An improving U.S. economy has failed to galvanize the consumer discretionary sector so far this year, but a recent rally in restaurant stocks as the holidays approach could herald happier days ahead for other retailers.
Industry
China factories stall; Japanese exports enjoy rare bounce
China's factories looked to have hit an air pocket in November as a private survey showed output falling for the first time in six months, adding to concerns about slowing economic momentum and to the case for further policy easing from Beijing.
Euro zone's troubles, gold vote test Swiss central bank
The Swiss National Bank faces the biggest test of its cap on the franc in two years but may find it easier to defend now than when euro zone breakup fears were rampant and the strategy unproven.
Battered by falling prices, Kenya's tea farmers threaten to uproot
Emerald-colored tea bushes blanketing the rolling hills of Nandi County have long provided a livelihood for small-scale farmers, helping make Kenya one of the world's biggest tea exporters.
Spotlight falls on Europe's stuttering economy
As large parts of Europe's economy grind almost to a halt, attention will focus this week on the latest assessments of business confidence in the euro zone and Germany, which has just narrowly avoided a recession.
Latest News
The head of the World Bank said on Friday the idea of establishing a global emergency fund that could quickly respond to a health crisis has received interest and funds for it could be raised on the international bond markets.
In a paradoxically good development for the U.S. economy, Americans quit their jobs in September at the fastest rate in over six years.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Thursday he "couldn't disagree more" with remarks made by the head of the players union that the league's salary cap is unjust and un-American.
The dollar stood tall against the yen in early Asian trade on Friday, not far from this week's seven-year high as investors continued to monitor whether Japan's leader would call an election and delay a sales tax hike.
Market expectations that U.S. interest rates will start to lift off sometime in mid-2015 are reasonable, New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley said on Thursday.
U.S. stock prices held firm on Thursday after the Dow and Standard & Poor's 500 reached record intraday highs, while crude fell below $80 a barrel for the first time in four years on further signs of a slowdown in China's economy.
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, yet it remained near a 14-year low in a reminder that the labor market appears to be moving toward full health.
A large group of professional forecasters cut their outlook for euro zone inflation and growth, underlining a trend that could prompt the European Central Bank to take more policy action to kick-start the region's flagging economy.
J.C. Penney Co Inc reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss on Wednesday but said same-store sales were flat and slightly cut its full year revenue forecast, sending shares of the department store chain lower in extended trade.
