China gave Google Inc approval to keep operating its Chinese search page, resolving a months-long censorship dispute that had threatened its future in the world's top Internet market.
China's trade surplus in June topped expectations on surprising strength in exports that suggests the global economic recovery has remained on track despite worries about a fresh slowdown.
Some investors are betting on major technology stocks ahead of the earnings season kicking off next week, seeing them as oversold on fears about the slowing U.S. and European economies.
Denso Corp, Japan's No.1 car parts maker, will likely review its earnings outlook around late October for a possible upgrade after a strong first quarter eased worries about the impact of the yen's strength
French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen on Friday signed a deal to set up a 50-50 manufacturing venture with China Changan Automotive Group as it moves to ramp up capacity in the world's largest auto market.
Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda said on Friday higher wages among Chinese factory workers would create a new class of consumers, and that the trend therefore had both good and bad elements.
The Dow and S&P were little changed on Friday, following three days of gains as investors looked ahead to the start of earnings season while Google helped keep the Nasdaq in modestly positive territory.
Palladium, which was expected to gain this year due to the high growth in auto ales in China and India, may in fact decline by 12 per cent to about $395 an ounce in the coming weeks.Palladium is hugely used in catalytic converters in cars. Palladium has been the worst-performing precious metal last quarter.
Google Inc said on Friday that the Chinese authorities had renewed its license to operate a website, averting a potential shutdown of its flagship search page in the world's biggest Internet market.
Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt rejected any notion that Apple Inc or Facebook presented a threat to the web search leader's business.
If bullion investors thought the recent move by China to free yuan from dollar will help gold in a big way, think again. China seems to be not much interested in dumping gold forever, even though Beijing is ready to give flexibility to yuan.
The Obama administration declined to label China a currency manipulator in a long-delayed report on Thursday, spurring fresh calls from U.S. lawmakers for tough new steps to pressure Beijing.
Some lawmakers claim China's yuan is misaligned in value, distorting trade and stealing U.S. jobs. A key senator pledged to press ahead with a bill threatening China with tariffs on some of its products unless there is significant movement upward in the yuan.
The euro held near two-month highs on Friday, while the yen was under pressure as investors cut long positions and veered towards high-yielding currencies on improving risk appetite.
The euro was little changed on the day at $1.2684 EUR=, with near term resistance around the May 12 high of $1.2740. It broke past resistance at $1.2673 on Thursday when it advanced nearly 0.5 percent against the U.S. dollar and jumped over 1 percent against the low-yielding yen EURJPY=R.
The statement of China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) is unlikely to impact the bullion market.
The SAFE described Beijing as a responsible long-term investor and doesn't seek the power to control recipients of its investment.
Google Inc Chief Executive Eric Schmidt expressed confidence the company will secure a license to operate a website in China, confounding speculation Beijing may shut down its flagship site there.
The Obama administration declined to label China a currency manipulator in a long-delayed report on Thursday, spurring fresh calls from U.S. lawmakers for tough new steps to pressure Beijing.
The U.S. Treasury Department said on Thursday that China's yuan remains undervalued, but it declined to say that China or any other country manipulates their currencies for trade advantage.
The U.S. Treasury Department said on Thursday that China's yuan remains undervalued, but it declined to say that China or any other country manipulates their currencies for trade advantage.
Russian gas giant Gazprom was the world's most profitable company in 2009 despite ranking 50th in revenue, Fortune magazine said on Thursday with the publication of the Fortune Global 500.
General Motors Co said on Wednesday it will sell its Nexteer Automotive unit to a China government-backed group, as GM focuses on its core car business while the Chinese look to bolster their global competitiveness.
Stocks rose on Thursday after several top U.S. retail chains reported better-than-expected sales in June and new claims for jobless benefits fell more than forecast.
Gold buying has intensified on the late-June/early July sell offs and capitalising on this fall were the Asian investors, jewelry manufacturers and possibly a few central banks, according to Jeffrey Nichols, Senior Economic Advisor to Rosland Capital.
