Asian stocks tread water on U.S., commodities concerns

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks are set for a third straight day of losses on Friday as a retreat in crude oil and other commodities prices knocked global sentiment, although receding concerns about France's presidential election kept the euro near six-month highs.

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Warren Buffett says he sold a third of stake in IBM: CNBC

(Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffet has sold about a third of his stake in IBM Corp during the first and second quarter of 2017, CNBC reported.

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Greenlight says documents show GM tried to undermine dual-share plan

(Reuters) - Greenlight Capital escalated its battle against General Motors Co on Thursday, posting credit ratings documents that it said the automaker inappropriately changed to undermine the hedge fund's proposal to create two classes of GM stock.

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U.S. Senate passes bill to fund government through September

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday gave final legislative approval to a $1.2 trillion spending bill to keep the government open through September, a measure President Donald Trump is expected to sign before Friday's deadline.

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Wall Street drops with oil prices, health bill vote awaited

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were lower in early afternoon trading on Thursday as a steep fall in crude oil prices weighed on energy shares and with healthcare stocks in focus ahead of a cliffhanger vote on repealing Obamacare.

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Kraft Heinz to cut jobs, shutter factories under integration plan

(Reuters) - Kraft Heinz Co said on Thursday it would cut about 13 percent of its workforce, close factories and consolidate its distribution network as part of its efforts to merge Kraft Foods and H.J. Heinz.

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OPEC likely to extend output pact, bigger oil cut unlikely: delegates

LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers look likely to extend their agreement to limit supplies beyond its June expiry to help clear a glut, three OPEC delegates said on Thursday, downplaying the chance of additional steps such as a bigger cut.

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U.S. labor market tightening; productivity weakens in first quarter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. jobless benefits fell sharply last week and the number of Americans on unemployment rolls hit a 17-year low, pointing to a tightening labor market that could allow the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next month.

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U.S. trade deficit improves slightly in March

WASHINGTON - The U.S. trade deficit improved slightly in March amid broad declines in both imports

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Viacom's profit, revenue beat estimates

(Reuters) - Viacom Inc , the owner of MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, reported quarterly profit and revenue that handily beat estimates, helped in part by the success of its latest movie "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage".

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S&P 500 tech index edges toward $5 trillion while Apple steals spotlight

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - While some investors have been waiting for Apple's market capitalization to reach $1 trillion, those looking for big round numbers might be better off looking to the S&P 500 technology index as a whole, which is approaching the $5 trillion mark.

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Apple to create $1 billion U.S. advanced manufacturing fund, CEO says

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said the iPhone maker plans to create a $1 billion fund to invest in advanced manufacturing companies in the United States.

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Facebook profit surges 76.6 percent as ad sales jump

(Reuters) - Facebook Inc reported a 76.6 percent surge in quarterly profit on Wednesday, fueled by robust growth in its mobile ad business.

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Wall Street lower as Fed holds on rates; financials gain

(Reuters) - Wall Street kept losses on Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged following its two-day policy meeting, and as investors digested another heavy round of earnings reports.

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Milken's big money investors 'grind it out' as bull market ages

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top investment fund managers at the Milken Institute Global Conference this week said they had little choice but to focus on unusual and complicated corners of the financial markets as stock markets have risen and interest rates remain low.

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U.S. private hiring slows, services growth speeds up in April

(Reuters) - U.S. companies hired workers at a slower but still-solid pace in April, while the domestic services sector grew more than expected, supporting the notion the economic expansion remains on track despite a weak first quarter, private data released on Wednesday showed.

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'Kong', 'LEGO Batman' power Time Warner's profit beat

(Reuters) - Time Warner Inc , which is being bought by AT&T , reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by the success of its movies "Kong: Skull Island" and "The LEGO Batman Movie" in the first quarter.

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Strong demand at Taco Bell drives Yum Brands' profit beat

(Reuters) - Yum Brands Inc reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit due to strong global same-store sales growth, driven by robust demand at its Taco Bell restaurants and lower costs at its KFC chain.

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Apple posts surprise dip in iPhone sales, shares fall

(Reuters) - Apple Inc reported a surprise fall in iPhone sales for its second quarter on Tuesday, indicating that customers may have held back purchases in anticipation of the 10th-anniversary edition of the company's most important product later this year.

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Buffett to face big crowd as Berkshire grows bigger

(Reuters) - As the United States adapts to the presidency of Donald Trump and faces rising tensions abroad, Berkshire Hathaway Inc shareholders will descend on Omaha, Nebraska this weekend seeking reassurance, from Warren Buffett.

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Asia stocks ride global momentum, dollar up on June Fed rate hike bets

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks followed global indexes higher on Wednesday, as strong earnings and manufacturing data boosted risk appetite, while expectations that the Federal Reserve will signal a June rate increase later in the session lifted the dollar.

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Tesla is most painful stock for short sellers in 2017

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Traders short selling Tesla's soaring stock have lost $3.7 billion this year, eclipsing the combined losses of traders shorting Apple , Amazon.com and Netflix .

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Wall St. modestly higher as Apple leads tech stocks' gains

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were modestly higher in early afternoon trading on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite eking out another record high, helped by an Apple-led rise in technology stocks.

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Wall St. eyes Apple and Facebook to fuel new leg of tech rally

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple and Facebook may expand their already outsized share of U.S. technology revenue when they report their earnings this week, as investors look for evidence to justify this year's U.S. stock market rally.

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Despite record highs, fund managers globally remain underweight Apple

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Active stock fund managers around the world are holding the lowest percentage of Apple Inc shares in their portfolios when compared to the iPhone maker's overall weighting in indexes, even as the shares hit record highs, according to a research note by investment bank UBS late Monday.

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United CEO takes responsibility for passenger incident

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - United Airlines Chief Executive Oscar Munoz will tell the U.S. Congress on Tuesday he is taking responsibility for a series of failures that led to the April 9 forced removal of a passenger from a Chicago airplane that prompted worldwide condemnation.

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Merck profit tops estimates as margins rise; Co raises 2017 forecast

(Reuters) - Merck & Co Inc reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by higher gross margins, and the drugmaker also raised its revenue and profit forecasts for 2017.

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Pfizer beats first-quarter profit estimates

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc , the largest U.S. drugmaker, reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by higher sales of breast cancer drug Ibrance and pain relief drug Lyrica.

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Hilton's revenue jumps 25 percent

(Reuters) - Hotel operator Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc reported a 25.2 percent rise in quarterly revenue on Tuesday, as more people booked its rooms at higher prices.

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Trump administration set to replace top banking regulator Thomas Curry: WSJ

(Reuters) - The Trump administration plans to replace Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry as chief overseer of federally chartered banks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

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Fed set to leave interest rates unchanged, may hint at June hike

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady at its meeting this week as it pauses to parse more economic data but may hint it is on track for an increase in June.

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Hi-tech leads Asia share rally, dollar at one-month high vs yen

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares advanced on Tuesday, helped by rising optimism on the technology industry and easing concerns over North Korea, while the dollar edged up to one-month high versus the yen.

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Public investments in Trump-operated hotel set dangerous precedent – U.S. senators

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is flirting with unparalleled violations of the Constitution by not divesting himself from a hotel management company that benefits financially from public pension fund investments, according to two Democratic U.S. senators.

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Budget deal may map U.S. Congress road ahead, via Trump bypass

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress, bitterly divided for years along party lines, may be mapping a bipartisan path forward that skirts around President Donald Trump when he refuses to engage constructively with lawmakers, Democrats and some lobbyists said on Monday.

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U.S. factory activity slows; inflation pressures subside

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. factory activity slowed in April while consumer spending was unchanged in March and a key inflation measure recorded its first monthly drop since 2001, but economists still expect an interest rate increase in June as the labor market tightens.

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Trump says actively considering breaking up big banks: Bloomberg TV

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he was actively considering breaking up big banks, Bloomberg Television reported on Monday.

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Mnuchin sees U.S. growth reaching 3 percent in time, tax cuts to help

BEVERLY HILLS (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin said on Monday that it could take up to two years to have economic growth reach three percent and that tax cuts and regulatory relief will help get there.

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Wall St. opens higher as government shutdown averted

(Reuters) - Wall Street opened higher on Monday after U.S. Congress negotiators averted a government shutdown later this week by hammering out a federal funding deal late on Sunday.

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Dish reports 6 percent fall in quarterly profit

(Reuters) - Dish Network Corp reported a 6 percent drop in quarterly profit on Monday as the U.S. satellite TV provider added fewer-than-expected pay-TV subscribers.

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Trump could target 'carried interest' tax loophole: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration's push to overhaul tax laws might soon target a loophole used by some financial managers to lower their tax rates, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said on Sunday.

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Asia stocks sluggish after weak U.S. GDP, dollar dips

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks struggled for traction on Monday after weaker-than-expected U.S. economic growth data, while the dollar dropped against the yen amid tensions over North Korea and slipped versus the euro on evidence of strong euro zone inflation.

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UPS air maintenance workers threaten strike ahead of shareholders meeting

(Reuters) - A union representing 1,200 U.S. air maintenance workers at United Parcel Service Inc  turned up pressure on the company on Sunday to settle a three-year contract dispute, saying it would seek clearance to strike.

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China April manufacturing growth slows faster than expected

BEIJING (Reuters) - Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed faster than expected in April, an official survey showed on Sunday, as producer price inflation cooled and policymakers' efforts to reduce financial risks in the economy weighed on demand.

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Siemens, SAP sign cooperation deals with Saudi Arabia: officials

JEDDAH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia wants German companies Siemens and SAP to play an important role in furthering the kingdom's "digital transformation", company officials said on Sunday during German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to the country.

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South Korea already working on reducing trade surplus with U.S.: finance minister

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's finance minister said on Sunday the government was already working on downsizing its trade surplus with the United States, a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's comments Thursday that Washington will renegotiate or scrap the free trade pact the two countries have.

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British PM May sets out plans to protect pensions during takeovers

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to protect workers against irresponsible practices over pensions on Sunday, promising new regulations on how schemes are handled during corporate takeovers.

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Bailout or bust? Alitalia divides a nation, paralyses Rome

ROME/MILAN (Reuters) - Italians are watching their flag carrier Alitalia go into yet another financial tailspin, and a growing number of them believe it would be better for the country if it crashed.

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In first 100 days, a reversal of fortune for Trump favorites on Wall Street

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A funny thing happened on Wall Street in Donald Trump's first 100 days in the White House: Shares of companies that got closest to the president lagged the market's march higher.

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Congress approves one-week budget extension to avoid government shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress passed and sent to President Donald Trump legislation to pay for federal government operations through May 5 and avoid agency shutdowns that otherwise would have begun on Saturday.

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U.S. appeals court blocks Anthem bid to merge with rival Cigna

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court dealt health insurer Anthem Inc's bid to merge with rival Cigna a likely death blow on Friday when it upheld a lower court's decision stopping the deal.

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U.S. first-quarter growth weakest in three years as consumer spending falters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew at its weakest pace in three years in the first quarter as consumer spending barely increased and businesses invested less on inventories, in a potential setback to President Donald Trump's promise to boost growth.

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U.S. labor costs accelerate in first quarter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. labor costs recorded their biggest gain since 2007 in the first quarter, suggesting wage growth was picking up as the labor market nears full employment.

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U.S. truck, crossover sales spark jump in GM first-quarter profit

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co on Friday reported a much better-than-expected first-quarter net income driven by strong sales of its profitable large pickup trucks and crossovers in the United States, sending its shares up nearly 2 percent in premarket trading.

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Futures little changed ahead of first-qtr GDP data

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Friday as investors awaited the first-quarter report on gross domestic product, while assessing quarterly earnings.

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Tech firms race to spot video violence

SINAGPORE (Reuters) - Companies from Singapore to Finland are racing to improve artificial intelligence so software can automatically spot and block videos of grisly murders and mayhem before they go viral on social media.

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Asian stocks drop, Korea won hit after Trump threat to trade pact

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks slipped on Friday as investors took profits after a strong week, while the Korean won weakened after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would renegotiate or terminate a trade deal with South Korea.

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Oil prices face second weekly loss as oversupply lingers

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices stabilized on Friday but were on track for a second straight weekly loss on concerns that an OPEC-led production cut has failed to significantly tighten an oversupplied market.

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Microsoft's quarterly revenue falls short of estimates

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp on Thursday reported quarterly revenue that slightly missed analysts' estimates, as robust demand for its cloud computing services failed to offset weak growth in its personal computing division.

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Google parent Alphabet's profit soars on strong ad sales

(Reuters) - Google parent Alphabet Inc posted a 29 percent rise in quarterly profit, driven by a surge in advertising on mobiles and its popular YouTube video service.

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MetLife to invest $1 billion in tech to reach cost-savings goals

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MetLife Inc plans to invest $1 billion in an efficiency program through 2019 that will eventually reduce annual operating costs by around $800 million, the insurer said on Thursday.

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U.S. core capital goods orders, shipments increase in March

WASHINGTON7 (Reuters) - New orders for key U.S.-made capital goods rose less than expected in March, but a second straight monthly increase in shipments suggested business investment accelerated in the first quarter amid a recovering energy sector.

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Jobless claims rise, but four-week average at two-month low

filing for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last

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Ford first quarter profit beats estimates, reiterates 2017 profit outlook

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co on Thursday reported a lower quarterly net profit that beat analyst expectations, and reiterated its pretax profit forecast for 2017.

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United to offer passengers up to $10,000 to surrender seats

NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Airlines said on Thursday it would offer passengers who volunteer to forfeit their seats on overbooked flights up to $10,000 as part of the carrier's efforts to repair the damage from the rough removal of a passenger.

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Trump tells Canada, Mexico, he won't terminate NAFTA treaty: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump told the leaders of Canada and Mexico on Wednesday that he will not terminate the NAFTA treaty but will renegotiate it with them, a White House statement said.

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Judge says Exxon owes $19.95 million for Texas refinery pollution

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that ExxonMobil Corp should pay a $19.95 million penalty for pollution from its Baytown, Texas, refinery between 2005 and 2013, according to the decision accompanying the ruling.

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Asian shares retreat from highs after Trump tax plan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares ticked down from near two-year high on Thursday after a long-awaited U.S. tax plan failed to inspire investors, though sentiment remains supported by global growth prospects and receding worries about political risks in Europe.

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U.S. House may consider bill to fund government for a week: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representative could move soon to consider a bill to fund the government for a week to avoid a shutdown at midnight on Friday and buy time to strike a deal for a long-term funding plan, a House Republican source said on Wednesday.

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Congress moves closer to deal to avert government shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress was moving closer to crafting a deal to avoid shutting down at the stroke of midnight on Friday, but the details and even broad strokes of an agreement were still murky.

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Mnuchin says business tax rate at 15 percent in Trump tax plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the plan for "the biggest tax cut" in U.S. history due to be released later on Wednesday by the White House would cut the business tax rate to 15 percent, including for small businesses.

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Futures flat as Trump tax plan awaited

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday amid a flood of corporate earnings, while investors awaited President Donald Trump's tax plan.

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Trump tax plan slashing business rates to test support in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will release a tax plan on Wednesday proposing some deep rate cuts, mostly for businesses, including a slashed corporate income tax rate and steeply discounted tax rate for overseas corporate profits brought into the United States, officials said.

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PepsiCo profit beats on demand for healthier snacks, drinks

(Reuters) - PepsiCo Inc reported higher-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit as the company benefited from demand for its healthier drinks and snacks and kept a tight leash on costs.

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Asian stocks extend gains on bullish Wall Street, euro steady

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks extended gains for a fifth straight day on Wednesday as Wall Street hit new peaks while the euro consolidated recent gains as immediate concerns of political uncertainty in the euro zone receded.

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McDonald's profit beats as turnaround gains steam, shares at record high

(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp reported a better-than-expected rise in quarterly profit and U.S. same-restaurant sales on lower costs, promotions on popular menu items like Big Macs and an expanded all-day breakfast menu.

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Post-it maker 3M's results top estimates

(Reuters) - 3M Co , which makes Scotch tape and Post-it notes, reported better-than-expected quarterly results and raised its 2017 profit forecast, helped by growth across its major businesses.

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Coca-Cola's profit plunges 20 percent on bottling refranchising costs

(Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co reported a 20 percent drop in quarterly profit, largely weighed down by higher costs related to refranchising its North America bottling operations.

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Not an inside job: How two analysts became SEC whistleblowers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four years ago, two analysts who liked to swap notes on numbers they thought looked odd took a fateful step and tipped off U.S. regulators about a company that one of them had watched for months.

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For Wells Fargo directors, narrow wins may not be enough

(Reuters) - A shareholder vote scheduled for Tuesday could throw Wells Fargo & Co's leadership into question if many directors, criticized for their slow response to the bank's phony-account scandal, fail to win solid majorities.

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Number of U.S. bank branches to shrink 20 percent in five years: real estate report

(Reuters) - The number of bank branches in the United States will shrink by as much as 20 percent in five years, according to a report from commercial real estate firm JLL.

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Trump pushes Democrats on border wall as government shutdown looms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump tried to press Democrats on Monday to include funds for his controversial border wall with Mexico in spending legislation as lawmakers worked to avoid a looming shutdown of the federal government.

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Wall Street surges, Nasdaq hits record on French vote result

(Reuters) - The Nasdaq hit a record high on Monday, with other indexes also rallying, as investors breathed a sigh of relief after Centrist candidate and market favorite Emmanuel Macron won the first round of the French election.

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Supreme Court rejects GM bid to block ignition switch suits

(Reuters) - General Motors Co's bid to block hundreds of lawsuits, potentially worth billions of dollars, over a deadly ignition-switch defect broke down on Monday when the Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal claiming the suits were barred by the No. 1 U.S. automaker's 2009 bankruptcy.

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Halliburton gains from surge in North America drilling

(Reuters) - Halliburton Co reported quarterly profit and revenue that edged past analysts' estimates as a surge in drilling activity in North America pushed up demand for its pressure pumping and well-construction services.

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NASH: The next untapped pharma market gives investors many options

(Reuters) - Large drugmakers with piles of cash are on the hunt for promising medicines being developed by small companies to treat NASH, a progressive fatty liver disease poised to become the leading cause of liver transplants by 2020.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce chief expects basic NAFTA deal by mid-2018

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The United States, Mexico and Canada are likely to reach a basic accord over reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by the middle of next year, the head of the biggest U.S. business lobby group said on Sunday.

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Tesla’s big Model 3 bet rides on risky assembly line strategy

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk took many risks with the technology in his company's cars on the way to surpassing Ford Motor Co's market value. Now Musk is pushing boundaries in the factory that makes them.

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China policymakers bullish on economy, cite strong first-quarter GDP, stable yuan

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Policymakers in China are pushing a bullish message on the world's second-biggest economy after a solid first quarter, pointing to a slow down in capital outflows and a stable yuan after a selloff last year stoked fears of instability.

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Futures rally after centrist takes first round in French election

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures opened sharply higher on Sunday after centrist Emmanuel Macron took the first round of voting in the French presidential election.

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Germany's Merkel encouraged U.S. will consider EU free trade deal

HANNOVER, Germany (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel fueled expectations of a future EU-U.S trade deal on Sunday, saying she was "very encouraged" talks were being looked at after her recent trip to Washington.

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Credit Suisse to make capital hike decision after AGM: report

ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse will not decide on how it wants to raise fresh capital until after this week's annual general meeting, SonntagsZeitung reported on Sunday.

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IMF members set aside trade split as French vote rattles nerves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund members on Saturday dropped a pledge to fight protectionism amid a split over trade policy and turned their attention to another looming threat to global economic integration: the first round of France's presidential election.

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Trump tax plan may produce some short-term budget issues: Mnuchin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that the Trump administration's tax reform plan would produce some "short term issues" when viewed under traditional "static" budget analysis rules.

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Japan's Aso pushes back on U.S. call for scrutiny of currency moves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday trade imbalances cannot be fixed through exchange-rate adjustments alone, pushing back against Washington's calls to have more rigorous IMF scrutiny of currency moves.

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Wall Street gears up for busiest earnings week in years

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Forget about French elections or the flagging Trump trade.

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Trump's 'big announcement' on tax to be broad principles: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's promised "big announcement" next week on overhauling the U.S. tax code, a top campaign pledge, will consist of "broad principles and priorities," an administration official said on Saturday.

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Mnuchin urges IMF to enhance FX surveillance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Saturday called on the International Monetary Fund to enhance surveillance of its members' exchange rates and external imbalances, as large trade imbalances would hamper "free and fair" trade.

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Two big California pension systems oppose nine Wells Fargo directors

BOSTON (Reuters) - Officials of two large California public retirement systems said Friday they are voting against nine of 15 Wells Fargo & Co directors up for election at the bank's annual meeting next week, citing the bank's phony-account scandal.

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United CEO Munoz will not chair board in 2018 following passenger removal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc said on Friday Chief Executive Oscar Munoz will not become chairman in 2018, under an amendment to his employment agreement approved after an uproar over the treatment of a passenger.

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Oil dives, sending U.S. crude below $50 for first time in two weeks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices tumbled more than 2 percent on Friday, notching the biggest weekly decline in more than a month on mounting evidence that U.S. production and inventory growth were offsetting OPEC's attempts to reduce the global crude glut.

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U.S. judge hands Volkswagen three-year probation sentence

DETROIT (Reuters) - A federal judge in Detroit on Friday sentenced Volkswagen AG to three years' probation over the German automaker's diesel emissions scandal as part of a $4.3 billion settlement announced in January.

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Wells Fargo expands settlement to include more customer accounts

(Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co said it would expand its class action settlement related to the lender's retail sales practices to include customer accounts as early as May 2002.

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GE revenue falls 1 percent

(Reuters) - General Electric Co reported a 1 percent decline in quarterly revenue on Friday, hurt by lower sales in its oil and gas and lighting businesses.

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High-stakes vote on Wells Fargo board also tests proxy adviser ISS

BOSTON (Reuters) - A high-stakes shareholder vote at Wells Fargo & Co next week will determine whether the bank has done enough to retain investor confidence after its phony-account scandal, and whether a leading proxy adviser wields enough clout to help oust most of its board.

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Trump targets cheap Chinese steel in probe, rallying U.S. steel stocks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday launched a trade probe against China and other exporters of cheap steel into the U.S. market, raising the possibility of new tariffs and sending shares of some U.S. steel makers up over 8 percent.

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Exxon probe is unconstitutional, Republican prosecutors say

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A group of 11 Republican state attorneys general are protesting an investigation into whether Exxon Mobil Corp. violated consumer protection laws when selling fossil fuel products, according to a court filing.

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Global finance leaders find a more temperate Trump in Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump took power in January pledging to overhaul a global order that he said cheated middle-class Americans with a promise to tear up trade agreements and impose tariffs on China and Mexico.

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Trump tax plan to rely on future U.S. growth to fund cuts: officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's tax reform plan will rely largely on future revenue gains from faster economic growth to justify major tax cuts, top Trump advisers said on Thursday.

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Tesla to recall 53,000 cars over parking brake issue

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc said on Thursday it would recall 53,000 of its Model S and Model X cars globally to fix a parking brake issue.

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Wall Street climbs as earnings gather pace; AmEx boosts Dow

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were higher in early afternoon trading on Thursday, with gains in American Express keeping the Dow Jones Industrial Average largely on track to snap a two-day losing streak.

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U.S. weekly jobless claims up; continuing claims hit 17-year low

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. jobless benefits rose slightly more than expected last week, but a drop in the number of Americans on unemployment rolls to a 17-year low suggested the labor market continues to tighten.

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Verizon reports 20 percent decline in quarterly profit

(Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc on Thursday reported quarterly results that missed estimates and said it lost subscribers who pay a monthly bill despite the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier's re-launch of unlimited data plans.

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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait signal likely extension of oil supply cuts

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Leading Gulf oil producers Saudi Arabia and Kuwait gave the clearest signal yet that OPEC plans to extend into the second half of the year a deal with non-OPEC producers to curb oil supplies.

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General Motors says Venezuela illegally seizes auto plant

CARACAS (Reuters) - General Motors said on Wednesday that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights.

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Exclusive: Buffett likely voted shares to back Wells Fargo board

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Warren Buffett supports Wells Fargo & Co's management and board of directors, and has likely already voted shares owned by him and his conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway Inc , in line with the bank's official suggestions, a representative told Reuters.

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Ebay's revenue rises 3.7 percent

(Reuters) - Ebay Inc reported a 3.7 percent increase in quarterly revenue on Wednesday as more shoppers visited its e-commerce websites and efforts to revamp its platform paid off.

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Exxon seeks waiver from U.S. sanctions on Russia: WSJ

(Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp has applied to the Treasury Department for a waiver from U.S. sanctions on Russia as the oil major looks to resume its joint venture with Rosneft , the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

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OPEC, non-OPEC to meet on same day as group's May gathering: sources

LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC plans to meet with non-OPEC oil producers on the same day as its scheduled May 25 conference, sources familiar with the arrangements said, as they decide whether to extend supply cuts into the second half of the year.

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Barkindo says OPEC, non-OPEC committed to restore market stability

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo said on Wednesday that all oil producers taking part in a supply-cut pact are committed to bringing global inventories down to the industry's five year average and restoring stability to the market.

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Trump 'absolutely not' trying to talk down dollar: Mnuchin

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is "absolutely not" trying to talk down the strength of the U.S. dollar, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was quoted as saying in Wednesday's edition of the Financial Times.

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Goldman Sachs licks wounds in equities trading as peers grab share

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc on Tuesday became the first Wall Street bank this earnings season to report lower equities trading revenue, signaling it was unlikely to reclaim the top market share ranking from Morgan Stanley any time soon.

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IBM posts first revenue miss in five quarters, shares drop

(Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp reported a bigger-than-expected drop in revenue for the first time in five quarters due to weak demand in its technology services business, its biggest.

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Yahoo's first-quarter revenue jumps 22 percent

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc reported a 22.1 percent increase in quarterly revenue on Tuesday, ahead of the sale of its core internet business to Verizon Communications Inc .

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U.S. housing starts tumble, but building permits increase

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. homebuilding fell more than expected in March as the construction of single-family homes in the Midwest recorded its biggest decline in three years, but an increase in building permits suggested the housing market recovery remained intact.

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U.S. business group urges Washington to 'use every arrow' against China

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States should "use every arrow" in its quiver to ensure a level commercial playing field in China, a U.S. business lobby said on Tuesday, warning that 2017 could be the toughest year in decades for American firms in the country.

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Goldman Sachs profit misses estimates on trading weakness

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit as gains in investment banking were offset by weak trading revenue.

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Bank of America's quarterly profit rises 44 percent

(Reuters) - Bank of America reported a 44 percent rise in quarterly profit as higher interest rates bulked up earnings from loans and an increase in trading boosted revenue.

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Asia stocks mixed, dollar subdued amid North Korea concerns

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks were mixed on Tuesday and the dollar gave up the gains it had made when the U.S. Treasury Secretary spoke in support of a stronger currency as escalating tensions around North Korea dragged sentiment lower.

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Pence to seek market access, investment, in Japan talks

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will meet Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso on Tuesday, kicking off talks in Tokyo the White House hopes will open doors for U.S.-made products and attract Japanese infrastructure investment in the United States.

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Snap stock falls as alleged CEO comments rile some on social media

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Snap fell 1.5 percent on Monday as the Snapchat owner faced criticism for comments allegedly made by its CEO about not prioritizing growth in India and Spain because they were "poor" countries.

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Netflix misses subscriber target, but firm outlook helps shares higher

(Reuters) - Streaming video pioneer Netflix Inc ended the first quarter with fewer customers than Wall Street expected but issued a bullish forecast on the number of new subscribers it expects by mid-year, in a positive sign for its big international expansion.

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The long, rough ride ahead for 'Made in America'

RUSTON, Louisiana (Reuters) - Mini motorcycle and go-kart maker Monster Moto made a big bet on U.S. manufacturing by moving assembly to this Louisiana town in 2016 from China.

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Steel, stimulus drive China's strongest economic growth since 2015

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's economy expanded faster than expected in the first quarter as higher government infrastructure spending and a gravity-defying property boom helped boost industrial output by the most in over two years.

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Undaunted by oil bust, financiers pour billions into U.S. shale

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Investors who took a hit last year when dozens of U.S. shale producers filed for bankruptcy are already making big new bets on the industry's resurgence.

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Asia stocks, dollar under pressure after soft U.S. data

TOKYO (Reuters) - Shares dipped on Monday while the dollar and U.S. bond yields fell after soft U.S. economic data hurt investor sentiment already frayed by worries over North Korea and upcoming French elections.

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CalPERS looks at changing how it invests in private equity: WSJ

(Reuters) - CalPERS, the largest pension fund in the United States, is considering changes in how it invests in private equity that could slash payments to fund managers, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

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China's Ant Financial raises offer for MoneyGram to $1.2 billion

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's Ant Financial has raised its offer for electronic payment firm MoneyGram International Inc and the deal was unanimously approved by the U.S. firm's board, outbidding rival Euronet Worldwide Inc.

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Exclusive: Anbang's Fidelity & Guaranty acquisition set to fall through - sources

(Reuters) - China's Anbang Insurance Group will let its agreement to acquire U.S. annuities and life insurer Fidelity & Guaranty Life (FGL) for $1.6 billion lapse, after failing to secure all the necessary regulatory approvals, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

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China to post solid, steady first-quarter growth on building boom, but debt risks loom

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is expected to report on Monday that its economy grew 6.8 percent in the first quarter, well above Beijing's full-year target, buoyed by surging government infrastructure spending and a gravity-defying property market that is showing signs of overheating.

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South Korea pension fund accepts Daewoo Shipbuilding bailout proposal

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean pension fund on Monday accepted a debt-to-equity swap proposal for bondholders of troubled Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering , greenlighting the country's latest plan to bail out the world's largest shipbuilder.

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Wall Street banker Cohn moving Trump toward moderate policies

WASHINGTON/BOSTON (Reuters) - In a White House marked by infighting, top economic aide Gary Cohn, a Democrat and former Goldman Sachs banker, is muscling aside some of President Donald Trump's hard-right advisers to push more moderate, business-friendly economic policies.

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Exclusive: Saudi to shelve, reform billions of dollars of unfinished projects - sources

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's government is ordering its ministries and agencies to review billions of dollars' worth of unfinished infrastructure and economic development projects with a view to shelving or restructuring them, government sources said.

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Most oil producers want extension of output cuts: Iran minister

DUBAI (Reuters) - Most oil producers support an extension of output cuts by OPEC and non-OPEC countries, and Iran would also back such a move, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh was quoted as saying.

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U.S. retail sales, inflation data highlight weak first quarter growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales fell for a second straight month in March and consumer prices dropped for the first time in just over a year, underscoring the magnitude of the loss of economic growth momentum in the first quarter.

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Brazil's Odebrecht paid $3.3 billion in bribes over a decade: reports

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Odebrecht SA [ODBES.UL], the Brazilian engineering company at the center of a historic corruption scandal, paid out a total of about $3.3 billion in bribes in the nine years through 2014, according to testimony cited by local media on Saturday.

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Uber's revenue hits $6.5 billion in 2016, still makes large loss

(Reuters) - Ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] generated $6.5 billion in revenue last year and its gross bookings doubled to $20 billion, the ride-hailing service said on Friday.

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Sao Paulo judge rules Uber drivers are employees, deserve benefits

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A judge in Brazil's biggest city ruled this week that a driver using the Uber [UBER.UL] ride-hailing app is an employee of the San-Francisco-based company, threatening its business model in one of its biggest markets.

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Apple receives permit in California to test self-driving cars: DMV

(Reuters) - Apple Inc has secured a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said on Friday.

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Takata rescue talks extended, even as bankruptcy risk looms

TOKYO (Reuters) - Potential rescuers of Japan's Takata Corp have extended talks, already in their 14th month, for a deal to take over the air bag maker at the heart of the auto industry's biggest safety recall, people briefed on the process said.

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Fiat Chrysler CEO says not in a position to hold merger talks

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne rowed back on his search for a merger on Friday, saying the group was not in a position to seek deals and would focus instead on developing its business plan.

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Asian shares, won move south on worries over North Korea

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese and South Korean shares fell while the won currency came under pressure on Friday, as rising tensions in the Korean peninsula dented confidence in the world's economy.

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Uber may face $1 million fine over California drunken-driving complaints

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Uber's popular ride-sharing network has repeatedly failed to promptly suspend and investigate its California drivers when passengers report them driving drunk, state regulators charged in an enforcement action, recommending $1.13 million in fines.

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Netflix scorecard to test mettle of tech rally

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The longevity of the technology stocks rally is on the line next week as Netflix Inc kicks off the earnings season for a sector that has mushroomed to account for more than a fifth of the U.S. stock market's value.

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U.S. labor market tightening, inflation trending higher

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment aid unexpectedly fell last week and consumer sentiment rose early this month amid continued optimism over household finances, suggesting a sharp slowdown in job growth in March was an aberration.

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Tesla jumps after Elon Musk teases commercial truck, pickup

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Tesla jumped nearly 3 percent on Thursday after Chief Executive Elon Musk said the electric car company expects to unveil its planned commercial truck in September.

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Loan growth stalls despite profit, trading gains at some big banks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Big U.S. banks revealed more evidence of a slowdown in loan growth after releasing earnings reports on Thursday, though executives said there is still healthy demand from borrowers and no reason to worry about the state of the economy.

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Citi profit beats estimates as fixed-income trading jumps

(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc reported a better-than-expected 17 percent jump in quarterly profit, boosted by strong fixed-income trading as clients adjusted their positions following rate hikes by the Federal Reserve and changes in the forex and credit markets.

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Futures down on Trump's dollar remark; bank earnings eyed

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were slightly lower on Thursday following President Donald Trump's remarks on the U.S. dollar and interest rates, while investors kept an eye on bank earnings.

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Self-driving 'arms race' complicates supplier alliances

FRANKFURT/DETROIT (Reuters) - The race to develop and exploit autonomous vehicle technology is reshaping the hierarchy of the automotive industry, replacing traditional top-down manufacturing relationships with complex webs of alliances and acquisitions.

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In win for Boeing and GE, Trump says he wants to revive export bank

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump plans to revive the hobbled Export-Import Bank of the United States, his office said, a victory for American manufacturers like Boeing Co and General Electric Co which have overseas customers that use the agency's government-backed loans to purchase their products.

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Tesla's Musk tells disgruntled shareholders: Buy Ford

SAN FRANCISCO/DETROIT (Reuters) - A group of Tesla Inc investors has urged the luxury electric car maker to add two new independent directors to its board, without ties to Chief Executive Elon Musk, to "provide a critical check on possible dysfunctional group dynamics."

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Trump won't rule out second Yellen term, signaling drift to the mainstream

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump signaled on Wednesday he could be moving closer to the mainstream on monetary policy, saying he had not ruled out reappointment of Janet Yellen to a new four-year term as Fed chair as he considers his choices for the central bank.

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Exclusive: Meredith falls short of Time Inc's deal price expectations - sources

(Reuters) - U.S. media group Meredith Corp has made a preliminary acquisition offer to Time Inc that fell short of the price expectations of the publisher of Sports Illustrated and Fortune magazines, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Exclusive: Inside edge - Trump advisor Icahn's big bet against biofuels credits

(Reuters) - Billionaire investor Carl Icahn's oil refining company, CVR Energy, made a massive bet in 2016 that prices for U.S. government biofuels credits would fall - just before Icahn started advising President Donald Trump on regulations driving that market.

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United Airlines faces mounting pressure over hospitalized passenger

(Reuters) - United Airlines and its chief executive faced mounting pressure on Tuesday from a worldwide backlash over its treatment of a passenger who was dragged from his seat on a plane on Sunday to make room for four employees on the overbooked flight.

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Trump's message to bankers: Wall Street reform rules may be eliminated

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told a group of chief executives on Tuesday that his administration was revamping the Wall Street reform law known as Dodd-Frank and might eliminate the rules and replace them with "something else."

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U.S. job openings rise to seven-month high in February

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. job openings rose to a seven-month high in February while the pace of hiring slipped, pointing to a growing skills mismatch and a further tightening of labor market conditions.

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Wal-Mart eliminates more corporate jobs

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Tuesday it is eliminating more U.S. corporate jobs this month, even as it invests in improving its e-commerce operations and in regaining its low-cost pricing advantage in the U.S. retail sector.

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Apple may ditch Dialog, analyst says, hitting chipmaker's shares

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Dialog Semiconductor risks losing a crucial supply deal with Apple Inc , according to a financial analyst who cut his rating on the stock on Tuesday, sending the Anglo-German chipmaker's shares down by as much as one-third.

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Wall Street extends losses as geopolitical risks mount

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks extended losses on Tuesday, setting up for their worst day in three weeks in a broad decline as mounting geopolitical tensions drove investors to safe-haven assets.

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Fed's Yellen aims to let 'healthy' U.S. economy coast along

(Reuters) - The Federal Reserve's plans to raise U.S. interest rates gradually are aimed at sustaining full employment and near-2-percent inflation without letting the economy overheat, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said on Monday.

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Tesla becomes most valuable U.S. car maker, edges out GM

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Inc on Monday briefly became the most valuable U.S. car maker, reaching a market capitalization of as much as $51.105 billion, higher than General Motors's .

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AT&T to buy Straight Path Communications for $1.25 billion

(Reuters) - U.S. wireless carrier AT&T Inc said on Monday it would buy Straight Path Communications Inc , a holder of licenses to wireless spectrum, for $1.25 billion in an all-stock deal.

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Geopolitics from France to Korea keep investors cautious

LONDON (Reuters) - Trading volumes were muted for many financial market assets on Monday with investors refraining from making big bets because of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the Korean peninsula.

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'Best banker in America' blamed for Wells Fargo scandal

(Reuters) - An out-of-control sales culture, a defensive boss obsessed with stamping out negative views about her division and a group chief executive who called her the "the best banker in America" were to blame for Wells Fargo & Co's devastating sales scandal, an internal investigation found.

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Oil surplus or scarcity? Shale makes it even harder to predict

LONDON (Reuters) - The shale oil boom has transformed the U.S. and global energy sector to such an extent that it has upended traditional supply dynamics and made forecasts far more polarized.

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British regulators investigate Barclays CEO Staley over whistleblowing

LONDON (Reuters) - British regulators are investigating Jes Staley, the chief executive of Barclays , and the bank itself over a whistleblowing incident, the bank said on Monday.

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Banks scramble to fix old systems as IT 'cowboys' ride into sunset

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bill Hinshaw is not a typical 75-year-old. He divides his time between his family – he has 32 grandchildren and great-grandchildren – and helping U.S. companies avert crippling computer meltdowns.

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Google offers at least $880 million to LG display for OLED investment: Electronic Times

SEOUL (Reuters) - Google Inc has offered to invest at least 1 trillion won ($880.29 million) to help South Korea's LG Display Co Ltd boost output of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens for smartphones, the Electronic Times reported on Monday citing unnamed sources.

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Investors look to global growth for earnings power

NEW YORK (Reuters) - America First may be a main policy of the White House and fuel to the stock market rally but U.S. investors are looking overseas for stronger earnings as S&P 500 companies are set to report their first quarter of double-digit profit gains since 2014.

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Porsche-Piech clan to stay out of VW management: Porsche chairman

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Members of the Porsche-Piech clan that controls Volkswagen will no longer be eligible to serve as executives of the carmaker, Porsche Automobil Holding SE Chairman Wolfgang Porsche told a German newspaper.

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Germany's Fresenius in talks to buy generic drugmaker Akorn

(Reuters) - German healthcare group Fresenius SE & Co KGaA said on Friday that it was in talks with the generic drugmaker Akorn Inc for a potential takeover.

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Twitter CEO forgoes compensation; long-time board member to leave

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc's chief executive, Jack Dorsey, continued to forego direct compensation and Peter Fenton, a board member since 2009, will leave after the company's annual meet in May, a regulatory filing showed on Friday.

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Weather dampens U.S. job growth; unemployment rate drops to 4.5 percent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. job growth slowed sharply in March amid continued layoffs in the embattled retail sector, but a drop in the unemployment rate to a near 10-year low of 4.5 percent suggested labor market strength remained intact.

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Twitter pulls lawsuit over anti-Trump account, says summons withdrawn

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc on Friday dropped a lawsuit it filed the previous day against the U.S. government, saying the government had withdrawn a summons for records about who was behind an account critical of President Donald Trump.

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Stock futures recover from a drop after U.S. missile strike on Syria

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were flat on Friday, recovering from a drop after a U.S. missile strike in Syria, which U.S. officials described as a one-off attack that would not lead to wider escalation.

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EU regulators to approve Fox takeover of Sky: sources

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox is set to win unconditional EU antitrust approval for its 11.7-billion-pound ($14.5 billion) takeover of European pay-TV group Sky , two people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

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Weak crude oil stunts U.S. energy IPOs, boosts outlook for M&A

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The stream of U.S. energy companies going public at the start of 2017 has dried up on concerns over the future direction of oil prices, but private buyers seeking mergers and acquisitions are ready to take advantage of the volatility to secure cheap deals.

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Samsung forecasts best quarterly profit in over three years as chips soar

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd forecast on Friday its best quarterly profit in more than three years in the January-March period, beating expectations on the back of robust demand for memory chips.

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Lyft valued at $7.5 billion in new funding round: source

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Ride services company Lyft Inc has nearly completed a funding round of at least $500 million, valuing the company at $7.5 billion, according to a source close to the company.

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U.S. weekly jobless claims post largest drop in almost two years

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits recorded their biggest drop in nearly two years last week, pointing to a further tightening in the labor market.

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Galvanized by Kraft, Unilever keeps shareholders sweet with cash

LONDON (Reuters) - Unilever promised shareholders a multi-billion euro rewards package on Thursday after February's $143 billion takeover offer from Kraft Heinz jolted it into a corporate makeover aimed at proving it can go it alone.

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Sunoco to sell 1,110 U.S. stores to 7-Eleven operator for $3.3 billion

(Reuters) - Sunoco LP said on Thursday it would sell 1,110 convenience stores to Japan's Seven & i Holdings Co for $3.3 billion as the Texas-based company shifts its focus to its fuel supply business.

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GM still sees 2017 earnings at $6.00 to $6.50 per share: CFO

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co's chief financial officer said on Thursday the automaker expects another "very strong year" in 2017 and reiterated the company's earnings forecast for the year.

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Wall St. set to open higher on upbeat jobless claims data

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures added to their gains on Thursday after data showed U.S. jobless claims posted the biggest drop in almost two years last week, further pointing to the strength of the labor market and the overall economy.

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Traders bet their oil storage assets that OPEC cuts will work

LONDON (Reuters) - The jury is still out on whether OPEC can rein in a global oil glut but top commodity traders are betting it can by selling stakes in storage tank businesses that profited from oversupply.

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Twitter creates 'lite' version for data-starved users

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc is launching a faster version of its mobile service on Wednesday aimed at people with sporadic connections or little data on their smartphone plans, hoping to pick up users in harder-to-reach emerging markets.

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Bezos is selling $1 billion of Amazon stock a year to fund rocket venture

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) - Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos said on Wednesday he is selling about $1 billion worth of the internet retailer's stock annually to fund his Blue Origin rocket company, which aims to launch paying passengers on 11-minute space rides starting next year.

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Krispy Kreme-owner JAB to buy bakery chain Panera Bread

(Reuters) - JAB Holdings, the owner of Caribou Coffee and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, said on Wednesday it would buy bakery chain Panera Bread Co for $7.2 billion, as it expands its coffee and breakfast empire through the biggest-ever U.S. restaurant deal.

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Most Fed policymakers see change to balance sheet policy 'later this year': minutes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Federal Reserve policymakers think the central bank should take steps to begin trimming its $4.5 trillion balance sheet later this year as long as the economic data holds up, minutes from their last meeting showed.

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TASER changes name in shift to software, services for police

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - TASER International, the maker of electrical weapons for police officers, is changing its name to Axon as it pushes further into the software business.

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Monsanto posts better-than-expected jump in second-quarter profit

(Reuters) - U.S. seeds and agrochemicals company Monsanto Co , which is being bought by Germany's Bayer AG for $66 billion, reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, helped by strong demand for its soybean and corn seeds.

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Wells Fargo's aggressive sales tactics hit small firms: WSJ

(Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co has restructured its credit card processing business after an internal probe found some employees had falsely reported customer sales numbers, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

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EU clears ChemChina takeover of Syngenta with conditions

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - ChemChina [CNNCC.UL] won EU antitrust approval on Wednesday for its $43 billion bid for Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta , a crucial deal that could help China boost its domestic agricultural output.

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Fed's Lacker leaves central bank over leak of market-sensitive news

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker abruptly left the U.S. central bank on Tuesday after admitting that a conversation he had with a Wall Street analyst in 2012 may have disclosed confidential information about Fed policy options.

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Apple aims for more control, less cost as it accelerates in chip design

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc's decision to stop licensing graphics chips from Imagination Technologies Group Plc is the clearest example yet of the iPhone maker's determination to take greater control of the core technologies in its products - both to guard its hefty margins and to position it for future innovations, especially in so-called augmented reality.

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JPMorgan CEO calls for regulatory changes in shareholder letter

NEW YORK (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Jamie Dimon devoted one-third of his annual shareholder letter to arguments for changing regulations, particularly those on bank capital and liquidity, as well as home mortgage loan financing.

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GM remains most valuable U.S. car company, Tesla is No. 2

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc , whose market capitalization passed that of Ford Motor Co on Monday, still trailed General Motors Co as the most valuable U.S. auto firm in mid-day trade on Tuesday.

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U.S. trade deficit falls from two-year high on weak imports

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit fell from a near two year high in February as slowing domestic demand weighed on imports and stronger global growth boosted exports of American goods.

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Ralph Lauren to cut jobs, close flagship Fifth Avenue Polo store

(Reuters) - Ralph Lauren Corp said on Tuesday it would cut jobs and shut its flagship Polo store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, among other office and store locations, as part of a cost-cutting plan.

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Wall Street set to open lower, investors wary of Trump-Xi meet

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked set to open lower on Tuesday as investors fretted over the ability of President Donald Trump to deliver on his policy plans, and the outcome of his potentially tense meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.

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U.S. business seeks action, not trade war, in Xi-Trump summit

BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Although worried about the prospect of a trade war, American businesses operating in China nonetheless want President Donald Trump to wring some concessions on market access from China's leader Xi Jingping when the two meet this week.

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Europe stocks rise but bond yield falls show investor caution

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares rose on Tuesday, shrugging off falls on Asian bourses, but low-risk government debt yields fell as investors fretted about a meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents and Donald Trump's ability to deliver economic stimulus.

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Vale megadeal puts Morgan Stanley, Bradesco at the top of Brazil M&A

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley and Banco Bradesco BBI SA topped Brazil's mergers and acquisitions rankings in the first quarter, buoyed by advisory roles in the $21 billion corporate reorganization of Vale SA , the world's No.1 iron ore producer.

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U.S. factory activity cools slightly; trend remains bullish

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A measure of U.S. manufacturing activity retreated from a 2-1/2-year high in March amid a decline in production and an inventory drawdown, but a surge in factory jobs indicated that the sector's energy-led recovery was gaining momentum.

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Record deliveries power Tesla shares to all-time high

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc's shares jumped to an all-time high on Monday as the electric car maker's record quarterly vehicle deliveries allayed some concerns over its production challenges, ahead of the hotly-awaited launch of its Model 3 sedan.

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Former VW patriarch Piech to sell bulk of Porsche SE stake

BERLIN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Former Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech has agreed to sell a major part of his stake in the firm that controls Europe's biggest carmaker, paring his ties with Volkswagen after more than two decades of undisputed rule.

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Akzo Nobel CEO says PPG proposal is insufficient

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Akzo Nobel CEO Ton Buechner repeated on Monday his opposition to a March 20 takeover proposal from U.S. rival PPG Industries , saying he sees no merit in negotiating with PPG.

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AIG taps into consumer fears with new cybersecurity product

NEW YORK(Reuters) - American International Group Inc is joining insurers offering products that offer consumers safeguards against hackers and cyber criminals who might steal personal data.

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Linde chairman ready to use casting vote for Praxair merger: FT

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The chairman of German industrial gases group Linde is prepared to use his casting vote to push through a $65 billion merger with U.S. rival Praxair in the face of worker opposition, he told the Financial Times.

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Apple sparks row with pledge to drop Imagination Tech graphics

LONDON (Reuters) - Apple has given Imagination Tech notice that it will stop using its graphics technology in the iPhone and other products in up to two years' time, dealing a major blow to the British company.

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Ford recalls F-250 pickups that could roll while in park

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co is recalling about 52,600 F-250 pickup trucks sold in the United States and Canada because the vehicles could roll after the driver moves the automatic transmission lever into park position, the company said on Saturday.

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Tesla delivers quarterly record of 25,000 vehicles in first quarter

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tesla Inc , the U.S. luxury electric car maker, said on Sunday first-quarter vehicle deliveries jumped 69 percent from a year ago to a quarterly record of 25,000 vehicles, bouncing back from delays in the previous quarter.

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Credit Suisse takes out UK newspaper ads after office raids in tax case

LONDON (Reuters) - Credit Suisse has taken out adverts in British Sunday newspapers stressing a zero-tolerance policy on tax evasion, as the Swiss bank tries to limit any damage to its reputation from raids on three of its offices.

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Beyond jobs, car sales to give insight on consumer health

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Forget the jobs report. The most interesting bit of U.S. economic data next week is Monday's auto sales release, which will offer a measure of the middle-class consumer and a sector of the stock market that has had a rough ride so far in 2017.

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German prosecutors expect rulings in VW scandal this year: report

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German prosecutors expect the first rulings this year in legal cases resulting from the Volkswagen emissions scandal, Automobilwoche magazine reported on Saturday.

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Major internet providers say will not sell customer browsing histories

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comcast Corp, Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc said Friday they would not sell customers’ individual internet browsing information, days after the U.S. Congress approved legislation reversing Obama administration era internet privacy rules.

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Fed signals it could promptly start shedding bonds from portfolio this year

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve could begin shrinking its $4.5-trillion balance sheet as soon as this year, earlier than most economists expect, New York Fed President William Dudley said on Friday in the central bank's most definitive comments on the question that looms over financial markets.

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DuPont in asset deal with FMC, delays close of Dow merger

(Reuters) - DuPont said on Friday it would buy a unit of FMC Corp and sell its crop protection business to the company to win European Union approval for its merger with Dow Chemical , and delayed the deal's closing again.

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Consumer spending slows; inflation pushing higher

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending barely rose in February amid delays in the payment of income tax refunds, but the biggest annual increase in inflation in nearly five years supported expectations of further interest rate hikes this year.

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Global shares lock in bumper first quarter, dollar eyes best week of year

LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks dipped on Friday as investors locked in some of the more than 6 percent gain that has given them their best start to a year since 2012, while the dollar inched toward what could be its strongest week of 2017 so far.

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J&J declares Actelion tender offer a success, sees closing in second quarter

ZURICH (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson declared its $30 billion tender offer for Swiss biotechnology company Actelion successful on Friday, reporting it controlled 77.2 percent of the voting rights after the main offer period.

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EU offers Brexit trade talks, sets tough transition terms

VALLETTA/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union offered Britain talks this year on a future free trade pact but made clear in negotiating guidelines issued on Friday that London must first agree to EU demands on the terms of Brexit.

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FCC to vote to reform $45 billion business data market

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican head of the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday proposed easing regulatory requirements in the $45 billion business data services market, a win for companies like AT&T Inc, CenturyLink Inc, Verizon Communications Inc and others.

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Volkswagen settles 10 U.S. state diesel claims for $157 million

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG said on Thursday it has agreed to pay $157.45 million to settle environmental claims from 10 U.S. states over its excess diesel emissions, as the world's largest automaker looks to move past the scandal.

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Fourth-quarter economic growth revised higher, boosted by consumer spending

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth slowed less than previously reported in the fourth quarter as robust consumer spending spurred the largest increase in imports in two years.

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Euro dips as price data further dampens ECB hike bets

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro dipped and bond yields hit multi-week lows on Thursday as easing inflation in Spain and Germany led investors to row back further on expectations of when the European Central Bank might tighten monetary policy.

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Corporate America’s top shareholder referee gets tougher on activists

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Institutional Shareholder Services Inc, the world's top proxy advisory firm, is making activist investors work harder than ever to earn its backing in corporate control battles in a shift being led by the new man in charge of its recommendations.

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Toyota recalls 2.9 million vehicles globally over airbags

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp on Thursday said it was recalling a total of about 2.9 million vehicles in Japan, China, Oceania and other regions including its Corolla Axio sedan and RAV4 SUV crossover due to potentially faulty airbag inflators.

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Texas judge kicks Exxon climate lawsuit to New York court

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas on Wednesday kicked an Exxon Mobil Corp lawsuit seeking to thwart two states from pursuing a fraud case over climate change to a Manhattan court, saying his court wasn't the best place to resolve the dispute.

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Ackman apologizes for Valeant losses, calls bet a mistake

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire hedge fund manager William Ackman has apologized to clients for betting on Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc , telling them he was "deeply and profoundly sorry" for losing so much of their money on the investment.

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Samsung launches Galaxy S8 and dreams of recovery from Note 7

SEOUL/NEW YORK - (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd unveiled its Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone as it battles to regain the market leadership it lost to Apple Inc after the embarrassing withdrawal of the fire-prone Note 7s.

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S&P, Dow weighed down by financial stocks; Nasdaq up

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Dow were pressured by declines in financial stocks, while consumer discretionary shares lifted the Nasdaq.

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Pending home sales surge to 10-month high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes jumped to a 10-month high in February, pointing to robust demand for housing ahead of the spring selling season despite higher prices and mortgage rates.

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Deutsche Boerse, LSE merger plans rejected by EU regulators

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators vetoed the proposed 29-billion-euro ($31.3 billion) merger of Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday, derailing the companies' latest attempt to create Europe's biggest stock exchange.

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Goldman Sachs reassures staff over Brexit in voicemail

LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs sought to reassure London-based staff over potential disruption to its business as Britain prepares to leave the European Union, in a voicemail to staff sent by the Wall Street firm's Europe CEO.

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Toshiba's Westinghouse files for bankruptcy as charges jump

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp's U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors on Wednesday, as its Japanese parent seeks to limit losses that threaten its future.

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BlackRock cuts fees and jobs; stockpicking goes high-tech

NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc on Tuesday said it would overhaul its actively managed equities business, cutting jobs, dropping fees and relying more on computers to pick stocks in a move that highlights how difficult it has become for humans to beat the market.

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U.S. House committee approves bill to increase scrutiny of Fed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican-controlled committee of lawmakers approved a bill on Tuesday to allow a congressional audit of Federal Reserve monetary policy, a proposal Fed policymakers have opposed and which faces an uncertain path to final approval.

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Trump to offer federal coal to industry awash in reserves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has billed his move to re-open federal lands to new coal leases as a win for miners seeking to expand production. But a review of company filings shows that coal miners with the most to gain already have enough leases in hand to last well over a decade.

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Consumer confidence hits 16-year high; house prices rise

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence surged to a more than 16-year high in March amid growing labor market optimism while the goods trade deficit narrowed sharply in February, suggesting the economy was regaining momentum after faltering at the start of the year.

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Einhorn's Greenlight Capital urges GM to create two share classes

(Reuters) - David Einhorn's hedge fund Greenlight Capital Inc urged General Motors Co to split its common stock into two classes, a proposal that was swiftly rejected by the carmaker.

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U.S. consumers most confident since 2000

(Reuters) - U.S. consumers' confidence in the economy rose in March to its highest level since December 2000, a survey showed on Tuesday, led by optimism for finding work and a brighter assessment of business conditions.

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Chinese tech giant Tencent takes 5 percent stake in Tesla

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc said on Tuesday that Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd has invested $1.78 billion in the electric carmaker for a 5 percent stake.

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Trump: Ford to announce investments in three Michigan plants

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump touted Ford Motor Co's expected announcement on Tuesday about investments and jobs at its U.S. plants, saying the automaker would make a major investment in three Michigan facilities.

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Exclusive: Citigroup to seek bids for Asia general insurance distribution deal - source

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc will seek bids from global insurers keen to sell general insurance products across the U.S. bank's Asia-Pacific markets, in a deal that could be worth at least $500 million, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

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Stocks recover, dollar off lows as markets move past Trump's policy stumble

LONDON (Reuters) - Stocks recovered while the dollar rose off four-month lows on Tuesday as anxiety over Donald Trump's setback on healthcare reform gave way to tentative hopes for the U.S. president's planned stimulus policies.

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Bill Gross, Pimco settle lawsuit over his exit for $81 million: sources

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bill Gross has reached a roughly $81 million settlement of his lawsuit against Pacific Investment Management Co, ending a bitter 2-1/2-year drama over the well-known bond investor's abrupt departure from one of the world's biggest asset managers.

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After healthcare loss, investor faith wavers as Trump turns to taxes

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks slid on Monday amid concerns that Republican President Donald Trump may struggle to push a sweeping overhaul of the tax code through Congress in the wake of his party's failure last week to pass broad healthcare legislation.

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Hospitals shares surge as market absorbs Republican health-bill failure

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. hospital operators surged on Monday after Republicans' pulled their healthcare bill, preserving for now the benefits that hospitals gained under Obamacare.

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Plateau in U.S. auto sales heightens risk for lenders: Moody's

DETROIT (Reuters) - As U.S. auto sales have peaked, competition to finance car loans is set to intensify and drive increased credit risk for auto lenders, Moody's Investors Service said in a report released on Monday.

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Snap shares rise as underwriters start coverage with 'buy'

(Reuters) - Snap Inc , owner of messaging app Snapchat, received top ratings from a number of its IPO underwriters on Monday, sending its shares up more than 3 percent in premarket trading.

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Toshiba wants Westinghouse to file for bankruptcy as early as Tuesday: source

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp wants its U.S nuclear unit to file for Chapter 11 protection from creditors as early as Tuesday, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, seeking a quick ringfencing of losses before the Japanese parent's financial year ends.

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EU antitrust regulators clear $130 billion Dow, DuPont merger

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Dow Chemical and DuPont gained conditional EU antitrust approval on Monday for their $130 billion merger by agreeing to significant asset sales, one of a trio of mega mergers that will redraw the agrochemicals industry.

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Once golden, Robert Rubin's hedge fund proteges lose some luster

BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Learning to invest on Goldman Sachs' risk arbitrage desk, made famous by leader Robert Rubin, was once seen as a fast track to fortune. But the band of hedge fund protégés who mastered their trade under the former Wall Street star and U.S. Treasury Secretary have stumbled in recent years.

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Exclusive: Shell and Anadarko mull clean break from Permian venture - executive

LONDON/HOUSTON (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Anadarko Petroleum Corp may let a 10-year joint venture in the oil-rich Permian Basin of Texas expire and split their properties, hoping to speed up development, according to a senior Shell executive.

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U.S. equity futures at six-week low after Trump healthcare setback

(Reuters) - U.S. equity index futures fell to a six-week low on Sunday in a sign Wall Street would start the week defensively after Republicans pulled legislation to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system in a stunning setback for President Donald Trump.

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Equities take a spill on Trump healthcare setback; bonds shine

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks are set to start the week on a cautious note as President Donald Trump's stunning failure to get healthcare reform passed raised concerns about the prospects for his plans to use fiscal stimulus to boost economic growth.

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OPEC, non-OPEC to look at extending oil-output cut by six months

KUWAIT (Reuters) - A joint committee of ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers has agreed to review whether a global pact to limit supplies should be extended by six months, it said in a statement on Sunday.

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China Southern Airlines in talks over American Airlines cooperation deal

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China Southern Airlines is negotiating a potential strategic tie-up with American Airlines that could involve a share issue and other forms of business cooperation, it said on Sunday.

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Bull market not dead as tax reform takes spotlight

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The death of the Republican healthcare reform may not prove to be the knife to the heart of the bull market some had feared, but to keep the Trump Trade alive investors should temper expectations for the breadth of expected tax cuts.

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Chinese court rules in favor of Apple in local design patent disputes

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese court has ruled in favor of Apple in design patent disputes between the Cupertino, California company and a domestic phone-maker, overturning a ban on selling iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus phones in China, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Exclusive: Venezuela increased fuel exports to allies even as supply crunch loomed

HOUSTON/CARACAS (Reuters) - A gasoline shortage in OPEC member Venezuela was exacerbated by an increase in government-sanctioned fuel exports to foreign allies and an exodus of crucial personnel from state-run energy company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL], according to internal PDVSA documents and sources familiar with its operations.

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Trump says Charter to invest $25 billion in U.S., hire 20,000 workers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Friday that Charter Communications Inc has committed to investing $25 billion and hiring 20,000 workers over four years.

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Trump administration grants permit for Keystone XL pipeline: TransCanada

(Reuters) - The United States has issued a presidential permit for TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL oil pipeline, the Canadian company said on Friday, ending a years-long battle between environmentalists and the industry over whether Washington should approve it.

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Healthcare vote delay worries stocks, dollar

LONDON (Reuters) - All eyes in global financial markets were fixed on stuttering Republican efforts to pass a replacement for Obamacare on Friday, with failure likely to undermine faith in Donald Trump’s promise to deliver a "phenomenal" U.S. tax reform.

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PPG to make case for Akzo acquisition to Dutch government officials

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The chief executive of U.S. paint maker PPG meets Dutch government officials on Friday to make the case for its proposed 22.7 billion euro ($24.5 billion) takeover of Dutch peer AkzoNobel .

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All drill, no frack: U.S. shale leaves thousands of wells unfinished

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. shale producers are drilling at the highest rate in 18 months but have left a record number of wells unfinished in the largest oilfield in the country – a sign that output may not rise as swiftly as drilling activity would indicate.

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Oil edges up as Saudis cut supplies to U.S., but global glut remains

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Friday, supported by a fall in Saudi exports to the United States, but overall markets remained under pressure on the back of a world market awash with fuel.

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New home sales hit seven-month high; jobless claims rise

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. single-family home sales jumped to a seven-month high in February, suggesting the housing market recovery was gaining momentum despite higher prices and rising mortgage rates.

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U.S. Senate votes to overturn Obama broadband privacy rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted narrowly to repeal regulations requiring internet service providers to do more to protect customers' privacy than websites like Alphabet Inc's Google or Facebook Inc .

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State Dept. to approve Keystone pipeline permit: Politico

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department will approve by Monday the permit needed to proceed with construction of the Canada-to-United States Keystone XL oil pipeline, a project blocked by former President Barack Obama, according to Politico.

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Wall Street opens flat; all eyes on healthcare vote

(Reuters) - Wall Street was little changed in early trading on Thursday amid signs that President Donald Trump is struggling to get enough votes to pass a healthcare bill in Congress.

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Global stocks, bonds cheer bumper ECB cash handout

LONDON (Reuters) - Euro zone stocks and bonds rallied on Thursday as banks snapped up almost quarter of a trillion euros of interest-free European Central Bank cash in what the ECB hopes will be the last outing for one of its main crisis-fighting tools.

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Fed's Yellen does not comment on monetary policy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen did not address monetary policy or the economic outlook in prepared remarks for a childhood education conference in Washington on Thursday.

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As Trump targets energy rules, oil companies downplay their impact

BOSTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s White House has said his plans to slash environmental regulations will trigger a new energy boom and help the United States drill its way to independence from foreign oil.

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Diamond group De Beers buys out retail partner LVMH

PARIS (Reuters) - Anglo American's diamond specialist De Beers has bought the 50 percent stake held by French luxury goods group LVMH in De Beers Diamond Jewellers for an undisclosed amount, taking full ownership of the retail operation.

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Oil bounces off November lows, but bloated U.S. stockpiles pressure market

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices recovered on Thursday from losses chalked up the session before, but the market remained under pressure as bloated U.S. crude inventories and rising output dampen OPEC-led efforts to curb global production.

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Exclusive: Westinghouse's clients gear up for bankruptcy fight - sources

(Reuters) - The U.S. utilities that are clients of Toshiba Corp's nuclear power plant construction subsidiary, Westinghouse Electric Co LLC, have hired advisers to prepare for its potential bankruptcy, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Slide in U.S. infrastructure stocks sign of 'Trump trade' weakness

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If the swoon this week in financials was one sign of the Trump trade running out of fuel, recent weakness in transportation and infrastructure shares is another.

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Hospital, Medicaid insurer shares set for volatility as health vote nears

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The slumping U.S. healthcare stocks at the center of efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act are expected to stay volatile as Republican legislation heads into a vote on Thursday that could signal how protracted their battle to repeal the law will be.

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Trump Tantrum looms on Wall Street if healthcare effort stalls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump Trade could start looking more like a Trump Tantrum if the new U.S. administration's healthcare bill stalls in Congress, prompting worries on Wall Street about tax cuts and other measures aimed at promoting economic growth.

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Snap pops 9 percent after winning second 'buy' recommendation

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Snap Inc jumped 9 percent on Wednesday after the owner of messaging app Snapchat received a second analyst "buy" rating following a red-hot public listing this month and with Wall Street skeptical about its lofty valuation.

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Sears shares sink as creditors, investors fret over going-concern risk

(Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp's shares slumped 16 percent on Wednesday as bondholders and investors questioned how long the retailer could remain in business, a day after the company flagged going-concern doubts.

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GE cuts cost outlook for industrial unit after talks with Trian

(Reuters) - General Electric Co said it lowered its target for structural costs at its industrial business for this year and the next, after discussions with activist shareholder Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management.

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U.S. existing home sales fall from 10-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales fell more than expected in February amid a persistent shortage of houses on the market that is pushing up prices and sidelining potential buyers.

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Behind the scenes, bank lobbyists temper expectations for Dodd-Frank overhaul

(Reuters) - Bank lobbyists who opened the Trump era with great expectations for sweeping regulatory reform are privately striking an increasingly dismal tone as hopes for a quick and thorough rewrite of Dodd-Frank legislation dim.

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Sears warns of 'going concern' doubts

(Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp , once the largest U.S. retailer, warned on Tuesday about its ability to continue as a going concern after years of losses and declining sales.

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Hot U.S. real estate a potential red flag: Fed's Rosengren

(Reuters) - The run-up in U.S. real estate prices could potentially amplify any future economic downturn, a Federal Reserve official said on Tuesday, urging regulators globally to consider tools beyond interest rates that could help cool the sector.

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Asia firms' confidence hits near two-year high on U.S., China pick-up: Thomson Reuters/INSEAD

BEIJING (Reuters) - Business sentiment at Asia's top companies rose to its highest in almost two years in the first quarter of 2017, buoyed by positive economic signs from the United States and China that underpinned improved global demand, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey showed.

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Uber board backs CEO Kalanick, still looking for chief operating officer

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] plans to keep co-founder Travis Kalanick as chief executive following a series of damaging events at the ride services company, a member of its board said on Tuesday in a rare call with reporters.

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Markets fret as Trump agenda shows signs of cracks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The steepest pullback in stocks since the U.S. presidential election reveals investor angst about President Donald Trump's ability to push through major reforms, leaving stocks vulnerable to a long-anticipated correction.

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Wall Street should avoid cutting foreign bank ties: U.S. regulator

WASHINGTON/ST LOUIS (Reuters) - U.S. banks should not cut ties with foreign clients over money- laundering worries unless officials have concrete cause for concern, a leading U.S. regulator is telling staff and lenders.

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Google to revamp policies, hire staff after UK ad scandal

LONDON (Reuters) - Google vowed on Tuesday to police its websites better by ramping up staff numbers and overhauling its policies after several companies deserted the internet giant for failing to keep their adverts off hate-filled videos.

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Goldman to move hundreds of staff from London pre-Brexit: Europe CEO

LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs will begin moving hundreds of people out of London before any Brexit deal is struck as part of its contingency plans for Britain leaving the European Union, the Wall Street firm's Europe CEO said.

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Hyundai Motor shares rally on restructuring hope

SEOUL (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co shares extended their rally on Tuesday, rising nearly 9 percent on hopes the automaker and its affiliates will be restructured.

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Wal-Mart to launch investment arm in e-commerce push

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, will launch its first investment arm to expand its e-commerce business in partnership with retail start-ups, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, the company said on Monday.

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Snap snaps back after analyst assigns first 'buy' rating

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Snap Inc stock rose on Monday after the Snapchat owner received its first "buy" rating from a Wall Street analyst following a $3.4 billion public listing this month that raised the eyebrows of many on Wall Street.

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China prepares to counter any U.S. trade penalties: sources

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's government has been seeking advice from its think-tanks and policy advisers on how to counter potential trade penalties from U.S. President Donald Trump, getting ready for the worst, even as they hope for business-like negotiations.

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French watchdog clears GM's Opel of cheating on diesel emissions

PARIS (Reuters) - France's consumer fraud watchdog said on Monday it had closed its investigation into diesel emissions by Opel cars and would take no further action against the General Motors brand.

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Asia stocks mixed, dollar slips as Fed continues to weigh

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stocks were mixed on Monday in thin trade, following Wall Street's declines and the G20's decision to drop a pledge to avoid trade protectionism, while the Federal Reserve's less hawkish-than-expected comments continued to drag the dollar lower.

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Albertsons held preliminary merger talks with Sprouts: Bloomberg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Grocery business Albertsons Cos held preliminary talks to merge with Sprouts Farmers Market Inc , Bloomberg reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the situation.

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Uber president Jeff Jones quits as turmoil continues

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Ride services company Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] has been thrust deeper into turmoil with the departure of company president Jeff Jones, a marketing expert hired to help bolster its reputation.

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Unilever prepares 6 billion pound sale of food brands: newspapers

LONDON (Reuters) - Unilever is preparing a 6 billion pound ($7.44 billion) sale of some of its food brands, British newspapers reported on Saturday.

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MoneyGram to give Euronet confidential info to firm up bid: sources

(Reuters) - U.S. electronic payments company MoneyGram International Inc will share confidential information with peer Euronet Worldwide Inc , after the latter made a $1 billion acquisition offer, according to people familiar with the matter.

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G20 trade wording considered a setback for export champion Germany

BADEN-BADEN (Reuters) - The failure of the world's financial leaders to agree on resisting protectionism and support free trade marks a setback in the G20 process and poses a risk for growth of export-driven economies such as host Germany, economists said on Sunday.

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VW CEO offices searched in Audi investigation: Bild am Sonntag

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Munich prosecutors searched the offices of Volkswagen Chief Executive Matthias Mueller as part of an investigation into diesel emission test cheating at Audi, German weekly Bild am Sonntag said.

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