies, Carnival Corp , Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the industry is under sharp scrutiny following the virus outbreak that has left one ship quarantined in Asia. Many see Asia as a potential growth area for cruise tourism: 39 cruise brands were active in Asian waters last year, deploying a total of 79 ships, according to trade group Cruise Lines International Association.
- Reuters
Cruise industry gives Asia a wide berth as it seeks to limit coronavirus risks
The plight of the cruise ship off Japan with more than 200 coronavirus infections and the shunning of another by five ports despite no known cases has led to a sharp change in tack for an industry in shock: avoid Asia. To that end, many cruises in the region are being cancelled while others currently sailing are being re-routed, skipping originally scheduled stops in China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd on Thursday cancelled 18 cruises in Southeast Asia after calling off eight trips to China last week.
- Reuters
Royal Caribbean cancels 18 cruises, warns coronavirus hit to yearly profit
The epidemic, which originated in China's Hubei province and has killed more than 1,300 people, has taken a toll on cruise operators as travel restriction and fear of the virus spreading have led to cancellations of trips to the Far East. Last week, Royal Caribbean said it canceled eight cruises out of China through March 4 and warned of a 25 cent impact to its first quarter earnings. The company said the 18 canceled cruises would cut its full-year earnings per share by 65 cents, warning that cancelling all its remaining sailings in Asia through the end of April, would reduce its earnings per share by another 55 cents in 2020.
- Skift
Carnival Corp. Downgrades Earnings Guidance as Diamond Princess Remains Quarantined
Carnival Corp. issued updated earnings guidance on Wednesday, speculating on the impact of suspending its cruise operations in Asia until the end of April due to the coronavirus, or Covid-19. It said such measures would affect its 2020 financial performance by $0.55 to $0.65 per share, an estimate which includes what it would have to […]
