The dollar and U.S. government debt yields jumped on Friday as a strong American labor market report raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates by mid-year.
Regions
Brazil's Petrobras taps state banker as CEO; shares dive
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff tapped a confidant from a state-run bank to be the next head of Petrobras on Friday, chilling investor hopes that a more independent new management team would steer the oil firm out of a huge corruption scandal.
Strong Swiss franc boosts trade at German brothels
A jump in the Swiss franc against the euro, which threatens to push the country's economy into recession, is boosting trade in brothels across the border in Germany.
Seattle home tied to Disney's 'Up' movie to be auctioned
A century-old Seattle house that was featured in a marketing stunt to publicize Walt Disney Co's balloon adventure movie "Up" because it is wedged in the middle of a modern development could be sold at auction next month, media reported on Friday.
JPMorgan under scrutiny over hiring of Chinese minister's son: WSJ
JPMorgan Chase & Co is under federal scrutiny over hiring the son of China's current commerce minister, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing internal emails.
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Oil rallied again on Friday, with benchmark Brent crude having its largest two-week gain in 17 years, as falling oil rig counts and violence in producer Libya helped further stall a selloff that began in June.
The good news from Friday's jobs report may already be reflected in the prices of the smallest U.S. stocks. With nearly all of their revenue coming from the United States, the companies in the Russell 2000 should be the most obvious beneficiaries of a growing U.S. economy.
America has added more than a million jobs in the space of three months but wages, especially for blue-collar workers, are showing few signs of gains.
Wall Street stocks fell on Friday as a better-than-expected U.S. jobs report raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates by midyear, while renewed worries over Greece's debt negotiations added to the bearish tone.
The International Monetary Fund has granted Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone debt relief of about $100 million in total, the first time a global institution has provided such relief to the three West African nations hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak.
Canada and Japan must open their markets to farm imports under a Pacific trade pact, the chairman of a U.S. congressional committee responsible for trade said on Thursday, adding that any country that cannot meet the deal's goals should drop out.
China will fight attempts by foreign casinos to lure its citizens abroad, a senior police official said on Friday, which could deal a blow to the gaming firms in Macau and Asian countries that rely on these punters for most of their revenue.
Sri Lanka's cabinet said on Thursday it would allow a $1.5 billion "port city" deal with China to go ahead, dropping a threat to cancel a project approved by the previous government.
Crude oil traded $2 higher before paring gains on Friday, on track for a second weekly increase, as chaos in Libya and stronger economic signals from the United States helped futures rebound from near-six-year lows.
