MCDONALD 'S

A banner year came to a bumpy end for McDonald's, which lost sales in many markets due to the war in Gaza.

Global same-store sales - or sales at restaurants open at least a year - rose 3.4 percent in the October-December period, well below the 4.7 percent increase Wall Street was expecting.

McDonald's will pay 1.25 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in France to avoid a legal case over tax evasion between 2009 and 2020, under an agreement approved yesterday by a Paris court.    

Google takes the first place in this year's  BrandZ ranking of the most expensive brands in the world. Its value in dollars amounted to over $302 billion last year and it increased by 23%.

Following successful tests, McDonald's in Sweden and Finland are putting a vegan burger on their menu.

Consisting of a soy patty, bun, lettuce, pickles, onion, mustard, oil and an egg-free sauce, the vege-based sandwich would be rolled out December 28. 

However, the vegan alternative would not be coming to New Zealand, a local spokesman confirmed.