China's factories suffered their fastest drop in activity in a year in April as new orders shrank, a private business survey showed on Monday, hardening the case for fresh stimulus measures to halt a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.

European shares rose on Monday, led higher by Germany after upbeat factory activity, while the dollar steadied following signs the U.S. economy may be emerging from a recent soft patch.

Fosun International Ltd (0656.HK), an investment company controlled by Chinese billionaire Guo Guangchang, said it had offered to buy the 80 percent it does not already own in U.S. insurer Ironshore Inc (IRSH.N) for $1.8 billion.

BHP Billiton's shareholders are expected to approve the biggest ever spin-off in the mining industry on Wednesday, seeking to wring more value out of a string of long-neglected aluminum, manganese, silver and nickel assets.

The U.S. stock market has struggled for direction of late, but next week's payroll report could confirm whether the recent weakness in data and stock prices is waning as the weather warms, or the start of a longer-term trend.

Central bankers and finance ministers from China, Japan and South Korea said on Sunday they remained committed to policies to support demand in the face of moderate and uneven global growth.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Sunday his country's government will increase investment in Asian infrastructure at a meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), according to Kyodo News.

McDonald's new Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook is set to unveil his plan on Monday to revive growth as the world's largest hamburger chain struggles to win back consumers and investors.

Top executives close to Charter Communications Inc (CHTR.O) have reached out to management at Time Warner Cable Inc (TWC.N) to discuss a possible merger of the cable operators, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

Negotiations between Greece and its international lenders over reforms to unlock remaining bailout aid have made headway and an agreement could be closer this month, a government official said on Sunday.

Detroit's automakers, on track for their best sales year since 2006, may want to brace themselves for rockier times ahead.

Always top of the data pile, this week will be no exception for the U.S. jobs report with a first interest rate rise likely this year despite a dramatic slowdown in the first quarter.

Warren Buffett on Saturday rejected the idea that Berkshire Hathaway Inc, a sprawling conglomerate he has built over 50 years, has grown so big that it is now too big to fail and requires tighter regulatory oversight.

Silvio Berlusconi will keep control of his AC Milan soccer club but could sell a minority stake, his holding company said on Saturday, following talks between the former Italian prime minister and Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol.

After a night of New Year's Eve style partying, Las Vegas awoke ready to rumble on Saturday as the 'Fight of the Century' between unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao entered the final countdown.

With prices for top-tier works of art at an all-time high, records for paintings and sculpture appear certain to fall at upcoming spring auctions in New York by Christie's and Sotheby's.

Billionaire investor Daniel Loeb said on Friday his hedge fund has taken a new position in Yum! Brands (YUM.N), sending the fast-food restaurant company's stock up nearly 7 percent.

U.S. aviation regulators are talking to drone makers and service providers about testing commercial drones that can fly beyond an operator's visual line of sight, currently banned for safety reasons, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

China's cabinet unveiled new measures on Friday to boost employment, offering more flexible tax breaks to companies to hire the jobless, preferential loans and incentives for farmers and new graduates.

Oil prices eased off 2015 highs on Friday after Iraq said its crude oil exports hit a record in April, and on pressure from a stronger dollar.

U.S. shares rebounded sharply on Friday on gains in healthcare and technology stocks, while the dollar rose from nine-week lows on signs that the U.S. economy may be stabilizing.

Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) has agreed a 10.07 billion pound ($15.28 billion) bridge loan from a group of relationship banks backing its 47 billion pound takeover of smaller rival BG Group (BG.L), the company announced on Friday.

Rocket Internet, a tech investor focused on emerging market ventures, has reduced its stakes in two of its Europe-focused financial services start-ups after facing setbacks there, Germany's Spiegel magazine said.

Another day, another shock for investors in social media stocks. Shares of LinkedIn Corp, operator of the most popular social network for professionals, fell 20 percent in early trading on Friday, wiping out more than $6 billion of market value, after the company slashed its full-year forecast.

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 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 Motor Co (F.N) said it was expanding a recall to include 156,000 more vehicles to fix a potential door latch malfunction.

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.

U.S. stocks bounced back sharply on Friday as investors snapped up beaten-down shares in the healthcare and technology sectors, and as data gave further signs of a pickup in the economy.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Friday said first-quarter profit rose 10 percent, and operating results easily beat forecasts, boosted by its railroad and insurance businesses and gains from derivatives.