International News
US trade deficit for July jumps past forecasts
America's shortfall on trade in goods and services with the rest of the world widened in July as import growth outpaced that of exports.
Xiaomi backs Dreame in $15m funding round
Smartphone maker Xiaomi backed Chinese vacuum company Dreame in a $15m funding round as part of its expansion into the consumer electronics arena.
US open: Stocks slide following yesterday's record breaking rally
Wall Street stocks were lower after the opening bell on Thursday following yesterday's strong session, with tech stocks taking the biggest hit in early trading.
US jobless claims fall as calculation method changes
US jobless claims fell below 1m to the lowest since Covid-19 lockdowns began as the method for calculating official figures changed.
US services sector activity cools a little in August
The pace of services sector activity in the States ebbed a bit last month, as the rate of incoming new orders slowed, the results of a closely-watched survey showed.
US CDC tells states to be ready to large-scale vaccination by 1 November
America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has told state governments to make preparations for the large-scale distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine.
US pre-open: Futures point to losses ahead of jobless data
Wall Street futures were pointing to losses ahead of the bell on Thursday following yesterday's strong session.
China unveils policies to develop semiconductor industry
China is preparing new government policies to develop its own domestic semiconductor industry and reduce reliance on US suppliers and technology.
Euro area retail sales fall short of forecasts in July
Retail sales in the single currency bloc unexpectedly fell during the month of July.
Amazon to create 7,000 new jobs in UK as sales soar
Amazon will create 7,000 new permanent jobs in the UK over the coming months to deal with the rise in sales brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown.
Several ECB governing council members worried about euro strength, FT says
Rate-setters at the European Central Bank are concerned about the potential impact that a strengthening single currency might have on the bloc's exports and prices.
Eurozone services sector growth grinds to a halt
Growth in the eurozone services sector nearly ground to a halt in August amid a rise in new coronavirus cases, according to data released on Thursday.
DHL warns of delivery issues for Covid-19n vaccine in poorer countries
DHL warned on Thursday that two-thirds of the world’s population is unlikely to have easy access to any Covid-19 vaccine requiring storage at freezing temperatures.
France unveils €100bn stimulus package to revive economy
France unveiled a €100bn (£89bn) package to revive its coronavirus-ravaged economy as President Emmanuel Macron pursued policies to promote business investment.
China services sector hires workers as recovery continues
Chinese services companies hired more workers for the first time in seven months as the sector continued to recover from the Covid-19 outbreak, a survey showed.