Sberbank is changing the base rates for unsecured consumer loans from May 3. Now the cost of such a loan will depend on its size - the larger the amount, the lower the rate. Previously, Sberbank rates on consumer loans were tied to the loan amount only within the framework of individual promotions. From now on, the minimum base rate – 11.9% per annum – will be assigned for loans in the amount of 1 million rubles or more.

Apple's net profit in the second fiscal quarter of 2018 increased by 25.3% compared to the same period last year and amounted to $13.8 billion, according to the company's financial statements. The company's board of directors decided to launch a new share buyback program worth $100 billion and increase quarterly dividends by 16%. Apple's revenue in the reporting period increased by 16% and amounted to $61.1 billion. Foreign operations accounted for 65% of the company's revenue.

Most of the 128 Eurofighter multirole fighters in service with Germany are unsuitable for military operations, Der Spiegel writes, citing sources. According to the publication, most fighters are not allowed to fly due to possible problems with the containers located on the wings. The aircraft's cooling system and sensors are installed inside these containers. Under significant loads, a liquid leak may occur , which, in turn, will lead to malfunctions in the sensors.

02 May 2018, 17:21 / Business Banks refuse to work with FIDE because of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov The International Chess Federation has lost access to the financial system Mikhail Overchenko Kirsan Ilyumzhinov does not want to give in to pressure from the USA and FIDE colleagues The International Chess Federation (FIDE) lost access to the financial system: Swiss UBS closed its account over the weekend, and no other bank was willing to take it on as a client.

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) has expanded sanctions against Russia. In particular, the NSDC decided to synchronize the sanctions list of Kyiv with the list of the US Treasury Department. This was stated in a statement by the NSDC press service.

The election of a new Prime Minister of Armenia is scheduled for May 8, Interfax reports, citing a statement by the country's parliament speaker Ara Babloyan. "On May 8 at 12:00, a special session of the Armenian parliament will begin to discuss the issue of the election of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia," the document said. Candidates for the post of Prime Minister of Armenia have not yet been nominated.

Acting head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Leonid Pasechnik stated that the armed conflict in Donbass is entering a new stage, RIA Novosti reports. “The new wave of military and terrorist activity in Donbass by the current Ukrainian authorities is once again moving the conflict into a hot phase,” he said. According to him, Ukrainian servicemen have increased the intensity of shelling, which is why the conflict is escalating.

Protests resume in Armenia after parliament fails to elect Pashinyan as prime minister / Sergei Grits / AP The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) will support the candidate nominated by one-third of the parliament members in the May 8 prime ministerial elections, RPA faction leader Vahram Baghdasaryan said on Wednesday. The country's ruling party will not nominate its own candidate.

In the skies over the Baltic Sea, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet made an “unprofessional” approach to a US Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon, CNN reports, citing two sources. According to their information, the incident occurred on May 1. The Su-27 approached the American aircraft to a distance of 20 feet (about 6 m). The aircraft were at a close distance from each other for about 9 minutes. According to a US Navy spokesman, the Su-27 made an "unprofessional but safe" interception.

02.05.2018 What is the difference between those who are obsessed with work and just passionate about it? Advertising Advertising

The American investment company Lantern Capital bought the bankrupt production company The Weinstein, founded by the brothers Harvey and Robert Weinstein, the Financial Times writes . In March, Lantern offered $ 10 million in cash and $115 million to cover project obligations for The Weinstein.

A top executive and six members of Xerox's board of directors are stepping down, including CEO Jeff Jacobson and Chairman Darwin Deason, the company said in a press release . As Bloomberg writes, the decision to leave was made under pressure from two of the company's investors , Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason. Following a board reshuffle, Xerox's deal with Fujifilm is now in jeopardy.

02 May 2018, 14:38 / Business One of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world has declared bankruptcy undefined Vedomosti One of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world, the American company Gibson, has declared bankruptcy, USA Today and Bloomberg report. The company's debt is about $500 million. The company previously began the process of business reorganization. Financial problems began with division Gibson Innovations , an electronics .

The EU Court rejected Naftogaz's claim to overturn the European Commission's decision granting Gazprom expanded access to the Opal gas pipeline. The corresponding court decision is posted in the document database of the EU Council.

The US authorities extended the deadline for the sale of assets of Russian companies subject to sanctions on April 6. In particular, the sale period has been extended by a month - from May 7 to June 6 this year. We are talking about the sale of assets of En+, Rusal and GAZ. The relevant amendments were published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury. The updated documents say that American investors must get rid of the assets of Russian companies by June 6.