Snap to price long-awaited IPO on Wednesday amid signs of brisk demand

(Reuters) - Snap Inc, owner of popular messaging app Snapchat, will price its initial public offering after the U.S. stock market closes on Wednesday in the most eagerly awaited technology IPO since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba went public in 2014.

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Stocks struggle as Trump offers few policy details, dollar firms on rate talk

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pared gains on Wednesday on disappointment that President Donald Trump did not offer further details on his plans for infrastructure spending and tax reforms, but the dollar firmed on growing expectations of a rate hike this month.

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Trump administration would ignore WTO rulings it sees as anti-U.S.: FT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is preparing to ignore any rulings by the World Trade Organization that it sees as an affront to U.S. sovereignty, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing a report prepared by officials.

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Fed officials jolt market with talk of pending rate hike

SANTA CRUZ, Calif./NEW YORK (Reuters) - A handful of Federal Reserve policymakers on Tuesday jolted markets into higher expectations for a March U.S. interest rate increase, with comments that suggested rate-setters are worried about waiting too long in the face of pending economic stimulus from Washington.

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German automakers top U.S. magazine brand rankings

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - German automakers dominated Consumer Reports' annual ranking of automotive brands released on Tuesday, with Volkswagen AG's Audi leading the pack, while U.S. brands continued to lag despite gains for many.

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Apple says it spent $50 billion last year with U.S. suppliers

CUPERTINO, Calif. (Reuters) - Apple spent roughly $50 billion last year at U.S.-based suppliers including 3M and Corning , Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Tuesday, stressing the iPhone-maker's commitment to U.S. manufacturing.

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LG Electronics to build $250 million home appliance plant in U.S.

(Reuters) - South Korea's LG Electronics Inc said it would spend $250 million to build a new factory in the United States, in a move that comes amid criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump about companies manufacturing abroad for U.S. consumers.

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U.S. fourth-quarter economic growth unrevised at 1.9 percent

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter as previously reported, with robust consumer spending offset by downward revisions to business and government investment.

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With businesses split on U.S. border tax, wider reform looks shaky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major U.S. corporations are going to war in Washington over a Republican 'border adjustment' tax proposal meant to boost exports over imports, with lawmakers in Congress coming under pressure from some of the nation's biggest employers.

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Futures flat ahead of Trump's address to Congress

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were flat on Tuesday but hovered near all-time highs as investors awaited President Donald Trump's speech for details on his agenda for the economy.

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Target fourth-quarter same-store sales drop more than expected

(Reuters) - Target Corp reported a steeper-than-expected decline in quarterly same-store sales on Tuesday, highlighting the retailer's struggles in the holiday season.

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Trump says 'revved up economy' will pay for budget proposals: Fox

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said he believes the extra $54 billion dollars he has proposed spending on the U.S. military will be offset by a stronger economy as well as cuts in other areas.

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Trump's 'big' spending hopes nudge world stocks higher

LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks hovered just off all-time highs and were on course for a fourth straight month of gains on Tuesday, as investors awaited a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump for signals on infrastructure spending and tax cuts.

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Saudi Aramco buys $7 billion stake in Petronas' RAPID refinery project

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Saudi oil giant Aramco will buy an equity stake in Malaysian firm Petronas' refining and petrochemicals project in the southeast Asian country, the companies confirmed on Tuesday, investing a total of $7 billion.

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Dow hits 12th record high close; Trump talks up infrastructure spending

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended slightly higher on Monday and the Dow closed at a record high for a 12th straight session, as President Donald Trump said he would make a "big" infrastructure statement on Tuesday.

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Exclusive: Saudi Arabia wants oil prices to rise to around $60 in 2017 - sources

DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia wants crude oil prices to rise to around $60 a barrel this year, five sources from OPEC countries and the oil industry said.

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Starwood in talks on raising initial bid for Milestone: sources

TORONTO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Milestone Apartments Real Estate Investment Trust, which has agreed to be acquired by Starwood Capital Group for about C$1.7 billion ($1.3 billion), is in talks with the U.S. private investment firm about raising its bid, people familiar with the situation told Reuters.

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No AT&T-Time Warner merger review expected: U.S. regulator's chairman

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission does not expect to review AT&T Inc's planned $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc , a spokesman for the agency said on Monday.

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Trump seeks 'historic' increase of 9 percent in U.S. military's budget

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is seeking what he called a "historic" increase in military spending of more than 9 percent, a huge rise even as the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and remains the world's strongest military power.

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Tesla deepens recent losses after Goldman recommends selling

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Tesla dropped on Monday after a downgrade by Goldman Sachs, bringing the electric carmaker's decline to 11 percent since its quarterly report last week stoked worries about how much cash it is using to launch its Model 3 sedan.

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Oil gains as bullish bets on rising prices hit record high

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday as investors showed record confidence in prices rising further, though gains were capped by the prospect of faster growth in U.S. oil production.

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Exclusive: Wal-Mart launches new front in U.S. price war, targets Aldi in grocery aisle

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is running a new price-comparison test in at least 1,200 U.S. stores and squeezing packaged goods suppliers in a bid to close a pricing gap with German-based discount grocery chain Aldi and other U.S. rivals like Kroger Co , according to four sources familiar with the moves.

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U.S. core capital goods orders unexpectedly fall in January

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - - New orders for U.S.-made capital goods unexpectedly fell in January after three straight months of strong gains, but did little to change views that

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Buffett tells CNBC Berkshire bought 120 million Apple shares in 2017

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway Inc , told CNBC on Monday that his conglomerate had purchased about 120 million shares of Apple Inc. in 2017 and that U.S. stocks were not in "bubble territory."

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Asia stocks erase losses but some investors await Trump talk

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks erased early losses but stayed below 19-month highs on Monday as a renewed drop in sovereign bond yields on political concerns prompted some investors to move to the sidelines after a recent rally.

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Anthem and Blue Crosses loom large in Obamacare talks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Anthem Inc. and other U.S. health insurers complained to the White House for more than a year that they were losing money on people who waited to sign up for Obamacare coverage until they were sick.

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Funds prepare $2 billion oil market play as supply tightens

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Passive investment funds are poised to shift an estimated $2 billion from far-term to near-term crude futures over the next week, anticipating an energy market rally as a historic OPEC output cut slashes supply.

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Trump budget plan will not cut Social Security, Medicare: Mnuchin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's first budget proposal will spare big social welfare programs such as Social Security and Medicare from any cuts, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

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Euro zone economy: real recovery or another Sirens' song?

LONDON (Reuters) - Over the years, euro zone economic growth has been a bit like the Sirens in Homer's Odyssey: singing a song of promise, only to end up pulling you onto the rocks. Will it be different this time?

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Warren Buffett rails against fee-hungry Wall Street managers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire Warren Buffett, whose stock picks over several decades have enriched generations of Berkshire Hathaway Inc shareholders, delivered a black eye to the investment industry on Saturday, urging ordinary investors to buy plain-vanilla index funds.

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TCL carries flickering BlackBerry flame with new phone launch

BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Blackberry Ltd may have exited the device business, but fans of the pioneering email machine need not despair as Chinese smartphone maker TCL Communication has introduced its first Blackberry-licensed phone with the physical keyboard that was long its key allure.

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Wall Street edges higher to give Dow 11th straight record

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street edged higher on Friday, with the Dow extending its streak of record-setting gains to 11 days, as increases in utilities and other safety plays outweighed declines in financials.

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Buffett's Berkshire says quarterly profit rises 15 percent

(Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Saturday said fourth-quarter profit rose 15 percent from a year earlier, helped by gains from investments and derivatives.

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U.S. new home sales rebound; consumer sentiment dips

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. single-family home sales rose less than expected in January, likely held back by heavy rains and flooding in California, but continued to point to a strengthening housing market despite higher prices and mortgage rates.

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February U.S. auto sales seen up 0.6 percent: JD Power-LMC

(Reuters) - U.S. auto sales in February will increase less than 1 percent from a year earlier, even as consumer discounts remain at record levels, industry consultants J.D. Power and LMC Automotive said on Friday.

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J.C. Penney reports comp sales drop, to shut 130-140 stores

(Reuters) - Department store operator J.C. Penney Co Inc said on Friday it would close about 130-140 stores over the next few months, and reported a bigger-than-expected drop in same-store sales for the holiday quarter.

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China says no intention of using currency devaluation to its advantage

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Friday it has no intention of using currency devaluation to its advantage in trade, responding to an assertion from U.S. President Donald Trump that China is the "grand champions" of currency manipulation.

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Oil futures suggest bullish funds' big bet on price may pay off

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil investors have placed the biggest bet in history that prices will rise, as the world's largest exporters cut output to reduce a glut in supply, and the futures market is suggesting for the first time in a year that they could be onto a winner.

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Exclusive: Trump says Republican border tax could boost U.S. jobs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday spoke positively about a border adjustment tax being pushed by Republicans in Congress as a way to boost exports, but he did not specifically endorse the proposal.

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Asian shares slip from 1-1/2-year high, Trump's yuan remarks in focus

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares took a breather on Friday, slipping from 1-1/2-year highs as material shares were hit by sudden falls in copper and other commodity prices while investors assessed Washington's stance on tax and currency policies.

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Exclusive: Trump calls Chinese 'grand champions' of currency manipulation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump declared China the "grand champions" of currency manipulation on Thursday, just hours after his new Treasury secretary pledged a more methodical approach to analyzing Beijing's foreign exchange practices.

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Game company seeks to block Facebook from using virtual reality code

(Reuters) - Video game publisher ZeniMax Media Inc., which earlier this month won a $500 million verdict against Facebook Inc.’s Oculus virtual reality unit for unauthorized copying of computer code, has asked a federal judge to block Oculus from using the code in its products.

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S&P 500 inches up after Trump jobs pledge

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged higher on Thursday, buoyed by energy stocks and a renewed pledge by President Donald Trump to chief executives of major U.S. companies to bring back millions of jobs to the United States.

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Alphabet's self-driving car unit sues Uber over stolen trade secrets

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet's Waymo self-driving car unit sued Uber Technologies [UBER.UL] and its autonomous trucking subsidiary Otto in federal court on Thursday over allegations of theft of its confidential and proprietary sensor technology.

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Trump tells CEOs he plans to bring back millions of jobs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told about two dozen chief executives of major U.S. companies on Thursday he plans to bring many millions of jobs back to the United States.

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U.S. jobless claims up, four-week average lowest since 1973

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose slightly more than expected last week, but the four-week average of claims fell to its lowest level since 1973, pointing to strengthening labor market conditions.

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PSA boss says Opel deal would find 'speedy' savings

PARIS (Reuters) - PSA Group's proposed acquisition of Opel would swiftly create savings and value from the General Motors European division's turnaround and complementary brands, the French carmaker's Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said on Thursday.

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Tech breakthroughs take a backseat in upcoming Apple iPhone launch

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When Apple Inc launches its much-anticipated 10th anniversary iPhone this fall, it will offer an unwitting lesson in how much the smartphone industry it pioneered has matured.

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Trump seeks jobs advice from some firms that offshore U.S. work

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump, who has vowed to stop U.S. manufacturing from disappearing overseas, is seeking job-creation advice from at least six companies that are laying off thousands of workers as they shift production abroad.

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Tesla says Model 3 on track for volume production by September

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Inc said on Wednesday its mass-market Model 3 sedan was on track for volume production by September, relieving investors who see the electric vehicle as the avenue to profitability for the young company.

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Many Fed policymakers said rate hike may come 'fairly soon': minutes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Many Federal Reserve policymakers said it may be appropriate to raise interest rates again "fairly soon" should jobs and inflation data come in line with expectations, according to the minutes of the Fed's last policy meeting released on Wednesday.

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S&P, Nasdaq dip ahead of Fed minutes; Dow hits record high

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq slipped on Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's minutes from its most recent meeting for clues on the timing of the next interest rate hike.

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Unilever spurred into speedy value review by Kraft bid

LONDON (Reuters) - Unilever sought to show shareholders it can go it alone on Wednesday after rejecting Kraft Heinz's $143 billion bid, with the promise of a swift, far-reaching review.

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

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales surged to a 10-year high in January as buyers shrugged off higher prices and mortgage rates, a sign of growing confidence in the economy.

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Exclusive: China state firm in preliminary deal to buy Chevron's Bangladesh gas fields - oil executives

BEIJING/DHAKA (Reuters) - China's state-run Zhenhua Oil has signed a preliminary deal with Chevron to buy the U.S. oil major's natural gas fields in Bangladesh that are worth about $2 billion, two Beijing-based Chinese oil executives said.

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Saudi Aramco taps JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley for IPO, HSBC a contender: source

(Reuters) - Oil giant Saudi Aramco [IPO-ARMO.SE] has asked JPMorgan Chase & Co and Morgan Stanley to assist with its upcoming mammoth IPO and could call on another bank with access to Chinese investors, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

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Automakers urge new EPA chief to withdraw Obama car fuel-efficiency rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A trade association representing General Motors Co , Toyota Motor Corp , Volkswagen AG and nine other automakers on Tuesday asked new Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt to withdraw an Obama administration decision to lock in vehicle emission rules through 2025.

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Confident Snap brushes off concerns on second day of IPO roadshow

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Snap Inc, owner of popular messaging app Snapchat, fended off investor skepticism on the second day of its IPO roadshow on Tuesday, betting on the charisma of CEO Evan Spiegel, 26, whom it introduced as a "once in a generation founder."

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Verizon, Yahoo agree to lowered $4.48 billion deal following cyber attacks

(Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc said on Tuesday it would buy Yahoo Inc's core business for $4.48 billion, lowering its original offer by $350 million in the wake of two massive cyber attacks at the internet company.

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Burger King and Tim Hortons owner to buy Popeyes for $1.8 billion

(Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International Inc , owner of the Burger King and Tim Hortons fast-food chains, said on Tuesday it would acquire Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for $1.8 billion in cash.

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Wal-Mart's comparable sales beat estimates

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported higher-than-expected global comparable sales on Tuesday, helped by a rise in online sales and higher traffic at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores.

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Wells Fargo fund business on the defensive amid sales scandal

(Reuters) - When a scandal over unauthorized accounts rocked Wells Fargo & Co's retail division last fall, executives at its asset management arm sprang into action to limit its fallout at an already tough time for their business.

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Exclusive: Burger King and Tim Hortons owner nears deal to buy Popeyes - sources

(Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International Inc, owner of the Burger King and Tim Hortons fast-food chains, is nearing a deal to acquire Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

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Snap arrives in London to woo skeptical investors ahead of IPO

LONDON (Reuters) - Snap Inc, owner of popular messaging app Snapchat, kicked off its first investor roadshow on Monday, looking to persuade London money managers to back its initial public offering in the face of concerns about its growth prospects, valuation and corporate governance.

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VW unions see signs of how to end row with execs over cost cuts

HAMBURG/BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's works council said talks with management over the implementation of a turnaround plan for the core autos division have led to initial signs for how to resolve a festering dispute between both sides.

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Amazon to open its fifth logistics center in Poland

WARSAW (Reuters) - U.S. online retailer Amazon.com Inc will open its fifth logistics center in Poland this year, it said on Monday, seeking to benefit from the country's relatively low wages and proximity to the large German market.

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UK union chief likely to meet Peugeot CEO on Friday over GM deal: source

LONDON (Reuters) - The head of Britain's biggest trade union Unite is likely to meet the CEO of Peugeot on Friday in London to discuss the potential takeover of General Motors' European operations, a trade union source told Reuters.

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Unilever shares tumble 8 percent after Kraft ditches bid

LONDON (Reuters) - Shares in Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group Unilever dropped 8 percent on Monday after U.S. rival Kraft Heinz Co abruptly ditched its surprise $143 billion merger proposal.

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SoftBank shares up; sources say co willing to cede control of Sprint

TOKYO (Reuters) - Shares in SoftBank Group Corp rose nearly 3 percent in morning trade on Monday after a Reuters report that the Japanese company is prepared to cede control of Sprint Corp to T-Mobile US Inc to clinch a merger of the two U.S. wireless carriers.

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Asia subdued amid U.S. holiday, eyes on Unilever

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian share markets got off to a subdued start on Monday as political uncertainty kept the mood cautious, while the U.S. dollar softened a touch ahead of a busy week for Federal Reserve speakers.

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Inbound China M&A takes flight on consumer promise

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Overseas acquisitions by Chinese buyers are cooling after two record years as Beijing reins in capital outflows, but deals into China are on the rise, and new rules will make it easier for foreign buyers to tap China's giant consumer potential.

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Japan Inc signals boost to domestic capex but less keen on the U.S.: Reuters poll

TOKYO (Reuters) - One third of Japanese firms are looking to lift business investment at home in the next financial year, but companies are less bullish about capital spending in the United States due to uncertainty over the Trump administration's policies, a Reuters poll showed.

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With stocks at highs, investors eye consumer results

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock investors may look to a host of results from consumer-facing companies including Wal-Mart Stores Inc next week for signs on whether the recent market rally has more room to run.

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UK PM May orders officials to examine Kraft Heinz bid for Unilever: FT

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May has asked top officials to examine U.S. food company Kraft Heinz's proposed takeover of Unilever Plc , the Financial Times reported on Sunday without citing any sources.

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PSA pledges to keep Opel's four German sites running: Bild am Sonntag

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - PSA Group has pledged to the German government to continue operating all four of Opel's German production sites as part of the French carmaker's planned takeover of General Motors' European arm, German Sunday paper Bild am Sonntag reported.

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After night in cell, Samsung scion taken for questioning

SEOUL (Reuters) - Handcuffed and tied with white rope, the scion of one of the world's biggest conglomerates, Samsung Group, was taken on Saturday for questioning by South Korean authorities after spending a night in a small detention cell.

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Trump sons open Dubai golf course, praise U.S. ally

DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's eldest sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were guests of honor at the opening of a Trump-branded golf course in Dubai on Saturday, the first Trump property project launched since their father's inauguration.

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PSA's chief seeks meeting with British PM on planned Vauxhall takeover

PARIS (Reuters) - PSA Group's Chief Executive Officer has asked for a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May on the planned acquisition of General Motors' Opel and Vauxhall operations, a spokesman for the French carmaker said on Saturday.

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China says policies unaffected by Trump plan to bring factories back to U.S.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China is closely following U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to create more domestic jobs by encouraging U.S. companies to bring home or "reshore" their overseas production, but the government will not change its overall strategy, Industry Minister Miao Wei said on Friday.

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Trump pledges to protect U.S. jobs during visit to Boeing plant

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump promised to boost U.S. manufacturing and punish companies for moving jobs overseas during a visit on Friday to a South Carolina Boeing Co plant to celebrate the unveiling of its latest Dreamliner jet.

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Snap IPO expected to price March 1 after market closes

(Reuters) - The initial public offering of Snap Inc, owner of the popular messaging app Snapchat, is expected to price March 1 after the market closes, Fidelity Investments told brokerage clients on Friday.

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Kraft Heinz to pursue merger despite Unilever rejection

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. food company Kraft Heinz Co has proposed a merger with Unilever , but the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods company has declined, Kraft said on Friday.

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S&P downgrade warning sends Toshiba shares falling

TOKYO (Reuters) - S&P Global Inc said in a report on Friday it could cut its rating of Toshiba Corp credit by several notches should the Japanese firm receive financial support that includes debt restructuring, sending Toshiba stock down 9 percent.

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Samsung chief Lee arrested in corruption investigation

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee was arrested early on Friday over his alleged role in a corruption scandal that led parliament to impeach South Korean President Park Geun-hye, dealing a fresh blow to the world's biggest maker of smartphones.

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Asia shares ease after run of gains, dollar, oil recover

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian stock markets took a breather on Friday from their recent surge as investors took profits, while the dollar inched up after Thursday's slide and optimism over possible renewed supply cuts by OPEC lifted oil prices.

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Dow Jones barely notches sixth straight record high close

(Reuters) - The Dow Jones Industrial Average scored its sixth straight record high on Thursday, but just barely, while the S&P 500 edged lower due to declining energy stocks.

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U.S. housing starts drop; permits rise to one-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. homebuilding fell in January as the construction of multi-family housing projects dropped, but upward revisions to the prior month's data and a jump in permits to a one-year high suggested the housing recovery remained on track.

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U.S. weekly jobless claims rise less than expected

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits increased less than expected last week, a sign that the labor market was continuing to tighten.

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Exclusive: Big U.S. banks to push for easing of money laundering rules

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - America's largest banks are to propose a complete overhaul of how financial institutions investigate and report potential criminal activity, arguing that rules imposed in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and strengthened during the Obama administration are onerous and ineffective, sources said. The Clearing House, a trade association representing the largest U.S. banks including Goldman Sachs , JPMorgan Chase & Co and Bank of Am

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Snap sets valuation at lower end of expectation: WSJ

(Reuters) - Snap Inc, the owner of the popular messaging app Snapchat, has set a valuation range for itself of $19.5 billion to $22.2 billion in its initial public offering, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.

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Newspapers aim to ride 'Trump Bump' to reach readers, advertisers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration's combative view of traditional news media as the "opposition party" and "fake news" is turning out to be the best hope in 2017 for newspapers struggling to attract more digital readers and advertisers.

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Workers at Boeing's South Carolina plant reject union

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - Boeing Co handily defeated a union drive by workers at the company's aircraft factory in South Carolina on Wednesday, as almost three-quarters of workers at the plant who voted rejected union representation.

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U.S. Labor Dept nominee Puzder withdraws, in blow to Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a blow to President Donald Trump as he tries to assemble his administration, his nominee for labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, withdrew his name from consideration on Wednesday amid concerns that he could not garner enough Senate votes to be confirmed.

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Trump 'not wrong on everything': Berkshire's Munger

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Charlie Munger, the billionaire vice chairman of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc , said some of U.S. President Donald Trump's ideas may prove constructive for the country, tempering comments a year ago suggesting that his fellow Republican was not morally qualified for the White House.

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U.S. lawmakers grill Yellen on interest rates, regulatory policy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers on Wednesday criticized Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's stewardship of the U.S. economy and urged her to halt work on financial regulation until President Donald Trump names new policymakers to the central bank.

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Verizon close to Yahoo deal, price cut of $250-350 million: sources

(Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc is close to a revised deal to buy Yahoo Inc's core internet business for $250 million to $350 million less than the original agreed price of $4.83 billion, according to a source briefed on the matter.

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Trump to meet with retail CEOs who oppose border tax

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome the chief executive officers of Target Corp , Best Buy Co Inc and six other major retailers to the White House on Wednesday morning to discuss tax reform and infrastructure.

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Stock futures flat, digesting record run and before data blast

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday, ahead of a blast of economic data and a day after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen painted a largely upbeat picture of the economy.

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U.S. retail sales beat expectations in January

WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales rose more than expected in January as households bought electronics and a range of other goods, pointing to sustained domestic demand that should bolster economic growth in the first quarter.

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Anthem sues Cigna to block deal termination

(Reuters) - Anthem Inc said on Wednesday it has filed a lawsuit seeking to block smaller rival Cigna Corp from terminating their proposed $54 billion deal, which would have created the largest U.S. health insurer by membership.

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Toshiba shares tumble as bigger stake in chip unit likely up for sale

TOKYO (Reuters) - Shares in Toshiba Corp skidded on Wednesday after the conglomerate said it would book a $6.3 billion hit to its U.S. nuclear unit and may sell a majority stake in its prized flash-memory chip unit as it scrambles for cash to stay in business.

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Fed on course to raise interest rates at an upcoming meeting: Yellen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve will likely need to raise interest rates at an upcoming meeting, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said on Tuesday, although she flagged considerable uncertainty over economic policy under the Trump administration.

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Berkshire takes huge bite of Apple shares, ups stakes in airlines

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc was an aggressive buyer of stocks in last year's fourth quarter, disclosing significant increases in its stakes in Apple Inc and in the four biggest U.S. airlines.

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Exclusive: Retail CEOs to meet Trump in bid to kill U.S. border tax

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will meet on Wednesday with the chief executives of eight large retailers, including Target Corp , Best Buy Co Inc and J.C. Penney Company Inc , to discuss tax reform and infrastructure improvements, according to people with knowledge of the meeting.

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Apple hits intraday record high for first time since 2015

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc shares hit an intraday record high on Tuesday for the first time almost two years as investors raised bets that a 10th anniversary iPhone will boost lackluster sales.

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Exclusive: Yellen responds to warning, says Fed has authority on global talks

(Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, in response to a warning from a U.S. congressman to halt international negotiations in the early stages of Donald Trump's presidency, said in a letter the Fed has the authority and responsibility to consult with its foreign counterparts and does so to benefit the United States.

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Wall Street opens lower ahead of Yellen's testimony

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened slightly lower on Tuesday, with the "Trump rally" pausing ahead of a testimony by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen that will be scrutinized for clues on the timing of the next interest rate hike.

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South Korean prosecution again seeks arrest of Samsung chief

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's special prosecutor's office said on Tuesday it would again seek a warrant to arrest Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee, a suspect in a graft investigation that may topple President Park Geun-hye.

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Aetna, Humana terminate $34 billion deal; Humana to receive $1 billion

(Reuters) - Health insurers Aetna Inc and Humana Inc said on Tuesday that they would end their $34 billion merger agreement after a U.S. federal court ruled against the deal, saying it would stifle competition in the Medicare Advantage program.

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Toshiba to take $6.3 billion hit on U.S nuclear unit

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp said on Tuesday it would take a 712.5 billion yen ($6.28 billion) writedown on its U.S. nuclear business, wiping out its shareholder equity and dragging the company to a full-year loss.

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Geeks venture into Goldman Sachs' world of big deals and egos

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Technology whizzes who helped Goldman Sachs eliminate hundreds of trading jobs over the past few years are venturing into the bank's flagship M&A business, making some junior bankers uneasy.

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Fed has limited view on Trump economic policies as Yellen heads to Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen goes to Congress on Tuesday for the first time since Republicans took control of the White House and both houses of the legislature with less clarity on the direction of U.S. economic policy than at any time of her three-year tenure.

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Ex-Goldman banker Mnuchin installed as Treasury secretary

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump swore in former Goldman Sachs banker and Hollywood financier Steven Mnuchin as Treasury secretary on Monday, putting him to work on tax reform, financial de-regulation and economic diplomacy efforts.

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Trump expects only 'tweaking' of trade relationship with Canada

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States would be "tweaking" its trade relationship with Canada, stopping short of calling for a major realignment in a development likely to please visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Apple hits record high but leaves some investors in dust

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple shares cruised to a record-high close Monday, helping catapult the S&P 500 stock index over the $20 trillion mark in what amounts to a victory for plain-vanilla mutual funds over a bevy of hedge fund managers who recently backed away from the iPhone maker.

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S&P 500 tops $20 trillion as Wall Street trades on Trump

(Reuters) - U.S. equity indexes hit record highs on Monday, with the benchmark S&P 500's market value topping $20 trillion as investors bet tax cuts promised by President Donald Trump would boost the economy.

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Trump says will be 'tweaking' outstanding trade relationship with Canada

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States will be "tweaking" its trade relationship with Canada, unlike its trade ties with Mexico where it faces a more severe situation.

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Verizon's move to unlimited data ups ante in wireless war

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc's announcement that it will once again offer an unlimited pricing plan marks a shift in its thinking as a price war among the four biggest U.S wireless carriers accelerates.

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U.S. inflation expectations at highest level since 2015: NY Fed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A measure of U.S. inflation expectations rose for a second straight month in January to its highest level since mid-2015, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey released on Monday that reinforced the view that interest rates would keep climbing.

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Boeing, machinists face off over union at South Carolina plant

NEW YORK/NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - Boeing Co faces its first union vote on Wednesday at its aircraft factory in South Carolina, a high-profile test for organized labor in the nation's most strongly anti-union state.

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Allergan to buy Zeltiq Aesthetics for about $2.48 billion

(Reuters) - Allergan Plc on Monday said it would buy Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc for about $2.48 billion to gain access to its flagship body contouring technology.

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Toshiba prepares to unveil nuclear hole, other perils threaten

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp will on Tuesday detail a writedown of close to $6 billion after bruising cost overruns at its U.S. nuclear arm, turning investor attention to the Japanese group's efforts to fix that and other balance sheet headaches.

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Samsung Group chief appears at South Korea special prosecutor's office

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Group [SAGR.UL] leader Jay Y. Lee appeared at the South Korean special prosecutor's office on Monday for questioning as part of a wider investigation into an influence-peddling scandal that could topple President Park Geun-hye.

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Auto CEOs want Trump to order review of 2025 fuel rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executives of 18 major automakers and their U.S. units urged President Donald Trump to revisit a decision by the Obama administration to lock in vehicle fuel efficiency rules through 2025.

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Abbott Laboratories may see boost from St. Jude's acquisition: Barron's

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories is likely to see its shares rise again after trading range-bound for nearly a year on the back of its $25 billion acquisition of medical device-maker St. Jude Medical, Barron's said on Sunday.

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Macy's could have 50 percent upside in a sale: Barron's

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Macy's Inc could see its shares rise by 50 percent in a potential sale, as the struggling retailer looks to turn around its business by downsizing its physical-store operations and reinvesting in its online presence, Barron's said on Sunday.

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Sears, Kmart drop 31 Trump Home items from their online shops

(Reuters) - Major U.S. retailers Sears and Kmart this week removed 31 Trump Home items from their online product offerings to focus on more profitable items, a spokesman said on Saturday.

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Ex-VW chairman Piech refuses to testify in German emissions inquiry

HAMBURG/BERLIN (Reuters) - Ex-Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who resigned after a showdown with former chief executive Martin Winterkorn, has refused to testify to German lawmakers investigating a possible government's role in the VW emissions scandal, according to his lawyer.

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Russia to decide in April-May if global oil deal should be extended: TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will decided in April or May whether an agreement on global oil output cuts between OPEC and non-OPEC producers, set to end on June 31, should be extended, TASS news agency quoted Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak as saying on Saturday.

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'Significant uncertainty' about fiscal policy under Trump: Fed's Fischer

COVENTRY, England (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer said there was significant uncertainty about U.S. fiscal policy under the Trump administration, but the Fed would be strict in meeting targets of creating full employment and getting inflation to 2 percent.

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Greece says bailout deal close, but will not accept 'illogical' demands

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Saturday he believed the country's drawn-out bailout review would be completed positively but repeated that Athens would not accept "illogical" demands by its lenders.

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Top Federal Reserve official resigns as bank deregulation looms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve Board's top bank regulator said on Friday he would resign, giving a boost to President Donald Trump's plans to ease reforms put in place after the 2007-09 financial crisis.

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Energy stocks look for catalyst out of doldrums

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Buoyant oil prices since Donald Trump's election have provided no lasting halo effect for energy stocks as the sector's profit rebound has lacked vigor, but that could change in the week ahead with a fresh crop of quarterly scorecards.

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Senators question Goldman on its role in Trump's banking policy

(Reuters) - Two U.S. senators sought details from Goldman Sachs Group Inc's chief executive on the extent to which the bank's employees were involved in drafting of the recent executive orders on banking and fiduciary regulations.

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Wall Street rises to records, spurred by Trump economy hopes

(Reuters) - Wall Street's main stock indexes set fresh record highs for a second day as a spike in oil prices supported energy shares and investors renewed their optimism about President Donald Trump's economic policy agenda.

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Energy products boost U.S. import prices in January

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. import prices rose more than expected in January amid further gains in the cost of energy products, but a strong dollar continued to dampen underlying imported inflation.

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Aon to sell benefits outsourcing to Blackstone for $4.3 billion

(Reuters) - Insurance broker Aon PLC said on Friday it agreed to sell its benefits administration and HR BPO platform to private equity firm Blackstone Group LP for $4.3 billion in cash.

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Euro zone, IMF reach agreement on a common stance on Greece: official

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone lenders and the International Monetary Fund have reached an agreement between themselves on a common stance they will present to Greece, a senior euro zone official said.

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Trump tax cut talk, Chinese data spur risk rally

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares rose to within striking distance of their highest levels in more than a year on Friday while the dollar was buoyant as investors cheered upbeat Chinese trade data and hopes of business-friendly tax cuts in the United States.

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Japan's love of tiny cars sore spot as Trump, Abe meet

TOKYO/DETROIT (Reuters) - When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets on Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump, Japan's bulging automotive trade surplus will be a sore spot, but the path to balancing auto exports and imports will be no easier than it was in the 1980s.

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Reckitt Benckiser reaches deal to buy Mead Johnson for $16.6 billion

LONDON (Reuters) - Reckitt Benckiser has agreed to buy U.S. infant formula maker Mead Johnson Nutrition for $16.6 billion, its biggest deal ever and opening up a new market area for the British consumer goods company.

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Republican Hensarling plans to ease Wall Street rules: memo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican leader of the House Financial Services Committee plans to scale back banking reforms, curb the consumer finance agency and ease regulations on financial institutions and companies looking to raise capital, according to a proposal seen by Reuters on Thursday.

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Twitter numbers paint grim profitability picture

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc's desultory earnings report on Thursday show a company with no evident path to profitability, as core costs climb more quickly than revenue while user growth stagnates.

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U.S. jobless claims fall to near 43-year low

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to near a 43-year low, amid a further tightening of the labor market that could eventually spur faster wage growth.

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Coca-Cola's quarterly revenue beats on higher North America demand

(Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue, helped by higher sales of its sodas in North America, its biggest market.

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Twitter reports slowest quarterly revenue growth

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc reported its slowest quarterly revenue growth since going public, as the company continues to grapple with intense competition from newer services such as Snap Inc's Snapchat and Facebook's Instagram.

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Boeing wins $13.8 billion Singapore Airlines order for wide-body jets

SINGAPORE/PARIS (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced a $13.8 billion order to buy 39 Boeing wide-body aircraft as it pursues expansion opportunities, a setback for the U.S. planemaker's rival Airbus Group in the fight for long-term orders.

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Exclusive: Lockheed says U.S. may take 'fresh look' at its India F-16 plan

NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin wants to push ahead with plans to move production of its F-16 combat jets to India, but understands President Donald Trump's administration may want to take a "fresh look" at the proposal.

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Global automakers blame tax policy, Lunar New Year for China sales drop

BEIJING (Reuters) - China vehicle sales in January fell by the largest margin since 2015 for several global automakers, with General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co blaming the roll back of a tax cut on small-engined vehicles and the Lunar New Year holiday.

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Exclusive: Tesla pausing factory for Model 3 preparation this month

DETROIT/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tesla Inc said on Wednesday it will shut down production at its California assembly plant for a week this month to prepare for production of its high-volume Model 3 sedan, moving the company closer to meeting its target to start production in July.

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U.S. court blocks Anthem-Cigna deal, dealing blow to consolidation

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday ruled against U.S. health insurer Anthem Inc's proposed $54 billion merger with smaller rival Cigna Corp , derailing an unprecedented effort to consolidate the country’s health insurance industry.

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Exclusive: Goldman Sachs hedge fund folding London operations, shifting staff to U.S. - sources

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc's hedge fund Goldman Sachs Investment Partners (GSIP), which was one of the largest-ever hedge fund launches in history, is closing its London operations and shifting staff members to New York, four sources told Reuters.

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Intel chief says firm will invest $7 billion in Arizona semiconductor factory

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Intel Corp Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich said during a visit with President Donald Trump on Wednesday that the computer chip manufacturer will invest $7 billion in an Arizona semiconductor factory.

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Harry Potter spinoff helps Time Warner top estimates

(Reuters) - Time Warner Inc reported higher-than-expected fourth-quarter results, largely due to box office hits such as the "Harry Potter" spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them."

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Exclusive: White House eyeing executive order targeting 'conflict minerals' rule - sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is planning to issue an executive order targeting a controversial Dodd-Frank rule that requires companies to disclose whether their products contain "conflict minerals" from a war-torn part of Africa, according to sources familiar with the administration's thinking.

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Controversial Dakota pipeline to go ahead after Army approval

WASHINGTON/HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army will grant the final permit for the controversial Dakota Access oil pipeline after an order from President Donald Trump to expedite the project despite opposition from Native American tribes and climate activists.

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Disney's Iger says he is open to extending term as CEO

(Reuters) - Chief Executive Bob Iger said he is open to extending his term as head of Walt Disney Co , offering a sign of stability after the media company disappointed some investors with a drop in quarterly advertising at its ESPN sports network.

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U.S. trade deficit falls as exports hit more than 1-1/2 year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit fell more than expected in December as exports rose to their highest level in more than 1-1/2 years, outpacing an increase in imports.

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Currency losses hit GM fourth quarter profits

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co on Tuesday said fourth quarter net income fell to $1.19 a share, factoring out one-time items, in part because of $500 million in foreign exchange losses, and the company forecast 2017 profits per share would be flat to slightly up from 2016.

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White House memo confuses Wall Street on fate of fiduciary rule

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Conflicting signs from the White House have left brokerage firms and lobbyists unsure whether a controversial rule governing retirement advice will ever be put in place, but they are taking no chances and complying anyway.

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Fiat Chrysler reiterates diesel vehicles fully compliant

MILAN (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler reiterated its diesel vehicles were fully compliant with applicable emissions requirements, a spokesman said on Tuesday after the French authorities referred the carmaker's case for possible prosecution.

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Honda, Hitachi Automotive say to form EV motor joint venture

TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co Ltd and Hitachi Ltd's automotive unit said on Tuesday they would form a joint venture to develop, produce and sell motors for hybrid petrol-electric cars and fully electric vehicles (EV).

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Channeling Steve Jobs, Apple seeks design perfection at new "spaceship" campus

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Inside the original Macintosh computer, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs inscribed the signatures of his team, revealing his deep concern for even the hidden features of his products.

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Twenty-First Century Fox profit tops estimates, revenue misses

(Reuters) - Twenty-First Century Fox Inc reported a quarterly profit that beat analysts' expectations, as its television and cable units benefited from hosting the World Series and its cable news channel enjoyed strong ratings during the U.S. presidential campaign.

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Stocks, euro dip amid political, economic uncertainty

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The euro fell to a one-week low against the dollar on Monday on uncertainty ahead of several impending European elections, while European and U.S. stock markets dipped ahead of a heavy week of corporate results.

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Wall Street slips as investors seek fresh catalysts

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks slipped in early afternoon trading on Monday amid a lack of major catalysts, including economic data, and uncertainty over President Donald Trump's policies.

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Iran says U.S. sanctions stop American oil firms taking part in projects

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has imposed no restrictions on U.S. oil firms willing to participate in energy projects in the country but American sanctions make such cooperation impossible, Iran's deputy oil minister said on Monday.

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JPMorgan gets China corporate bond underwriting license

HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co < JPM.N> said on Monday it had received approval and license to underwrite corporate bonds in China's interbank bond market, making it the first U.S.-headquartered bank to do so.

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U.S. tech firms file legal brief opposing Trump's immigration ban

(Reuters) - Several technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, banded together on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business."

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Oil prices edge up on Iran tensions, but rising shale output caps gains

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Monday on fears that new U.S. sanctions against Iran could be extended to start affecting crude supplies, but markets were capped by further signs of growing U.S. production.

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Wall St. Week Ahead: Dollar's sudden weakness could help U.S. profit picture

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock investors could have at least one less worry in the next earnings period: the suddenly limp U.S. dollar.

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First big German customer sues Volkswagen in diesel affair

HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Fish distributor Deutsche See is suing Volkswagen for misrepresenting a fleet of vehicles it leased as environmentally friendly, becoming the first major German customer to sue Europe's biggest carmaker over its diesel-test cheating.

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U.S. refiners face weakening demand at pump for first time in 5 years

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. refiners are facing the prospects of weakening gasoline demand for the first time in five years, stoking fears that earnings this year may be even worse than the dismal performances seen in 2016.

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Barclays to overhaul back office operations to cope with ring-fencing

LONDON (Reuters) - Barclays Plc is about to overhaul its back office operations under a restructuring to help it comply with new post-crisis rules forcing British banks to ring-fence their retail operations from their riskier business.

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Google, unlike Microsoft, must turn over foreign emails: U.S. judge

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge has ordered Google to comply with search warrants seeking customer emails stored outside the United States, diverging from a federal appeals court that reached the opposite conclusion in a similar case involving Microsoft Corp .

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Trump ignites political fight over U.S. banking law reforms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ordered reviews of major banking rules that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, drawing fire from Democrats who said his order lacked substance and squarely aligned him with Wall Street bankers.

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Lockheed, Pentagon announce $8.5 billion F-35 order

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin Corp announced on Friday an agreement worth about $8.5 billion for 90 F-35 jets, the lowest price to date for the Pentagon's most expensive program.

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U.S. job growth accelerates in January, but wages lag

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. job growth surged more than expected in January as construction firms and retailers ramped up hiring, which likely gives the Trump administration a head start as it seeks to boost the economy and employment.

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U.S. CEOs to meet with Trump amid tension over his policies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will huddle with chief executives of major U.S. companies on Friday as the business community finds itself increasingly split over how to respond to his policies.

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Futures rise ahead on jobs data; bank shares gain

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were up on Friday as investors awaited a crucial employment report to get a steer on the economy, while bank shares added to the upside.

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GE, Boeing, Oracle form coalition to support Republican border tax

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. companies including major exporters General Electric Co and Boeing Co launched a coalition on Thursday to back a House Republican plan to tax all imports, saying the proposal would "support American jobs and American-made products."

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Snap shoots for the sky, promises little in $3 billion IPO pitch

(Reuters) - Snapchat owner Snap Inc shot the opening salvo in its $3 billion initial public offering on Thursday, outlining aggressive expansion plans but offering new investors no say on how the company is run and no promise of profits.

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U.S. reversal on transparency could sting Canadian, European oil companies

HOUSTON/CALGARY (Reuters) - Canadian and European oil companies will find themselves at a competitive disadvantage to their American rivals if U.S. lawmakers scrap tighter transparency requirements on the industry, as expected, according to company executives, legal experts and trade groups.

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Asian stocks shaky ahead of U.S. jobs data, China markets

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks got off to a tentative start on Friday, as investors await the outcome of a key U.S. monthly jobs report that will set the tone for the Federal Reserve's policy outlook and as China's markets reopen after a week-long break.

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Amazon forecasts lower operating income, shares dip

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc forecast a greater-than-expected dip in operating income for the current quarter, a sign of its dedication to building expensive new warehouses and creating video content.

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Uber CEO quits Trump's business advisory group

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's business advisory group after coming under criticism for taking part, the company said on Thursday.

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Wall Street stalls as market, Trump priorities diverge

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended little changed on Thursday as the recent rally continued to stall following President Donald Trump's latest comments on trade and the policies he will pursue.

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Visa's quarterly profit rises 6.6 percent

(Reuters) - Visa Inc , the world's largest payments network operator, reported a 6.6 percent rise in first-quarter profit due to higher payment volumes growth.

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U.S. jobless claims fall more than expected last week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, pointing to tightening labor market conditions that should support the economy this year.

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Dan Loeb: Trump will make hedge funds great again

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. hedge fund manager Dan Loeb is betting President Donald Trump will be good for investments thanks to his planned mix of tax cuts, reduced regulation and infrastructure spending. 

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Exclusive: Snap's secrecy frustrates banks' pursuit of IPO glory

(Reuters) - Some investment banks seeking to be added as underwriters to Snapchat owner Snap Inc's initial public offering registration document have been denied access to review it before it is made public this week, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Sony cuts annual profit view on movie business writedown

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp on Thursday cut its full-year outlook for operating profit on Thursday after the Japanese TV-to-gaming group took a $1 billion writedown on its struggling movie business.

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Asian shares edge up, dollar capped after Fed

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares ticked up while the dollar was capped on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve stuck to its mildly upbeat economic view but gave no hint of any immediate rate hike.

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Facebook's quarterly revenue surges 50.8 percent

(Reuters) - Facebook Inc's quarterly revenue surged 50.8 percent as the world's largest social network continues to benefit from its aggressive push into mobiles and video.

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U.S. factory, private payrolls data point to firming economy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. factory activity accelerated to more than a two-year high in January amid sustained gains in new orders and raw material costs, pointing to a recovery in manufacturing as domestic demand strengthens and the drag from low oil prices ebbs.

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Wall St higher as Apple powers tech rally; Fed in focus

(Reuters) - Wall Street opened higher on Wednesday as Apple fueled a rally in technology stocks, while investors awaited the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates.

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U.S. private sector adds 246,000 jobs in January, topping estimates: ADP

(Reuters) - U.S. private employers added 246,000 jobs in January, above economists' expectations, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday.

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Fed's message on portfolio trimming: prepare, don't fret

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal Reserve policymakers are putting markets on notice that the central bank's $4.5 trillion balance sheet is back on the agenda in an apparent effort to give investors time to prepare for changes rather than to signal any action is imminent.

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VW, Robert Bosch agree to pay $1.6 billion to settle U.S. diesel claims

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG has agreed to pay at least $1.26 billion to fix or buy back and compensate owners of about 80,000 polluting 3.0 liter diesel-engined vehicles -- and could be forced to pay more than $4 billion if regulators don't approve fixes for all vehicles, court documents filed late Tuesday showed.

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