ECONOMY & MARKETS

Markets shrugged off unsettling attacks in Paris and Mali, as comments from the Federal Reserve and strong earnings buoyed investor sentiment.

The budget outlined spending cuts of about 5.7 billion euros in 2016, and predicted that the economy would shrink about 0.7 percent in the coming year.

European Central Bank Governor Mario Draghi's comments buffeted investor sentiment in Europe while Asian markets locked in marginal gains during the week.

The South China Sea issue didn't come up in formal APEC meetings, but is likely to be discussed at the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.

The nation’s largest insurer adjusted its earnings forecast Thursday, citing losses from an exchange linked to the Affordable Care Act.

The president and major corporations are wooing congressional Democrats, hoping they'll help pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

A judge ordered Murray Energy Corp. to pay a fine after the company interfered with miners' rights to file confidential safety complaints with regulators.

Bitcoin is the most popular form of digital cryptocurrency, with users able to transact in relative anonymity.

Data released Thursday showed that Japanese exports fell for the first time in over a year in October -- the latest in a series of weak data coming from the world's third-largest economy.

The non-economic statement is a rare one for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group.

The global economic gap between the sexes could take more than 100 years to close, the World Economic Forum says.

U.S. stocks closed with gains of more than 1 percent on Wednesday after minutes from the Federal Reserve October meeting showed a solid core of officials rallied behind a possible December rate hike.

Notes from the Federal Reserve's October meeting show most of the committee thought conditions "could well be met" for a year-end rate hike.

The States at Risk project, launched Wednesday, found the majority of U.S. states are doing little to defend themselves from the threats of climate change.

U.S. stocks rose Wednesday despite lackluster U.S. home construction data.

After the terror attacks in Paris, security and defense companies are likely to see increased spending for munitions, drones and other weapons.

U.S. President Barack Obama is championing urgent measures on climate change, ahead of a global meet in Paris.

Obama made the remarks after a meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit got underway in Manila on Wednesday.

The minutes, to be released later Wednesday, are likely to provide a snapshot of internal debate within the Federal Open Market Committee, and offer clues to the pace of a possible rate hike in December.

The long-expected move gives Clinton another powerful ally in her bid to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

Data closely watched by the Federal Reserve's interest rate-setting committee showed prices increasing and U.S. factory output gaining strength.

Stock markets across Europe and Asia advanced strongly Tuesday, shrugging off the short-lived impact of Friday's attacks in Paris.

"There was an agreement on all the milestones ... whatever was required," Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said early Tuesday. The deal would unlock $12.8 billion in aid to the cash-strapped nation.

The Philippines and some of its neighbors are fighting China's claims to most of the South China Sea.

The Tokyo stock index on Tuesday made up all of Monday's declines.

Financial markets, unpredictable as always, show few clear patterns in the aftermath of incidents like the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris.

In the July-September period, the GDP of the world’s third-largest economy shrank by an annualized 0.8 percent, according to government data released Monday.

Terrorism and geopolitics will color discussions usually centered on economies and trade.

Analysts expect declines will be short, while crude oil rose on speculation that supply from the Middle East may be disrupted.