U.S. existing home sales unexpectedly fall in August

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales unexpectedly fell in August, crimped by a shortage of inventory that is boosting home prices faster than the pace of wage growth.

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U.S. jobless claims drop to two-month low as labor market firms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to a two-month low, pointing to labor market strength that could pave the way for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by December.

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Shares rally, dollar sags on slow-motion Fed

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares look set to rise for a sixth straight session on Thursday after the Federal Reserve left U.S. rates unchanged and plotted a lower trajectory for future hikes, slugging the dollar and boosting commodity prices.

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U.S. lawmakers grill Mylan CEO over EpiPen steep price increases

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday blasted steep price increases for Mylan's EpiPen emergency allergy treatment as they grilled the company's Chief Executive Heather Bresch at a congressional hearing. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform called Bresch to testify after the company raised the list price for a pair of EpiPens to $600 compared with $100 in 2007, when it acquired the product.

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Heat rises on Wells Fargo CEO after lawmaker grilling

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co Chief Executive John Stumpf prides himself on being a banker who understands the little guy's financial problems. He has spoken publicly about growing up poor on a Minnesota farm, starting his career as a low-level repo man and being underwater on his own mortgage years ago.

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U.S. home refinancing activity falls to lowest since June

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Weekly U.S. mortgage refinancing activity fell last week to its lowest since June as home borrowing costs rose to their most expensive level in about three months, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.

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Wall Street set to open higher ahead of Fed rate decision

(Reuters) - Wall Street looked set to open higher as investors expected the Federal Reserve to stand pat on interest rates after a two-day meeting ending on Wednesday.

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BOJ reboots policy to target interest rates, steps up inflation drive

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan shifted key policies on Wednesday to target interest rates instead of its money-printing program, and recommitted to reaching its elusive 2 percent inflation goal as quickly as possible.

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Japanese stocks jump, yen weakens as BOJ overhauls policy

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Japanese stocks rallied and the yen weakened in a volatile session on Wednesday after the Bank of Japan decided to adopt a target for long-term interest rates in an overhaul of its massive monetary stimulus programme.

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Fed expected to keep rates unchanged, may signal year-end hike

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday amid tepid inflation and recent weak economic data, but could signal an increased likelihood of a hike by the end of the year.

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Microsoft raises dividend, plans $40 billion share buyback

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp on Tuesday raised its quarterly dividend by 8 percent and said it would buy back up to $40 billion as part of a new share repurchase program.

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West Virginia investigating Mylan over EpiPen pricing

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The state of West Virginia is investigating whether Mylan NV violated antitrust law or defrauded the state's Medicaid program in connection with its EpiPen device.

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Wall Street rises on gains in healthcare stocks

(Reuters) - Wall Street was higher on Tuesday, helped by gains in healthcare stocks, even as investors awaited monetary policy decisions from the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

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Atlanta Fed downgrades U.S. third-quarter GDP view to 2.9 percent

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. economy is on track to grow at a 2.9 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, the Atlanta Federal Reserve's GDP Now forecast model showed on Tuesday following the latest data on consumer prices and housing starts.

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Fed again poised to cut longer-run interest rate forecast

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers are set this week to again cut their forecasts for how high interest rates will need to go in an economy where output, productivity and inflation are growing at a slower pace than in past decades.

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U.S. housing starts take a breather; single-family permits rise

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing starts fell more than expected in August as building activity declined broadly after two straight months of solid increases, but a rebound in permits for single-family dwellings suggested demand for housing remained intact.

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Bayer raises sales targets for top-selling drugs after Monsanto deal

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German drugmaker Bayer said its two best-selling drugs had a higher annual peak sales potential than previously targeted, after the agreed $66 billion takeover of Monsanto stirred criticism it might neglect its pharmaceuticals business.

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Wells Fargo CEO to take 'full responsibility' in Senate hearing: NY Times

(Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co's chief executive, John Stumpf, will tell U.S. senators on Tuesday that he is "deeply sorry" for selling customers unauthorized bank accounts and credit cards and that he would take "full responsibility" for the unethical activity, the New York Times reported on Monday.

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Asia stocks waver as investors nervously await Fed, BOJ

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares edged lower on Tuesday as investors nervously waited on the outcomes of the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy meetings that begin later in the session.

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Bitcoin is money, U.S. judge says in case tied to JPMorgan hack

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bitcoin qualifies as money, a federal judge ruled on Monday, in a decision linked to a criminal case over hacking attacks against JPMorgan Chase & Co and other companies.

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For Yellen, a September Fed surprise could close confidence gap

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Market volatility is low, U.S. census data shows income gains have reached the middle class, and workers are clawing back a larger share of national income. For now, at least, no international risk stands out and inflation may even be picking up.

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Samsung phone fire in China not caused by battery: supplier

SEOUL/BEIJING (Reuters) - A supplier to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Monday that its battery does not appear to have caused a Galaxy Note 7 smartphone to ignite in China, after Chinese media reported one of the handsets caught fire.

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Exclusive: Google may face Indonesia tax bill of over $400 million for 2015 - government official

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to pursue Alphabet Inc's Google for five years of back taxes, and the search giant could face a bill of more than $400 million for 2015 alone if it is found to have avoided tax payments, a senior tax official told Reuters.

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GM and Canada union far apart on product as strike looms

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's autoworkers' union Unifor and General Motors Co made little progress resolving the key issue of new investment in contract talks late on Sunday, the union's president said, just over 24 hours ahead of a strike deadline.

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Asia stocks rise before central bank meetings, oil bounces

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares advanced on Monday ahead of central bank meetings in the United States and Japan this week, while oil prices bounced on talk of an OPEC deal on output and reports of fighting around Libyan oil ports.

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Iran urges U.S. to unblock aircraft deals, seeks investors

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran urged the United States on Sunday to remove remaining obstacles to buying passenger planes following the lifting of international sanctions and it spread out the welcome mat to foreign investors as it seeks to boost its aviation sector.

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Venezuela says OPEC, non-OPEC oil stabilizing deal 'close'

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday that OPEC and non-OPEC countries were "close" to reaching a deal to stabilize oil markets and that he aimed for a deal to be announced this month.

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OPEC chief says may call extraordinary meeting if consensus reached in Algiers: APS

ALGIERS (Reuters) - OPEC members may call an extraordinary meeting to discuss oil prices if they reach consensus during an informal gathering in Algiers this month, OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said during a visit to Algeria, the country's state news agency APS said on Sunday.

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VW's Audi R&D head to be suspended over emissions scandal: Bild am Sonntag

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's Audi head of development will be suspended this coming week as part of the investigation into an emissions scandal, Bild am Sonntag reported citing sources.

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Iran supports any move to stabilize oil market: Rouhani

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran supports any move to stabilize the global oil market and lift prices, the Iranian oil ministry news agency SHANA quoted him as saying on Sunday.

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Samsung Electronics says sold shares in four companies

SEOUL (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Sunday it sold shares in four companies including ASML Holding NV and Seagate Technology Plc to free up money for additional investments for its core businesses.

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Colonial resumes work on U.S. gasoline line, pump prices rise

(Reuters) - Colonial Pipeline Co said on Saturday it resumed repairing a leak on a key U.S. gasoline line on Friday afternoon, but pump prices continued to rise in the southeast as several states took emergency action to get fuel to filling stations more easily.

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No significant progress in auto talks with GM: Canada Unifor union

TORONTO (Reuters) - General Motors Co and the Canadian union Unifor have not yet made any significant progress in their talks to hammer out a new contract, the labor group's President Jerry Dias said on Saturday as the sides entered the final stretch of negotiations.

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OPEC chief says Algiers meeting not for decision making: Algeria state media

ALGIERS (Reuters) - OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said the meeting of OPEC members and non-OPEC producers in Algiers this month would be an informal meeting for consultations and not for decision making, Algerian state news agency APS said on Saturday.

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Fed meeting grabs spotlight amid volatility comeback

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock investors next week will focus on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision and whether economic growth trends have given the U.S. central bank reason to raise interest rates off of rock-bottom levels.

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Hanjin Shipping plan would see sale of most of its ships: WSJ

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd, whose collapse has disrupted global trade, is considering a restructuring plan to sell more than half its ships, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

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Wells Fargo sued on behalf of bank and brokerage customers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Customers sued Wells Fargo & Co on Friday, accusing the bank of fraud, negligence, invasion of privacy and other claims related to the alleged opening of sham accounts by bank employees.

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U.S. House committee to hold hearing on Wells Fargo sales practices

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House Financial Services Committee has opened a probe into Wells Fargo's sales practices and plans to call the company's chief executive before lawmakers at a hearing later in September, the committee chairman said on Friday.

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U.S. inflation stirring as healthcare, housing costs surge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose more than expected in August as healthcare costs recorded their biggest gain in 32-1/2 years, pointing to a steady build-up of inflation that could allow the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this year.

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Wall Street weighed down by banks, energy stocks.

(Reuters) - Wall Street was lower on Friday as a drop in oil prices weighed on energy stocks and as financials came under pressure in the wake of a massive $14 billion fine slapped on Deutsche Bank.

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Wells Fargo faces scrutiny over lack of sales scandal disclosure

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A phantom account scandal at Wells Fargo & Co has put the U.S. bank's disclosure policies under a harsh spotlight.

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Deutsche Bank says U.S. DoJ asks it to pay $14 billion to settle mortgages case

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice is asking Deutsche Bank  to pay $14 billion to settle an investigation into its selling of mortgage-backed securities, Germany's flagship lender said on Friday.

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Apple Japan unit ordered to pay $118 million tax for underreporting income: media

TOKYO (Reuters) - An Apple Inc iTunes unit in Japan was ordered to pay some 12 billion yen ($118 million) in tax by local authorities after underreporting income, media reported Friday.

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Asia stocks up as weak data crimp Fed hike chances

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks firmed on Friday after weak U.S. data reduced the already low chance of an interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve at next week's meeting, sending the Treasury yield curve surging to its steepest level in 2-1/2 months.

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Fiat Chrysler recalling 1.9 million vehicles for air bag defect

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said on Thursday it is recalling 1.9 million vehicles worldwide for an air bag defect that is linked to three deaths and five injuries.

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Federal Reserve stress test may be illegal: banking group

(Reuters) - The Federal Reserve may have violated the law in adopting key parts of the bank stress tests, according to a study released on Thursday from a group whose members include large Wall Street banks.

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Obama administration targets corporate offshore tax avoidance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Thursday took aim at the use of foreign tax credits by American multinational companies to reduce their U.S. tax bills, in an action that closely followed a European Union order that Apple Inc pay back taxes to Ireland.

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U.S. jobless claims rise less than expected as labor market firms

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose less than expected last week, pointing to a further tightening n labor market conditions.

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Wall Street to open higher; futures trim gains on economic data

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures trimmed gains, but kept Wall Street on track to open higher on Thursday, as investors assessed a mixed bag of economic data.

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Americans blame Washington gridlock for slow economic growth: study

BOSTON (Reuters) - Americans blame political gridlock in Washington for the country's declining economic competitiveness and hold both Democrats and Republicans responsible, a Harvard Business School study released on Wednesday found.

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Asian stocks waver as policy uncertainty, weaker oil sap confidence

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks wavered on Thursday as investors grappled with the apparently diminishing ability of major central banks to stimulate growth, while a tumble in crude oil prices added to the risk-averse mood.

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Bayer's Monsanto acquisition to face politically charged scrutiny

WASHINGTON D.C./NEW YORK (Reuters) - As the global agricultural sector races to consolidate, Bayer AG's $66 billion all-cash deal to acquire Monsanto Co will test growing political and consumer unease in the United States and abroad over the future of food production.

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iPhone optimism blasts Apple stock to 2016 high

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple's stock hit a 2016 high on Wednesday, with its market value peaking above $600 billion for the first time since April as Wall Street bet the technology company's newest iPhone would help shore up falling sales.

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Wall Street flat as Apple-led tech gains offset energy losses

(Reuters) - Wall Street was little changed on Wednesday as gains in technology stocks, led by Apple, were offset by a decline in energy stocks on the back of lower oil prices.

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U.S. import prices post first drop in six months

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. import prices fell for the first time in six months in August on declining petroleum and food costs, pointing to a tame inflation environment that could encourage the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates steady next week.

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Bond sell-off keeps investors on edge

LONDON (Reuters) - Rising bond yields, sparked in part by deepening worries over the difficulty of the world's major central banks to stimulate growth, kept investors in broadly risk-off mode on Wednesday

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Exclusive: Bayer nears acquisition of Monsanto - sources

FRANKFURT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chemicals and healthcare group Bayer AG is poised to announce the acquisition of U.S. seeds company Monsanto Co on Wednesday for more than $66 billion, clinching the biggest deal of the year, people familiar with the matter said.

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Atlanta Fed's Lockhart to leave office in February 2017

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank president Dennis Lockhart will step down in February, the Atlanta Fed said on Tuesday, with a nationwide search planned for his replacement.

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U.S. sees stronger median household income, less poverty

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The median U.S. household income rose last year, its first significant annual increase since 2007, and helped push down the number of people living in poverty to 53.1 million, federal government data released on Tuesday showed.

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Wall Street opens lower as oil prices slide

(Reuters) - Wall Street opened lower on Tuesday, with energy stocks falling on lower oil prices and financials hit by diminished prospects of an interest rate hike in the near term.

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Exclusive: Goldman team uses retail deposits for Wall Street-style profits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As Goldman Sachs Group Inc has built its U.S. consumer bank, it has established a team to put its deposits to work on Wall Street, a telling development about Goldman's ambitions for the retail bank.

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Hanjin Shipping secures $36 million, more may take 'considerable time'

SEOUL (Reuters) - The chairman of Hanjin Group transferred 40 billion won ($36 million) to Hanjin Shipping on Tuesday to help unload cargo stranded on the troubled shipper's vessels, a spokesman said, but regulators warned securing further funds could take "considerable time".

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Asia stocks gain, dollar slips on Fed governor's dovish comments

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks rose on Tuesday, boosted as Wall Street rallied overnight after Federal Reserve governor Lael Brainard calmed markets with remarks that appeared to reduce the prospects of a near-term interest rate hike.

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Fed's Brainard warns against removing support for U.S. economy

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve must be careful not to remove its monetary stimulus too quickly because of potential weakness in the labor market and risks of foreign economic downturns, Fed Governor Lael Brainard said on Monday.

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Global bonds and stocks lashed by policy rethink, talk of turning point

TOKYO/HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters) - A sudden surge in government borrowing rates across the world has jarred global markets, reflecting mounting investor anxiety that central banks have run out of both tools and ideas to stimulate economies on their own.

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OPEC points to larger 2017 oil surplus as rivals keep pumping

LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC raised its forecast of oil supplies from non-member countries in 2017 as new fields come online and U.S. shale drillers prove more resilient than expected to cheap crude, pointing to a larger surplus in the market next year.

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Hanjin ship unloads in U.S., trucks expected to take containers

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A ship of bankrupt Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd is finishing unloading in California and expected to leave port on Monday, and truckers expect to pick up cargo soon, shipping industry officials said, in a good sign for importers.

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Tesla's Musk says new Autopilot likely would have prevented death

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Co Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Sunday the automaker was updating its semi-autonomous driving system Autopilot with new limits on hands-off driving and other improvements that likely would have prevented a fatality in May.

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Oil extends decline amid projected rebound in U.S. stocks

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices extended declines on Monday amid projections that U.S. data is set to show a big rebound in crude inventories to offset an unexpected slump due to the impact of a tropical storm.

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EU opens ethics probe into Barroso Goldman job

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker has launched an unprecedented ethics investigation into his predecessor, Jose Manuel Barroso, questioning whether he broke EU law by taking a job at Goldman Sachs.

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VW's Audi steps up collaboration with Chinese tech groups

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen's luxury car unit Audi has agreed to deepen collaboration with Chinese internet technology groups to offer more digital services in the world's largest car market.

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Samsung urges Note 7 users to switch off phones and turn them in

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Saturday urged users of its Galaxy Note 7 phones to turn in their handsets as soon as possible as part of a recall aimed at limiting the damage caused by the fire-prone devices.

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Blackstone's Schwarzman launches ambitious scholars program in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - When Blackstone Group Co-founder and Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman was asked by the president of China's elite Tsinghua University to design a major initiative for the school, the private equity billionaire decided to aim high.

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Wal-Mart stops selling Egyptian cotton sheets made by India's Welspun

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc on Friday said it will stop selling Egyptian cotton sheets made by Welspun India after the Indian manufacturer was unable to assure them the products were authentic.

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Bank rally on shaky legs as traders assess rate hike odds

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A rare run of outperformance by U.S. bank shares appears to have hit a wall as a spate of soft readings on the economy have tempered bets that the Federal Reserve might raise rates soon.

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Fed's Kaplan says need fiscal, regulatory fixes to boost growth

DALLAS (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth will suffer in coming years as the U.S. population ages unless fiscal and regulatory fixes are put in place to replenish the workforce and make it more productive, a top Federal Reserve official said on Friday.

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U.S. tells consumers to stop using fire-prone Samsung phones

SEOUL/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. government safety agency on Friday urged all consumers to stop using Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones, which are prone to catch fire, and top airlines globally banned their use during flights.

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Volkswagen engineer pleads guilty in U.S. diesel emissions probe

DETROIT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Volkswagen AG engineer pleaded guilty on Friday to helping the German automaker evade U.S. emission standards, and his lawyer said he would cooperate with federal authorities in their criminal probe.

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Hanjin Shipping gets U.S. court order, cash to unload ships

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge said on Friday he will grant Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd provisional protection from creditors in the United States, enabling some vessels to dock and unload at U.S. ports.

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Fed officials divided as September policy meeting nears

WASHINGTON/QUINCY, Mass. (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers on Friday headed towards their policy meeting later this month divided on whether a rate rise is in the offing, with some of the permanent voting members appearing wary of supporting an immediate hike.

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Hanjin Shipping funding plan faces further delay, Samsung tries to recover goods

SEOUL (Reuters) - Korean Air Lines , the biggest shareholder in Hanjin Shipping , on Friday delayed a decision on a funding plan for the troubled company for a second time, adding to uncertainty about cargo stranded at sea following the failure of the world's seventh-largest container carrier.

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GM recalls 4.3 million vehicles worldwide for software defect

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Motors Co said Friday it will recall nearly 4.3 million vehicles worldwide for a software defect that can, in rare instances, prevent air bags from deploying during a crash, an issue that has been linked to one death and three injuries.

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EU regulators halt Dow, DuPont merger review to gather data

BRUSSELS (REUTERS) - EU antitrust regulators have halted their scrutiny of Dow Chemical Co and DuPont's proposed merger while the companies provide more information regarding their $130 billion deal.

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Mastercard sued for $19 billion in Britain's biggest damages claim

LONDON (Reuters) - Some 46 million people in Britain could potentially benefit from a legal case brought against Mastercard demanding 14 billion pounds ($19 billion) in damages for allegedly charging excessive fees, according to court documents filed in London.

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Oil pulls back after big jump on U.S. crude stock draw

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices pulled back on profit-taking on Friday after settling more than 4 percent higher a day earlier after government data confirmed a surprisingly huge drawdown in U.S. crude inventories.

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Chipotle settles sick customers' claims, avoiding court battles

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to financial settlements with more than 100 customers who fell ill after eating at its restaurants last year, lawyers for the consumers said, as it attempts to move on from a string of food-safety problems.

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Federal Reserve asks Congress to limit Wall Street merchant banking

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve Board recommended that Congress pare back Wall Street's ability to own physical commodities and engage in other aspects of merchant banking because of possible risks to the financial system, according to a report issued on Thursday.

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Wells Fargo will pay $190 million to settle customer fraud case

(Reuters) - Wells Fargo will pay $185 million in penalties and $5 million to customers that regulators say were pushed into fee-generating accounts that they never requested, officials said on Thursday.

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U.S. jobless claims fall as labor market remains strong

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, pointing to sustained labor market strength even as the pace of job growth is slowing.

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Apple drags down Wall Street

(Reuters) - Apple weighed on the three major U.S. stock indexes on Thursday morning, a day after the tech giant unveiled the new iPhone 7 that failed to impress Wall Street.

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Stocks fall as ECB goes no further on QE

LONDON (Reuters) - Stocks dipped and the euro gained on Thursday after the European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold and made only its previous broad commitment to run bond-buying for as long as needed, stopping short of a formal extension of quantitative easing.

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ECB holds rates, keeps March date for ending asset buys

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank kept its already loose policy stance unchanged as expected on Thursday, holding rates at record lows and promising to keep its 80 billion euro monthly asset buys going at least until next March.

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Apple hones marketing for Watch with focus on fitness

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Two years after unveiling the Apple Watch with apps and styles that tried to appeal to every need and every customer, Apple Inc has honed its marketing strategy, debuting a second generation product aimed squarely at the health and athletic audience.

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Intel to spin out security unit, sell stake in business to TPG

(Reuters) - Intel Corp said it would spin out its cybersecurity division, formerly known as McAfee, and sell a majority stake in it to investment firm TPG for $3.1 billion in cash.

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HP Enterprise nears deal to sell software division: source

(Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) is nearing a deal to sell its software division to Britain's Micro Focus International Plc , a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, as the U.S. company looks to slim down its focus to serve large corporate customers.

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U.S wage pressures confined to highly skilled, little sign of broadening: Fed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy expanded at a modest pace in July and August, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday, but there was little sign that wage pressures are being felt beyond highly skilled jobs.

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Wall Street falls as Fed officials hint at September rate hike

(Reuters) - Wall Street edged lower on Wednesday after two Federal Reserve officials hinted at an interest rate hike as soon as this month.

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Stock options suggest calm ahead of Apple launch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Options activity surrounding Apple shares on Wednesday could best be described with an iPhone ringtone: crickets.

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U.S. job openings at record high, skills mismatch emerging

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. job openings surged to a record high in July, but a lag in hiring suggested employers were struggling to find qualified workers to fill the positions.

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Morgan Stanley analysts see no quick fix at Chipotle, say Ackman may help

BOSTON (Reuters) - Repairing burrito maker Chipotle Mexican Grill will not be easy but billionaire investor William Ackman's new involvement in the stock could push management to move more quickly, research analysts at Morgan Stanley wrote on Wednesday.

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World stocks hit one-year highs as Fed hike prospects fade

LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks hit their highest in more than a year and the dollar fell sharply against the yen on Wednesday as expectations of a rise in Federal Reserve interest rates receded after weak U.S. economic data.

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Apple sets stage for iPhone 7, many already waiting for 8

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The iPhone 7 is expected to make its global debut on Wednesday, but many consumers and investors are already setting their sights on Apple Inc's 2017 version of the popular gadget, hoping for more significant advances.

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Fed's Williams says U.S. economy in good shape, wants rate hike

RENO, Nev. (Reuters) - A top Federal Reserve official on Tuesday repeated his call for gradual interest rate hikes, evidently unfazed by a slowdown in U.S. job gains and sluggishness in the services sector that now has traders betting against any rate hike at all this year.

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Ackman's Pershing Square takes new position in Chipotle

BOSTON (Reuters) - Activist investor William Ackman's hedge fund bought a 9.9 percent stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc , making the purchase after the once high-flying restaurant chain was battered by food-safety issues.

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Enbridge buying Spectra in $28 billion deal

(Reuters) - Canada's Enbridge Inc said on Tuesday it would buy Spectra Energy Corp of Houston in an all-stock deal valued at about $28 billion (C$37 billion) to create the largest North American energy infrastructure company.

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U.S. services sector activity hits a six and a half-year low

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. services sector activity slowed to a 6-1/2-year low in August amid sharp drops in production and orders, pointing to slowing economic growth that further diminished prospects for an interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve this month.

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China's online chatter muted ahead of Apple iPhone 7 launch

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Judging by the volume of online chatter, there's a lot less buzz in China ahead of this week's expected launch of the new Apple Inc iPhone, and people on the street say they're more likely to "wait and see" what the latest device offers than rush out to buy.

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Bayer sweetens Monsanto bid as talks enter final stretch

FRANKFURT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - German pharmaceutical and crop chemicals manufacturer Bayer AG says talks with Monsanto Co have advanced and it is now willing to offer more than $65 billion, a 2 percent increase on its previous offer for the world's largest seeds company.

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Stock futures flat as investors assess rate hike chances

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday as investors weigh the chances of an interest rate hike this month following a tepid jobs report.

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Toy maker LEGO builds more plant to revive growth in U.S. sales

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - LEGO A/S reported a decline in revenue growth and profits for the first half of 2016, but only because the Danish toymaker needed time to add production capacity to meet increased demand for its colorful building bricks in North America, the company said on Tuesday.

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Laptops and cool tops: a strong year for U.S. back-to-school shopping

(Reuters) - Along with the perennial run on leggings, students returning to America's classrooms this year are making a beeline for retro sneakers, "cold-shoulder" tops, versatile laptops and USB drives.

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Construction worker shortage weighs on hot U.S. housing market

DENVER (Reuters) - The drumbeat of hammers echoes most mornings through suburban Denver, where Jay Small, the owner of company that frames houses, is building about 1,300 new homes this year.

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G20 a success for China, but hard issues kicked down the road

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is lauding its successful hosting of the G20 summit in scenic Hangzhou, with open confrontation largely avoided and broad consensus reached over the fragile state of the global economy and the need for a wide range of policies to fix it.

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Brent steady after rise on Russia-Saudi pact

TOKYO (Reuters) - Brent crude prices were steady on Tuesday, holding most of their gains from the previous session when top producers Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to cooperate on stabilizing the oil market.

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Asian shares edge up as investors await RBA

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares edged up on Tuesday but were mostly in a holding pattern after Monday's U.S. holiday, as investors awaited a policy decision from the Reserve Bank of Australia.

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Global stocks push higher as oil takes wild ride

LONDON (Reuters) - Cooling U.S. rate hike expectations helped world shares notch up solid gains on Monday, though they came off highs as investors concluded an oil market pact between Saudi Arabia and Russia lacked substance.

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Ubisoft says Guillemot Brothers in deal to buy 4 million Ubisoft shares

PARIS (Reuters) - Ubisoft said on Monday that Guillemot Brothers SE and a bank had entered into an agreement related to the purchase of up to 4,000,008 shares in the French video game maker, representing 3.5 percent of Ubisoft's total share capital.

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Obama seeks to convince Asian partners that Washington will approve TPP

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that U.S. trading partners in Asia did not need to be persuaded of the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, just that Washington would eventually approve the trade pact.

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Obama says countries must move in concert on tax avoidance

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that the United States had to move in concert with other countries on the issue of tax avoidance, as some U.S. allies were "racing to the bottom" with their tax policies.

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BOJ's Kuroda says room for more easing, including new ideas

TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda signaled his readiness to ease monetary policy further using existing or new tools, shrugging off growing market concerns that the bank is reaching its limits after an already massive stimulus program.

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China, U.S. commit to refrain from competitive currency devaluations

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - China and the United States on Sunday committed anew to refrain from competitive currency devaluations, and China said it would continue an orderly transition to a market-oriented exchange rate for the yuan <CNY=CFXS>.

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Hanjin Shipping filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection: WSJ

SEOUL (Reuters) - Troubled container shipper Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd has filed for bankruptcy in the United States to protect its vessels from being seized by creditors, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a filing by the South Korean firm.

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Crude edges down on oil glut worries

TOKYO (Reuters) - Crude prices inched down on Monday in Asia, paring 3 percent gains in the previous session amid worries over a global oil glut.

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Bayer board to discuss Monsanto bid on September 14: Rheinische Post

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Bayer's supervisory board will discuss in a meeting on Sept. 14 whether to sweeten its offer for Monsanto again or even pursue a hostile takeover, German daily Rheinische Post reported, citing company sources.

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Japan warns Brexit may drive banks, pharma investment to EU

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has warned Britain that its exit from the European Union could prompt Japanese financial institutions to relocate from London and listed a raft of concerns from Japanese companies about the transition away of the EU.

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Wall Street Week Ahead: Sleepy summer may give way to freaky fall

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dog days of summer have lived up to their sleepy reputation this year as far as U.S. stocks are concerned, but market gyrations could soon pick up as a traditionally more volatile time of year looms.

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Wall Street still sees Fed on pace for one rate hike, in December: Reuters poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street's biggest banks are sticking to bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates once this year, and the increase would most likely occur in December after a tepid employment report for August quashed most talk of a move as early as this month.

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Slower U.S. payrolls growth dims September Fed rate hike prospects

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in August after two straight months of robust gains and wages were tepid, which could effectively rule out an interest rate increase from the Federal Reserve this month.

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U.S. factory orders post largest increase in nine months

WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - New orders for U.S. factory goods recorded their largest increase in nine months in July as demand increased broadly, in a hopeful sign for the embattled manufacturing sector.

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Wall Street rises as jobs report reins in rate bets

(Reuters) - Wall Street was higher at the open on Friday after data showed U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in August, which could rule out an interest rate increase this month.

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Divided Irish cabinet to meet on whether to fight EU on Apple tax

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's fragile coalition government will try on Friday to overcome cabinet divisions on whether to join Apple in appealing against a multi-billion-euro back tax demand that the European Commission has slapped on the iPhone maker.

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Samsung Electronics says to halt Galaxy Note 7 sales on battery problem

SEOUL (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it will halt the sales of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones and will prepare replacement devices for phones already sold after finding problems with the battery cell used.

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Samsung Electronics considers Galaxy Note 7 recall: source

SEOUL (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is considering a recall of its new flagship Galaxy Note 7 devices amid reports that some of the premium phones are catching fire due to battery problems, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday.

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U.S. banks need better defenses against rates shock, regulators warn

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Years of stubbornly low interest rates and expectations they will remain low for years to come have prompted U.S. banks to shift their balance sheets in ways that put them at risk if rates suddenly spike, regulators are warning.

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Asia drifts lower before US jobs report, dollar nurses losses

TOKYO (Reuters) - The potential for strong U.S. job data later in the day - which would raise chances of a Federal Reserve rate hike soon - kept Asian financial markets nervously marking time on Friday.

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Oil heads for biggest weekly loss since mid-January

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Crude prices rose on Friday after losses of more than 3 percent a day earlier, with investors treading cautiously ahead of key U.S. employment data that will help gauge the health of the world's largest economy and oil consumer.

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Harley-Davidson says plans to cut about 200 jobs

(Reuters) - Harley-Davidson Inc plans to cut about 200 positions as the company adjusts its production schedule due to a lower forecast for motorcycle shipments in 2016, a company spokeswoman said on Thursday.

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Exclusive: HP Enterprise in talks to sell software unit to Thoma Bravo - sources

(Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) is in talks with buyout firm Thoma Bravo LLC to sell its software division, hoping it can fetch between $8 billion and $10 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

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EU's Vestager warns others, says Apple could cut bill

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Other multinationals which do not employ as extreme Irish tax schemes as Apple but shift profits via the country to tax havens could also be breaching EU rules, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday.

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Wal-Mart to cut 7,000 U.S. store back-office jobs

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Thursday it will cut about 7,000 back-office jobs, mostly in accounting and invoicing positions at its U.S. stores, continuing a program it announced in June of cutting such jobs on the West Coast.

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Low rates can't resolve long-term labor problem: Fed's Mester

LEXINGTON, KY (Reuters) - Keeping interest rates low in the United States will likely do little to resolve deep-set problems in the country's labor market, Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said on Thursday.

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IMF's Lagarde says likely to cut growth outlook as trade wanes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the institution will likely downgrade its 2016 global growth forecast again as economic prospects are dimmed by weak demand, flagging trade and investment and growing inequality.

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U.S. factory activity contracts in August; layoffs remain low

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. factory activity contracted in August for the first time in six months as new orders and production tumbled, but a low level of layoffs continued to point to a pickup in economic growth in the third quarter.

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Stock futures rise ahead of economic data

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were higher on Thursday ahead of a raft of economic data, including a crucial jobs report on Friday.

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Apple CEO says EU tax ruling 'total political crap': Irish Independent

DUBLIN (Reuters) - The European Union's imposition of a 13 billion euro ($14.5 billion) back tax bill on Apple is "total political crap", Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a newspaper interview on Thursday, and anti-U.S. bias may have played a role.

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