China finished 2010 with a bang, its growth soaring past forecasts and inflation slowing less than expected, numbers that could prod the government to intensify its easy-does-it approach to tightening.
Stronger-than-expected Chinese growth data spurred concern on Thursday about tighter monetary policy, prompting a sell-off in equities led by emerging markets.
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a flat open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.03 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.03 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.06 percent at 4:40 a.m. EST.
China finished 2010 with a bang, its growth soaring past expectations while inflation slowed less than expected, numbers that could prod the government to ratchet up its easy-does-it approach to policy tightening.
British wealth management group St James's Place said 37 percent rise in new single investments boosted funds under management to an all time high of 27 billion pounds ($43 billion).
Asian stocks retreated from two-month peaks on Thursday due to disappointing earnings from Wall Street majors, while the euro gave in to some profit taking after extending its rally overnight to a eight-week high.
China's benchmark short-term money market rate spiked 194 basis points on Thursday, heading for its biggest single-day rise in history, hit by cash calls for the payment to meet the official increase in bank reserve requirement ratios (RRR) and the coming Lunar New Year.
For U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro, the choice of a Goldman Sachs Group insider as her new top funds regulator could be a double-edged sword.
Gold rose for a third straight day on Wednesday on a weaker dollar and strong Asian physical demand, while platinum and palladium hit multi-year highs on an improving global economic outlook.
The euro rose to an eight-week high on Wednesday on increasing optimism that Europe can defuse its debt crisis, but equities fell on poor U.S. housing data and bank earnings, while a rally in commodities faded.
Goldman Sachs' commodities trading risk has hit a near seven-year low, quarterly results on Wednesday showed, suggesting the Wall Street giant had become less aggressive lately in taking advantage of surging oil, metals and grains prices.
Online marketplace eBay Inc provided investors with a bullish 2011 profit outlook after the holiday quarter showed signs it is delivering a promised turnaround, as improvements in its buyer experience helped boost sales at its marketplaces unit.
U.S. suppliers of planes and aircraft parts are likely to post solid quarterly results on better air traffic as defense contractors are challenged by a tough budgetary environment.
American Express Co reported quarterly earnings that narrowly missed Wall Street estimates and said it would cut 550 jobs as it handles more customer services on the Internet.
Online marketplace eBay Inc exceeded Wall Street profit estimates for its holiday fourth quarter, helped by more items sold and at higher prices, and gave a bullish 2011 outlook.
Hedge fund assets grew a record $149 billion during the last three months of 2010, according to new data released on Wednesday.
Wells Fargo & Co and U.S. Bancorp said low interest rates were squeezing lending profits, but improving credit quality helped both banks post higher fourth-quarter earnings.
Swiss police arrested ex-banker Rudolf Elmer on Wednesday for giving data to Wikileaks, hours after he was found guilty of breaching strict Swiss bank secrecy laws in another case.
T-Mobile USA's new chief executive looks set to dash the hopes of Clearwire Corp investors when he meets Wall Street analysts on Thursday as he is unlikely to announce a strategic deal with the smaller wireless operator, sources close to the situation said.
The S&P 500 suffered its biggest decline in nearly two months on Wednesday as disappointing results from Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo put a damper on the rally.
Swiss police on Wednesday arrested former banker Rudolf Elmer on fresh charges of breaching Swiss bank secrecy law for giving data to WikiLeaks, hours after he was found guilty of another secrecy offense.
Options traders appeared to be taking a bearish stance on eBay Inc ahead of its earnings report after the bell on Wednesday.
Lehman Brothers Holdings is demanding that Bank of America return an additional $9 million on top of $500 million it has been ordered to repay by a bankruptcy judge.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc posted a 53 percent decline in fourth-quarter profit as trading revenue tumbled, dashing hopes that the Wall Street bank had bucked a tough trading climate in debt markets.
The S&P 500 suffered its biggest decline in nearly two months on Wednesday as disappointing results from Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo put a damper on the rally.
ATLANTA, Jan 19 - A U.S. high-school librarian could face criminal charges for conducting online research while she was a juror in a capital-murder trial.
Wells Fargo and US Bancorp said lending profits are being squeezed by low interest rates, but improving credit quality helped both banks post higher-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings.
While data this morning from Britain’s Office National Statistics showed that the country’s overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at about 7.9 percent in November, the report revealed something quite unsettling – joblessness among youth jumped to a record high of almost 1-million.
Recent evidence a U.S. economic recovery may be gaining traction has led economists to raise their forecasts for the pace of growth in the world's largest economy, according to a Reuters poll released on Wednesday.
Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp said lending profits are being squeezed by low interest rates, but improving credit quality helped both banks post higher fourth-quarter earnings.
