Qatar’s outlook cut by Moody’s amid Saudi-led blockade even as Gulf country ramps up gas output

Even as Qataraimed to ramp up its lucrative LNG exports in the midst of a tense diplomatic crisis, ratings agency Moody’s has cuts the outlook on the country’s sovereign credit to negative from stable. The ratings agency said the change was due to the...

Using sex robots to prevent rape, pedophilia a ‘dangerous path to tread’, experts say

Sex robots will be unlikely to prevent sex crimes like rape and pedophilia and could actually “reinforce illicit sexual practices”, a new report by robotics experts suggests. The paper, called “Our Sexual Future With Robots” by the non-profit...

China private equity player GSR eyes stake in $9 billion Chilean lithium miner SQM: Sources

Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital is looking to buy a substantial holding in Chile’s Sociedad Quimica Y Minera (SQM), one of the world’s biggest lithium producers, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. GSR could buy a stake of around...

Markets brace for UK service sector and car sales data – business live

3.33am EDT03:33 A Persimmon construction site in Dartford. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters In the City, shares in housebuilder Persimmon have jumped by 3.5% to the top of the FTSE 100 leaderboard after posting strong financial results this morning. Persimmon completed...