Europe close: Stocks rise after Fed chief reassures
European shares were mostly higher on Thursday as investors cheered US central bank chief Jerome Powell's decision overnight to reiterate the Federal Reserve's commitment to buttressing economic growth.
Africa to continue with AstraZeneca vaccination program
The African Union’s disease control body said on Thursday that it would continue using the AstraZeneca Covid19 vaccine, after trial data showed it had greatly reduced efficacy against the coronavirus variant dominant in South Africa.
Kimbal Musk sells $25m worth of Tesla stock
Kimbal Musk, the brother of Tesla chief Elon Musk, sold 30,000 shares of the electric carmaker worth roughly $25. 6m earlier in January, according to a securities filing.
United Airlines returns Boeing 737 Max to service after grounding
United Airlines has returned the Boeing 737 Max to service after grounding it for two years.
US jobless claims fall by less than expected
US jobless claims fell by less than anticipated during the latest reference week.
EU extends airline slot relief through summer of 2021
The European Parliament on Thursday approved measures to extend the suspension of competitive access to airport slots throughout the summer of 2021 as airlines are still being impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
EU optimistic for economy, despite 'challenging' winter
The European Commission has warned that a “challenging” winter will hamper near-term economic growth, but that conditions should start to improve as the vaccine roll-out progresses.
Kraft Heinz to sell nuts business to Hormel in $3.35bn deal
Kraft Heinz has agreed to sell its nuts business to Hormel in a $3. 35bn cash deal.
Citi revises 2021 oil price forecasts higher
Analysts at Citi revised their projections for the price of oil, citing oil producers' success in running down global inventories and improved prospects for demand.
US pre-open: Futures move higher as February rally looks set to resume
Wall Street futures had stocks opening higher ahead of the bell on Thursday as major indices looked set to continue on their February ascent.
Amsterdam tops London as Europe's number one share trading hub
Amsterdam ousted London as Europe’s top share trading hub this month as a result of the shift in the location for dealing stocks and derivatives after Brexit.
Presidents Biden and Xi hold first phone call since change of US administration
US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held their first phone call since the change of administration in Washington on Thursday morning.
Microsoft said to have approached Pinterest recently over potential deal
Microsoft reportedly approached Pinterest in recent months about a potential $51bn acquisition of the image-sharing and social media company.