Brands seek Rio gold in new advertising playing field

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dozens of major companies and specialty brands that are not official Olympics sponsors have applied to run advertising campaigns featuring athletes ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, taking advantage of new rules that are shaking up the business of marketing surrounding the event.











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Tesla unveils $35,000-Model 3 with range of 215 miles

HAWTHORNE, Calif. (Reuters) - Tesla Motors gave a sneak preview Thursday of its Model 3 sedan, saying more than 130,000 people had ordered the car, even though it is more than a year away from production.


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Tesla fans camp out, form long lines to sign up for new Model 3

LA JOLLA, Calif. (Reuters) - Fans of luxury electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc camped out overnight and stood in long lines to put down deposits on its new more affordable model, due to be unveiled at an event on Thursday evening.


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Exclusive: Anbang partner says Starwood bid was dropped to avoid long battle

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Anbang Insurance Group Co walked away from its planned $14 billion offer for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc to avoid a protracted bidding war, one of the Chinese insurer's consortium partners said on Friday.


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Exclusive: Boeing takes spare-part making from Spirit AeroSystems

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co said it is ending an agreement with one of its largest suppliers, Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc , effectively taking away manufacturing of profitable spare parts used in aircraft repairs.


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Exclusive: Uber will use Progressive Insurance to cover Texas drivers

(Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] will use Progressive Insurance to provide coverage for drivers in Texas beginning on Friday, in a pilot that could lead the ride-hailing market leader to diversify its U.S. insurance purchasing from its current sole provider, Uber and Progressive executives told Reuters.











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Market volatility pummels equity deals to lowest in seven years: data

LONDON/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Worldwide share issues slumped to a seven-year low in the first quarter of the year, as market volatility claimed the hopes of companies seeking to list their stock, Thomson Reuters data showed on Friday.


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Nasdaq readies 'Ocean' dark pool for banks and brokerages

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nasdaq Inc is in negotiations with several brokers to host and run their private stock trading venues, or dark pools, within its data center, two of the exchange operator's executives said on Thursday.


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Takata air bag replacements lag at some automakers

DETROIT (Reuters) - Automakers have repaired or replaced only one-quarter of the estimated 29 million defective Takata Corp air bags in the United States, according to data supplied to U.S. auto safety regulators, with some companies lagging far behind others in terms of completed repairs.











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MetLife ruling bolsters other firms arguing systemic unimportance

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge's ruling that MetLife Inc is not important enough to warrant special regulatory scrutiny has opened the door for other non-bank financial firms to try and unshackle themselves from the designation of "too big to fail."


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U.S. judge rejects Lehman workers' claims on stock awards

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former senior employees of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc [LEHLO.UL] who once commanded seven-figure pay packages failed to persuade a federal judge to restore hundreds of millions of dollars of stock awards that become worthless after the Wall Street bank's collapse.


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Valeant directors, CEO ordered to cease trading shares

(Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc's directors and key officers have received a cease-trade order by the securities regulator in the Canadian province of Quebec, on the company's request, Valeant said on Thursday.


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U.S. jobs market firming, manufacturing regaining footing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, but a sharp drop in layoffs in March suggested the labor market momentum remained intact.


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Ford issues three recalls, including one that led to two fires

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Thursday it will conduct three separate safety recalls including one of sport-utility vehicles with a defective engine heater that led to two fires in Canada, in which no one was injured.











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Wall Street little changed at the open

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed at the open on Thursday, the last day of a turbulent quarter for financial markets.


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AIG CEO says MetLife ruling an opportunity for AIG

(Reuters) - A judge's ruling that MetLife Inc is not a "too big to fail" opens up an opportunity for American International Group Inc to also apply for exemption, AIG Chief Executive Peter Hancock said in an interview on CNBC on Thursday.


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GE Capital asks U.S. government to lift 'too big to fail' designation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Electric Co's GE Capital financing arm on Thursday asked the U.S. government to stop designating it as a "systemically important financial institution," a label given to companies considered "too big to fail."











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HK tribunal upholds action against Moody's for report on China companies

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Hong Kong tribunal upheld on Thursday disciplinary action against Moody's Investor Services for a report it published on Chinese companies, in a landmark decision that could curtail the services rating agencies can offer in the financial center.


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Impatient with Yahoo, some investors cheer Starboard effort

BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP's campaign to replace Yahoo Inc's board of directors is being welcomed by some investors who have grown impatient with the faded Internet pioneer's drawn-out process of selling its Web business.


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McDonald's to add over 1,500 outlets in China, Hong Kong, Korea

(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp said on Thursday it plans to add more than 1,500 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea over the next five years.


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Decline in financial settlements with U.S. Big Pharma: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The amount of money big U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers have paid to settle charges for violating federal health care laws has declined sharply in recent years, prompting a non-profit watchdog group to call for an increase in enforcement efforts.


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Fiat Chrysler talking with many non-core auto players: CEO

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is talking with many players outside the car sector about possible collaboration, Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said, and is keeping an open mind on what the possibilities might be.











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Asia stocks rise after Wall Street gains, dollar sags

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares rose on Thursday, taking early cues from Wall Street gains overnight, as receding worries of near-term U.S. interest rate hikes continued to buoy risk sentiment.


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Appaloosa calls for removal of SunEdison's TerraForm execs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire David Tepper's Appaloosa Management is seeking to overhaul TerraForm Power Inc's Conflicts Committee, claiming the company's controlling shareholder SunEdison Inc has breached its fiduciary duties.











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BlackRock planning to cut 400 jobs: source

(Reuters) - Global asset manager BlackRock Inc is planning to cut about 400 jobs, or 3 percent of its workforce, as it redirects resources to growth areas, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.


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Tata's UK steel exit raises expectations of European mergers

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Tata Steel's plan to sell its British steelmaking business has raised expectations of a long-awaited consolidation in the European steel sector, which is suffering from years of unaddressed overcapacity.


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U.S. district judge strikes down designation of MetLife as 'too big to fail'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer on Wednesday struck down the designation made by the heads of the country's financial regulatory agencies that major insurer MetLife Inc is systemically important to the U.S. financial system.


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General Motors found liable in first verdict over ignition switch defect

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. jury found General Motors liable on Wednesday for a defective ignition switch that prompted the recall of millions of vehicles, but declined to award any damages to two people who said they were injured in a car accident caused by the defect.


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SandRidge hires advisers to evaluate options including bankruptcy

(Reuters) - SandRidge Energy Inc said on Wednesday it had engaged advisers to evaluate options including a private restructuring or reorganization under Chapter 11.


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Valeant seeks waiver from lenders related to filing annual report

(Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc said it had asked its lenders to agree to waive a condition of its credit facility that would put it in breach of covenants if the company did not file its annual report by April 29, as planned.


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Central banks 'running out of time' to reflate economies: Bill Gross

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bond manager Bill Gross, who runs the Janus Global Unconstrained Bond Fund, said central banks are "running out of time" to reflate global economies as their aggressive policies including quantitative easing and low, even negative, interest rates are losing their effectiveness.


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Futures higher as Yellen soothes nerves over rates

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were higher on Wednesday, a day after comments by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen allayed concerns that the central bank would take an aggressive approach to raising interest rates this year.


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Thousands of jobs at risk as India's Tata Steel seeks British exit

LONDON/MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's Tata Steel is seeking to sell Britain's biggest steelmaking business, putting thousands of jobs at risk in an industry that once dominated Britain but has been brought low by falling prices, high costs and Chinese competition.


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Investors tiptoe back into emerging markets as storm clouds linger

LONDON (Reuters) - Emerging markets may well appear cheap again after years of attrition, but there's considerable trepidation about venturing back out to the developing world until the financial and political storms have finally lifted.











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Foxconn agrees to buy Sharp after slashing original offer

TOKYO/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foxconn agreed to acquire Sharp Corp at a big discount to its original offer after a month of wrangling that sowed more doubts over whether the two companies can work well together and fend off fierce competition from smartphone display rivals.











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Takata shares dive on report that airbag-related recall costs may be $24 billion

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Takata Corp could face about $24 billion in costs to recall its airbag inflators in a worst case scenario, Bloomberg news reported, sending its shares tumbling by a fifth to an all-time low.


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Boeing says it will cut more than 4,500 jobs

(Reuters) - Boeing Co will eliminate about 4,000 jobs in its commercial airplanes division by the middle of this year and another roughly 550 jobs in a division that conducts flight and lab tests, company spokespeople told Reuters.











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Five years after Japan quake, rewiring of auto supply chain hits limits

TOKYO (Reuters) - Five years after a huge earthquake temporarily crippled parts of Japan's auto supply chain, some companies have adjusted the industry's famed "Just in Time" production philosophy in a bid to limit any repeat of the costly global disruption.


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Finland hopes for new growth from shrunken forest industry

LAPPEENRANTA, Finland (Reuters) - It has created a modest 200 jobs in a Finnish forestry industry that has lost around 20,000 in the past decade, but UPM-Kymmene's new biofuels plant offers long-awaited growth and hope.











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Wells Fargo plans quiet assault on Wall Street from glass tower

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As Wall Street remakes itself on a former rail yard in the far west of Midtown Manhattan, one surprising name is leading the way.


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Shares, bonds rally, dollar off as Yellen hedges on rates

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares rallied on Wednesday as markets pared back expectations for how fast and how far U.S. interest rates might rise this year, bruising the dollar and boosting sovereign bonds.











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American Apparel names former Liz Claiborne head as chairman

(Reuters) - Teen apparel retailer American Apparel Llc has named the former head of handbag retailer Liz Claiborne Inc as chairman of its new board of directors, according to a letter to the company's wholesale customers obtained by Reuters.











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Music streaming company Spotify raises $1 billion in convertible debt

(Reuters) - Spotify has raised $1 billion in convertible debt from private equity firm TPG Capital and hedge fund Dragoneer Investment Group, a spokeswoman for the music streaming service said.


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Goldman raises $1.5 billion in infrastructure fund first close: sources

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc closed the first stage of fundraising for its newest infrastructure fund with about $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.











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GM sees U.S. market share stabilizing despite cut in fleet

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co plans to cut sales to U.S. rental car fleets by 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles this year without surrendering significant market share, the head of the automaker’s North American operations told Reuters on Tuesday.


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Higher taxes in Obama's budget would cut deficits: CBO

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's fiscal 2017 budget would produce $6.9 trillion in deficits over the next decade if enacted, about $2.4 trillion less than under current tax and spending laws, congressional forecasters said on Tuesday.











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Probe of Exxon's climate change disclosures expands

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The attorneys general of Massachusetts and the U.S. Virgin Islands said on Tuesday they will investigate whether Exxon Mobil Corp misled investors and the public about the risks of climate change, joining counterparts in New York and California. The announcements come just a few months after New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman subpoenaed Exxon to demand extensive financial records and emails in connection with its climate change disclosures.


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Yellen says Fed should proceed 'cautiously' given global risks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Tuesday that global risks were not expected to have a deep impact on the United States but that it was still appropriate for the Fed to proceed "cautiously" in hiking interest rates.











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NBC sells $1 billion in ads for Rio Olympics

(Reuters) - NBC, a unit of Comcast Corp , said it had sold $1 billion in national ad sales for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, as the network prepares to broadcast a rare Games where some of the most high-profile contests will air live in prime time for U.S. audiences.


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SunEdison at risk of bankruptcy, unit says; shares plummet

(Reuters) - U.S. solar company SunEdison Inc , whose aggressive acquisition strategy has saddled it with more than $11 billion of debt, is at "substantial risk" of bankruptcy, one of its two publicly listed units warned on Tuesday.


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Orange and Bouygues boards to meet Wednesday on telecoms tie-up: sources

PARIS (Reuters) - The Orange and Bouygues boards are scheduled to meet separately on Wednesday to discuss the planned sale of Bouygues's telecom unit, two sources close to the matter said.


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Futures slightly lower as investors await Yellen speech

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks index futures were slightly lower on Tuesday as investors await Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's speech for clues about when the central bank may raise interest rates.











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Bank of England warns on Brexit risks, tightens buy-to-let lending rules

LONDON, (Reuters) - The Bank of England said on Tuesday that risks around Britain's referendum on the European Union could push up borrowing costs and weaken sterling, and tightened rules for mortgage lending to landlords.











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Fed's Williams urges U.S. central bank to stay on track with rate rises

(Reuters) - The U.S. economy remains on track for a gradual path of rate hikes and fears over the impact of a slowing global economy and bouts of financial volatility are overdone, San Francisco Federal Reserve President John Williams said on Tuesday.











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Chrysler to recall 60,000 SUVs in China over ABS braking issue: watchdog

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's China unit will recall over 60,000 sport-utility vehicles in the country due to issues related to the cars' anti-skid braking (ABS) systems, a Chinese regulator said in a statement on Tuesday.


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Yahoo sets April 11 deadline for preliminary bids: WSJ

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc has set an April 11 deadline to submit preliminary bids for its web business and Asian assets, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources.


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Takata likely to increase capital around September as recall costs mount: Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Takata Corp is likely to seek more capital around September as it expects its finances to take a hit from a rise in costs to recall potentially defective air bag parts, Kyodo News reported on Tuesday.


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Campbell Soup to switch to BPA-free cans by 2017

(Reuters) - Campbell Soup Co, the world's largest soup maker, said it would completely switch to cans that do not use the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) for their linings in North America by the middle of 2017.


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U.S. expected to withdraw legal action against Apple

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is expected to withdraw its legal action in California seeking to force Apple to unlock an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters, a law enforcement official familiar with the situation said.


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Wynn Resorts CEO's ex-wife sues for control of her shares in company

(Reuters) - Wynn Resorts Ltd Chief Executive Steve Wynn's ex-wife Elaine Wynn has sued the billionaire casino mogul, accusing him of preventing her from exercising her rights as the company's stockholder and orchestrating her ouster from its board.


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Gundlach says April rate hike 'inconceivable' after lower GDP forecasts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jeffrey Gundlach, the widely followed investor who runs DoubleLine Capital, said on Monday that an interest-rate increase by the Federal Reserve in April is "inconceivable," given lower forecasts for first-quarter GDP growth.











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As earnings loom, McCormick tied to M&A as acquirer, target

NEW YORK (Reuters) - There is nothing bland about betting on McCormick.











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Japan's NTT Data agrees to buy Dell's IT services unit for $3 billion

(Reuters) - Japan's NTT Data Corp said on Monday it has agreed to buy Dell Inc's information technology consulting division for over $3 billion to expand in North America and bolster its services business.


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China's Anbang raises offer for Starwood to $14 billion

(Reuters) - China's Anbang Insurance Group Co raised its offer for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc to almost $14 billion, Starwood said on Monday, in the latest challenge to the U.S. hotel operator's merger with Marriott International Inc .











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Valeant CEO subpoenaed to testify before U.S. Senate panel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executive of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, which is under scrutiny for dramatically hiking the price of older drugs, has been summoned to testify at a U.S. congressional hearing on April 27, the panel said on Monday.


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U.S. consumer spending, trade data signal sluggish growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending barely rose in February and inflation retreated, suggesting the Federal Reserve could remain cautious about raising interest rates this year even as the labor market rapidly tightens.











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Wall St. opens higher on consumer spending data

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Monday after data showed consumer spending picked up in February, the latest sign that an economic recovery was gathering steam.


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Avon reaches deal with Barington Capital, avoids proxy fight

(Reuters) - Cosmetics maker Avon Products Inc said it had agreed to give activist investor Barington Capital Group LP the right to approve the appointment of an independent director to the company's board, avoiding a proxy fight.











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Oil prices edge higher in thin holiday trading

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed slightly in thin Easter holiday trading on Monday, adding to gains in recent weeks as optimism holds that a production freeze among major producers may be implemented.


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With crisis plans and cuts, British bosses brace for Brexit

HEREFORD, England (Reuters) - Above a factory floor of machines carving metal to within a millionth of a meter, Stephen Cheetham is preparing his company for the unknown: a British exit from the European Union.


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China bank profits flat-line as bad debts continue to soar

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Big Four state-run banks this week are set to report annual earnings growth that likely flat-lined after around a decade of terrific profitability, as a surge in soured loans continued unabated while economic expansion weakened.











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Loeb says Japan's Seven & I should shut more stores: Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) - Activist investor Daniel Loeb urged Japanese retailer Seven & I Holdings Co Ltd to shut more unprofitable department stores, in an interview with the Nikkei newspaper on Monday.











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Japan's negative rates a looming headache for central bank

TOKYO (Reuters) - Driving interest rates below zero, the Bank of Japan has turned a comatose government bond market into an enormous free-for-all, complicating the central bank's own efforts to kick-start growth and end deflation.


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Dollar, North Asia stocks firm on positive U.S. GDP data

SINGAPORE/TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar firmed on Monday and stocks in North Asia rose after fairly strong consumer spending led to an upward revision in U.S. economic growth in the fourth quarter, helping to underpin investor sentiment.











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Qatar's Al Jazeera network laying off 500 employees

DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar's Al Jazeera broadcasting network is laying off about 500 employees or more than 10 percent of its staff, it announced on Sunday reflecting financial pressures on the tiny Gulf state due to low global prices for oil and natural gas.


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Pakistan, Iran aim to boost trade to $5 billion

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan and Iran aim to increase annual trade volumes between the two countries to $5 billion by 2021, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday.











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Sharp, Foxconn to sign deal next week: sources

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sharp Corp and Taiwan's Foxconn are set to sign a takeover deal next week after repeated delays, with the two sides set to agree on a smaller bailout than originally planned for the troubled Japanese electronics maker, two sources familiar with the talks said on Saturday.


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British EU exit campaign backed by 250 business leaders

LONDON (Reuters) - The campaign for Britain to leave the EU has been backed by 250 business leaders including the former chief executive of HSBC, the Vote Leave group said on Saturday, hoping to counter the view that UK businesses back staying in the bloc.











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Microsoft meets with private equity over Yahoo deal

Healdsburg, CALIFORNIA (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp executives are in early talks with potential Yahoo Inc investors about contributing to financing to buy the troubled Internet company, a person familiar with the situation said.


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Senate's request for info from Ackman related to Valeant: source

BOSTON (Reuters) - U.S. legislators investigating price hikes in the pharmaceutical industry have asked William Ackman's hedge fund for information on Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc , according to a person familiar with the matter.


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U.S. approves $3.2 billion sale of Boeing P-8A patrol planes to UK

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government has approved the sale of up to nine Boeing Co P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes to Britain in a deal valued at up to $3.2 billion, the U.S. Defense Department said Friday.











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China-backed bank says more than 30 countries await membership

BOAO, China (Reuters) - More than 30 countries are waiting to join the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), adding to its 57 founding members, its president said on Friday.


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U.S. fourth-quarter GDP growth revised up; profits dive

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, but not as sharply as previously estimated, with fairly strong consumer spending offsetting the drag from efforts by businesses to reduce an inventory overhang.











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Despite oil’s decline, energy companies win with equity offerings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than a dozen companies in the hard-hit exploration and production energy industry have announced new share offerings this year – and have generally been rewarded in the stock market for the strategy.


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Uber profits elsewhere support 'sustainable' spending in China: CEO

BOAO, China (Reuters) - Ride hailing app company Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] is generating more than $1 billion in profit a year in its top 30 cities globally, and partly using that money to bankroll its expansion in China, Chief Executive Travis Kalanick said in an interview.











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Gilead ordered to pay Merck $200 million in hepatitis C drug patent dispute

SAN JOSE, Calif.,/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal jury on Thursday ordered Gilead Sciences Inc to pay Merck & Co $200 million in damages for infringing two Merck patents related to a lucrative cure for hepatitis C.











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BOJ tankan likely show biz mood worsens due to strong yen, global economy

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese manufacturers' confidence probably deteriorated to the lowest in nearly three years and it is expected to worsen in the coming quarter due to exporters concern over a strong yen and worries over the global economy, a Reuters poll showed.


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China hopes ZTE can be removed from U.S. export restriction list as soon as possible

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's commerce ministry said on Friday it hoped telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp could be removed as soon as possible from a U.S. list of companies slapped with tough export restrictions this month.


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Microsoft told potential Yahoo bidders it might back bids: report

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp executives are in talks with equity firms considering bids for Yahoo Inc! saying that Microsoft might be willing to offer "significant financing" for their efforts, tech news site Recode reported on Thursday.


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Economic data could put stocks back on higher path

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The March U.S. employment report and other key economic numbers next week could help U.S. stocks resume their recent winning path as long as that data hits the sweet spot: Not strong enough to add to worries about further interest rate hikes, yet not weak enough to cause concern about a recession.


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Exclusive: Honda and Takata's stealth airbag fix

DETROIT (Reuters) - In August of 2009, after ruptured airbag inflators in Honda vehicles were linked to least four injuries and a death, the automaker quietly requested a design change and did not notify U.S. regulators, Honda confirmed in response to inquiries from Reuters.











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Lockheed gets $1.5 billion deal for materials used in C-130J aircraft: Pentagon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp has won a contract worth $1.5 billion to buy titanium and other long-lead materials needed to build 28 C-130J military transport aircraft, the Pentagon said on Thursday in its daily digest of major contracts.











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Ackman's hedge fund cooperating with U.S. on drug pricing probe: letter

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire investor William Ackman, whose hedge fund is one the of the biggest investors in drug company Valeant, has been asked to supply information to U.S. legislators probing price hikes in the pharmaceutical industry.


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Playboy magazine publisher exploring sale: source

(Reuters) - Playboy Enterprises [ICONAP.UL], the owner of Playboy magazine, is exploring a sale, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, in a move that comes after the storied magazine stopped publishing nude photos of women and put up the iconic Playboy Mansion up for sale.


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Blackrock trials new financial messaging system

LONDON (Reuters) - Blackrock said on Thursday it was testing new financial messaging app Symphony, the first big global asset manager to confirm it is moving ahead with the system designed to address concerns over security and costs of monitoring staff online.


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Apple shares are one reason hedge funds lag mutual funds in 2016

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge funds may have taken too big a bite of Apple Inc .


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France fines Google over 'right to be forgotten'

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The French data protection authority said it has fined Google 100,000 euros ($111,720) for not scrubbing web search results widely enough in response to a European privacy ruling.


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Volkswagen, Porsche recall about 800,000 SUVs to check pedals

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen and its Porsche unit on Thursday said they were recalling more than 800,000 VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne sports utility vehicles as a precautionary measure, to fix a potentially faulty component on the pedal mechanism.


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More frequent attacks on Western countries lifts demand for specialist insurance

LONDON (Reuters) - Rising risks in developed countries after a string of deadly attacks are driving up demand for specialist insurance to cover losses stemming from such events, putting upward pressure on premiums, underwriters and brokers say.











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Brazil graft crackdown spurs work for lawyers, corporate change

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - In the midst of Brazil's worst recession in decades, lawyer Thiago Jabor Pinheiro switched firms to focus full-time on one of the only booming fields in the scandal-plagued country: compliance and corporate ethics.











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U.S. manufacturing still weak; labor market flexes muscle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods fell in February as the sector continued to struggle with the lingering effects of a robust dollar and lower oil prices.


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U.S. supports Argentina in appeal over debt injunctions

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government has urged a federal appeals court to uphold the lifting of injunctions that have restricted Argentina from paying off some debts in light of the country's efforts to settle litigation over bonds in default since 2002.


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Another U.S. rate hike may be around corner: Fed's Bullard

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Another U.S. interest rate hike "may not be far off" after the Federal Reserve stood pat last week and made only minor downgrades to economic forecasts, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on Thursday.


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Futures lower as strong dollar hits commodities

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were lower on Thursday ahead of the long Easter weekend as a stronger dollar weighed on commodities.











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Deutsche Bank hiring 100 staff to boost equities trading: source

LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is hiring about 100 people to boost its equities trading operations as it seeks to recover ground in an area seen as vital to its new strategy, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.


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Trump's tariff plan could boomerang, spark trade wars with China, Mexico

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's threats to slap steep tariffs on Chinese and Mexican imports may have won him votes in Republican primaries but they would likely backfire, severely disrupting U.S. manufacturers that increasingly depend on global supply chains.











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Starboard to launch proxy fight to remove Yahoo's entire board: WSJ

(Reuters) - Activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP, which is leading an investor revolt against Yahoo Inc's management team, is seeking to remove the entire board of the struggling Internet company, the Wall Street Journal reported.


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More Wall Street banks, investors help write blank checks

(Reuters) - An obscure corner of the U.S. IPO market is getting a new lease on life as more Wall Street banks and institutional investors turn to blank-check acquisition vehicles, once the domain of only a few underwriters and hedge funds, for better fortunes.


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World's biggest startup? Samsung Electronics to reform corporate culture

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd , the world's biggest maker of smartphones and memory chips, announced on Thursday that it plans to adopt a corporate culture akin to a startup, seeking to become more nimble as growth slows.











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Homeownership increasingly difficult for average Americans: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Home prices are rising faster than wages in most of the United States, making homeownership increasingly difficult for average Americans in some of the most populous areas of the country, according to a report released on Thursday.


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Yum in talks with KKR, Hopu, to sell stake in China unit: sources

(Reuters) - Yum Brands Inc is in talks with private equity firms KKR & Co LP and Hopu Investments, among others, over the sale of a minority stake in its China operations as it prepares to spin off the once booming unit, two sources familiar with the plans said on Thursday.











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Dollar rally batters commodities as Fed talks of tightening

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The dollar rose for a fifth straight session on Thursday, pressuring commodities and Asian share markets after yet another Federal Reserve official talked up the chances of more than one increase in U.S interest rates this year.


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No Cadillacs for old men in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - Cadillac, a favorite among America's older 'supper club set', is revving up sales to younger luxury buyers in China through smoother designs and localized production to keep prices accessible.


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VW, EPA expect not to unveil diesel settlement Thursday: sources

(Reuters) - Volkswagen AG was not expected to unveil an agreement Thursday with U.S. regulators at a federal court hearing in California on how to address excess emissions in 580,000 diesel vehicles, two sources briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday.


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Apple Pay coming to mobile websites later this year: Re/code

(Reuters) - Apple Inc will integrate Apple Pay with its Safari browser later this year, allowing users to make purchases from mobile websites, technology website Re/code reported, citing sources.











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Toys "R" Us employee accused by U.S. of $2 million card theft

NEW YORK, (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York accused a Toys "R" Us employee of stealing nearly $2 million from the retailer by loading money meant for truck drivers onto a debit card he later used to make withdrawals from automated teller machines.


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Exxon Mobil must allow climate change vote: SEC

(Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has ruled Exxon Mobil Corp must include a climate change resolution in its annual shareholder proxy, a defeat for the world's largest oil producer, which had argued it already provides adequate carbon disclosures.











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Amazon.com says its women workers paid as much as men

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc, under pressure from an activist shareholder to disclose its policies on gender pay equality, said on Wednesday its female employees earned as much as their male counterparts, according to a survey it recently conducted.


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Rockefeller Family Fund hits Exxon, divests from fossil fuels

HOUSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Rockefeller Family Fund said on Wednesday it will divest from fossil fuels as quickly as possible and "eliminate holdings" of Exxon Mobil Corp , saying the oil company associated with the family fortune has misled the public about climate change risks.











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Starbucks to announce Nespresso pod deal, new loyalty perks

SEATTLE/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp on Wednesday will announce plans to begin selling espresso pods for Nespresso home brewers in Europe and unveil a new way for patrons to earn loyalty points outside of its cafes.


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Yum in talks with KKR, others to sell stake in China unit: WSJ

(Reuters) - Yum Brands Inc is in talks with private equity company KKR & Co LP and others about a possible sale of a nearly 20 percent stake in its China business, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.











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Steven Cohen's Point72 asset manager eyes Asia expansion

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire Steven A. Cohen, long a major investor in U.S. stocks, is looking for more opportunities overseas and is beefing up his management team in Asia, his top deputy said.


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UK court orders jailed Libor trader to pay $1.25 million

LONDON (Reuters) - Tom Hayes, a former star trader serving an 11-year jail sentence for manipulating Libor interest rates, was on Wednesday ordered to pay 878,806 pounds ($1.25 million) by a judge or face further time in prison.











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Renault-Nissan CEO says better than expected auto industry sales in 2016

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, said Wednesday he thinks auto industry sales will outpace industry forecasts in the United States and Europe this year.


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U.S. new home sales rebound in February

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. single-family home sales rebounded in February, but the gain was concentrated in one region, which could suggest a loss of momentum in the housing market.


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General Mills profit beats as cost cutting pays off

(Reuters) - General Mills Inc , the maker of Cheerios cereal and Yoplait yogurt, reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit as cost-cutting programs helped reduce the impact of weaker sales in the United States.


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Amaya CEO charged with insider trading by Quebec regulator

(Reuters) - Canadian gambling website operator Amaya Inc's Chief Executive David Baazov has been charged with insider trading by Quebec's securities regulator.











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Futures little changed day after Brussels attacks

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday as investors remained cautious a day after the attacks in Brussels and ahead of the Good Friday market holiday.











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In era of cheap oil, Saudi loses shine for foreign workers

RIYADH/KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Mobarak Musa, a mobile telephone salesman from Syria, has spent 10 years working in Saudi Arabia, sending part of his wages back home to support his parents and three brothers. A shift in Saudi labor policy means he won't be able to do so for much longer.


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Fiat Chrysler to recall 419 cars in Russia: standards agency

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will recall 419 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty and Dodge Viper cars in Russia, the country's technical safety watchdog Rosstandart said on Wednesday.


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Credit Suisse steps up cost and job cuts in investment banking

ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group on Wednesday announced 800 million Swiss francs ($821 million) in additional cost cuts and plans to shrink its investment bank further as it spurs a restructuring plan aimed at revitalizing its earnings.


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In oil rout, some U.S. energy bosses were spared the pain

BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - More cash, lower targets and bigger share awards - not all U.S. energy bosses are feeling the full impact of tumbling oil prices in their paychecks. Some oil and gas companies are making it easier for their top managers to meet performance goals or are offering more cash as a prolonged oil slump keeps share prices at lows not seen in five years, filings show.











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U.S. grants China's ZTE temporary reprieve on export curbs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government will give Chinese telecom equipment and smartphone maker ZTE Corp a three-month reprieve on tough export restrictions it imposed earlier this month, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.











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Asia sentiment brightens with turnaround in China view: Thomson Reuters/INSEAD

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Sentiment at some of the biggest companies across Asia brightened in the first quarter of 2016, rising from a four-year low registered three months prior, as executives bet on economic improvement in China, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey showed.


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Asian shares consolidate gains as risk appetite holds

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares consolidated their gains on Wednesday, shaking off earlier losses following attacks on the airport and a rush-hour metro train in Brussels as investors look to a brightening global economic picture.











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Wal-Mart jumps into milk processing, hits Dean Foods' stock

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it will build a dairy processing plant in Indiana to supply private-label milk to about 600 stores, curtailing business with some suppliers in the retailer's sole foray into food processing in the United States.











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Amazon exec weighs in on proposed Staples-Office Depot merger

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An executive with Amazon.com Inc's unit that sells office supplies to businesses gave testimony on Tuesday that appeared to bolster a U.S. regulator's wariness over a potential merger of Staples Inc and Office Depot Inc .


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Activist investors ask United Airlines to change chairman before shareholder vote

(Reuters) - The two hedge funds that have launched a boardroom fight with United Continental Holdings Inc on Tuesday called on the airline to immediately appoint one of its two new board members as chairman, according to a regulatory filing.


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Ex-Goldman Sachs employee spared jail over New York Fed leaks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Goldman Sachs Group Inc associate who admitted to illegally obtaining confidential documents from a friend at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York was handed a fine on Tuesday but spared a prison sentence.


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Maserati looks to automate some aspects of driving in new Levante

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler's premium Maserati brand is developing a semi-automated driving system for its new Levante utility vehicle that also will likely find its way into the company's Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans in the next two years, Chief Executive Harald Wester said in an interview on Tuesday.











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Janus' Gross says Valeant based on leverage, financial engineering

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The business model of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc , target of a securities investigation and under scrutiny for its pricing and accounting practices, "was based on leverage and financial engineering," fund manager Bill Gross of Janus Capital Group Inc said Tuesday.


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Amazon sues former employee over new job at Target

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc has sued a former executive hired by Target Corp as its chief supply chain and logistics officer to prevent him from revealing trade secrets.


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Lumber Liquidators settles with California clean air agency

(Reuters) - Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc said it had reached a settlement with the California Air Resources Board, the state's clean air agency, to resolve an inquiry into the company's laminate flooring products sourced from China.











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U.S. should harmonize broker dealer rules across agencies: SEC's White

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - United States regulators should offer standard regulations for broker dealers and the Securities and Exchange Commission will offer its own proposal, the head of the SEC said on Tuesday.


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Macy's appoints real estate expert to board

(Reuters) - Macy's Inc appointed William Lenehan, an expert in real estate investments, to its board amid investor pressure to monetize its real estate assets.











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U.S. top court rules against Tyson Foods in class action case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday handed a loss to Tyson Foods Inc over the company's challenge to an almost $5.8 million class action judgment in a case won by workers at an Iowa pork-processing facility who contended they were underpaid.











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Libya joins Iran in snubbing oil freeze: source

LONDON (Reuters) - Libya does not plan to attend an April 17 meeting of oil producers about freezing supply to support prices, a Libyan OPEC delegate said on Tuesday, joining fellow OPEC member Iran in snubbing the initiative.











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Rise in Anglo American share price could offer chance to fill its coffers

LONDON (Reuters) - The doubling of Anglo American's share price since late January means the time could be ripe for a rights issue rather than an asset fire sale to boost its defenses against tumbling commodity prices, fund managers say.


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Wall St. set to open lower after Brussels explosions

(Reuters) - Wall Street looked set to open lower on Tuesday after explosions in Brussels sparked fresh geopolitical concerns and sent investors scurrying for safe-haven assets.


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Ford to invest 200 million euros to build SUV in Romania

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co will invest up to 200 million euros ($224.28 million) to build its smaller sport utility vehicle EcoSport at its Romanian unit Automobile Craiova, Ford Europe Chief Executive Jim Farley said on Tuesday.


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Brazil's federal police launches new raid in Petrobras case

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian federal police were seeking to arrest 15 people on Tuesday as part of the corruption investigation centered on state-run oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA , police said.











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Foxconn seeks to lower takeover offer for Sharp: sources

TOKYO (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foxconn aims to lower its offer for Japan's Sharp Corp by at least around 100 billion yen ($893 million) to account for likely worse than expected annual earnings at the loss-making electronics firm and for newly revealed risks, two sources said on Tuesday.











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World's longest aircraft readies for first flight in Britain

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's longest aircraft, an airship spanning more than six double-decker buses, is set to make its maiden flight later this Spring, British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles said on Monday.











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Poll: Apple's privacy fight does not win extra points for security

(Reuters) - Most Americans trust Apple Inc to protect their personal information from hackers, according to a national Reuters/Ipsos poll, but not any better than rivals Google, Amazon and Microsoft.


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Samsung Elec says it doesn't expect major TV impact from Hon Hai's Sharp deal

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd does not expect major change for its television business after Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd completes its planned acquisition of display panel maker Sharp Corp , a senior Samsung executive said on Tuesday.


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Asian shares edge lower as Fed rate talk revives

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks slipped on Tuesday as hawkish comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials clouded the monetary policy outlook less than a week after Fed Chair Janet Yellen had set out a more cautious path to interest rate increases this year.











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Oil futures rise as commodity rally holds

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Tuesday, adding to gains from the previous session after data showed U.S. crude inventories fell for the first time since January and as commodity prices broadly strengthened.


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Petrobras posts record loss on writedowns, slumping oil prices

NEW YORK/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA posted a record loss in the fourth quarter after booking a large writedown for oil fields and other assets as oil prices slumped.


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Carnival Corp gets Cuba's approval to begin cruises

(Reuters) - Cruise operator Carnival Corp said on Monday it received approval from Cuban authorities to begin operations to the country, starting May 1.


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FanDuel and DraftKings shut down games in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top daily fantasy sports companies FanDuel and DraftKings agreed to stop taking money in New York on Monday, amid a months-long fight with the state's attorney general over whether the games are illegal gambling.


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Smaller iPhone expected as Apple faces drop in phone sales

CUPERTINO, Calif. (Reuters) - Apple Inc is expected to launch a smaller, cheaper iPhone on Monday aimed at emerging markets and possibly China, the world's biggest buyer of smartphones, as it looks to reverse a decline in worldwide sales of its most important product.











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Fed approves Goldman acquisition of GE Capital's U.S. online deposits

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc received permission on Monday to complete its $17 billion acquisition of GE Capital Bank's U.S. online deposits.


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Sheraton-owner Starwood accepts higher offer from Marriott

(Reuters) - Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc , owner of the Sheraton and Westin hotel brands, agreed to a higher $13.6 billion buyout offer from Marriott International Inc , spurning a proposal from China's Anbang Insurance Group.











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U.S. existing home sales tumble in warning sign for housing market

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales fell sharply in February in a potentially troubling sign for America's economy which has otherwise looked resilient to the global economic slowdown.











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Wall St. set to open little changed as investors pause

(Reuters) - Wall Street was set to open little changed on Monday as investors sought fresh catalysts for stocks to add to a five-week rally sparked by the central bank action, recovering oil prices and encouraging economic data.











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Valeant says CEO Pearson to step down, names Ackman to board

(Reuters) - Embattled Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc said on Monday Chief Executive Michael Pearson would step down and that the company had appointed activist investor William Ackman to its board.


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IHS to buy London-based Markit in all-stock deal

(Reuters) - U.S. business research provider IHS Inc said on Monday it would buy Markit Ltd in an all-stock deal valuing the London-based financial data company at about $5.9 billion.











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Insurer AXA's CEO goes, fuelling talk of HSBC role

PARIS (Reuters) - AXA Chief Executive Henri de Castries will step down in September after nearly 17 years at the top of Europe's second-largest insurer, fuelling speculation that his next role could be as HSBC chairman.


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Exclusive: DBS seen as frontrunner for Barclays' HK, Singapore wealth units - sources

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's DBS Group Holdings is seen leading the race to buy Barclays' Hong Kong and Singapore private wealth units valued at as much as $300 million, sources with knowledge of the situation said on Monday.


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After a year, Carnegie Mellon and Uber research initiative is stalled

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - More than a year after Uber announced a research pact with Carnegie Mellon University - and then hired away four of the institution's faculty and 36 researchers and technicians - the ride-hailing company and university have not collaborated on a single project, according to CMU faculty and administrators.


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Priceline strikes deal with Cuba to let Americans book hotels

(Reuters) - Priceline Group has agreed with Cuba to make Cuban hotel rooms available to U.S. customers via subsidiary Booking.com, becoming the first U.S. online travel agency to strike a deal with the island state, a Booking.com executive said.











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Exclusive: A plea for help - How China asked the Fed for its stock crash play book

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Confronted with a plunge in its stock markets last year, China's central bank swiftly reached out to the U.S. Federal Reserve, asking it to share its play book for dealing with Wall Street's "Black Monday" crash of 1987.


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GM's China chief says Chinese car market to grow 3-5 percent/year till 2020

BEIJING (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM) expects to see China's car market to grow 3-5 percent every year until 2020, its China chief Matt Tsien said on Monday.


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Sherwin-Williams paint company to buy Valspar for $9.3 billion

(Reuters) - The Sherwin-Williams Co has agreed to acquire rival U.S. paint company Valspar Corp , the companies said on Sunday, in an all-cash deal valued at about $9.3 billion.


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Wilbur Ross to buy Nexeo from TPG for $1.6 billion: source

(Reuters) - Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross has reached a deal to buy Nexeo Solutions Holdings LLC, a distributor of plastic resins and chemicals, for roughly $1.6 billion, including debt, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.


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Asian stocks ease as investors wary after oil drops

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks took a step back on Monday after three consecutive weeks of gains as a retreat in oil prices left investors in a ponderous mood about the health of the global economy.


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FedEx shares could rise 15-20 percent over next year: Barron's

(Reuters) - Shares of U.S. delivery services company FedEx Corp could rise another 15 to 20 percent over the next year after soaring 12 percent on Thursday, Barron's reported on Sunday.











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U.S. to offer China’s ZTE 'temporary relief' on export curbs: official

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected this week to lift export curbs it imposed on Chinese telecom equipment and smartphone maker ZTE Corp for alleged Iran sanctions violations.


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For bank heist hackers, the Philippines was a handy black hole

MANILA (Reuters) - In February 2013, the Philippines was up against a deadline to amend its Anti-Money Laundering Act and get itself off the 'grey list' of a global watchdog, and lawmakers were bickering over whether to include casinos under the legislation.











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Euro zone lenders, Greece make progress on tax, pension reforms

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European lenders have made important progress in talks with Greece on tax and pension reforms that are part of a package of measures Athens must adopt to win new loans and debt relief, a European Commission spokesperson said on Sunday.


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Foxconn lowering offer for Japan's Sharp: Yomiuri

TOKYO (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foxconn is lowering an offer for loss-making Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp from an initial plan of 489 billion yen ($4.4 billion), the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday.


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Brazil's Agnelli, who turned Vale into top miner, dies in crash

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Roger Agnelli, the Brazilian banker who turned Vale SA into the world's No. 1 iron ore producer, died on Saturday in a plane crash, a source close to aviation authorities told Reuters. He was 56.











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Starwood signs first U.S.-Cuba hotel deal since 1959 revolution

HAVANA (Reuters) - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide on Saturday became the first U.S. hotel company to sign a deal with Cuba since the 1959 revolution, announcing a multimillion-dollar investment a day before U.S. President Barack Obama was due to visit Havana.


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Spotify agreement a 'win' for artists, company :Billboard editor

(Reuters) - A senior editor for Billboard magazine on Friday called an agreement over royalties reached between Spotify and the National Music Publishers Association "a win" for songwriters and for the music streaming service.











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BlackRock's Larry Fink paid nearly $26 million in 2015

NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc , the world's largest asset manager, raised total compensation for Chairman and Chief Executive Larry Fink by about 8 percent in 2015, according to a filing on Friday.











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U.S. prosecutors, Apple to bring witnesses to hearing on locked iPhone

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government and Apple Inc will be able to cross-examine the other's witnesses in a court hearing next week on whether the technology company must help federal investigators unlock an encrypted iPhone tied to one of the San Bernardino killers, Apple said.


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Eyes on the dollar with stocks out of the hole

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock market investors will be watching currency markets next week for signs that the recent, related trends of a weakening dollar and a strengthening stock market will continue.


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Six months into 'Dieselgate' scandal, gloom deepens in VW's hometown

WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) - When Martin Winterkorn dropped by to order some new glasses in the Volkswagen company town of Wolfsburg, he was "visibly dejected", according to his optician. But the visit wasn't last September, when Winterkorn had just quit as the German carmaker's chief, it was this week.











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Bullard says Fed's goals largely met, rates should edge up

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. central bank's inflation and employment goals have essentially been met and it would be "prudent" to edge interest rates higher, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on Friday.


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After Motiva split, Saudi Aramco aims to buy more U.S. refineries -sources

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's national oil company wants to buy more U.S. refining and chemical plants to expand its footprint in the world's largest energy market once the break-up of its joint venture with Royal Dutch Shell Plc is complete, sources said.











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Starwood gets higher $13 billion bid from Anbang, tops Marriott offer

(Reuters) - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc on Friday said a $13 billion cash offer from China's Anbang Insurance Group Co was superior to one from Marriott International Inc , setting the stage for the largest ever deal by a Chinese company in the United States.


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FBI probes Bangladesh bank account cyber theft: WSJ

(Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is probing the cyber theft of tens of millions of dollars from the Bangladesh central bank's U.S. account, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.











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Healthcare, financial stocks drive gains on Wall Street

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 edged into positive territory for 2016 on Friday as gains in healthcare and financial stocks added to a rally spurred by the Fed's tempered view on interest rates and rising oil prices.











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VW managers knew of possible penalties in August 2015: Der Spiegel

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen's VW brand chief and its head of procurement were told in an internal meeting on Aug. 24, 2015 that the German carmaker could face potential penalties of more than $20 billion for the use of illegal software in its vehicles, weekly Der Spiegel reported on Friday.


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Argentina, creditors agree $155 million more in default settlement: mediator

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Argentina settled with an additional 115 individual creditors holding defaulted sovereign bonds for $155 million, Daniel Pollack, the court-appointed mediator in the long-running case, said on Friday.


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Ford CEO's compensation jumped 17 percent to $17.4 million in 2015

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields' salary, bonus and stock awards jumped 17 percent to $17.4 million in 2015, a year in which the auto maker earned a record pretax profit, the company said on Friday.











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Daimler receives huge order from Uber: Manager Magazin

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Ride-hailing service Uber [UBER.UL] has placed a large order for cars with Germany's Daimler , Manager Magazin reported on Friday.


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Luxury jeweler Tiffany warns on profit as tourists cut spending

(Reuters) - Upscale jeweler Tiffany & Co said it expected profit to fall in the first half of this fiscal year as a strong dollar hurts tourist spending at its stores in the United States and erodes revenue from other markets.











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Bitcoin finds room in small funds; large institutions still on sidelines

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Digital currency bitcoin has found favor among smaller investors, thanks to the availability of funds designed to invest in it, but remains a niche among the larger investing community.


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UK prosecutors seek arrest of German, French Euribor bankers

LONDON (Reuters) - The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said on Friday it had begun legal action to try to bring four Germans and one Frenchman to Britain to face charges of conspiracy to rig Euribor benchmark interest rates.


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Go easy on deals, investors tell new Rio Tinto boss

MELBOURNE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Top investors in Rio Tinto say they want the global miner's new boss to proceed cautiously on acquisitions, focusing on the core, cash-generating iron ore business and on developing his own copper mines before looking for new assets.


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German court acquits former Porsche CEO in VW takeover case

STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) - A German court on Friday acquitted Wendelin Wiedeking, a former chief executive of Porsche , of alleged market manipulation in the wake of one of the auto industry's most controversial takeover battles.











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Toshiba: conducting stress test for nuclear business this quarter

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp said it is currently conducting a stress test on its nuclear business to assess whether it will require a writedown.











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Asia stocks, oil jump as dollar sags after Fed

TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares edged higher on Friday, oil touched a 2016 high and the U.S. dollar weakened as investors turned more positive on riskier assets after the Federal Reserve's cautious stance on further interest rate increases.











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JPMorgan increases stock buyback program by up to $1.88 billion

(Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co, the biggest U.S. bank by assets, said it will repurchase up to $1.88 billion in common shares through the end of the second quarter.











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Toshiba U.S. units probed, report says Westinghouse writedown possible

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp is considering a large writedown for its Westinghouse nuclear power unit, a newspaper report said on Friday, while the company confirmed that U.S. authorities are probing accounting at its U.S. units.











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U.S. oil falls after flirting with 2016-high

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. oil futures flirted with new highs for 2016 on Friday, adding to strong gains the previous session as optimism grew that major producers would strike a deal to freeze output, while a more benign interest rate environment also supported prices.


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Viacom receives interest for Paramount minority stake: WSJ

(Reuters) - Viacom Inc has received interest from three dozen companies for a minority stake in its Paramount Pictures studio, Chief Executive Philippe Dauman said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.


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Swiss watchmakers face another challenging year

BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) - Swiss watchmakers are braced for another difficult year as economic woes in major markets curb consumers' appetite for pricey timepieces, industry executives said on Thursday.


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Aeropostale to explore strategic alternatives, including sale

(Reuters) - Aeropostale Inc said it was exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale, as the teen apparel retailer struggles to cope with rapidly changing consumer tastes and stiff competition.


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German court ruling threatens Apple's video services

FRANKFURT/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A German district court has ruled that Apple Inc violated patents acquired by Swiss security company Kudelski's OpenTV business, which could force Apple to remove some video streaming features from popular products sold in Germany.


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Alphabet puts robot-maker Boston Dynamics up for sale: Bloomberg

(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc has put Boston Dynamics, part of its robotics division, up for sale for lack of revenue potential, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the plans.


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Long-haul budget airline French Blue sets two-year deadline to break even

PARIS (Reuters) - Airline French Blue plans to give itself two years to break even from low-cost services between Europe and North America, its chairman told Reuters on Thursday.


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S&P 500, Dow edge up as materials, energy stocks gain

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Dow edged up on Thursday as a rise in crude oil lifted the materials and energy stocks, a day after the Federal Reserve's lowered projection of two interest rate hikes in 2016 pushed the S&P to its highest close this year.











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Bangladesh police launch heist probe; Manila banker took away cash in car

DHAKA/MANILA (Reuters) - Bangladesh police launched a criminal investigation on Thursday into the cyber theft of $81 million from the central bank's U.S. account but said it was too early to pinpoint any suspects.


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U.S. court dismisses shareholder lawsuit against Transocean

(Reuters) - Transocean Ltd on Thursday won the dismissal of an appeal by shareholders accusing the owner of the doomed Deepwater Horizon drilling rig of deceiving them about its safety practices prior to the massive 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.


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Shell, Aramco U.S. refining breakup lets both pursue ambitious goals

LONDON (Reuters) - The breakup of Royal Dutch Shell's and Saudi Aramco's giant U.S. refining joint venture draws a line under an often rocky relationship and allows Aramco to accelerate an ambitious public offering and Shell to push ahead with a large asset sale.


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Boeing, Airbus eye Indian growth amid fears of global slowdown

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - Boeing and Airbus expect Indian airlines to order up to 1,740 jets over the next 20 years, as aircraft manufacturers eye one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets to offset any weaker sales elsewhere.











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Yellen steers Fed with cautious hand, despite hints of inflation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve policymakers urging caution over interest rate hikes have gained the upper hand in the central bank's internal debate, but the risk for the U.S. economy is that they are wrong to downplay a recent rise in inflation.











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Investor Woodford calls for outsider to head GlaxoSmithKline

LONDON (Reuters) - Fund manager Neil Woodford, a top investor in GlaxoSmithKline and a critic of the drugmaker's current structure, said on Thursday he wanted to see an outsider replace Andrew Witty as the group's chief executive.


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BMW CFO says China market has bottomed out, U.S. now a concern

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - BMW's Chief Financial Officer Friedrich Eichiner said that after taking out inventories to restore demand in China in the fourth quarter, the market appeared to have bottomed out.


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Hamptons luxury home sales soften as Wall Street weakness takes a toll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The market for luxury homes in the Hamptons, the summer playground for Wall Street's wealthiest, is losing some of its luster as financial markets limp along for a second year.


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JPMorgan, Citi shareholders to vote on potential breakup plans

(Reuters) - Shareholders of JPMorgan Chase & Co and Citigroup Inc will get to vote on whether their banks should consider breaking into smaller pieces.


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Exclusive: Valeant lenders to prepare tough demands for default talks – sources

NEW YORK (LPC/Reuters) - Creditors of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International , which has been in violation of lender agreements since Wednesday, are beginning to demand new terms that could further pressure the drugmaker's business model, according to three people familiar with the matter.











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Chinese hedge funds scramble as regulators clean up 'Wild East'

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's hedge fund industry has been thrown into disarray as managers rush to comply with stringent new rules, introduced overnight, that could see over half the industry shut down by August, fund managers and lawyers told Reuters.


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ULA exec resigns after saying firm shied away from price war with SpaceX

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A senior United Launch Alliance executive resigned on Wednesday after saying the firm last year refused to bid on a launch service contract for the U.S. military's next-generation GPS satellite because it was hoping to avoid a "cost shootout" with Elon Musk's SpaceX.











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U.S. oil rises 2 percent, adding to gains after supplier meeting agreed

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. oil futures rose more than 2 percent in early Asian trade on Thursday, adding to strong gains the previous session after the world's biggest suppliers firmed up plans to meet to discuss freezing output.


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Asian stocks gain on dovish-sounding Fed, dollar on defensive

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares gained early on Thursday and the dollar was on the defensive after suffering substantial losses following the U.S. Federal Reserve's move to reduce the number of interest rate hikes planned for this year.


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China's ZTE delays annual results after U.S. restrictions

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's ZTE Corp said on Thursday it will delay the publication of its annual results because it needs to assess the impact of tough U.S. export restrictions imposed on the telecom equipment maker last week.











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New York's Plaza Hotel to go on sale next month: Bloomberg

(Reuters) - New York's Plaza Hotel is set to go on sale in an auction next month, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.


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SEC chief says may have to 'rein in' some non-GAAP disclosures

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday said her agency is examining whether companies could mislead investors through some of current accounting rules.


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Pimco's Callin, head of equity product management, retiring in second quarter

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sabrina Callin, managing director and head of equity product management at Pacific Investment Management Co, has decided to retire from the firm in the second quarter, Pimco said on Wednesday.











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Chipotle mulls more food giveaways as customers slowly return

(Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc has recovered about one-third of sales lost to a string of food safety lapses last year, and more free offers may be forthcoming as part of its turnaround strategy, executives said at a conference on Wednesday.











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Exclusive: Viacom looks to name lead independent director to board

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Viacom Inc is looking to name a lead independent director, most likely one of its existing board members, and could make an announcement within the next few days, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters, as the media company faces investor questions about its corporate governance.


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India 'not scared' if Monsanto leaves, as GM cotton row escalates

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - U.S. seed company Monsanto is welcome to leave India if it does not want to lower prices of genetically modified cotton seeds as directed by the government, a minister said on Wednesday, in a sign the rift between New Delhi and the firm is widening.











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Banks face slump in trading revenue as 'bad' volatility bites

LONDON (Reuters) - Banks are facing a slump of 15 percent in market trading revenue in the first quarter, spoiling what is normally the most lucrative period when investors put their money to work at the start of the year.


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U.S. inflation pushing higher; housing market firming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Underlying U.S. inflation increased more than expected in February as rents and medical costs maintained their upward trend, which could keep the Federal Reserve on course to gradually raise interest rates this year.











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BMW shifts focus towards harnessing technology

MUNICH (Reuters) - German carmaker BMW said it will focus on electric vehicles and automated driving and develop its software and technology services as part of a new strategy for the 100-year-old carmaker.











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Futures hold steady ahead of Fed statement

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday ahead of the outcome of a Federal Reserve meeting on monetary policy.


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Frankfurt and London seal $30 billion trading tie-up to counter U.S. threat

FRANKFURT/LONDON (Reuters) - Deutsche Boerse AG and London Stock Exchange Group Plc (LSE) agreed to combine in a $30 billion deal to create a European trading powerhouse better able to compete with U.S. rivals encroaching on their turf.











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Oil rises as producers announce meeting on output freeze

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices firmed on Wednesday on an announcement that producers will meet next month in Qatar to discuss a proposal to freeze output and on growing signs of a decline in U.S. crude production.











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German court says VW customer has no right to return rigged vehicle

BOCHUM, Germany (Reuters) - A German court on Wednesday dismissed a Volkswagen customer's plea to cancel the purchase of his vehicle, which was affected by the carmaker's cheating software.


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Fractured electorate hampers efforts to mend 'slow puncture' economy

LONDON (Reuters) - The combination of a slow-growth world of shrinking policy options and the splintered political voting patterns it's fostered is stifling the global economy at a critical juncture.











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Caesars could face $5 billion hit from unit's bankruptcy: examiner

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Caesars Entertainment Corp and its private equity backers could be on the hook for up to $5.1 billion in potential damages over a series of corporate deals that a court-ordered examiner said Tuesday led to a $18 billion bankruptcy protection filing by the casino company's operating unit.











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China's Premier Li says confident in economy, vows no hard landing

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Premier Li Keqiang defended the country's economic policies on Wednesday, repeating well-worn lines that there was more opportunity than risk and vowing there would be no hard landing for the world's second-largest economy if the government presses ahead with reforms.


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Fed seen holding rates steady as it faces fine balancing act

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday as it balances continued concerns about the health of the global economy with fresh signs that domestic inflation is starting to rear its head.











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Slim companies spend over $200 million on America Movil stock

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's bank and his holding company spent over $200 million between November and late February to buy nearly 350 million shares in Slim's America Movil, according to a U.S. regulatory filing released on Tuesday.


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FCC likely to circulate draft order approving Charter-Time Warner Cable merger: WSJ

(Reuters) - U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler is likely to circulate a draft order approving Charter Communications Inc's $56 billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable Inc , the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.











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VW diesel recalls in Germany delayed by weeks: Bild

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's modification of about 2.5 million diesel cars in Germany is being delayed by at least six weeks, daily newspaper Bild reported on Wednesday.











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Asian stocks and dollar hold breath for Fed, oil bounces

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday while the dollar dithered as markets waited anxiously for the Federal Reserve to provide guidance on the risk of U.S. rate hikes this year.


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Lockheed CEO says Poland, Turkey interested in MEADS missile defense system

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Marillyn Hewson said Poland and Turkey were interested in the company's MEADS missile defense system, which has already been selected by Germany.


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U.S. law firm says will pursue VW claims in Europe

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. law firm Hausfeld said it will pursue claims of European customers harmed by Volkswagen's emissions scandal, adding to the German automaker's mounting legal challenges.


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Chipotle comparable restaurant sales fell in Feb, sees first-quarter loss

(Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc said sales at established restaurants fell 26.1 percent in February, after a series of food-safety incidents linked to some of its restaurants hit demand at the burrito chain.


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New boss of Russian carmaker Avtovaz enters a lion's den

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Nicolas Maure, brought in to turn around Renault-Nissan's Russian carmaker Avtovaz, is entering a lion's den where his predecessor fell foul of diving sales and powerful vested interests among shareholders, suppliers and workers.


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Mizuho to face U.S. lawsuit over Mt Gox bitcoin losses: ruling

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. lawsuit accusing Japan's Mizuho Bank of concealing problems at the now-bankrupt Tokyo-based Mt Gox bitcoin exchange can move forward, a federal judge in Chicago has ruled.


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Free burritos lure Chipotle loyalists, but will sales follow?

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Cesar Trejo broke his Chipotle habit after the chain's string of food safety lapses last year. This week, a free food offer lured him back, along with the urging of three friends who had returned without getting sick.


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Alcoa says plane, car business to be named 'Arconic' after split

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Metals company Alcoa Inc said on Tuesday it has decided that its valued-added business will carry the name Arconic after the firm splits in two later this year.


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Bankia shareholder compensation on track as it seeks new chapter

VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - Spain's state-owned Bankia has so far paid out compensation of 358 million euros ($397.7 million) to minority shareholders who bought into its ill-fated listing, its chairman said on Tuesday, as it seeks to close a painful chapter and return to private hands.











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Moody's says FCC internet privacy proposal could harm broad internet providers

(Reuters) - Ratings agency Moody's Investors Services said Tuesday a proposal by U.S. communications regulators to impose privacy restrictions on broadband providers like Verizon Communications Inc , AT&T Inc , Comcast Corp and Charter Communications Inc is "credit negative."


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Drugmaker Valeant cuts 2016 outlook, says it faces default risk

(Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc on Tuesday cut its 2016 revenue forecast by about 12 percent and said a delay in filing its annual report could mean a debt default, causing its shares to plunge.











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Yum Brands to open its first Taco Bell outlet in China this year

(Reuters) - Yum Brands Inc , the owner of the KFC and Pizza Hut chains, said it will open its first Taco Bell restaurant in China by the end of 2016.


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Teva Pharm sees close of $40.5 billion Allergan generics deal by June

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries said on Tuesday it now expects its $40.5 billion acquisition of the generic drug activities of Allergan to be completed by June.











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Bangladesh central bank governor resigns over cyber heist

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh's central bank governor Atiur Rahman resigned on Tuesday following demands of accountability from the government after $81 million was stolen from the bank's U.S. account in one of the largest cyber heists ever.


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U.S. retail sales dip in February; prior month weak

WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales fell less than expected in February, but a sharp downward revision to January's sales could reignite concerns about the economy's growth prospects.











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VW Financial Services builds reserves for residual value declines

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen's financial services arm said it had set aside 353 million euros $391 million) in reserves mainly to cover potential declines in residual values on cars in its leasing fleet, in the wake of the diesel emissions cheating scandal.











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Futures slip after BOJ comments; Fed in focus

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were lower on Tuesday as the Bank of Japan's gloomy view about the Japanese economy troubled investors ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting.


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Toshiba to unveil business plan on Friday

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp announced it will unveil on Friday its business strategy for the next fiscal year, which, analysts say, will include plans to boost its finances after a $1.3 billion accounting scandal.











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Europe shares track Asia lower after gloomy BOJ economy view

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares fell on Tuesday, mirroring declines in Asia after the Bank of Japan painted a bleaker picture of the Japanese economy and helped push the yen higher, and as oil prices dropped again.


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Apple fight could escalate with demand for 'source code'

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The latest filing in the legal war between the planet’s most powerful government and its most valuable company gave one indication of how the high-stakes confrontation could escalate even further.


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Oil prices rise slightly as oversupply concerns mount again

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Tuesday, coming off six day lows reached the session before, as concerns that a six-week market recovery has gone beyond the fundamentals of oversupply start to take hold.











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Toshiba in talks to sell its white goods business to Midea Group: Nikkei

(Reuters) - Japanese industrial conglomerate Toshiba Corp said it is in late-stage talks to sell its white goods business to Chinese household appliance giant Midea Group Co Ltd , Nikkei reported on Monday.


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Avon to cut jobs, shift headquarters to UK

(Reuters) - Cosmetics maker Avon Products Inc said on Monday it would cut about 2,500 jobs worldwide and shift its corporate headquarters to the UK as part of its three-year turnaround plan.


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VW institutional investors file $3.61 billion suit in Germany

BERLIN (Reuters) - Almost 300 institutional investors in Volkswagen have filed a multi-billion euro suit against the carmaker for what they see as breaches of its capital markets duty in the emissions scandal, the law firm representing them said.











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Bill Gross may pursue Pimco lawsuit: Gross' lawyer

(Reuters) - Bond manager Bill Gross will be able to pursue his lawsuit to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars from Pacific Investment Management Co, Gross' lawyer said on Monday.


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FDA investigating graphic video linked to Kellogg factory

(Reuters) - Breakfast cereals maker Kellogg Co said federal regulators are conducting a criminal investigation of a video that surfaced on Friday showing a man filming himself urinating on one of its factory assembly lines.


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Viacom shareholders re-elect directors, reject voting rights proposal

MIAMI (Reuters) - Viacom Inc investors re-elected the media company's directors and rejected a move to extend voting rights to all shareholders despite recommendations by the leading proxy advisory firm to withhold support for some directors and approve the proposal.











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Russia eyes global deal on oil output in April, Iran seen exempt

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A global deal to freeze oil production could be signed in April and exclude Iran, which has the right to boost output after years of sanctions, Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said on Monday after talks in Tehran.


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SEC approves budget of independent accounting board

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday approved the budget for the auditing watchdog that oversees the work of leading U.S. accounting firms.











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Wall St. opens lower ahead of Fed meet

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were lower at the open on Monday as investors held off from making big bets ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting, which begins on Tuesday.


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Goldman revamps electronic stock trading to catch rival

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Raj Mahajan achieved a rare feat when he rejoined Goldman Sachs Group Inc last year with the coveted title of partner, the Wall Street bank's highest rank. Then he got to work on fixing the pipes.











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Oil back below $40 as Iran dashes hopes for quick deal on output

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil fell around 3 percent on Monday after Iran dashed hopes of a coordinated production freeze any time soon, returning bearish sentiment to the market over a supply glut that has sent prices crashing.











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Starwood Hotels gets unsolicited buyout proposal

(Reuters) - U.S. hotel operator Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc said it received a non-binding offer from a consortium of companies to buy it for $76 per share in cash.


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Fed to sit tight on rates at March meet, hint at hikes to come

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve won't raise interest rates this week, but will likely make clear that as long as U.S. inflation and jobs continue to strengthen, economic weakness overseas won't stop rates from rising fairly soon.











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Pfizer stops selling popular Corex cough syrup in India after ban

MUMBAI (Reuters) - U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc's India unit said on Monday it had stopped selling its popular Corex cough syrup, after regulators banned it saying it was likely to pose a risk to humans.











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Plaintiffs face critical legal tests in GM ignition-switch cases

NEW YORK (Reuters) - People suing General Motors Co over a faulty ignition switch will get two chances in a Manhattan court this week to argue that the U.S. automaker should be held accountable for injuries, deaths and lost vehicle value.


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Bank of Japan scrambles to find positives in negative rates

TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan (BOJ) officials have been scurrying to commercial banks to explain and apologize for its surprise adoption of negative interest rates in January, while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has distanced himself from a decision that is proving unpopular with the public.











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Asian stocks lifted by Wall Street gains, firmer oil

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares started the week higher on Monday, buoyed by gains on Wall Street, firmer crude prices and glimmers of strength in weekend data from China.


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Ex-employee sues VW in U.S. over data deletion: German media reports

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A former employee of Volkswagen's U.S. subsidiary is suing the company for damages, claiming he was unlawfully fired after flagging internally what he alleged was illegal deletion of data, a group of German media outlets said on Sunday.











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Turning to frack tech, stricken U.S. oil drillers test new limits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fifty-stage frack jobs. Fifteen-foot cluster spacing. More than 2,000 pounds of proppant concentrate per foot.


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Activist investors question United Airlines CEO's board role, pay

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The two hedge funds that launched a boardroom fight with United Continental Holdings Inc last week oppose the airline's plans to give Chief Executive Oscar Munoz the additional role of chairman and have concerns about his compensation, according to a person familiar with the matter.











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Indonesia's Pertamina and Marubeni sign gas turbine deal with GE

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A consortium made up of Indonesia's state energy firm PT Pertamina and Japan's Marubeni Corp has signed a deal with General Electric for the U.S. firm to provide gas turbines for a $2 billion power plant in Java, Pertamina said.


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UK to announce sale of Bradford & Bingley assets next week: Sky News

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's finance minister George Osborne will announce next week plans to sell 16 billion pounds ($23 billion) worth of bank assets which were rescued from Bradford & Bingley (B&B) during the financial crisis, Sky News said on Saturday.











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China's PBOC flags stimulus restraint but says policy should be flexible

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's central bank won't resort to excessive stimulus to bolster growth but will keep a flexible stance in the event of an economic shock - domestic or global, Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said while reiterating the authority's prudent monetary policy.


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Exclusive: Energy Transfer has held talks to sell Sunoco - sources

(Reuters) - Energy Transfer Equity LP , the U.S. pipeline company that agreed to acquire Williams Companies Inc , has held talks to sell gas station and convenience store operator Sunoco LP , according to three people familiar with the matter.


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Exclusive: Apollo Global nears deal to acquire Fresh Market - sources

(Reuters) - Private equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC is nearing a deal to acquire Fresh Market Inc , a U.S. specialty grocery retailer, for more than $1.3 billion, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.


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As market rallies back, investors turn eyes to the Fed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors who have pushed the U.S. stock market higher over the past month will be taking their cues about the pace of future interest-rate hikes next week from the Federal Reserve.











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