Investors enjoying near-record levels for major stock indexes will scrutinize housing data and other economic indicators in the coming week for hints about the timing of U.S. interest rate hikes to see if the rally will continue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Friday creating a regional currency union with Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russia's main partners in a union of ex-Soviet states facing growing economic challenges.

Rapid7, LogRhythm and Mimecast are joining a growing list of cybersecurity firms planning to go public in 2015 to capitalize on investor interest following a spate of hacker attacks, according to people familiar with the matter.

U.S. stocks rose on Friday, pushing the Nasdaq to a 15-year high and helping the S&P 500 snap a three-week string of losses, following a pullback in the dollar, upbeat results from Nike and further biotech gains.

Germany's Bayer said it was considering strategic options for its home and garden consumer products business, maker of Baby Bio plant feed, as its crop protection arm focuses on professional customers.

Greece will receive much needed funding once it has submitted a detailed list of proposed reforms to the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, its government spokesman said on Friday, as the country strives to avoid a cash crunch within weeks.

Jaguar Land Rover Ltd on Friday said it is recalling nearly 36,500 Range Rover Evoque sport utility vehicles (SUVs), after local media reported the British luxury carmaker used faulty gearboxes.

Zodiac Aerospace suffered its worst share price drop in six years on Friday after issuing a profit warning due to delays in aircraft seat production that have prompted intervention by leading planemakers.

Simon Property Group Inc (SPG.N), the No.1 U.S. mall owner, raised its offer for Macerich Co (MAC.N) three days after its smaller rival rejected its earlier offer, adopted a poison pill and changed board structure to prevent a hostile takeover.

South African hotel chain Sun International (SUIJ.J) on Friday announced plans to take over casino resort group Peermont for nearly 9.5 billion rand ($775 million).

HTC Corp on Friday named Cher Wang as chief executive, giving its founder and chairwoman a bigger role in leading a potential turnaround of the Taiwanese smartphone maker.

Brent crude oil fell below $54 a barrel on Friday and was on track for its third straight weekly loss, hurt by worries of rising supplies from OPEC and the United States.

Spain's Banco Sabadell (SABE.MC) could look to expand further in Britain after agreeing a 1.7 billion pound ($2.5 billion) takeover of TSB (TSB.L), one of the biggest cross-border banking deals since the financial crisis of 2007-09.

Upscale jeweler Tiffany & Co's (TIF.N) quarterly sales fell for the first time in five years and are expected to decline further in the current quarter, hurt by the strong dollar.

U.S. stock index futures climbed on Friday after a one-day pullback as investors were reassured by a reform pledge by Greece to its EU creditors that could help avert a cash crunch.

Amazon.com Inc has won approval from U.S. federal regulators to test a delivery drone outdoors, as the e-commerce company pursues its goal of sending packages to customers by air, even as it faces public concern about safety and privacy.

Switzerland's Holcim (HOLN.VX) and France's Lafarge (LAFP.PA) have agreed new terms for their plan to create the world's biggest cement company, giving unhappy shareholders in the Swiss firm a better deal.

Web hosting company GoDaddy Inc's initial public offering is expected to value the company at up to $2.87 billion and comes at a time when there has been a steep fall in the number of companies going public in the United States.

Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group may take on Tesla Motors Inc and other companies in developing electric cars, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

Tag Heuer, French luxury group LVMH's (LVMH.PA) biggest watch maker, said it will launch a smartwatch later this year using Google Inc's (GOOGL.O) Android operating system in a venture with Intel Corp (INTC.O) to compete head-on with the Apple Watch.

U.S. stocks fell on Thursday as a stronger dollar weighed on oil and other commodity prices, sending energy and materials sectors lower.

Oil prices tumbled on Thursday as a rebounding dollar and Kuwait's stance that OPEC had no choice but to keep producing in an oversupplied market undercut the previous day's rally.

Allianz SE struck a deal with Goldman Sachs to help the German company hedge part of its stake in China Pacific Insurance Group (CPIC) and lock in profits from two rounds of investments that Allianz made in China's third-largest insurer.

Washington state lawmakers are considering imposing a steep tax and other restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes, legislation the bill's sponsor said on Wednesday would be the toughest in the nation.

Lifting the longstanding ban on U.S. crude oil exports would boost the country's economy and enhance its global leadership, a former senior Obama administration official will tell senators on Thursday, introducing a strategic dimension to the growing debate over selling American oil abroad.

Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday the worst was over for Russia's economy, which has been hit by Western economic sanctions over the Ukraine crisis and the fall in global oil prices.

The dollar fought back across the board on Thursday after posting its biggest daily fall in 18 months in the wake of a much more cautious Federal Reserve statement on interest rates than expected.

Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) will partner Taiwanese drinks maker Tingyi Holding Corp (0322.HK) to produce and sell ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages in China, becoming the latest global firm to latch on to a local peer to expand in the tricky market.

Euro zone leaders will tell Greece on Thursday that time and patience are running out for its leftist-led government to implement agreed reforms to avert a looming cash crunch that could force it out of the single currency.

World shares rose back towards all-time highs and a slump then jump in the dollar triggered wild moves in currency markets on Thursday, as investors priced in a later start and a slower pace for future U.S. rate rises.