L'Oreal bans all travel to Hong Kong

Paris - Cosmetics giant L'Oreal has banned all its staff from business travel to Hong Kong until October 6 in reaction to mounting unrest in the former British colony.

"It concerns all staff that would have to travel to Hong Kong," said a spokesperson for France's third largest company by market value, adding that an email was sent to staff on Monday.

Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters extended a blockade of Hong Kong's streets on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day.