International News
US close: Stocks notch fresh records as investors eye earnings season
All three of Wall Street's main indices notched record closes on Tuesday as investors looked ahead to the start of earnings season.
Europe close: Utilities yield as investors ponder central banks' next moves
Weakness in the single currency drove further gains in shares on the Continent, helping to offset weakness in the Utilities space as bond yields advanced.
US open: Banks jump as Treasury yields head towards 2017 highs
Wall Street's main market gauges were trading mostly higher, propelled by an outsized move in lenders' shares as longer-term interest rates moved towards closer towards their 2017 highs after the Bank of Japan sprang a bit of a surprise overnight.
JP Morgan boss says US GDP could grow by 4% in 2018
Chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, offered a forecast for US economic growth that was comfortably ahead of even the most optimistic projections from economists.
Trump's plan to prop up coal and nuclear power rejected
The Republican- controlled Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected on Monday the Trump administration's plans to breathe new life into the country's coal and nuclear power plants through subsidies.
Belgian coalition government rigged to implode
The coalition government of Belgium was said to be at risk of collapse over a scandal regarding the forced repatriation of more than 100 Sudanese nationals.
North and South Korea hold first talks in two years
North Korea and South Korea are embracing talks aimed at improving relations between the two countries.
Biocartis inks diagnostic agreement with Amgen
Molecular diagnostics company Biocartis Group signed a new companion diagnostic development (CDx) agreement with biotechnology firm Amgen on Tuesday over the latter's Idylla compound.
Asia close: Japanese, Vietnamese issues outperform
Equities around the Asia Pacific region finished the session little changed for the most part, despite record closes overnight on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite.
MPs warn Barclays not to halt compensation for card mis-selling victims
Parliament has warned Barclays not to halt payouts to 80,000 customers who were mis-sold credit card plans or it could lead to customers being entitled to compensation of £200m.
Lidl opens huge new warehouse to continue growth in London
Lidl is opening its largest UK warehouse in Luton as part of the German discounter's £1. 45bn investment in growth to keep up its assault on the Big Four supermarkets.
H&M pulls 'racist' advert after social media outrage
Clothing giant H&M has come under fire after posting an advert where a young black child was shown wearing a hooded sweatshirt bearing the words: "Coolest monkey in the jungle. ".
US pre-open: Stocks seen touch higher as investors eye earnings season
US futures pointed to a marginally firmer open on Wall Street on Tuesday, as investors looked ahead to the start of earnings season.
British firms flooded with cyber attacks in 2017
Major British companies were hit by more than 230,000 cyber-attacks each during 2017, as attacks in the fourth quarter increased 24% over the same time a year earlier.
Eurozone unemployment rate nears nine-year low
Unemployment in the eurozone shrank modestly towards the end of last year, approaching a nine-year low as economic conditions in the bloc continue to improve.