American Express Co, the world's largest credit card issuer, reported a better-than-expected rise in quarterly profit, helped by higher spending by U.S. card holders and an increase in net interest income.
Investors
For short-sellers in U.S. stocks, the agony just piles on
In January 2014, veteran short-seller Bill Fleckenstein said he was readying a new fund to bet on falling stock prices. More than a year later, he's still waiting to launch that fund.
Investors look to earnings for market direction
Investors attempting to determine whether U.S. equities will rebound from Friday's selloff or continue to sink will look to a deluge of earnings next week for a clearer picture of the economy.
Wall Street falls steeply with China, Greece fears paramount
The S&P 500 posted its biggest percentage loss since March 25 on Friday as investors shunned risk amid new trading regulations in China, renewed worries about Greece running out of money, and tepid U.S. corporate earnings.
Global stocks near all-time highs despite Greek drama
Global equities were set for their third straight weekly gain on Friday, hovering near fresh all-time highs as cheap central bank cash kept buoying markets and offset fears that Greece may run out of money as debt repayments loom.
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U.S. stocks ended marginally lower on Thursday as lingering worries about upcoming corporate earnings reports offset enthusiasm about a trio of soaring Wall Street debuts.
The roaring stock market rallies of the United States, Japan and Europe show no sign of reaching most emerging markets, where lackluster economic growth and company profits point to a fifth straight year of lagging performance.
Euro zone government borrowing costs slid to new lows on Thursday, a day after the European Central Bank pledged to fulfill its 1 trillion euro bond-buying program, although regional stocks took a step back from this week's multi-year peaks.
U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, fueled by gains in oil companies and speculation that upcoming first-quarter earnings reports might not be quite as weak as previously thought.
The Frankfurt-listed shares of Internet companies Yahoo and Facebook outperformed those of rival Google, after media reports that Google would face anti-trust action from the European Union.
European shares hit a 14-year high on Wednesday before a meeting at which the European Central Bank is expected to affirm its loose policy stance, as weak data from China raised prospects of monetary easing there too.
Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), the largest U.S. mortgage lender, reported a drop in quarterly profit for the first time in five years as employee costs rose at a time margins are under pressure from low interest rates.
The Dow and S&P 500 ended higher on Tuesday, helped by energy stocks and quarterly earnings reports that topped modest expectations following worries about a strong dollar.
The yen rose across the board on Tuesday, hitting a two-year high against the euro, after an economic adviser to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated that the currency might have fallen too far and needed to retrace some of its losses.
