U.S. mortgage applications fall in latest week: MBA
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Applications for U.S. home mortgages fell last week as interest rates increased, an industry group said on Wednesday.
Republican election gains send dollar to seven-year high versus yen
LONDON (Reuters) – Sweeping Republican party wins in U.S. mid-term elections pushed the dollar to a seven-year high against the yen and lifted U.S. stock futures on Wednesday, as more soft data from China left oil at its lowest in four years.
China says to cut red-tape for new investment
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will cut red-tape for approving new investment to improve government efficiency and boost capital spending, the cabinet said on Wednesday in its latest measures to support the cooling Chinese economy.
Three major nations absent as China launches World Bank rival in Asia
(This Oct. 24 story was corrected to remove the final four paragraphs that are incorrect.)
GM says October China auto sales up 3.2 percent year on year
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – General Motors Co and its Chinese joint ventures sold 291,371 vehicles in China in October, up 3.2 percent from the same month a year earlier, the U.S. automaker said on Wednesday.
Euro zone Sept retail sales much weaker than expected
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Euro zone retail sales were much weaker than expected in September, data showed on Wednesday, and the monthly August rise was revised downwards, pointing to soft household demand in the third quarter.
French government gives green light for GE-Alstom deal
PARIS (Reuters) – The French government gave the green light on Wednesday for General Electric’s planned 12.4 billion euro ($15.6 billion) purchase of most of Alstom’s power business.
Euro zone business growth remains weak in October despite deep price cuts: PMI
LONDON (Reuters) – Euro zone business growth picked up less than expected in October despite much deeper price cutting, according to business surveys on Wednesday that gave scant reason to be optimistic about the months ahead.
Toyota raises FY profit forecast by nine percent on weak yen
TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp raised its full-year operating profit forecast by 9.1 percent on Wednesday as a sharp decline in the yen increases the value of repatriated earnings and makes up for lower vehicle sales.
Alibaba’s results affirm growth, but margins slide
BEIJING (Reuters) – Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s e-commerce and mobile businesses surged in the September quarter, far outpacing its rivals’ and glossing over weakening margins and decelerating earnings growth.
