Oil down, but ends year with biggest gain since 2009

(Reuters) - Oil prices settled slightly lower on Friday, the year's last trading day, but attained their biggest annual gain since 2009, after OPEC and partners agreed to cut output to reduce a supply overhang that has depressed prices for two years.

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Apple to cut iPhone production in Jan-March quarter: Nikkei

(Reuters) - Apple Inc will trim production of iPhones by about 10 percent in the January-March quarter, the Nikkei financial daily reported, citing calculations based on data from suppliers.

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FTC seeks more info on Bass Pro-Cabela's deal

(Reuters) - U.S. fishing and hunting equipment retailer Cabela's Inc , which is being bought by privately held rival Bass Pro Shops, said the Federal Trade Commission had sought more information from the companies about the deal.

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Foxconn joint venture to invest $8.8 billion to build new LCD plant in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - A joint venture of Hon Hai Precision Industries , known as Foxconn, and Sharp said on Friday it plans to invest 61 billion yuan ($8.8 billion) to build a new factory in China to produce liquid-crystal displays (LCDs).

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Silicon Valley's obscure unicorns could boost 2017 IPO market

(Reuters) - Social media firm Snap Inc may be the highest profile tech IPO planned for 2017, with the potential to raise billions.

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Pork giant Smithfield skips middlemen in grain supply chain

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Smithfield Food Inc [SFII.UL], the world's biggest pork producer, is buying grain elevators and purchasing grain directly from farmers, a move that hits grain handlers already reeling from multiyear lows in corn and soybean prices.

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Exclusive: J&J discussing breaking up Actelion in an acquisition - sources

(Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson is negotiating a deal to acquire Swiss biotechnology company Actelion Ltd that would separate its commercialized portfolio from its research and development assets, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

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Goods trade deficit widens; labor market near full strength

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A drop in U.S. exports last month pushed the country's trade deficit in goods higher while the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week in a positive sign for the labor market.

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Trump tax reforms could depend on little-known 'scoring' panel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump's goal of overhauling the U.S. tax code in 2017 will depend partly on the work of an obscure congressional committee tasked with estimating how much future economic growth will result from tax cuts.

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Dollar slips to two-week low vs. yen as Treasury yields fall

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar slipped to a two-week low against the yen on Thursday, mirroring a fall in U.S. bond yields as weaker-than-expected economic data weighed on the greenback and waning risk appetite boosted Japan's safe-haven currency.

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U.S. refiners face severe labor shortage for deferred maintenance

(Reuters) - After years of running flat out, U.S. Gulf Coast refiners are lining up repairs to plants in 2017 - but facing a severe labor shortage that could delay work, drive up costs and raise accident risks.

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Trump says Sprint, OneWeb to create 8,000 U.S. jobs

PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said telecommunications group Sprint Corp and a U.S. satellite company OneWeb will be bringing 8,000 jobs to the United States, celebrating the moves as a result of optimism associated with his election.

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Trump says Sprint to bring 5,000 jobs back to U.S.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday wireless carrier Sprint Corp will bring 5,000 jobs back to the United States and OneWeb, a new company, will be hiring 3,000 people.

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Pending home sales drop to 10-month low in November

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes fell in November to their lowest level in nearly a year, a sign rising interest rates could be weighing on the housing market, the National Association of Realtors said on Wednesday.

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Writedown fears wipe $5 billion off Toshiba's value as it weighs options

TOKYO (Reuters) - A looming writedown at Japanese conglomerate Toshiba Corp has wiped almost $5 billion off its value in two days and prompted a credit rating downgrade on Wednesday, as the company grapples to plug a potential multi-billion dollar hole.

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South Korea fines Qualcomm $854 million for violating competition laws

SEJONG, South Korea/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - South Korea's antitrust regulator fined Qualcomm Inc 1.03 trillion won ($854 million) for what it called unfair business practices in patent licensing and modem chip sales, a decision the U.S. chipmaker said it will challenge in court.

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The BOJ, QQE, YCC - explaining Japan's struggle with stagnation

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan has led Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's effort to stimulate the world's third-biggest economy, but its often innovative steps have yet to end decades of falling prices and feeble growth.

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Abbott gets U.S. antitrust approval to buy St. Jude Medical

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Healthcare company Abbott Laboratories has won U.S. antitrust approval for its proposed purchase of medical device maker St. Jude Medical Inc , the Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday.

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U.S. consumers ebullient; home prices gain

(Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence shot to its highest in more than 15 years in December as Americans saw more strength ahead in business conditions, stock prices and the job market following the election of Donald Trump as president in November.

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Dow nears 20,000, Nasdaq hits record as tech stocks gain

(Reuters) - Wall Street opened slightly higher on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average resuming its march toward 20,000 and the Nasdaq hitting a record, helped by gains in technology shares.

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U.S. home prices rise year-over-year in line with forecast

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. single-family home price increases accelerated modestly in October, in line with expectations, but rising mortgage rates in recent weeks could pose a risk for the sustainability of the gains, a survey showed on Tuesday.

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U.S. mutual fund trustees feel the heat of investor lawsuits

BOSTON (Reuters) - Before New York's famed 21 Club steakhouse drew attention in November for hosting Donald Trump, the wealthy U.S. president-elect, it quietly fed other public representatives: trustees of Paris-based AXA SA investment funds.

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Oil steady in quiet holiday season trade; supply cut deal to kick in Jan 1

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed on Tuesday in light pre-New Year holiday trading with markets adopting a wait-and-see stance less than a week before the first output cut deal agreed between OPEC and non-OPEC members in 15 years is scheduled to kick in.

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Toshiba considers booking big loss on U.S. nuclear power acquisition

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp said on Tuesday it was considering booking a goodwill impairment loss of several hundreds of billion yen on a U.S. nuclear power acquisition made by its Westinghouse division, sending its stock plunging 10 percent.

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Asia stocks flat in muted session, dollar recovers some losses

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks were little changed on Tuesday, in thin trade and with little to guide them as most major markets were closed on Monday for Christmas holidays, while the dollar reclaimed some of its losses from Monday.

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ECB tells Monte dei Paschi to raise $9.2 billion: sources

MILAN (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has told Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena it needs to plug a capital shortfall of 8.8 billion euros ($9.2 billion) higher than a previous 5 billion euro gap estimated by the bank, two sources close to the matter said on Monday.

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China's growth 'reassuring' for 'weak and vulnerable' global economy: Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will meet its growth target of 6.5 percent to 7 percent growth this year, a reassuring sign for a "weak and vulnerable" global economy, state news agency Xinhua said in a commentary on Monday.

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Iran says it sealed Boeing plane deal at half price

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it had negotiated to pay only about half the announced price for 80 new Boeing airliners in an order that the American planemaker had said was worth $16.6 billion.

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How JPMorgan could not save Italy's problem bank

MILAN/LONDON (Reuters) - On the morning of July 29, former Italian Industry Minister Corrado Passera was traveling in a high-speed train toward the medieval city of Siena, racing to meet the directors of the world's oldest bank to present them with a rescue plan.

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China needs to regulate 'money gates' but guard against financial stress: state media

BEIJING (Reuters) - China needs to keep financial market liquidity stable and regulate its "money gates" to prevent asset bubbles, but it also needs to ensure a lack of liquidity doesn't cause financial stress, according to a commentary in a newspaper owned by the People's Bank of China.

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Snapchat buying Israeli augmented reality start-up Cimagine: report

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Messaging app Snapchat is buying Israeli augmented reality startup Cimagine Media for an estimated $30-$40 million, marking Snapchat's first acquisition in Israel, the Calcalist financial daily reported on Sunday.

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Platinum Partners arrests are scant consolation for alleged victims

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When six executives of Platinum Partners, including founder Mark Nordlicht, were arrested on Monday on federal charges of running a more than $1 billion hedge fund fraud, people who had long alleged they were harmed by the New York-based firm felt some vindication.

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Stocks could suffer as Trump trade policy takes shape

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The year-end stocks rally on the heels of the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president was built on expectations of reduced regulations, big tax cuts and a large fiscal stimulus.

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Chinese firms face competition to maintain role in developing Iranian oilfields

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran plans to ask international oil companies to bid for the second phase of development of its Yadavaran and North Azadegan oilfields, a senior official said on Saturday.

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U.S. housing, consumer confidence data bolster economic outlook

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. single-family home sales rose more than expected in November and consumer sentiment hovered near a 13-year high this month, strengthening the view that the economy will gain further momentum next year.

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U.S. Justice Dept. orders whistleblower to testify in Wells Fargo probe

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed a high-profile whistleblower in its criminal investigation into Wells Fargo & Co's opening of accounts without customer permission.

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How Deutsche's big bet on Wall Street turned toxic

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank's pursuit of success on Wall Street has come at a high price, a $7 billion plus penalty illustrating the extent of its decline since 2008 when its then chief executive claimed it was one of the "strongest banks in the world".

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Icahn regulatory role gives activist investors strong Washington voice

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON/BOSTON (Reuters) - U.S. chief executives, already wrestling with a steady flow of activist investors in their board rooms, face a newly challenging landscape now that the loudest voice of the bunch will have the ear of the next president and his securities' rule makers.

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Banks lift global stocks, dollar holds near 14-year peak

LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks edged higher on Friday, helped by banks after two regional bellwethers settled investigations into U.S. mortgage securities, while oil and the dollar were on the back foot in light trading ahead of the Christmas break.

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U.S. hits Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank with toxic debt penalties

ZURICH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank have been hit with a combined penalty of more than $12 billion over the sale of U.S. toxic debt, further hampering two of Europe's leading investment banks as they grapple with falling profits.

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Credit Suisse agrees to $5.3 billion U.S. deal on mortgages

ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse had agreed in principle to pay U.S. authorities $2.48 billion to settle claims it misled investors in residential mortgage-backed securities it sold in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis, the Swiss bank said on Friday.

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Deutsche Bank reaches settlement with DoJ on mortgages case

(Reuters) - Deutsche Bank said on Thursday that it had reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, relating to the banks issuance and underwriting of RMBS (residential mortgage-backed securities) and related activities between 2005 and 2007.

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Retailers weigh on Wall Street, Dow 20,000 slips away

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, weighed down by weakness in retailers, as investors stepped back from a recent rally fueled by optimism that President-elect Donald Trump will invigorate economic growth.

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Volkswagen reaches deal with 80,000 U.S. 3.0-liter vehicle owners

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge said on Thursday that Volkswagen AG has reached an agreement in principle to provide "substantial compensation" to the owners of about 80,000 3.0-liter polluting diesel vehicles, a key hurdle to resolve the German automaker's emissions scandal.

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U.S. sues Barclays for mortgage securities fraud

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday sued Barclays Plc for fraud in the sale of mortgage securities in the run-up to the financial crisis.

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Nokia files more patent suits against Apple

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish telecoms networks equipment maker Nokia said on Thursday it had filed a new set of patent lawsuits against Apple Inc in Asia, Europe and the United States.

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U.S. capital goods orders rise solidly; GDP revised up

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New orders for U.S.-made capital goods rose more than expected in November amid strong demand for machinery and primary metals, suggesting some of the oil-related drag on manufacturing was starting to fade.

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Airbus seals deal with Iran for sale of 100 aircraft

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus signed a firm contract on Thursday for the sale of 100 aircraft to Iran Air, as Tehran and Western companies race to re-open trade almost a year after sanctions against Iran were lifted.

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U.S. third-quarter economic growth raised to 3.5 percent

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew faster than initially thought in the third quarter, notching its best performance in two years, amid solid consumer spending and a jump in soybean exports.

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U.S. refiners cash in on Mexico's record fuel imports

NEW YORK/HOUSTON (Reuters) - U.S. Gulf Coast refiners are cashing in on rising fuel demand from Mexico, shipping record volumes to a southern neighbor that has failed to expand its refining network to supply a fast-growing economy.

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Wall Street holiday parties are back...but don't tell anyone

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street holiday parties this year took place in luxury venues like the Waldorf Astoria, featured women dressed as glowing angels, and had fine wine, scotch and bourbon on hand.

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Viacom unit head overseeing MTV, Comedy Central to leave

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Longtime Viacom Inc executive Doug Herzog, who oversees the networks Comedy Central and MTV, is leaving the company next month, according to a memo to employees sent Wednesday from chief executive Bob Bakish.

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U.S. existing home sales rise to near 10-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales unexpectedly rose in November, reaching their highest level in nearly 10 years, likely as buyers rushed into the market to lock in mortgage rates in anticipation of further increases in borrowing costs.

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Trump weighs 'half-blind' trust option for businesses: Politico

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is considering the use of discretionary trusts to avoid conflicts of interest for Trump family members or administration officials, Politico reported on Wednesday.

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Wall Street little changed at the open

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened little changed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average still flirting with the elusive 20,000 mark, a day after both it and the Nasdaq Composite hit record highs.

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Nintendo's mobile Mario game sets download record but pricing proves sticking point

TOKYO (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd's first Mario smartphone title has set a download record but gamers baulked at the one-time cost of unlocking content, prompting investors to push the Japanese game makers' stock to a one-month low.

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Coca Cola buys African bottling from AB InBev for $3.15 billion

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to sell its majority stake in Africa's largest Coke bottler to the Coca Cola Company for $3.15 billion, the final planned divestment following its purchase of rival brewer SABMiller.

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Apple's new AirPods tough to recycle: report

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc's new wireless headphones could be a problem for recyclers, according to an electronics firm that took apart the device to review its component parts.

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Linde, Praxair agree on essential terms of merger of equals

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Linde AG, the German company that earlier this month revived merger talks with U.S. rival Praxair Inc, said it had come to an agreement with its counterpart on key aspects of the deal to create a $65 billion industrial gases giant.

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EU charges Facebook with misleading information during WhatsApp takeover

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union antitrust regulators have charged Facebook Inc with providing misleading information during its takeover of WhatsApp, opening the company to a possible fine of 1 percent of its turnover.

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Apple in talks with India to manufacture locally: WSJ

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Apple Inc is in talks with India's government to explore making products locally, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, as the U.S. firm aims to make deeper inroads in the world's second-largest mobile phone market by users.

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Retailers to drop on-call scheduling amid state probes

(Reuters) - Six U.S. retailers will no longer require hourly employees to check whether they are still needed for work and risk having their scheduled shifts canceled with little notice, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will announce on Tuesday.

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Lagarde keeps IMF job, escapes penalty after negligence conviction in France

PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde escaped punishment and kept her job on Monday despite a conviction on negligence charges over a state payout made while she served as France's finance minister in 2008.

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Exclusive: U.S. proposed $5-7 billion penalty for Credit Suisse on toxic debt - source

ZURICH/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice has asked Credit Suisse to pay between $5 billion and $7 billion to settle a probe over its sale of toxic mortgage securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis, a source with knowledge of the matter said, but the bank has resisted settling for that amount.

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Murdoch denies pressuring UK prime ministers ahead of Sky submission

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch said on Monday he had never asked a British prime minister for anything, seeking to play down his influence ahead of what is likely to be a politically charged approval process for his $14.6 billion bid for pay-TV group Sky .

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Wall Street opens little changed; Yellen in focus

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened little changed on Monday as investors awaited a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, less than a week after the Fed raised interest rates for only the second time since the financial crisis.

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Exclusive: Iran to land first Airbus jet within weeks under sanctions pact

PARIS (Reuters) - Iran expects to get its first new jet within weeks under a multi-billion-dollar deal with Airbus for 100 planes, a senior official said on Monday, as Tehran and Western firms race to reopen trade almost a year after sanctions were lifted.

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Apple to appeal EU tax ruling this week, says it was a 'convenient target'

CUPERTINO, Calif. (Reuters) - Apple will launch a legal challenge this week to a record $14 billion EU tax demand, arguing that EU regulators ignored tax experts and corporate law and deliberately picked a method to maximize the penalty, senior executives said.

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Oil prices edge up in anticipation of tighter 2017 market

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices inched up on Monday in anticipation of tighter crude supply going into 2017 following the decision by OPEC and other producers to cut output to prop up prices.

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Japan November exports beat expectations as yen tumbles, volumes rise

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's export performance improved strongly in November as rapid decline in the yen and a recovery in overseas demand boosted shipments from the trade sector, handily beating economists' expectations.

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As yuan weakens, Chinese rush to open foreign currency accounts

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Zhang Yuting lives and works in Shanghai, has only visited the United States once, and rarely needs to use foreign currency. But that hasn’t stopped the 29-year-old accountant from putting a slice of her bank savings into the greenback.

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Yahoo security problems a story of too little, too late

SAN FRANCISCO/BOSTON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the summer of 2013, Yahoo Inc launched a project to better secure the passwords of its customers, abandoning the use of a discredited technology for encrypting data known as MD5.

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Daimler CEO doesn't expect Trump to disadvantage European carmakers

BERLIN (Reuters) - Daimler does not expect Donald Trump to favor U.S. carmakers over their European counterparts, the carmaker's chief executive told a German paper, shrugging off concerns over the president-elect's protectionist rhetoric during his campaign.

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Heralding social, financial change, China aims blow at iron rice bowl

PINGDINGSHAN, China (Reuters) - China has ordered state firms to smash the decades-old system of providing cradle-to-grave welfare support, known as the country's "iron rice bowl".

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Virtual assistants expected to top virtual reality in holiday sales

(Reuters) - Virtual assistants are set to pummel virtual reality headsets in the fight for consumer dollars this holiday season, while smartwatches drive wearable sales. Drones may fly under the radar, though.

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Exclusive: Foreign banks in Britain pay fraction of tax rate

LONDON (Reuters) - Some of the biggest foreign investment and commercial banks operating in Britain paid an average tax rate of just 6 percent on the billions of dollars of profits they made in the country last year, a Reuters analysis of regulatory filings shows.

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Goldman Sachs to settle U.S. rate-rigging lawsuit for $56.5 million

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc has agreed to pay $56.5 million to resolve a U.S. class action lawsuit accusing it and other banks of rigging an interest rate benchmark used in the $553 trillion derivatives market.

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Hurdles emerge for stocks after rally

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Benchmark U.S. stock index rallies, in anticipation of fiscal stimulus measures by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, could also be laying the seeds for equity market troubles from a stronger dollar and rising bond yields.

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S&P, Nasdaq flat as investors pause after rally

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were little changed on Friday, while the Dow continued to march towards 20,000, a level it has never breached.

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Sumner Redstone to step down from Viacom board

(Reuters) - Controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone will step down from the Viacom board of directors after the company's annual meeting in February, according to a company filing on Friday.

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EU Commission clears Danone to buy WhiteWave subject to conditions

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission on Friday cleared France's Danone to proceed with its $10.4 billion purchase of U.S. organic food producer WhiteWave, subject to it selling a business in Belgium.

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U.S. housing starts tumble from nine-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. homebuilding fell more than expected in November, tumbling from a nine-year high as construction activity declined broadly, which could prompt further downward revisions to fourth-quarter economic growth estimates.

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Post-Fed dollar rally steadies, stocks level near highs

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar's post-Federal Reserve rally steadied on Friday and European shares traded near 11-month highs as investors adjusted their portfolios before year-end to face the prospect of a faster-than-expected pace of U.S. rate hikes next year.

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Dollar near 14-year peak as Fed targets more hikes, Treasury yields jump

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar held hefty gains against major currencies on Friday, after scaling 14-year highs against the euro and a broader basket of currencies as markets repositioned for a faster pace of rate rises by the Federal Reserve over the next year.

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GM expands testing, production of self-driving cars in Michigan

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra said on Thursday the automaker will expand testing of self-driving vehicles to Michigan, and will build its next generation of self-driving cars in the Michigan plant that builds the Chevrolet Bolt electric car.

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Investor optimism, global economic reality may clash in 2017

LONDON (Reuters) - Investors sound optimistic about a breakout for the world economy next year, but for all the talk of huge tax cuts from the incoming U.S. presidency of Donald Trump, the economic outlook looks similar to 2016: uneven and unspectacular.

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Murdoch's Fox agrees $14.6 billion Sky deal to expand empire

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox has struck a $14.6 billion deal to buy European pay-TV firm Sky that unites a media empire across two continents and helps it take on rivals like Netflix in the battle for viewers.

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U.S. senator seeks probe of Yahoo security after massive hack revealed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Democratic senator on Thursday said he intended to investigate Yahoo's cyber security practices after the company announced it had uncovered another massive data breach dating to August 2013 that affected more than 1 billion user accounts.

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Futures flat after Fed sees faster pace of rate hikes

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time this year and signaled a faster pace of hikes in 2017.

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Targeting U.S. automaker signals possible China retaliation over Trump talk

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's plan to punish a U.S. automaker accused of price-fixing is a sign of how Beijing could retaliate if President-elect Donald Trump upends decades of relations between the two nations.

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Asia stocks, currencies wobble as Fed flags more hikes

SYDNEY/TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares and currencies softened on Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time in a year and hinted at the risk of a faster pace of tightening than investors were positioned for.

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Lonza to buy U.S. capsule maker Capsugel for $5.5 billion

(Reuters) - Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Lonza Group AG said on Thursday it is buying Capsugel, a U.S. maker of capsule products and other drug delivery systems, for $5.5 billion in cash.

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Yahoo says one billion accounts exposed in newly discovered security breach

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc warned on Wednesday that it had uncovered yet another massive cyber attack, saying data from more than 1 billion user accounts was compromised in August 2013, making it the largest breach in history.

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U.S. IPOs set to rebound after dismal 2016

(Reuters) - The U.S. IPO market is expected to bounce back next year after a forgettable 2016, fueled by a sunnier economic outlook and a bit more certainty following the presidential election - factors that encouraged the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates.

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Wall Street little changed as countdown to Fed decision begins

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were off their highs and were little changed in afternoon trading on Wednesday as investors turned their attention to the outcome of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting.

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Trump and Silicon Valley elite seek to smooth over frictions

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Silicon Valley executives have a chance to smooth over frictions when they meet at his Manhattan tower on Wednesday for talks, after both sides made no secret of their disdain for each other during the presidential campaign.

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Uber, SpaceX/Tesla, and PepsiCo execs join Trump business council

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Elon Musk, the chairman and chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla as well as Uber Technologies CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick and PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi have joined U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's advisory council, Trump's transition team said on Wednesday.

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Fed set to hike rates, policy outlook now hinges on Trump presidency

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve will conclude its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday afternoon with an interest rate increase all but assured and will issue new forecasts assessing whether the economic outlook has changed since the U.S. election.

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OPEC points to larger 2017 oil surplus, unless cuts implemented

LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC pointed on Wednesday to a growing oil supply surplus next year unless members implement their deal to curb output from record levels and outside producers also deliver on cutback pledges made at the weekend.

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Asia resigned to Fed hike, uptight on rate outlook

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asia shares crept cautiously higher on Wednesday while a hush settled on the U.S. dollar as investors felt certain the Federal Reserve would raise rates for the first time in a year, but were less sure what it might herald for 2017.

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Asia confidence slips as firms fret about sluggish demand, political uncertainty: Thomson Reuters/INSEAD poll

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Confidence in Asia toward business conditions over the coming six months dropped in the final quarter of 2016 to its lowest level in a year as firms fretted about sluggish demand in a persistently low-growth economic environment, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey found.

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New accusations against former Fox News head Ailes in lawsuit

(Reuters) - New sexual harassment accusations against former Fox News network chief Roger Ailes were revealed in a lawsuit filed against 21st Century Fox on Monday.

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Oil prices fall on rising U.S. crude stocks, OPEC output concerns

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Wednesday following a reported rise in U.S. crude inventories and an estimate that OPEC may have produced more crude in November than previously thought, potentially undermining a planned output cut.

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Wells Fargo fails 'living will' test, faces restrictions: regulators

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wells Fargo would damage financial markets if it were pushed to bankruptcy, U.S. regulators said on Tuesday as they imposed restrictions on the bank's business.

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Stock, bond markets could see sharp declines: U.S. financial watchdog

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Stock and bond markets may be riding for a fall as equity prices soar and interest rates stay low, a federal monitor of U.S. financial stability said on Tuesday, warning that such a tumble could inflict serious damage on banks, life insurers and other important parts of the economy.

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British pension funds warn on any Fox/Sky deal

LONDON (Reuters) - British public sector pension funds on Tuesday called for an "appropriate" premium in any potential deal between Twenty-First Century Fox and Sky as well as for safeguards to protect minority shareholders.

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Trump's tough trade talk makes U.S. firms fear China retribution

CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's challenges to China on trade and Taiwan are rattling American companies who have long benefited from stable relations between the two countries but now fear retaliation by Beijing if Trump were to act.

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Brent crude oil prices firm as Abu Dhabi cuts exports

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices were firm on Tuesday as the first signs of a crude production cut organized by OPEC and other exporters materialized, tightening a market that has been grappling with ballooning oversupply for over two years.

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Asian shares wobble as investors await Fed, dollar dips

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares were on tenterhooks on Tuesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's meeting that begins later in session for clues on the outlook for U.S. monetary policy, while crude oil prices pulled back after their surge to 18-month highs.

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Exclusive: SWIFT confirms new cyber thefts, hacking tactics

LONDON/BOSTON (Reuters) - Cyber attacks on the global banking system have continued - and succeeded - since February’s heist of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, underscoring the continuing vulnerability of the SWIFT messaging network, a SWIFT official told Reuters.

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Energy shares lift Dow, S&P; techs drag Nasdaq

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Dow hit record highs on Monday, fueled by energy shares, while the Nasdaq was lower, dragged down by technology stocks, a day ahead of the Fed's two-day meeting.

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Trump targets Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet costs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump took aim at another major defense contractor on Monday, saying the cost of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet program was too high.

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National Amusements pulls CBS, Viacom merger proposal: sources

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sumner Redstone's privately-held National Amusements on Monday withdrew its merger proposal for CBS and Viacom , according to three sources familiar with the situation who wished to remain anonymous.

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Federal Reserve and Republican critics may compromise on oversight after Trump win

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers and the Federal Reserve may be ready to strike a compromise deal on legislation that would give Congress greater scrutiny over the central bank, now that there is no longer the threat of a presidential veto, but it would likely stop short of dictating rules on setting interest rates.

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Goldman says non-OPEC output cut deal aimed at inventory glut

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs said the formal agreement by non-OPEC oil producers this weekend in Vienna to help curb output was reached with a goal of "normalization" of inventories and not necessarily just at raising oil prices.

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Exclusive: Lonza in talks to buy Capsugel for more than $5 billion - sources

(Reuters) - Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Lonza Group AG is in advanced talks to acquire Capsugel, a U.S. maker of capsule products and other drug delivery systems, for more than $5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Japan's Honda ties up with ride-hailing service Grab

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Southeast Asian ride-hailing service Grab disclosed on Monday that Japan's Honda Motor Co had invested in the firm, as part of a $750 million funding announced previously, to collaborate on motorbike-hailing services.

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Oil surges after output cuts, strong dollar weighs

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped to their highest levels in a year and a half on Monday after OPEC and non-OPEC producers agreed to cut oil output to ease a global glut, while the U.S. dollar extended gains before a Federal Reserve meeting this week, at which a rate hike is widely expected.

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Iran seals $17 billion Boeing deal, close to Airbus order

PARIS/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran signed a $16.6 billion deal for 80 Boeing passenger jets on Sunday and was said to be close to another for dozens of Airbus planes to complete what would be the biggest package of firm contracts with Western companies since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

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Japan October core machinery orders rise, beating expectations

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's October core machinery orders rose for the first time in three months to beat expectations, government data showed - a tentative sign of a pickup in capital expenditure.

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UniCredit sells Pioneer to Amundi for more than $4.2 billion: source

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's biggest bank by assets UniCredit has reached a deal to sell its asset manager Pioneer to France's Amundi for more than 4 billion euros ($4.2 billion), a source with knowledge of the matter said on Sunday.

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Major Sky shareholder to vote against Fox bid

LONDON (Reuters) - A major shareholder in British pay-TV company Sky will vote against Twenty-First Century Fox's $14 billion takeover bid, the investor told Reuters on Sunday, while another said it is unhappy about the offer.

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Top tech executives to attend Trump summit on Wednesday: Recode

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top executives from Alphabet Inc, Apple Inc and Facebook Inc are among a small group of tech leaders invited to a summit to be held on Wednesday by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Recode reported, citing sources.

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Iran close to Airbus deal, to get first jets in 2017: official

PARIS (Reuters) - Iran is close to finalizing a deal to buy dozens of passenger jets from Europe's Airbus, having signed a $16.6 billion deal with Boeing earlier on Sunday, an Iranian official told Reuters.

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Saudi hits new oil output record in November amid OPEC cut talk

VIENNA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia boosted its oil production to a new record high in November, amid talks over a global deal to cut production, defying market expectations of lower output on slower summer domestic demand and refinery maintenance.

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Iran Air says signs deal to buy 80 Boeing passenger planes

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran Air said it signed a deal on Sunday to buy 80 passenger planes from U.S. aircraft maker Boeing , state news agency IRNA reported.

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Murdoch's new Sky bid should be probed, UK opposition politicians say

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's new takeover approach for British pay-TV firm Sky should be investigated by the UK's competition authorities, according to opposition politicians, though analysts said a deal should be easier to get through this time round.

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OPEC, non-OPEC agree first global oil pact since 2001

VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC and non-OPEC producers on Saturday reached their first deal since 2001 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices that overstretched many budgets and spurred unrest in some countries.

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Lawyers seek to launch fresh Brexit challenge in Irish courts

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A group of British and Irish lawyers are seeking to challenge Britain's decision to leave the European Union in the Irish High Court to try to establish if Brexit can be reversed once divorce talks have been triggered.

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OPEC, Russia see smooth road to global deal on output cut

VIENNA (Reuters) - Russia and Saudi Arabia said they expect OPEC and non-OPEC producers to reach an agreement on Saturday to curtail oil output and prop up prices in the first such joint move since 2001.

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Hawkish Fed a potential speed bump for stock bulls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Next week's Federal Reserve meeting and possible signals on the pace of rate hikes for next year could pose the biggest risk yet to the rally the U.S. stock market has seen since last month's presidential election.

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Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox bids $14 billion for UK's Sky

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox Inc has proposed buying the 61 percent of British pay-TV firm Sky Plc it does not already own for around $14 billion, five years after a political scandal scuppered a previous bid.

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Coke veteran Quincey to replace Kent as CEO in widely expected move

(Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co said on Friday that Muhtar Kent would step aside as chief executive next year and be replaced by James Quincey, a company veteran credited with several recent changes to help the company cut its dependence on sugary drinks.

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U.S. wholesale inventories fall in October

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - U.S. wholesale inventories fell as previously reported in October amid a surge in sales, supporting views that inventory investment would provide a modest boost to economic growth in the fourth quarter.

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S&P, Nasdaq hit highs on gains in health, tech stocks

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Friday, extending a post-election rally, with gains in healthcare and technology sectors lifting the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 to fresh all-time highs.

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Aixtron considers partial sell-off after Chinese deal blocked

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German semiconductor chipmaking machinery company Aixtron is considering reducing the size of the business with a partial sale, its chief executive said in an interview published on Friday, opening the door for bidders after a deal with a Chinese firm collapsed.

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Exclusive: Banks want to be subject to EU laws for five years in post-Brexit deal

LONDON (Reuters) - Large banks in Britain want the UK government to allow their industry to remain subject to EU laws for up to five years after Brexit, a move likely to enrage eurosceptics who want to break away from the bloc's legal system as soon as possible. The banks - international players - are also pressing the government to allow the European Court of Justice to rule on decisions related to their businesses during that period, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

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Oil extends gains on hopes for non-OPEC output cuts

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices extended gains for a second session running on Friday on optimism that non-OPEC producers would agree to cut output following a cartel agreement to limit production.

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In Trump stronghold, factories are humming but paychecks are thin

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When President-elect Donald Trump returns to this factory town on Friday for a victory celebration, he will find a region that is already experiencing the manufacturing renaissance he promised on the campaign trail.

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Wife of billionaire Pimco co-founder Bill Gross files for divorce

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The wife of Pacific Investment Management Co co-founder Bill Gross is seeking a divorce after 31 years of marriage.

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DuPont CEO Breen says Trump win unlikely to impact Dow deal

BOSTON (Reuters) - Dupont Chief Executive Ed Breen said on Thursday the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is not likely to have an impact on his company's planned merger with rival Dow Chemical.

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Saudi Arabia tells oil buyers of cuts after OPEC deal, PIRA says

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is informing its customers of cuts to their January crude oil supplies to comply with the latest OPEC agreement, according to a PIRA note late on Thursday.

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Exclusive: Bangladesh panel finds insiders negligent in central bank heist

DHAKA (Reuters) - A Bangladesh government-appointed panel investigating the cyber-heist of $81 million from its central bank in February found five officials at the bank were guilty of negligence and carelessness, the head of the panel told Reuters on Thursday.

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U.S. jobless claims drop from five-month high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell from a five-month high last week, pointing to labor strength that underscores the economy's sustained momentum.

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ECB to scale back asset buys as it extends to end-2017

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank caught financial markets off-guard on Thursday by announcing it would trim asset buys from April next year, even as it reserved the right to increase purchases again if the euro zone's recovery faltered.

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Global stocks, euro push higher ahead of ECB stimulus plan

LONDON (Reuters) - World shares climbed to a three-month high on Thursday as encouraging Chinese data and a record-high Wall Street kept traders upbeat before an expected extension of the European Central Bank's already generous stimulus program.

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Fujian says offer for Aixtron has lapsed

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - China's Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund has dropped its offer for German chip equipment maker Aixtron after U.S. President Barack Obama stopped the takeover.

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Mexico and U.S. executives to share data to make case for free trade

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican and U.S. business leaders will share information on cross-border economic integration as they seek to build a case for free trade under the government of President-elect Donald Trump, a top industry group said on Wednesday.

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Oil prices rise on U.S. crude stock decline, weaker dollar

SEOUL (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Thursday, supported by a weaker dollar ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting and by a drawdown in U.S. crude stocks.

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Japan Inc warns of global trade contraction under Trump presidency: Reuters poll

TOKYO (Reuters) - Corporate Japan is bracing for a rocky ride under incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, a Reuters poll showed, with well over a third of firms seeing a contraction in global trade as concerns about a rise in U.S. protectionism threaten to shatter a fragile economic recovery.

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Exclusive: U.S. regulator set to fail Wells Fargo on community lending test -sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. bank regulator is ready to fail Wells Fargo on a national scorecard for community lending, sources familiar with the decision said on Wednesday, in a move that could limit near-term expansion for the bank.

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Trump takes aim at drugmakers and pharma, biotech stocks fall

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday took aim at drugmakers, promising in a magazine interview that "I'm going to bring down drug prices," and shares of U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies fell.

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AT&T touts Time Warner merger at Senate hearing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT&T Inc Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday that his company's planned $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc would increase innovation, bring "better-priced options" to consumers

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Trump defends his comments on Boeing, sees markets going up: NBC interview

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump said companies should welcome his actions because they will prosper under his administration, the U.S. President-elect told NBC on Wednesday, one day after Boeing Co's shares took a hit when he used Twitter to criticize one of its high-profile projects.

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Asian shares rise as markets look to ECB after Italian jolt

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares rose on Wednesday as investors covered short positions and looked to the coming policy meeting of the European Central Bank for comfort after a referendum defeat tipped Italy into political turmoil.

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Exclusive: In mammoth task, BP sends almost 3 million barrels of U.S. oil to Asia

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil major BP is shipping almost 3 million barrels of U.S. crude to customers across Asia, pioneering a lengthy and complex operation likely to become more popular after OPEC last week announced deep production cuts.

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Trump says Softbank to invest $50 billion in United States

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the head of Japanese telecoms and internet firm SoftBank Group Corp had agreed to invest $50 billion in the United States toward businesses and create 50,000 new jobs.

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Microsoft gains EU approval for $26 billion buy of LinkedIn

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Microsoft won EU antitrust approval on Tuesday for its $26 billion bid for professional social network LinkedIn , its largest ever acquisition, after agreeing to a series of modest concessions.

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Supreme Court rules for Samsung in smartphone fight with Apple

(Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with Samsung in its big-money smartphone patent fight with Apple, throwing out an appeals court ruling that said the South Korean company had to pay a $399 million penalty to its American rival for copying key iPhone designs.

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U.S. trade gap widens as exports of soybeans, other goods fall

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit recorded its biggest increase in more than 1-1/2 years in October as exports of soybeans and other goods dropped, suggesting that trade would be a drag on growth in the fourth quarter.

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Exclusive: McDonald's to keep minority stake in China, Hong Kong stores - source

HONG KONG (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp is looking to raise $1 billion to $2 billion with the sale of its China and Hong Kong stores after the U.S. fast-food chain decided to keep "a significant minority stake in the business," a person with direct knowledge of the plans said on Tuesday.

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Asian stocks post biggest daily gain in two weeks

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks posted their biggest rise in two weeks on Tuesday and the euro steadied as investors judged the selloff after Italy's referendum to be overdone, with robust U.S. economic data also helping sentiment.

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UTC CEO says no 'quid pro quo' on keeping Indiana plant open

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - United Technologies Corp , parent company of Carrier Corp, got a "good deal" with President-elect Donald Trump that allowed it to shift most jobs at two Indiana plants to Mexico, its chief executive said on Monday in an interview with CNBC.

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U.S. services sector activity scales one-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. services sector activity hit a one-year high in November, with a surge in production boosting hiring, further evidence of strength in the economy that clears the way for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next week.

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Trump advisors aim to privatize oil-rich Indian reservations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Native American reservations cover just 2 percent of the United States, but they may contain about a fifth of the nation’s oil and gas, along with vast coal reserves.

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China upset as Obama bars Fujian buying Aixtron's U.S. business

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry expressed displeasure on Monday after President Barack Obama blocked a Chinese investment fund from acquiring the U.S. business of German semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron .

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Oil prices fall as production creeps up ahead of announced 2017 output cut

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell by one percent on Monday as a higher U.S. rig count unsettled markets amid nagging concern that output cuts, planned as part of concerted action between producer club OPEC and Russia, might not be as big as initially anticipated.

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Panasonic in talks to buy ZKW for up to $1 billion: Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Corp is in the final stages of talks to buy European automotive light maker ZKW Group for up to $1 billion, accelerating its push into the automotive electronics market, the Nikkei business daily reported Monday.

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Fed official stands by Wall Street reforms, says must complete work

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States "absolutely must" complete unfinished work ending the too-big-to-fail bank problem that helped plunge the global economy into recession eight years ago, an influential Federal Reserve policymaker said on Saturday.

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Burberry rejects multiple takeover offers from Coach: Financial Times

(Reuters) - British luxury fashion brand Burberry has rejected multiple takeover offers from U.S. handbag maker Coach Inc , the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

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EU blames China for WTO environmental trade talks collapse

GENEVA (Reuters) - Europe's trade negotiator blamed China on Sunday for scuppering a global environmental trade deal by submitting impossible late demands at World Trade Organization talks aimed at scrapping import tariffs on exports worth more than $1 trillion.

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No price like home: Big spenders reappear in China

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's wealthiest shoppers are spending at home again, roused from a three-year slumber by a weaker yuan, lower prices and a crackdown on overseas sales agents - a welcome boost for the world's luxury brands.

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Small banks rally pauses but may not be over yet

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The rally in regional U.S. bank stocks that followed last month's election of Donald Trump may not be over, but investors may have to wait for policy to take shape for the massive move to extend further.

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Airbnb, New York City settle rental law lawsuit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Airbnb Inc and New York City said on Friday they had resolved a lawsuit brought by the company challenging a law it argued could expose it to significant penalties for advertising short-term apartment rentals.

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Trump's dilemma: slower job growth or rising rates and inflation?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A drop in the U.S. unemployment rate last month to a 9-year low signals the risk of a collision between President-elect Donald Trump's plans to goose the economy and the Federal Reserve's efforts to tap the brakes with higher interest rates.

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Deutsche Bank cuts ties with 3,400 clients in trading business

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank's Global Markets division will cut ties with about 3,400 clients in its debt and equities sales activities, the bank said on Friday. Deutsche Bank will immediately cease debt sales services to some financial institutions and hedge funds as well as equity sales activities, the execution of equities trading orders and equity structuring activities for some clients, a spokesman said, citing an internal memo.

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Investor Cuban to testify at Senate hearing on AT&T-Time Warner deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Mark Cuban will be among the witnesses scheduled to testify at a U.S. Senate Judiciary panel hearing on Dec. 7 on AT&T Inc's proposed $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc , a committee spokesman said Friday.

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Traders keep bets on Fed rate hike later this month

(Reuters) - U.S. short-term interest rate futures rose slightly on Friday after a government report showed hourly earnings fell in November, but traders largely kept bets intact on a Federal Reserve interest-rate hike later this month.

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Ahead of promised cut, Russia's oil output hits record high

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia plans to use its post-Soviet era record high November oil production as its baseline when it cuts output under this week's deal with OPEC, Deputy Energy Minister Kirill Molodtsov said on Friday.

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Oil steadies after OPEC decision prompts big weekly rally

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices steadied at around $53.50 a barrel on Friday after the biggest weekly rally since 2009 following OPEC's decision this week to cut crude output in order to rein in a global glut.

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U.S. November payrolls seen strong, to cement rate hike views

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers likely boosted hiring in November amid growing confidence in the economy, making it almost certain that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month.

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Asia shares pare gains; Treasury yields, oil off highs

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares lost some of their recent gains on Friday, after lackluster sessions on Wall Street and Europe, while 10-year U.S. Treasury yields and crude futures pulled back from multi-month highs hit overnight.

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'Tis the season to window shop in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - From a whimsical enchanted winter forest-scape to candy-laden backdrops for festive fashion, New York department stores have spent a year conjuring up eye-catching holiday window displays.

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Exclusive: How Putin, Khamenei and Saudi prince got OPEC deal done

VIENNA (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin played a crucial role in helping OPEC rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia set aside differences to forge the cartel's first deal with non-OPEC Russia in 15 years.

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Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to step down

(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp said Howard Schultz will be stepping aside as chief executive officer of the company, to focus on its high-end coffee shops as executive chairman.

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As Trump touts Indiana jobs deal, U.S. factory work seeps overseas

ELKHART, Ind./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump goes to Indianapolis on Thursday to celebrate a deal that will keep 1,000 factory jobs there, but employers elsewhere in Indiana are laying off five times that many workers because of foreign competition.

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Oil price rally likely short-lived as OPEC deal not enough to reduce glut

(Reuters) - The oil price rally sparked by an OPEC-Russia deal to cut output is likely to be short-lived, say traders in Asia, because the agreement may only draw more supplies from storage tanks and more crude shipments from the United States.

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Jobless claims rise to five-month high

WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, hitting their highest level in five months, but the underlying trend remained consistent with a strengthening labor market.

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U.S. stock futures lower ahead of economic data

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures kicked off December on a somber note ahead of a raft of data that would offer more clues on the strength of the economy.

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Separation anxiety: Trump’s management style poses challenges in Oval Office

NEW YORK (Reuters) - It has proven one of Donald Trump's greatest strengths in building a worldwide luxury brand: An obsessive attention to detail, down to the curtains hanging in hotel rooms and the marble lining the lobby floor.

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Carrier gets state incentives, Trump pledge for keeping U.S. jobs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - United Technologies Corp's Carrier unit said on Wednesday it got financial incentives from Indiana and a pledge from President-elect Donald Trump to improve the climate for business in the United States in exchange for keeping more than 1,000 jobs in the state rather than moving them overseas.

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Oil prices surge, trading volume records smashed as OPEC and Russia agree output cut

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - An agreement between oil producer club OPEC and Russia to produce less to drain a global glut sent prices soaring in record trading volumes on Thursday, even as analysts warned other producers will likely top up supply.

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