International News
EU extends sanctions on Russia until 2020
European Union leaders decided on Thursday to extend the bloc's economic sanctions on Russia over the ongoing turmoil in Ukraine into 2020 .
EU urged to help cities in fight against Airbnb expansion
Ten European cities have urged the European Union to intervene in the fight against Airbnb expansion they say are pricing local residents out of the housing market.
Europe close: Stocks finish off their best levels amid geopolitical jitters
Stocks on the Continent finished higher on the back of a more dovish than expected US central bank policy announcement overnight, according to traders, although heightened geopolitical tensions following the downing of a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz saw investors take some money off the table.
US shoots down Iranian claim drone violated its airspace
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps shot down a US drone on Thursday claiming that it had violated the country’s airspace.
Q1 profits and sales slip at Kroger
US supermarket chain Kroger, one of the world’s biggest retailers, saw profits and sales dip in the first quarter, but insisted that its transformation programme was on track.
US open: S&P 500 at record high, Brent futures fly on Middle East tensions
Stocks jumped out of the gate on Thursday, with the S&P 500 notching up a fresh record high and investors waiting for the first trades in Slack and Grocery Outlet on the day of their stock market debut, even as crude oil futures leaped higher as tensions in the Persian Gulf worsened sharply.
Trump believes he has power to replace Powell at Fed
US President Donald Trump believes that he has the power to replace the Federal Reserve’s chief Jerome Powell and demote him to governor.
US Q1 current account deficit narrows by less than expected
America's shortfall on trade and other current transactions with the rest of the world was bigger than expected at the start of 2019.
Philly Fed index drops much more sharply than expected in June
Factory sector activity in the US mid-Atlantic region cooled a tad last month amid worries over global trade frictions, mainly between the US and Mexico, but some economists were expecting a rebound following the recent resolution of that dispute, subject to a thawing in the trade relationship between Washington and Beijing.
Weekly US jobless claims fall by more than expected
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the first time last week decreased by more than expected.
US pre-open: Wall Street set to open near record highs, Slack IPO in focus
Stocks are set for sharp gains on Thursday, despite the heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf after the US central bank left the door open to cutting official short-term interest rates in 2019 should the economic outlook warrant it.
Rome extends financial olive branch to Brussels
Italy has earmarked more than €5bn to pay down debt as it looks to avoid being sanctioned for breaking European Union fiscal rules.
Asia report: Most markets higher as Fed leaves door open for cuts
Markets in Asia mostly finished in the green on Thursday, as investors reacted to the Fed standing pat on US interest rates overnight, while leaving the door open for future rate cuts.