U.S. stocks ended sharply stronger on Thursday and the S&P 500 closed at a record high as investors worried less about interest rates and a weaker dollar offered the possibility of stronger sales for U.S. multinationals.
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Japanese trading houses to cut investments, step up asset sales
Japan's big trading houses, stung by large asset writedowns in the wake of the global commodities slump, plan to step up asset sales and wind back investment spending by up to $10 billion over the next three years.
U.S. producer prices resume downward trend in April
U.S. producer prices resumed their downward trend in April as the cost of energy fell and a strong dollar kept underlying inflation pressures benign, supporting views that the Federal Reserve will only raise interest rates later in the year.
Honda adds to Takata air bag recalls; global tally now around 36 million
Honda Motor Co (7267.T) on Thursday recalled close to 5 million vehicles fitted with potentially faulty Takata Corp (7312.T) air bag inflators, as investigations showed the problem behind one of the biggest auto safety crises may be more widespread than thought.
Trade supporters breathe easier as U.S. trade bill clears Senate hurdle
A 12-nation Pacific trade agreement cleared a crucial test in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, giving a resounding thumbs-up to legislation that holds the key to President Barack Obama's diplomatic pivot to Asia.
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Japan's Sharp Corp said it had secured a $1.9 billion bailout, its second major bank-led rescue in three years, after falling deep into the red as its smartphone display business was battered by competition from Asian rivals.
The dollar fell on Thursday to its weakest against a basket of major currencies since the European Central Bank announced a program of quantitative easing in January, hit by growing concern that the U.S. economy has not just been suffering from a winter chill.
Wall Street was set to open higher on Thursday as weekly jobless claims fell, suggesting that the labor market was on solid footing even as the economy struggles to regain momentum.
Major banks wary of heavy U.S. penalties will be reluctant to restore ties with Iran even if sanctions are lifted in a possible nuclear deal, bank executives and advisers say, likely denting Iran's ambition to attract foreign investment to revive its crippled economy.
The euro hit a three-month high against the dollar on Thursday, lifted by another lurch higher in euro zone government bond yields that again kept global stock markets in check.
Nissan Motor Co (7201.T), Japan's second-biggest automaker, said it expects operating profit to climb 15 percent this financial year, forecasting vehicle sales growth in most regions and promising large cost cuts.
The Venezuela division of Ford Motor Co (F.N) will sell pickups and sport utility vehicles in dollars, a union leader said on Wednesday, part of a deal with the government to restart operations stalled for lack of hard currency to import parts.
The normally secretive family that owns BMW (BMWG.DE) broke silence on Wednesday to laud the company's seamless management transition as rival German carmaker Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) inspects the damage from a bitter leadership crisis.
Russian telecoms group Vimpelcom (VIP.O) is in talks with Asia's Hutchison Whampoa (0013.HK) about merging their mobile phone businesses in Italy as a joint venture, Vimpelcom Chief Executive Jean-Yves Charlier said on Wednesday.
