International News
Europe close: Stocks deliver bumper returns for US dollar investors in 2017
European stocks saw a large decline on the last day of trading of 2017, weighed down by another push higher in the single currency as government bond yields diverged again on either side of the Pond, especially out on the euro area's periphery.
Asia close: Vietnam paces gains in bumper year for region
Asian stocks finished a stellar year on Friday, that saw them eclipse gains in the States and on the Continent, on a mixed note.
US open: Dow and S&P 500 hover near record highs on final trading day of 2017
US stocks were little changed in early trade in the final session of the year, although the Dow and the S&P 500 were hovering near record highs in holiday-thinned volumes.
US pre-open: Stocks on course to hit fresh records on last trading day of 2017
US stocks looked set to hit fresh records on the last trading day of the year, with volumes likely to be extremely light.
Italian President calls elections for 4 March
Italians will head to the polls again on 4 March, 2018, it has been decided, and perhaps again towards the middle of the same year, according to analysts.
US close: Stocks buoyed by latest economic data
Wall Street finished on a slightly higher note as investors sifted through a slew of data releases on an otherwise quiet day, with little in the way of corporate news and volumes thin ahead of the new year.