U.S. drug approvals in 2014 hit their highest level in 18 years and recommendations in Europe also came at a rapid rate, driven by expensive new treatments for cancer and rare diseases.
Country
China factory slowdown a force for disinflation, Asia faces softer demand
China's growth engine looks to have ended last year on a flat note as its massive factory sector sputtered in December, though ebbing price pressures also offered scope for more policy stimulus from Beijing and across much of Asia.
Brazil to rework mining code stalled in Congress, minister says
Brazil's government plans to rework parts of the country's new mining code currently stalled in Congress, the new Mines and Energy Minister Eduardo Braga said on Thursday.
Oil reverses early gains, trades near $57 as supply glut prevails
Brent crude LCOc1 reversed early gains to trade near $57 a barrel on Friday, as the glut of oil that has halved prices since June overshadowed investors repositioning at the start of the year for an eventual recovery.
Draghi drives euro to four and a half year low
The euro took another downward lurch on Friday, sinking to a 4-1/2 year low against the dollar on clear indications that the European Central Bank will soon embark on outright money-printing.
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South Africa will spend 10 billion rand ($860 million) between 2015 and 2017 on life-prolonging HIV/AIDS treatment drugs, health authorities said on Wednesday, as studies show the prevalence of the virus is rising.
South Korean authorities have found evidence that a low-risk computer "worm" had been removed from devices connected to some nuclear plant control systems, but no harmful virus was found in reactor controls threatened by a hacker.
A federal judge said on Tuesday she would approve a $26 million settlement between Atlantic City and the Revel Casino Hotel that will provide much-needed cash for New Jersey's struggling gambling hub and a tax cut for the shuttered gambling complex.
Detroit's historic bankruptcy, which officially ended earlier this month, cost the city nearly $178 million in fees and expenses for teams of lawyers and consultants, according to a city court filing on Tuesday.
Verso Paper Corp will have to divest paper mills in Maine and Wisconsin in order to complete its acquisition of NewPage Holdings, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Oaktree Capital Management and other lenders are close to striking a deal with Providence Equity Partners to take control of the security company that vetted former spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, the New York Post reported.
Private equity firm BC Partners [BCPRT.UL] said on Wednesday it will sell a 40.25 percent stake in its supermarket chain Migros (MGROS.IS) to Turkish conglomerate Anadolu Endustri Holding AS.
Huawei Technology Co Ltd's [HWT.UL] smartphone sales rose by almost a third to $11.8 billion in 2014, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters, showing the Chinese telecoms firm's continued ascent in the global handset wars.
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Thursday that all its new smart television products launched in 2015 will be powered by the Tizen operating system, marking a fresh effort by the company to increase the usage of the software platform.
