Stocks surge: Nikkei tops 20,000, Europe hits 15-year high
LONDON (Reuters) – World shares approached record highs on Friday, as hopes of more easy money from top central banks pushed Japan’s Nikkei past 20,000 points for the first time in 15 years and European stocks reached similar heights.
Hong Kong shares close at seven-year high on hopes of fresh inflows
(Reuters) – Hong Kong stocks closed on Friday at a seven-year high, posting their biggest weekly gain in more than three years, as the city’s bourse expects investment quotas for mainland investors to rise by over 30 percent to accommodate heavy capita…
Mortgages may be a bright spot for U.S. bank results in first quarter
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. bank earnings likely got a lift from mortgage lending in the first quarter, as lower rates spurred a surge in applications to refinance home loans, one of several glimmers of hope for a sector that has lately struggled with we…
Greece makes IMF payment, gets bank funds, but doubts remain
BRUSSELS/ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece made a crucial payment to the International Monetary Fund and won extra emergency lending for its banks on Thursday but it remained unclear whether Athens can satisfy skeptical creditors on economic reforms before it …
HK Exchange says to raise quotas for mainland investors, inflows pressuring peg
HONG KONG (Reuters) – The Hong Kong stock exchange expects to increase quotas for mainland China investors by more than 30 percent, its chief executive said, a day after heavy capital inflows from the mainland forced the city’s central bank to sell Hon…
China inflation flat in March, producer pricing power stays weak
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s inflation data for March produced small positive surprises, but remained tepid, with little sign that Beijing’s easing measures to date have significantly cut worrisome deflationary pressure.
GE close to selling nearly all its real estate holdings: source
(Reuters) – General Electric Co is nearing a deal to sell practically all of its $30 billion real estate portfolio to a consortium led by Blackstone Group and Wells Fargo & Co, according to a person familiar with the matter.
With primetime TV, Apple hopes to hook customers for new Watch
LOS ANGELES/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – As Apple Inc debuts its smartwatch on Friday, the technology company focused efforts to drum up buzz on U.S. television, using expensive primetime spots to entice customers to the fledgling wearable technology mark…
Apple expects strong demand in smartwatch consumer debut
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Apple Inc expects tremendous interest for its new smartwatch and demand to outstrip supply as consumers get an up-close look on Friday at CEO Tim Cook’s first major product.
Citigroup’s head of franchise risk, Brian Leach, retiring
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Brian Leach, head of franchise risk and strategy for Citigroup Inc , said on Thursday that he is retiring and does not know what he will do next.
