International News
FX round-up: Sterling endures torrid Friday as traders head for safe-haven gold
Sterling had a torrid time on key crosses Friday with traders buying defensive assets such as gold on concerns about Europe's political unease, and worries about the economic impact of Brexit.
London close: FTSE 100 dragged down by banks and miners
Banks and miners led the FTSE to a lower close Friday, in a session awash with blue-chip news including disappointing annual results from Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered, among other stocks reporting.
Europe close: Stocks turn lower on investor caution, heightened political risk
European stocks retreated on Friday, weighed down by a broad pull-back in risk apettite globally ahead of a key speech from US president Donald Trump in the following week.
Berenberg downgrades Goldman Sachs as Trump rally 'may have peaked'
Goldman Sachs has been downgraded to 'sell' by Berenberg as the German bank indicated its belief that the investment banking behemoth's stock is now overvalued and that it could face structural headwinds in 2017.
Trump whips up CPAC with 'massive' tax cut pledge, Mexico wall timetable
President Donald Trump told the Conservative Political Action Conference he would "massively" lower taxes for America's middle classes as well as trimming business taxes, while also pledging to begin undoing his predecessor's 'Obamacare' healthcare laws in coming months.
Mexican current account deficit narrows further in fourth quarter 2016
Mexico's current account deficit narrowed over the last three months of 2016 on strength in manufacturing, but risks were on the rise, economists said.
Breakout for bonds and US dollar ahead, BofA-Merrill Lynch says
Investors continued to rotate towards so-called 'inflation trades', ahead of a likely break-out in bonds and the US dollar, according to the widely-followed weekly tally of fund flows by Bank of America-Merrill Lynch.
Commodities: Dissatisfied traders sell crude on rise in US inventories
Crude-oil futures are rising Friday as traders continue to express dissatisfaction at yet another rise in US inventories amid a long-running global glut of the black liquid.
French election concerns to keep dragging stocks lower
The upcoming French presidential elections of 23 April and 7 May are a key concern for investors as jitters seeped further into European Markets at the end of the week.
US open: Stocks on the back foot as Dow edges away from record close
US stocks were on the back foot on Friday, tracking their European peers as the Dow looked set to break its run of 10 consecutive record closes.
US new home sales rise less than expected in January
Sales of new US single-family homes rose less than expected in January, according to official data released on Friday.
US consumer confidence weakens in February
US consumer sentiment weakened in February, according to the final reading from the University of Michigan.
Polish army generals removed by government despite NATO plea
Poland's government has deposed the vast majority of its military leadership as it seeks to rid the country's institutions of officials appointed by the previous government.
Google's self-driving car operation accuses Uber of technology 'theft'
Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies has been accused of theft from Google's self-driving technology company, Waymo.
Asia report: Markets lower as Samsung executives offer to resign
Markets in Asia were mostly lower on Friday, with investors turning their attention to Samsung Group after reports emerged that some of its executives had offered to resign amid the presidential cash-for-influence scandal.
Italian business confidence picks up in February, even as consumer sentiment sours
The mood of Italian consumers continued to darken in February even as manufacturing businesses grew more confident.
Ex-IMF chief Rodrigo Rato sentenced to four years in prison
A former head of the International Monetary Fund has been sentenced to four years in a Spanish jail after he was found guilty of the misuse of corporate credit cards during his time in charge of regional state-owned lender Caja Madrid.
We are not in the 1930s, Credit Suisse says on protectionism
Globalisation may be past its peak but the risk that trade protectionism might get out of hand might be less than some investors think, Credit Suisse said.
US pre-open: Stocks seen lower, Dow to break winning streak
Futures pointed to a slightly weaker open on Wall Street on Friday, with the Dow set to break its 10-day streak of record closes.
Italian industrial orders jump at the end of 2016
Italian industrial orders jumped in December, driven by strong domestic demand, although sales were strongest abroad.