ECONOMY & MARKETS

Hang Seng Index

Hang Seng Shares Snap Six-Session Winning Streak

Hong Kong shares snapped a six-session winning streak on Monday, dragged down by Chinese banks and developers, as investors took profits on some recent outperformers while waiting to see if there will be a Greek debt-swap deal that averts a default.
More news
IBTimes Logo

Replacement of Worn-Out Equipment Rises in Sign of Recovery

Delivery trucks wear out, computers break down, software becomes outdated -- and finally businesses have to start investing in new equipment. Companies that want to remain competitive have to start spending again as an economy slowly recovers.
EU Trade Commission Karel De Gucht (R) and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk attend a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, January 28, 2012.

Beware, Trade Cheats: New U.S. Team Getting Ready for You

A new team of U.S. trade enforcers will make countries think twice about building unfair barriers to American exports, said President Barack Obama's top trade official, who noted the team will include intelligence officials as well as representatives of multiple agencies.
Cargo containers are seen at the Port of Long Beach, California June 19, 2008.

U.S. Fourth-Quarter GDP Growth of 2.8% Fueled by Inventory Bounce: Analyst

Growth in the U.S. gross domestic product during the fourth quarter of last year was estimated at 2.8 percent -- slightly below the consensus expectation of 3.0 percent, but still the best reading in 2011. However, most of the growth came from inventory rebuilding, which can support GDP growth only temporarily.
New Planet Beer

Gluten-Free Beer Company New Planet Taps Into Rapidly Expanding Market

Pedro Gonzalez began to miss the simple foods within a couple years. In 2003, doctors diagnosed Gonzalez with celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disease triggered by consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.
NASDAQ Market Site in New York's Times Square

U.S. Stocks Fall after GDP Data Hints are Weak Q1

U.S. stocks fell on Friday after data showed the U.S. economy grew less than expected in the fourth quarter, while weak earnings from Ford and continued caution over Europe's debt crisis also weighed on the market.
Probe if Unions are Paying Senators to Stay Away

Does Right to Work Create Jobs? Experts Aren’t Sure

The Indiana right-to-work bill's supporters trumpeted the argument that making Indiana a right-to-work state would encourage businesses to relocate there. But a survey of the available data suggests that the link between right-to-work and job creation is not as clear as its proponents claim.
U.S. shopper

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index Narrowly Beats Expectations

The University of Michigan/Thomson Reuters Index of consumer sentiment, a widely followed metric that measures how consumers perceive both the economy and their own finances, rose to 75.0 in January, according to the organizations behind the monthly survey.
Bond Markets

U.S. Debt Prices Rise, Fed's Power May be Doubted

Treasury debt prices rose on Thursday, and five-year note yields dipped to the lowest level since at least the 1960s, a day after the Federal Reserve said it will likely hold interest rates near zero at least through late 2014.
A man monitors stock market prices inside a brokerage in Taipei

World Stock Markets Steady Near 5 1/2-Month High

World stocks held steady near a 5-1/2 month high on Friday as investors anticipated an imminent conclusion to Greek debt talks while lower Spanish bond yields and a fall in Italy's six-month borrowing costs also supported the euro.
An NYSE is seen over the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange

U.S. Stock Futures Point to Steady Open

Stock index futures pointed to a steady open on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.02 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.05 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.2 percent at 4 a.m. ET.

Pages

IBT Spotlight

We Help Businesses Find B2B Service Providers They Can Trust.