SoftBank IPO banks commit $9B

SoftBank Group has lined up commitments for a loan of about $9 billion for its massive Vision Fund, provided by banks including arrangers of its Japanese wireless business’s initial public offering, people with knowledge of the matter said. The IPO’s top underwriters, which include Nomura Holdings and Goldman Sachs Group, are finalising terms of the loan to the Vision Fund, the people said.

Ebay sues Amazon, alleges poaching

Ebay filed a lawsuit against Amazon Wednesday, saying the online retail giant used eBay’s messaging system to steal its sellers. In the lawsuit, eBay said Amazon representatives signed up for eBay accounts and messaged sellers to get them to sell their goods on Amazon.com, which eBay said violated its user agreement. According to the complaint, Amazon representatives spelled out their email addresses and asked eBay sellers to talk on the phone in order to evade detection.

WhatsApp working on linked accounts

WhatsApp is reportedly working out on three new features, including linking your account to Instagram, in order to improve its chat and notifications for its over 1.5 billion users. Apart from Linked Accounts, the two other features under development are: Vacation and Silent Mode, said WABetaInfo.

London’s black taxi cabs eye Paris

London’s black taxi cabs will hit the streets of Paris next year as the Chinese Geely-owned London Electric Vehicle Company continues its global expansion of the famous models. In 2017, the firm picked Amsterdam as its first foreign destination for the new electric version of the taxi and it has since announced expansion plans to Oslo, Berlin and Hamburg.