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Image source: EssilorLuxottica Oakley and Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica's first-quarter sales continued on the path to recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, boosted by a strong rebound in China and the United States. The company, which makes sunglasses and spectacle frames for brands such as Chanel, Prada and Versace, was hit by coronavirus lockdowns and travel curbs last year, which knocked demand for sunglasses in particular. Sales in the first quarter jumped 14.3% at …

Image source: Société Générale Q1 2021 Financial Results presentation, May 6, 2021. Société Générale on Thursday recorded a higher than expected first quarter profit as its equities unit rebounded from an earnings wipeout to post its best performance in six years. France's third-largest listed bank, which tumbled in 2020 to its first full-year loss for a decade as the COVID-19 pandemic rattled its businesses, posted a 814 million euros ($977.37 million) net profit in the quarter against …

Video source: YouTube, WION By YURAS KARMANAU KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — On the front lines of the battle against Russia-backed separatists and in the halls of government in Kyiv, Ukrainians hold strong hopes for Thursday’s visit of the U.S. secretary of state — increased military aid and strong support for NATO membership among them. By visiting so early in his tenure, before any trip to Russia, Antony Blinken is signaling that Ukraine is a high …

Image: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, visiting students at Yorktown Elementary School, Yorktown, Virginia. May 3, 2021. Source: Instagram @potus. By COLLIN BINKLEY President Joe Biden has met his goal of having most elementary and middle schools open for full, in-person learning in his first 100 days, according to new survey data, but the share of students choosing to return has continued to lag far behind. The survey, conducted in March by …

Image source: Air France-KLM Results presentation, May 6, 2021 By Laurence Frost Air France-KLM sales are showing little sign so far of a travel upturn it still hopes to see by summer, the airline group said on Thursday, as it posted a wider first-quarter operating loss. Air France-KLM said it expects to operate 50% of its pre-pandemic flight capacity in the second quarter under way, ramping up to 55% to 65% in July-September. "We're waiting to …

Image: Aston Martin DBX. Source: Aston Martin Carmaker Aston Martin posted a smaller first quarter loss in 2021 of 42.2 million pounds ($59 million) and said it continued to take steps towards profitability, as its sales to dealers more than doubled. That compared with the 110.1 million pound loss the luxury brand posted in the same period last year, when it brought in fresh investment from billionaire Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll to shore up its finances. …

Video source: YouTube, BBC News By JAMEY KEATEN and ZEKE MILLER WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday joined calls for more sharing of the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic, a shift that puts the U.S. alongside many in the developing world who want rich countries to do more to get doses to the needy. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the government’s position, amid World Trade …

Image source: PayPal Q1-21 Investor Update, May 5, 2021 PayPal Holdings Inc reported its strongest first quarter on record and beat profit estimates on Wednesday, with a coronavirus-driven shift to online shopping and digital transactions boosting payment volumes. PayPal's quarterly performance builds on an equally strong 2020 for the company, which also saw record levels of payment volumes. San Jose, California-based PayPal processed a total of $285 billion in payments in the first quarter, up …

Image source: General Motors Q1 2021 Results presentation, May 5, 2021 By TOM KRISHER Detroit (AP) — General Motors’ first-quarter net income surged to $2.98 billion as strong U.S. consumer demand and higher prices offset production cuts brought on by a global shortage of computer chips. Despite the shortage, GM stuck with full-year pretax earnings guidance of $10 billion to $11 billion issued earlier in the year and said earnings would be at the high …