Asian markets fell at week's end as Greece's inability to form a government, uninspiring Chinese industrial output growth and JPMorgan's trading losses affected investor sentiment.
Hong Kong's economy slowed down in the first quarter compared to the last quarter of the previous year as exports dipped with soft global demand.
China's announcement that construction was down and manufacturers bought less factory equipment in April drove oil prices down and caused concerns that the global economy was slowing down. These concerns were reflected in market activity.
An auction of Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei's porcelain sunflower seeds at Sotheby's in New York on Wednesday has fetched almost $800,000 - but it's unclear how much of the money will find its way to the hundreds of Chinese workers who made them.
Afghanistan will be the focus of a crucial NATO summit in Chicago this month, said NATO Secretary General Ander Fogh Rasmussen during a press conference on Friday. But Pakistan, once a crucial partner in NATO's efforts there, may not be represented at the event.
Just about everything in China's economy seems to have gone backwards in April and the raft of weaker data raised fears that the world's second largest economy has yet to bottom out.
The naval standoff between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea has the two countries on the brink of conflict, but a demonstration in Manila against China has been sparsely attended, offering hope that an escalation can be avoided.
The earnings calendar for the week ahead will be comparatively light, but a number of bellwether companies will be reporting results.
Gold prices fell to a four-month low on Friday as worries over the financial health of Greeceand Spain and huge trading losses for JPMorgan hurt stock markets and the euro, prompting investors to seek refuge in the dollar.
Hundreds of Philippine protestors took to the streets outside the Chinese embassy in Manila demanding China to withdraw its ships from the region.
China Thursday ordered four international auditing firms in the country to hire Chinese nationals in a bid to suppress foreign control of their operations in the country.
Asian markets fell on Friday as concerns surrounding Greece, weak industrial output growth in China and JP Morgan's trading loss dampened sentiments.
China's inflation rate slowed in April from the previous month, showing signs that the price pressure is gradually diminishing to make room for monetary easing.
Asian shares retreated Friday, spooked by JPMorgan's $2 billion loss from a failed hedging strategy, with investors warily watching political turmoil in the euro zone as they await new Chinese data for clues on its growth outlook.
Asian shares retreated Friday, spooked by JPMorgan's $2 billion loss from a failed hedging strategy, with investors warily watching political turmoil in the euro zone as they await new Chinese data for clues on its growth outlook.
Chinese citizens are extremely upset after a Ferrari sports car drove across Nanjing's ancient landmark, leaving tire tracks and possibly permanently damaging it.
Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), the world's biggest software company, said it will go ?carbon neutral? on July 1, the start of its new fiscal year.
Fragrance maker Coty Inc. increased its bid to buy troubled Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP), the world's largest direct sales beauty company, to around $10.7 billion on Thursday, putting more pressure on Avon's board to negotiate.
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG), which makes CoverGirl makeup, Olay products and Secret deodorant, will transfer the leaders of its global skin care, cosmetics and personal care unit to Singapore from Cincinnati, Ohio, the company said Thursday.
If suspicions are proven correct, the incident marks a turn for the worse in the struggles of rural Chinese against housing demolitions and home relocation, a popular approach in the country for carrying out land development.
Fashion's Night Out is once gain stepping out on the international stage. The Vogue-hosted shopping event is set to expand to all 19 territories that publish Vogue magazine for 2012.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and its primary iPad and iPhone supplier, Foxconn Technology Company Ltd. (Taipei: 2354), will share the costs of improving labor conditions inChinese factories, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou said.
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