Wall Street stocks were set for a higher open on Wednesday after better-than-expected N.Y. manufacturing data and remarks reiterated China's commitment to investing in euro zone debt.
The euro zone economy's shrunk at the end of 2011 as the sovereign debt crisis crushed a recovery and looked set to push the bloc into mild recession, but a north-south divide was evident as France grew while Italy slumped.
Stock index futures rose Wednesday, buoyed by comments from China's central bank chief that the country would keep investing in euro zone debt and better-than-expected data from Germany and France.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, saw that its gross domestic product fall 0.2 percent from the third quarter even as France grew 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter.
Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 rising 0.5 to 0.6 percent.
A weekly roundup of German-language real estate news
General Motors is expected to report lower fourth-quarter earnings per share as struggling European operations of the top U.S. automaker offset strong domestic sales.
Stocks of financial and basic materials companies led Wall Street lower on Tuesday after rallies by those groups this year, while the retail sector hit a record even as retail sales rose less than expected last month.
Amazon.Com Inc, which has been spending heavily on expansion, said it will spend more than $90 million to open a fulfillment center at Middletown in Delaware.
The S&P 500 index retreated on Tuesday from near a seven-month high after weaker-than-expected January U.S. retail sales data curbed investors' appetite for risky assets.
The 17 member nations of the euro common currency union, dragged down by the flagging economies of Greece, Portugal, Spain and Ireland, saw factory activity decrease more than expected in December, the statistical office of the European Union announced Tuesday.
Samsung Galaxy Note reviews are coming out in advance of its Feb. 19 release date. This roundup will tell you what people think of the phone with a pen.
Wall Street was set for a lower open Tuesday after weaker-than-expected January U.S. retail sales data curbed investors' appetite for risky assets.
The euro rose to a session high and shares reversed early losses after key German data bolstered hopes that Europe's largest economy was recovering and a strong Italian bond sale added to signs that financing pressures were being contained.
Stock index futures edged up Tuesday after upbeat data from Germany offset ratings agency Moody's downgrade of six euro zone countries.
The European Union is likely to take action against Spain's newly installed government by May for delaying austerity measures ahead of a regional election next month, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
The European Union is likely to take action against Spain's newly installed government by May for delaying austerity measures ahead of a regional election next month, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
Output at factories in the euro zone tumbled in December, reflecting a sick European economy that probably shrank at the end of 2011 but it is hoped will recover this year.
Futures on major U.S. stock indices pared earlier losses and point to a slightly higher opening Tuesday ahead of of economic data including retail sales.
Gold prices followed crude oil and global stocks lower Tuesday after ratings firms cut the credit ratings of several European nations and banks and warned that more reductions were likely.
Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria, and it downgraded six other European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal, citing growing risks from Europe's debt crisis.
Moody’s has cut the debt ratings of Italy, Spain and Portugal and put France, UK and Austria on warning, saying they were increasingly vulnerable to the eurozone crisis.