LONDON (Reuters) -British homewares retailer Dunelm said on Wednesday its full-year profit was expected to be "materially ahead" of market expectations after a record performance in the 13 weeks to Christmas.

Dutch health technology company Philips on Wednesday said it expected fourth-quarter core profit to drop around 40% to about 650 million euros ($739.25 million), hit by a global shortage of electronic components and the fallout of a massive recall of ventilators.

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's auto sales last year grew for the first time since 2017, industry data showed on Wednesday, boosted in part by strong demand for new energy vehicles (NEVs), which saw sales jump 1.5 times in 2021.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Property firms controlled by developers Shimao Group Holdings, Kaisa Group Holdings and Greenland Group have been named and shamed in a list of Chinese companies "consistently overdue" on commercial paper payments.

China's auto sales in December fell 1.6% from a year-ago period, the eight consecutive monthly drop, industry data showed on Wednesday, as the world's biggest car market was hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks and the global shortage of semiconductors.

Hong Kong will soon feel the negative effects of tougher COVID-19 quarantine curbs on air crew, with cargo traffic and the supply of goods into the city set to drop, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday.