Record Japan trade deficit highlights risk of economic stumble
TOKYO/WAKAYAMA, JAPAN (Reuters) – Japan suffered a record trade deficit in January as growth in exports spurred by a weak yen was far outstripped by a surge in import costs, raising fresh doubts about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s strategy to spark an ec…
G20 final document to address U.S. policy impact on emerging markets
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The world’s financial leaders will address the impact of U.S. monetary policy on emerging markets in a final document from their meeting this week in Sydney, but the wording has yet to be agreed, a Russian G20 official said.
China February flash PMI hits seven-month low, spooks markets
BEIJING (Reuters) – Activity in China’s factories shrank again in February, a preliminary private survey found on Thursday, reinforcing concerns of a minor slowdown in the economy and spooking markets across the region.
Tesla gives strong 2014 outlook, shares jump 12 percent
(Reuters) – Tesla Motors Inc , led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter results on Wednesday and said deliveries of its luxury Model S electric sedan would surge more than 55 percent this year.
Fed officials see more QE cuts, changes to low-rate vow
NEW YORK/ST. LOUIS (Reuters) – Three Federal Reserve officials on Wednesday said they believe the U.S. economy is gaining traction despite a recent slowdown from severe weather, allowing the central bank to stick to its plan to wind down its massive bo…
Appropriate to refresh U.S. Fed’s longer-term ‘exit strategy’: Williams
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Reserve should update its longer-term “exit strategy” for winding down its swollen balance sheet to reflect changes in the plan since it was published in 2011, a top Fed policymaker said on Wednesday.
Gap to raise hourly pay to $10 in 2015; Wal-Mart remains ‘neutral’
(Reuters) – Apparel retailer Gap Inc said it would raise the hourly pay for its U.S. employees to $9 in June 2014 and $10 in June 2015, after the White House said the minimum wage for federal contract workers would be raised to $10.10 an hour in 2015.
SEC’s Stein calls for more reforms to short-term lending market
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The short-term lending market is in need of reform to improve its transparency, a top U.S. regulator said on Wednesday, saying that the lack of public information on how much financial firms rely on such borrowing could lead to a…
Ex-Madoff aide testifies at own trial, denies he knew of fraud
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Only minutes into the prosecution’s questioning of former Bernard Madoff aide Daniel Bonventre at trial on Wednesday, it was clear he was in for a long day.
Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion
(Reuters) – Facebook Inc will buy fast-growing mobile-messaging startup WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock, as the world’s largest social network looks for ways to boost its popularity, especially among a younger crowd.
