April 12, 2021 Biz in 60

Microsoft agrees to buy AI firm Nuance for about $16B Microsoft has agreed to buy artificial intelligence and speech technology firm, Nuance Communications, for about 16 billion dollars. The deal marks the US software giant's largest acquisition since it bought LinkedIn for more than 26 billion dollars in 2016. Microsoft and Nuance partnered in 2019 to roll out AI systems that help doctors with administrative tasks. Alibaba shares jump after $2.75B anti-monopoly fine Shares in Alibaba have jumped as much as 16-percent, after Chinese regulators fined the e-commerce giant 2-point-75 billion dollars for abusing market dominance. The company says the penalty marks an end to investigations into its online practices. Jack Ma's business empire has come under scrutiny since the billionaire's public criticism of China's financial regulator in October. Turkey's unemployment rate rises to 13.4% in February Turkey's unemployment rate rose to 13-point-4 percent in February. The figure was recorded before authorities eased coronavirus restrictions, and marked an increase from 12-point-7 percent in the previous month. Meanwhile, the country's current account deficit widened to 2-point-6 billion dollars in the same month.