GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) may ditch a plan to return 4 billion pounds ($6.1 billion) to investors, some analysts believe, as the drugmaker prepares to set out its vision for the reshaped group and a new chairman takes the helm.
Regions
U.S., UK, China manufacturing all in slow lane
Manufacturing activity growth remained sluggish in some of the world's major economies in April, suggesting that global economic growth remains "moderate and uneven," as the International Monetary Fund described it in its World Economic Outlook in April.
U.S. auto sales disappoint in April as Asian automakers miss mark
U.S. auto industry sales in April came in below expectations as Asia's major carmakers' results disappointed, offsetting strong gains for trucks and SUVs made by General Motors (GM.N) and Ford (F.N).
Ford expands door latch recall to 156,000 more vehicles
Ford Motor Co (F.N) said it was expanding a recall to include 156,000 more vehicles to fix a potential door latch malfunction.
Anemic U.S. factory data points to moderate growth bounce
U.S. factory activity failed to gain steam in April after slowing for five straight months and demand for automobiles softened, suggesting the economy was struggling to find momentum after growth almost stalled in the first quarter.
Latest News
Expansion in the U.S. manufacturing sector weakened in April as growth in output and new orders fell, according to an industry report released on Friday.
Royal Dutch Shell is pushing ahead with plans to explore for oil in the Arctic Ocean near Alaska this summer despite opposition from environmental groups.
Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) on Thursday unveiled Tesla Energy - storage systems or batteries for homes, companies and utilities that will expand its business beyond electric vehicles and tap into a fast-growing area of the energy industry.
Most top credit rating agencies say they would not cut Greece's rating to default if it misses a payment to the International Monetary Fund or European Central Bank, a stance that could keep vital ECB funding flowing into the financial system.
China's factories stayed stuck in the slow lane in April while Japanese output went into reverse and South Korea suffered its worst export performance in two years, adding urgency to calls for more state stimulus in all three economies.
A holiday in most of Europe thinned trade on Friday after a tumultuous week when the dollar dove, bond yields soared and stock markets in Europe and the United States weakened.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives who are trying to end the decades-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports said on Thursday they were gaining support after a Democrat joined the Republican-led effort. Representative Henry Cuellar became the first Democrat to sign on to a bill launched in February by Representative Joe Barton, a Republican and fellow Texan.
Monsanto (MON.N), the world's largest seed company has again approached Switzerland's Syngenta (SYNN.VX) in recent weeks with an offer to buy the company, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter.
Time Warner Cable Inc (TWC.N) and Charter Communications Inc (CHTR.O) separately held acquisition talks with Bright House Networks, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.
